Bass fishing 101

How to Fishing Guide - How to Fish Bass

Bass Fishing 101

I get a lot of great "How To" bass fishing questions from beginners, and I think it's great that more and more people are getting interested in fishing! I love answering questions and helping people get started. But frankly, it's easier to "show" than it is to "tell" (or type, as it were). I can't really explain every specific situation in this one short guide. Of course, you're always welcome to email me specific questions. This is just meant to be a short guide to the "How To" bass fishing basics.

"How To" - Bass Fishing Guide

Bass fishing techniques are varied as they are numerous. There's no simple answer that will suit everyone all the time. I've picked out two of the best and easiest techniques to explain and I feel that they will have some benefit to those who are just getting started in bass fishing.

• Shaky Head Fishing - This is a rather new technique that is quickly becoming one of my favorites (and apparently many other people feel the same way). It's making the rounds in the fishing tournaments and does quite well. Ironically, it seems to do even better when other lures aren't getting much attention from bass. I have actually made a page completely dedicated to shaky head fishing at www.ShakyHeadJig.com , so I won't explain it in detail here. You can visit my other articles for this one.
• Top Water Fishing - This tried and true technique requires a floating bait, a rod and real. You generally use a bait that replicates an injured minnow -some of them have propellers that sputter and splash across the top of the water. Buzz baits are also a topwater bait. You can cast and reel at a slow, steady pace or you can cast and reel it in short spurts to further reproduce the effect of an injured fish. The great part about topwater fishing is that when the bass strikes there's a HUGE splash. It's really exciting to watch the fish lunge toward the bait. There's usually a lot of action on top of the water.

Either of these styles of fishing should be enjoyable and successful for anyone. There are a lot of articles out there that make both styles sound much more complicated than need be. They are both effective and simple and should be enjoyable to any fisher man. It takes some experimentation to find what you like best and what works for you.

How to Fish Bass Equals Where to Fish Bass

Just as important as your bass fishing technique, is finding a good spot to fish. There are a lot of considerations, and it's another one of those things that would be easier to show than tell. Because I don't know what you have available to you in your area, I'll tell you what kinds of places I look for in the waters where I fish.

• River Fishing for Bass. This is my favorite way to fish bass. I've fished on big rivers, but enjoy smaller rivers more. Naturally, a quiet, out of the way, place work better than areas with a lot of people and commotion. Just as a general rule of thumb, it's a good plan to try to look for the spots in the river that aren't typical. For instance, if you find a big boulder or something blocking the current, you can generally find a nice fishing spot on the downstream side of the boulder because dead bugs and such gather where the current is blocked. Another place bass gather is anywhere where tree branches overhang the water. Fish gather to eat the bugs that fall out of the trees and they like the shade, especially in hot weather. Downstream of a confluence is also a good place to look for a fishing spot. Fish tend to gather in hopes of getting the extra grub that washes out of the creek, stream or river.
• Lake Fishing for Bass. Bass fishingfrom the bank can be very challenging, but not impossible if you have the patience and dedication for it. Look for schools of shad. Anywhere that shad gather, bass will be nearby. An abundance of underwater cover such as logs, rocks or artificial crappie beds are places where bass like to hide out. All fish like cover and quiet little hiding spots and bass are no exception. The challenge to this is that often you get your favorite lures caught in the cover and can't retrieve them. Boat fishing defiantly has its advantages, but there's a lot of good fishing to be had without a boat. Of course, if you have one, use it. If you don't, don't worry about it. Just go out and fish and have a fun!

That's it! You're on your way to be best bass fishing of your life! -Fish On!

Author's Bio:

Ted Thurman has been an avid fisherman throughout his life, but has been involved in several aspects of the fishing industry for the past 10 years. He lives near some of the best fishing lakes in the United States and loves sharing information about fishing with others who enjoy fishing and people who are interested in learning more about fishing.

For More information, please visit http://www.FishinLures.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ted_Thurman

Secret bass fishing lures!

Bass Fishing "Not" So Secret Lures

As a touring pro bass angler, I have access to an almost mind boggling variety of baits and lures, some of which are not even available to the public yet. Everything imaginable in soft plastics, hard plastics, wood and metal, they cover the water column from top to bottom. They chug, splash, dive, vibrate and spin. And some of them are designed to do nothing at all. Do they all catch fish? you bet. Given the right condition, 98% of the new lures on the market today plus 98% of the old ones from the last 50 years will all catch bass.

It can all be really confusing. What should I buy, what should I use? How important is color? If red fishing line disappears under water, why do red lures attract so many big bass? Do $30.00 crank baits really catch more fish than $5.00 ones? The answers depend on who you ask and sadly most of the guys you ask will hedge their bets with maybe and sometimes. How is a guy supposed to figure all this out on a working persons salary?

Lets see if I can simplify it for you. When I began bass fishing in the mid 1960's, there wasn't nearly as much information available to aspiring bass anglers as there is today but there wasn't nearly as much equipment to choose from either. The first two or three years I bass fished, I carried all my tackle in a Folgers coffee can and caught a lot of bass. Sure you say, that was in the glory days when there were few fisherman and the bass had not become so educated from constant fishing pressure.

Well, let me tell you, that same short list of "not so secret" lures will catch em as well today as they did 40 years ago. And if you find yourself bogged down trying to buy everything and learn every new technique to come along then go back to basics and learn how to use just a few lures and techniques really well instead. I promise you'll catch just as many fish and probably more by scaling back to my basic list of lures.

Enough talk. here is my list of everything you need to become a better bass fisherman.

1. 1 package of 6 inch straight tail purple worms

2. 3/8 oz. chartreuse or white spinner bait

3. 1/2 oz. top water popper (dark back/light belly)

4. 1/2 oz. lipless crank bait (chrome/black back)

5. Diving crank bait, medium depth (6-10 ft.) in a shad color

6. Floating jerk bait (gold/black back)

7. Package of 3/16 oz. lead or tungsten slip sinkers

8. Package of 3/0 worm hooks

That's it. This entire tackle kit can be purchased for as little as $30.00. You can spend much more but $5.00 will buy very good quality crank baits, jerk baits and top waters.

If you are new to bass fishing, buy this kit. If you have been fishing awhile and you have a large selection of lures but your not progressing as fast as you would like, go through your stuff and scale back to my list. Then learn to fish those baits really well before moving to new techniques.

So do I practice what I preach? Well-sometimes. I love fishing lures. Lots of lures, all kinds of lures, old faithfuls and hot new ones filled with promise. I love to fish with them and I love to collect them too.

I love new techniques and learning how to make them work for me. Deep jigging, drop shot, finesse, punching mats, frogging, wacky worms and more. In the long run having a working knowledge of all these methods will surely add a few key fish to my tournament sacks.

But I fish tournaments for part of my livelihood. And like baseball players and golfers, sometimes i find myself in a slump where i just can't seem to catch the fish I need to compete at the top. When that happens, i go straight back to the basics and depending upon the time of the year and the type of water, i rig up 2 or 3 of my six basic lures, put my trolling motor on medium speed and cover as much water as I can before weigh in.

It works every time - almost. Send me your thoughts and questions on this article or any other fishing subject.

http://x-tremebassfishing.com/phpnuke/modules.php?name=Stories_Archive

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wes_Browning

Top Bass Fishing in Colorado!

Bass fishing in Colarado is a reality! Colorado is known for trout fishing but this article below explains the opportunity available for top bass fishing, there are some awesome largemouth bass habitat locations in colorado, so if you like fishing for bass and live or want to visit Colorado, this bass fishing tips article may be for you.

Colorado Bassin' 101

I know a lot of fisherman in Colorado mainly target trout, but the bass fishing can be excellent at times too!!! During the summer months I spend most of my fishing time on smaller ponds targeting those big old bucketmouths. They bite hard, fight hard, and will have any angler addicted if given the chance.

A lot of trout fisherman have problems making the transition to bass for a few reasons. When you're used to throwing out tiny spinners and spoons, a big bass plug or jig looks huge. Bass routinely eat bluegills, baby bass, bullfrogs, and even snakes, so don't be shy about using big tackle...its amazing how many small fish I'll catch using a big Zara Spook.

Do you have to buy a new rod and reel for bass fishing? No!!! You can get away with using light tackle in certain situations...actually for most smaller ponds in the metro area light tackle is perfect. It limits the baits you can throw, but smaller baits can really shine at times. If you're going to use your trout rod and reel, I suggest no lighter than 6lb test and stick to lines without too much stretch. If small diameter lines are what you're comfortable with, I would use a braided line...Berkley Fire Lne is awesome. I always prefer a rod with a lot of back bone to ensure good hook sets!!!

Let's talk about some basic lures and plastics to get you started. Lipless crankbaits such as the Cordell Spot or Rattlin' Trap are great lures that don't take years to master. Using a basic slow retrieve will get you hooked into a good number of fish at many local lakes and ponds. Early in the year a Firetiger Rattlin Trap is killer on Spratt Platte(100th and Mckay). Like I said, just make long casts and a slow retrieve...Don't worry about jigging or complicating things. Cast her out and reel her in!!! Senkos!! Senkos!! Senkos!! These plastics are fish catching machines even though they don't look like much. If you're not familiar with the Senko style plastic worm, it pretty much looks just like a pen. You can rig a Senko style worm a number of different ways, but for me the most productive has always been "wacky rigged".

Basically all you do is get a light wire hook and stick it right in the middle of your Senko style worm. After you make a cast, the Senko slowly flutters to the bottom and it drives fish crazy. Bite detection is a little different when fishing a Senko...although there will be times that your line darts off and, without a doubt, you have a fish on. There will also be days when the only detection of a bite is a little twitch in your line. Basically any little ticks or pauses on the fall...I set the hook. After the Senko hits the bottom, leave it there for as long as a few minutes, look for little ticks in your line, and set the hook. A great place to use Senko's is Quincy Reservoir in Aurora!!!

I suggest waders to get to some of the brush piles, but right off the dock will put you onto fish as well. So many different companies have Senko style worms now its hard to keep up, but the Zoom Centipede is my favorite. With this lipless crankbait and Senko combination you have the arsenal to attack many of the metro area bass lakes!!!

Now its time for my favorite way to catch fish, hands down...Topwater!!! Everyday during the spring and summer months I'll be at one of my bass lakes before the sun comes up tossing out Zara Spooks and Buzzbaits. If you've never caught a bass on topwater lures, you,re truly missing out. Although I've caught fish all day on topwater lures, the best times are low light periods...early in the morning, and as the sun goes down. First, lets talk about using a Zara Spook...If you're not familiar with a Zara Spook, its what we call a walking bait. Basically thru a series of short jerks with your rod tip, you can make your Zara Spook "Walk the Dog". It takes time and practice but once you get used to walking the dog, its cake. With a Zara Spook you're limited to areas where there isn't too much weed growth on top, due to having a couple of exposed treble hooks. My favorite way to fish a Zara Spook is parallel to shore lines.

Casting 3 or 4 feet out from shore and walking the dog all the way in will get some explosive strikes. When fishing topwater lures, it's really common for bass to miss the lure a couple times before taking it. So if you get a hit, but don't hook up, cast back to the same spot as fast as possible. 9 times out of 10, the fish will hit again. Another thing thats hard for fisherman who have just started fishing topwater baits is to wait until you actually feel the fish on before setting the hook. I know its hard to hold back when you see a fish smack your lure, but you'll catch a lot more bass if you wait until you feel the fish before setting the hook. My all time favorite Zara Spook color...hands down...is red and white.

Buzzbaits are really effective top water lures and on average produce larger fish. No need to get fancy just casting out and reeling in fast enough to keep your bait above water is perfect. To really maximize results when fishing a buzzbait, bumping cover is a must. If you see a fallen log floating in the water cast over it and bring your lure right over the top of it. Something about buzzbaits hitting objects in the water drives bass nuts. Sure you'll get hung up and lose a few but its well worth the numbers and size of fish while bumping cover. My favorite color buzzbait is black!!!

Hopefully this helps out a little. If you have any questions, use the forum or email me and I'll gladly put you onto some great metro area bass lakes. Spring is just around the corner and to the people in the know, it means great bass fishing in our own backyard!!!

Eric Allee is a tremendous fisherman in Colorado. His greatest joy is helping others catch more and bigger fish. He has an excellent website and forum at:

http://www.fishinsecrets.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Allee

Fishing for largemouth bass

When fishing for largemouth bass, knowing the largemouth bass habitat is very important, top bass fishing experts agree on this. This website will have a lot of largemouth bass facts, bass fishing tips and resources. Below is an article on large mouth bass fishing.

12 Tips For Largemouth Bass Fishing

Enjoy fishing for those largemouth bass? Here are some largemouth bass fishing tips that should come in handy the next time you are ready to do a little angling.

(1) Worms or tubes bought in bulk could get smelly, even outside of the bag they're stored in. You should seal these worms in smaller vacuum sealer bags like those you purchase for food storage. Keeps the largemouth bass bait airtight and fresh, so they can be stored anywhere for any length of time.

(2) Fish seem to gain leverage with hard baits such as top waters, jerk baits or crank baits and can easily throw them. One solution to this is to add a split ring, putting it between the ring that is already there and the hook. This reduces the fish’s leverage, which puts a greater number of fish in the live well.

(3) Begin a fishing excursion before you ever reach the water. Largemouth fishing tips include formulating a plan. After executing the plan for a few hours, decide how it's working and if it's not go to plan "B".

(4) Are those largemouths not cooperating? Switch to a bait you have confidence in.

(5) Change fishing spots, even if you have a favorite, be sure to try new spots often.

(6) You should also be willing to study a lake map and consider the season and current weather conditions even if you are fishing on a very familiar lake. You may have missed a great fishing spot.

(7) Use a personal computer to discern lake levels, weather forecasts, and wind and wave conditions.

(8) Be willing to change your game plan. Pay attention to your instincts.

(9) Don't get ahead of yourself and set the hook as soon as you see the strike. You need to feel the fish.

(10) When the largemouth short strikes behind top water bait and you don't connect you should not give up. Cast a different bait very quickly.

(11) If you have been using larger lures and you have experienced only a few nonproductive bites it may be time to try something smaller.

(12) Remember to take into consideration the root system when fishing a stump. The root systems may hold more fish than the main part of the stump.

Now that you have these largemouth bass fishing tips, head for the water and bring in a big one.

For advanced bass fishing techniques, please visit http://www.catch-largemouth-bass.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Lee