Finding The Best Bass Fishing Spots

What is it about bass fishing that makes it such a popular activity? People get so hooked on bass fishing that they fanatically follow every report and trend that they hear about.

“Where are the bass?” How many of the anglers (tournament and recreational) go to a body of water they've never fished before, drop the boat in the water, then, ask this question of themselves? Locating the best bass habitats is one of the most important skills in bass fishing that an angler should learn.

Keep reading to getthe information on how to locate the best areas for bass fishing.
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Locating bass and understanding the water would be the number one question among bass anglers today. The next most asked question is which baits they should use to catch a "big" bass.

Now when you think about it, there are really only two (2) main topics that go hand-in-hand when it comes to bass fishing. If you understood more about these two, you would definitely become a much better angler, and they are:

1. Knowing how to locate bass.

2. Knowing how to catch bass using all the different techniques, presentations, and baits.

Learning how to locate bass can be somewhat of a challenge to most anglers because there are so many different factors that need to be considered:

1. Knowing how to read a map - this is the fundamental skill that you'll want to learn because through a map it is easier for you to determine the appropriate location good for bass fishing.

2. Knowing the most practical places to look for active bass just after cold fronts and during early spring and late fall periods - weather condition must be considered as well.

3. Understanding water depth is an important element because the depth or the shallowness of the water will influence the type of bait you use and how you present it.
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Other factors are water clarity, water temperatures, seasonal patterns, locating structure areas, and finding vegetation areas.

And there is more! Being a consistent bass angler is about so much more than just getting in your boat, hitting the water, and casting your baits. That's why bass tournaments are so competitive and exciting, because the more you learn about locating bass the quicker you can start catching them right? And hey, isn't that half the battle?

Let's start by looking at a lake map. There are two general types of lake maps that most anglers will use which are referred to as the “Hot Spot” and “Topographical” maps. The differences between the two is that a “Topo” map shows more detail, and the “Hot Spots” map shows more fishing spots (well, at least they’re supposed to).

The secret (or key) in learning how to use a lake map would be to sector the map. What I mean by this is that I will take the map and study it for a moment (looking for areas where the fish would most likely be.) Next, I will (using a highlighter) divide the map in sections based on how much time I have to pre-fish for a tournament or how many days I have to just fish the body of water for fun.

The size of the sections will vary depending on contours, structure, and how many places I may want to check out during the course of the day based on what the map shows me. I am certainly not one to just cast bait into the water and work it for five minutes and leave; I will try an assortment of baits if I see signs of fish in any given area to try to establish a working pattern.

Here are some key elements that you can usually look for when it comes to locating bass on any given body of water:

1. Vegetation areas

2. Irregular contours

3. Shallow water close to deep water areas

4. Points and point drops

5. Various types of structure

The Science Behind Fishing Line

Ok, you've been asked to design a great fishing line. Here are just a few of the goals you have to satisfy:

1. It should be super strong, but not so strong that it can't break. Better to break your line than your fishing rod. It has to stretch somewhat, but not too much.

2. It should glide through your guides during casting and rewinding with minimal friction, cast far and accurately, then come back in with little effort. But it also has to allow the drag mechanism to work effectively, to put resistance on a fighting fish. It has to hold a knot well, too.

3. It should be light enough to cast far, but have no 'memory'. Memory is the feature of line that, for example, causes line to remain curled from being on the spool, kinked after being knotted.
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4. It should be immune to cold, heat, sunlight, saltwater and slime.

And, oh by the way, all those (and many more) criteria come before even discussing that it has to be easy to make in large quantities and sell for only a few dollars. If a spool of fishing line could sell for $1,000 engineers would have a lot easier time designing it!

When working on the first goal, line designers have to carefully balance just when the line should snap. You don't want to let that good one get away, but you don't want to break a fishing rod when that big guy leaps up and runs away. As part of that effort, fishing line comes in different 'test weights'. That is, it may be 4 lb, 10 lb, 12 lb, 20 lb and so on.

To satisfy the second goal, fishing line makers have to be sure that the line is abrasion resistant. It has to stand up well to scraping over rocks, the edge of the boat, and so forth.
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To create a good knot, a fishing line has to have some inherent friction, though. Otherwise, the knot would slip right out the first time there was the slightest tug on it. Line also has to be somewhat flexible, lest the angler be forced to spend ten minutes trying to tie something that feels like wire. Imagine what a surgeon would have to go through tying stitches with bad surgical line, for example.

Creating line that has little memory is a whole combination of science and art all its own. Anyone has noticed, for example, that a string wound around a stick has no memory. Unwind it and it hangs limply. Plastic or nylon, on the other hand, may well be curled when it comes off the stick, especially if it was curled on in the sun and unwound after it cooled in the shade. Once kinked it stays kinked.

One aspect of creating line with no memory is to try different materials, manufactured in various ways. Materials scientists spend years experimenting to get just the right balance.

At the same time, those same scientists are looking for materials that don't wear out from exposure to UV light, extreme temperature changes, being dipped in water that contains salt and other chemicals. They may devise a monofilament or a braid to add geometry to help that material do its job.

So, next time you're asked to design fishing line, just say "No, thanks" and be grateful there are so many good ones on the market to choose from already.

Basic But Fantastic Bass Fishing Tips

As you spend more and more hours and days on the water bass fishing, you will acquire lots of knowledge about the best techniques for this sport. The best advice most experienced and seasoned bass fishermen offer is to examine the fishing conditions, ask for tips from anglers familiar with the waters you are fishing in, and finally, try many different lures and techniques until you discover what works most effectively in the situation.

Here are some Guides to Bass Fishing to become a better Bass Fisher.

Technique:

The bait must fall to the preferred depth, then you have to shake the rod tip. By this, you'll be getting the fishes attention. Do this for at least 30 seconds, then shaking again for about 2 or 3 seconds intervals, stop and pull slowly about six inches. Then dropping again, slowly back and down and repeating the process. The first thing to remember if they're not biting is to slow down.
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Tips:

• During Springtime, fish uphill (position the boat in shallow water and cast to deep water) and use a 1/8 ounce weight.

• Fish downhill in Fall.

• Try to use a Texas rigged worm to prevent hang-ups.

• Fish out the worm and keep suspended 90% of the time.

• Always try to sharpen the hooks to make sure you have maximized your hookup percentage.

• When doodling, it is critical to keep your presentation natural by downsizing your hooks to 1/0 or lower, and paying delicate, attention to how straight your bait is in order to maintain a natural presentation.

• Crystal clear waters can be tough. The secret to fishing weenie worms is to keep slack on your line and "shake" the bait instead of dragging. The shaking of the rod and your light line gives your worm, grub or reaper an amazing action.
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When to Go:

When the bass quit hitting during the daytime and when it becomes uncomfortably hot on the lake are good signals that it's time to start night fishing. Night fishing is usually practiced when the water is in the mid-60s or warmer.

Places to Fish:

Where to fish at night is a question commonly asked by bass fishermen. Bass don't move great distances in most situations. Smallmouth bass, especially, are proven stay-at-homes. As the summer wears on, the bass tend to move deeper and won't come up shallow, even at night in many lakes. Night fishing is productive when the bass are within the 20-foot zone

Tips and Guides

• Position yourself only as far away as water clarity dictates; stay close enough for consistent accuracy.

• Try to make the lure land on the water with as little noise as possible. Cast past the target when possible.

Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in Canada

Canadian waters are filled with Smallmouth bass. This fish is oftentimes referred to as the brown bass, smallie, browny, or bronzeback. They are a slender fish, usually streamlined in shape. They are also a popular game fish species, as they jump around so much.

Smallmouth bass feeds on fellow fish, crustaceans, and terrestrial insects. When fishing for smallmouth bass in Canada, here are some tips to follow:

1. Go to rock shoals. That is where they will most likely be.
Rock shoals are the obvious spots for smallmouth bass. But they can also be found deep in the water where they can find plenty of food for themselves. Look for spots where the crustaceans are abundant. There are going to be lots of them there too.
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2. When fishing during early fall or late summer, use a colored lure.
Tub Jig is the best lure of choice. During the said seasons, smallmouth bass tend to go into deeper waters. They are estimated to be within the thirty to forty-foot range. Make sure that your bait reaches that depth.

3. Use live baits when other lures don't work.
Use real, living worms if and when lures won't do it for you. Make sure that the worm dangles off the hook nicely. Use a light line to go with it. A four or six pound test is good enough. Don't use any weight either.

4. Smallmouth bass go in groups.
Additionally, all the smallmouth bass belonging to a certain group are usually sized the same. Don't expect to see bigger smallmouth in a school of smaller ones. If the size of the smallmouth you saw isn't the size you want to catch, change your location instead.
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5. Fish for smallmouth bass between mid-June to fall.
This is the best time to catch smallmouth bass. During mid June, smallmouths can be found on the river's bed. During fall, they can be found ten to fifteen feet deep into the water. Remember these important details so you will be able to catch a good number of smallmouth bass every time you fish.

6. Fishing for Smallmouth bass is different from largemouth bass.
Don't assume for a second that the way to catch smallmouth bass is the same with largemouth bass. Different approach and techniques are necessary. If you are an expert angler of largemouth bass, you might need to learn something new with smallmouth bass.

Winner Techniques for Bass Fishing

The bass by far is one of the most popular fish in America. It is a predator and will eat almost anything it can get its mouth around. They feed on other fish, crustaceans, worms, and other aquatic life. Most small fish are a bass' prey. This makes them tough, challenging and a lot of fun to catch. Bass can be found in most ponds, lakes and streams in North America. There are many species of bass with the largemouth bass being the most prolific and sought after.

Walk into a tackle store and look at the selection of lures available. The majority are bass lures. Most of the TV fishing shows are dedicated to bass fishing. Most fishing tournaments are for bass - largemouth bass. I will give you some of my time tested tips to catch this sought after fish.
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Let's start with springtime bass fishing. One of my most successful lures is the jig and pig. I use a weedless crawfish colored jig with living rubber skirts. I will then add a crawdad colored number 11 pork rind. This combo has brought in many a bass in the spring. I position the boat 20 -30 feet off shore and cast into the shore working the lure slowly in. When I feel a "tap-tap" I set the hook. I took my largest bass on this lure. Most of the bass are on beds or in shallow water and this little lure looks like large crawdad when worked along the bottom.

Later in the spring or early summer I like to use spinner baits. I go with a chartreuse colored spinner with a living rubber skirt (looks like a bunch of colored rubber bands). I will skirt this lure around trees, weeds, lily pads, down drop offs, on the surface or most any other area. I use single bladed models and have found them the easiest to use. Bass hit this lure with a vengeance. Most hit with all their power. Very rarely do I just get a tap.

Late summer and fall I will use crank baits. When the temperature is hot the bass are really active and the bass can also be deeper. The crank bait will dive down to where they are hiding. The action will get them excited and they will strike the lure when it gets within range. I like natural colors in my crank baits. Sunfish colors are my favorite.
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When I am out to get a lot of fish only one rig will do it for me. This rig has put more bass in the boat for me over any other. The sliding rig baited with a large night crawler. It has caught me many bass (and other species as well) and I can always come home with one using this rig. A small number 6 or 8 aberdeen style hook, light test line, o-ring and a sliding sinker is all that is needed. Slip your line through the sinker and tie it to the o-ring. Tie 16" of leader line (6- 8 pound test) to the o-ring and then to your hook. You are now ready to fish. Hook a night crawler to the rig once through the nose. This presents the worm as naturally as possible. Keep scents off your hands and discard chewed, dead or damaged worms. You want the best that you can get.

This rig fishes the bottom. Pick areas just like you would for lures. Use common sense when it comes to avoiding snags or other underwater hang-ups. You can even cast troll this rig slowly if you are using a walking style sliding sinker. I will cast out and let my boat drift slowly moving the bait across the bottom. This will cover more area and give you a greater chance. Hold the rod in your hand and set the hook when you feel a tap. A bass can take in the bait in one gulp. Remember to throw away worms that have been bitten by a sunfish. Big bass usually won't hit them in this condition.

Trout Fishing Is Popular In America

Trout fishing is one of the most popular sports in America. Fishermen love to go after this cunning prey. There are different types of trout that can be found in many different locations. For instance, they live in lakes, brooks and oceans. The type of fishing you do will depend on which type of trout you are going after. Regardless of which type of trout you are fishing for, below are a few tips for trout fishing in America that may be useful.

Having patience is necessary if you really want to be successful at catching trout. As mentioned above they are a very sly fish and they will certainly give you a run for your money. It may take a little time to figure out what works best for you, but don’t give up. Different locations will require different methods as well, so you will need to take a little time to learn the area in which you are doing the trout fishing.

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When fishing you should try and avoid letting the line and leader go over the fish, instead try to let only the fly pass over them as this will aid in helping you catch more trout. In most instances, tips for trout fishing America suggest that it is best not to allow your leader to float on top of the water as this can scare the trout away instead of luring them to you.

Choose the time of day that you go fishing wisely. Normally, the best timing for trout fishing is getting started before dawn and stopping when the sun is overtop of the water. It is believed that if you are fishing for large trout it is best to go during the night when there is not a full moon. It is said that the biggest fish bite the best in places that are completely dark. However, keep in mind that many fishermen believe that anytime is a good time if the trout are hungry and you have the right bait.

If you are having trouble catching trout, then don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques until you find the one that does work best for you. The more you experiment the better you will get at trout fishing. You will learn which techniques, lures and so forth will work best in different areas. Then you will know exactly what to use and when. Once you get the hang of this exciting sport you will see why so many people have labeled trout fishing the number one sport in America.