Fishing For Largemouth Bass ...continued

Bass Fishing Equipment

I won't go into much detail on this section because it would take me forever. But the equipment that you need to be successful at catching largemouth bass depends on the type of bass fishing that you  plan on doing... If you have the funds you can purchase a bass boat in excess of $10,000 if you don't you can always just put on the ole worn out sneakers. I met an old fellow in Missouri once, who used a little 10 foot john boat, no motor but just an oar and a cane pole tipped with a live night crawler that I would put my money on, before I would spend some on a high dollar bass boat with all their expensive gear... I just want you to know being successful doesn't mean that you have to invest a lot of money.

Bass Fishing Boats

Get a boat that best fits your needs. There is no sense in getting a bass boat with a 100+ horsepower motor if your going to be fishing very small lakes and ponds. But also if you plan on doing the majority of your fishing on a very large lake you wouldn't want to be armed with just a paddle or oars either. Bass boats can come with all sorts of equipment such as depth-finders, trolling motors, inboard/outboard motors, Electronic thermometers, live wells,  etc. etc...  Some big advantages of owning a bass boat is that you can carry a lot of equipment with you and have it ready should you ever need it.

Bass Fishing Rods and Reels

This too can be a very big decision. There are so many different styles and types of  rods and reels on the market today that it is about impossible for me to mention them all here. So I am just going to stick to the basics.. A good bass rod should have a heavy strong butt, and  sensitive tips. You need a powerful strong rod for setting the hook and horsing the fish out of heavy cover. Probably most importantly though is to make sure you balance the rod with the same  type of reel... Don't buy an ultralight rod and then put a heavy duty reel on it. This would impair the balance and sensitivity of the rod. So once again as with the Bass boat, just try to match the rod  and reel with the type of fishing that you do mostly. For example you wouldn't want to use an ultralight rod and reel if you planned on doing a lot of trolling and visa versa you wouldn't want to  buy a heavy trolling rod and reel if you planned on fishing with very lightweight top water plugs from shore.

Here too we have so many different types and variations that it is impossible to  mention them all. Once again it depends on your preferences, the water you are fishing and also the  equipment that you are using. But probably the most highly used artificial bait is the Plastic Worm. The ability to make it almost snag proof allows the angler to present the bait in the very thickest of  cover, it has a very lifelike action, and when inhaled by the bass the worms soft body feels like the  natural food. They are most effective in warm water and can be retrieved through thick weeds or  brush, float them over shallow cover, or jig them along deep structure. they vary in lengths from 4 to 12 inches and come in various shapes and colors.

Bass Fishing Spinnerbaits

A spinnerbait attract bass with its flash, action, and color. It is actually a combination of two other types of lures, the jig and the spinner. The use of this bait differs from buzzing it  across top water to crawling it across the bottom. And the lift and drop technique will sometimes entice the bass to strike.

Bass Fishing Crankbaits

Crankbaits work very well because you can cover alot of water in a very short period  of time. They also come in different varieties from ones that float, ones that float at rest but dive on  the retrieve, and the vibrating plugs that sink.

Bass Fishing Surface Lures

Some of the variations are the propeller-type plugs, poppers, buzzbaits, topwater crawlers, stickbaits, surface wobblers, and artificial frogs. They are very effective for fish that are hanging out in very thick cover and for night fishing.

Bass Fishing Jigs

The lead-head jigs have feathers, hair, rubber skirts, or plastic attractors on them. They can be  tipped with live bait or pork rind. They can be retrieved with a slow steady motion or bounced  along the bottom or just simply jigged up and down. Jigging spoons are made of heavy metal and are used mostly in cold water conditions. Vibrating blades are made of thin metal. They are jigged  vertically or retrieved very rapidly. They can even be used for trolling. Tailspins have a heavy lead body and a spinner on the tail. They work best for vertical jigging, but can be hopped along the  bottom or retrieved steadily.

Bass Fishing Spoon Plugs

Spoon plugs work best when trolled along weedlines.

Bass Fishing Spinner Lures

Spinner lures have one or more blades that rotate on a steel shaft. They are usually not weedless so they  should be retrieved next to or just above cover.

Bass Fishing Metal Spoon Lures

Metal spoon lures are among the oldest artificial lures. They can be made almost weedless and retrieved  slowly through emergent weeds or other dense cover, crawled along the bottom, or skittered across  the surface.

Bass Fishing Live Bait

NightCrawlers, Frogs, crayfish, minnows, and leeches are among the most widely used. Largemouth are more apt to strike live bait after a cold front than an artificial bait. And in very clear water the live bait will be a lot more effective than anything artificial that you can throw at them.

This article contains basic information about the largemouth bass and bass fishing. If you would like detailed information complete with pictures, graphs, maps etc.... I would suggest that you invest in a copy of the book "Largemouth Bass" (Hunting and Fishing Library) written by Don Oster. It is an excellent book and goes into very detailed information on where to find the largemouth and how to be more successful at filling your livewell. For a complete list of our recommended books be sure to visit the Great Outdoors Resource Center! Also, check out our recommended links section for tournament sites, free games, and more!