| Pro Tips about Bass Fishing | | | | |
| | | | Try to determine what the bass are eating and |
| By Pete Lambert | | | | take that into account when choosing your |
| | | | bait. Bass eat sunfish, minnows, shiners, |
| I'd like to share with you a bass fishing | | | | bluegill, crayfish, frogs, and insects. But |
| technique, that I have found that will make | | | | you could add a lot more things to the list. |
| bass literally attack your lure! I'll also | | | | Large bass have been known to eat baby |
| reveal why the flavor and texture of your | | | | ducklings, rats, and blackbirds. Because of |
| bait makes a difference, and explain what | | | | the bass's large mouth and flexible stomach |
| color lures to use depending on the general | | | | it can eat prey nearly half it's own length. |
| weather conditions. | | | | Shiny and silver or yellow lures will imitate |
| | | | minnows and sunfish, greens and browns |
| There is a bass fishing technique that will | | | | resemble crayfish and frogs. If you can |
| aggravate a bass to attack your lure | | | | determine what the bass are biting on, you |
| frenziedly! As you know, bass see in color, | | | | will always be more successful. |
| and some colors are more effective than | | | | |
| others depending on various elements. But | | | | Just as important to the choice of color is |
| when a bass sees a spot of red on your lure, | | | | the smell, taste, and feel of your bait. |
| it really drives a bass crazy. That's because | | | | According to Bill Dance, "Bass can smell 8 |
| a little red on your lure looks to the bass | | | | times better than a dog can." Some fisherman |
| like the blood of injured prey! It's not | | | | fail to take into account the smells that rub |
| surprising that pro bass fishermen will often | | | | off their hands onto their bait. Your hands |
| attach something red to their bait that | | | | must be free of the smell of any petroleum |
| resembles blood. Adding a splash of red can | | | | products like gasoline, suntan oil, or |
| double the potency of your lure. | | | | sunscreen. Insect repellent, tobacco, and the |
| | | | natural oils produced by your skin alert bass |
| It is important to choose the right bass | | | | that there's a predator in the vicinity. |
| fishing lure and this will increase your | | | | These man made scents will scare away a wary |
| catch dramatically! let's look at how to | | | | bass. Conversely, coating your bait with a |
| choose the best colored lure. There are three | | | | powerful scent like cod liver oil or other |
| main areas to consider when choosing your | | | | fish attractant can make a big difference in |
| lure: (1) light (2) water and (3) what the | | | | the size of your catch. |
| bass are feeding on, on that particular day. | | | | |
| | | | If you smoke, just remember that when you are |
| (1) Light | | | | bass fishing, you need to clean your hands |
| | | | before handling your bait or lures. Bass |
| The amount and quality of light will depend | | | | fishing expert Russ Bassdozer recommends, " |
| on the time of day and the general weather | | | | keep a bar of Ivory soap on the boat. It is |
| conditions. On overcast days, try and choose | | | | 99.44% pure, no added perfumes, and it floats |
| a brightly colored lure.These colors tend to | | | | if you drop it." The smell of soap, of |
| give a good light reflectance which allows | | | | course, is not ideal either, so you should |
| the bass to see the lure quicker and give it | | | | use some kind of fish attractant to mask or |
| a better chance to react to your | | | | neutralize the negative smells that stick to |
| presentation. On clear sunny days, a white | | | | your hands. |
| color lure is often the best choice. | | | | |
| Surprisingly, as dusk approaches, darker | | | | As for the feel and taste of your bait or |
| colored lures seem to work best. Some bass | | | | lures, it is important to understand how a |
| fishing pros recommend using black or purple | | | | bass eats its prey. When chasing a fish, an |
| colored lures as the night draws in. | | | | aggressive bass will inhale its prey with its |
| | | | large cavernous jaws. But once inside its |
| (2) Water | | | | mouth, the bass will feel and taste whatever |
| | | | it has fed on, and only then will it decide |
| You must also take into account the water | | | | to swallow. If a bass detects the feel of |
| visibility when choosing the color of your | | | | metal, it will likely spit it out. That's why |
| bass fishing lure. It is proven fact that | | | | you will often have more success with a lure |
| bass have excellent eyesight! According to | | | | or bait that is made of rubber or otherwise |
| Bill Dance, "The eye of a bass receives five | | | | imitates the feel of something natural like a |
| times more light than the human eye and can | | | | fish or frog. |
| see around 40ft in clear water. In murky | | | | |
| water, they can see up to 17ft. In muddy | | | | Another good reason for using a fish |
| water, they can still see 5ft - 7ft." If the | | | | attractant is that once the bass has your |
| water is dark, cloudy or dingy, your best | | | | lure in it's mouth, the scent and taste of |
| choice to attract the bass's attention are | | | | the attractant will cause the fish to hold |
| bright and shiny or fluorescent colored | | | | the lure in its mouth longer than if it |
| lures. When the water is downright muddy and | | | | tastes a PVC plastic cocktail and spits it |
| clarity is very poor, then flashy, bulky, and | | | | out, says Russ Bassdozer. This will give you |
| noisy baits that give off a vibration are | | | | those few precious, extra seconds to detect |
| your best bet. If the water is clear, you | | | | the bass on the end of your line and to set |
| will want to choose natural colored lures | | | | the hook. |
| that imitate the food found in the bass | | | | |
| environment. | | | | If you are aware of their senses, you can use |
| | | | them to your advantage to make bass bite. |
| (3) Feeding Habits | | | | |