| Locating good places to fish for largemouth bass | | | | This is where the water will be warmest. Work |
| begin with the basics. In our first article in this series, | | | | outside ledges and points. Work creek arms after a |
| "Finding the Best Places to Fish", we covered | | | | warm rain (rain warms water faster than outside |
| generalized basics for considerations pertaining to | | | | temperatures). |
| fishing for any species. Here we get down to the | | | | For the spawn, fish will look for protected areas but |
| brass tacks for largemouth. There are still some | | | | areas that have access to direct sun. Spawning areas |
| basics you must look at first, for example, will you be | | | | will be next to an element of protective cover such |
| fishing from a boat or will you be bank fishing? | | | | as a submerged log. As a side note, practice ethical |
| Finding largemouth usually comes down to three | | | | fishing at this time of the year. Consider releasing |
| keys: Type of Water, Structure and Vegetation, and | | | | spawning fish unharmed to the water immediately. |
| Season. If you think about these three things as you | | | | The post spawn, typically around two weeks after |
| search for fishing spots in your area or elsewhere, | | | | spawning, fishing can be tough. Fish suspended fish |
| they will keep moving you in the right direction. We | | | | and off points. The fishing will pick up after that |
| will talk about each area in more detail for the | | | | point, but normally the spawning and post spawn |
| balance of the article. | | | | period will vary throughout the lake. |
| Type of Water: | | | | For Summer fishing, I first of all suggest reading a |
| Largemouth bass are nearly always found in water | | | | previous article I wrote entitled, "Catching Bass in the |
| without a current or with very little current. Lakes, | | | | Summer Heat." In a nutshell, especially if bank fishing, |
| ponds, and rivers or streams with a very low flow | | | | weed beds and structures are a great first option. |
| are the areas you are after. According to Karen | | | | The aforementioned article will provide much |
| Kellogg, Darwin Fellow in the Biology Department at | | | | additional detail. |
| UMass-Amherst in her article "Small and LargeMouth | | | | Fall fishing for largemouth can be dynamic. Look at |
| Bass" , "Largemouth bass inhabit marshes, swamps, | | | | this time of year for steep drop-offs, like cliff edge. |
| ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and creeks to large rivers. In | | | | Also look for green weed-bed structures. As the |
| river systems, largemouth can be found in pools and | | | | water temperature drops, slow down presentations |
| backwaters. It prefers warm, generally clear water, | | | | as largemouth, being cold blooded, adjust their |
| and is less tolerant of turbidity than other black | | | | movements commensurate with body temperature. |
| basses (Jenkins & Burkhead 1994). Largemouth | | | | Winter fishing can be very slow, but often fish |
| can tolerate a range of salinities and is often found in | | | | caught are large ones. Continue looking for steep |
| estuaries." | | | | vertical drops. Alter presentations to vertical, such as |
| Structure and Vegetation: | | | | jigging. This time of the year a boat is a real plus, as |
| Stumps, weeds, and underwater brush (perhaps | | | | is having electronics, such as a fish finder. Patience |
| flooded) are one source of excellent structure. | | | | can be rewarded with a real wall hanger largemouth |
| Another type of structure that often seems to hold | | | | bass. |
| largemouth bass are humps on the lake bottom as | | | | Many specific locations can be found visiting websites |
| well as points extending from shore. If you are | | | | such as Family-Outdoors Fishing, where specifics are |
| fishing from shore, often a point is the ideal location, | | | | discussed for various lakes, rivers, and where in |
| and even better yet if perhaps a weed line is | | | | addition to discussion of largemouth, other species |
| present. | | | | are discussed as well. |
| Season: | | | | Next in our series will be locating the good locations |
| In the Pre-Spawn time of the year, (early Spring) | | | | for smallmouth bass. |
| begin your fishing in the Northwest corner of a lake. | | | | |