| Bass Fishing In the Current | | | | that I have a lot of luck with, is when a stream or |
| Locating and landing bass in current can test the skills | | | | river flows into another stream or river. The two |
| of even the most experienced angler. Of course | | | | currents collide creating an area where they cancel |
| wherever you happen to pull up your boat and drop | | | | each other out and make another great spot for |
| a line in, there will be some level of current, providing | | | | bass to hold and ambush any prey that may swim or |
| there is wind present. The current I am referring to, | | | | float by. |
| however, is heavy river or stream current. Thus, this | | | | Technique |
| article is entitled "River Bass Fishing Tips." Coming | | | | For the three locations mentioned above a few |
| from the perspective of an experienced angler, | | | | prominent techniques can be used to pull largemouth |
| fishing ponds and lakes almost exclusively for the | | | | and smallmouth bass out of the current. First we |
| beginning years of my angling life; landing bass, or any | | | | must understand how a bass will normally feed in a |
| fish for that matter in current is a whole new realm | | | | river or stream environment. This involves what it will |
| of fishing. River bass are of a different breed than | | | | feed on, and where its prey will most likely be. |
| those that are found in lakes and ponds, they are | | | | First off we know that bass feed primarily on |
| often thinner from battling current, which also lends | | | | insects, bait fish, and crayfish in rivers and streams. |
| to them putting up a more intense fight. Well, we | | | | So, like the smart anglers that we all are, we will |
| wouldn't want to get bored would we? Now, let us | | | | chose a lure that will mimic one of these. Use a small |
| dive into the realm of bass fishing in current. | | | | crank bait to mimic a minnow swimming in the |
| Location | | | | current, a jig to play the part of a crayfish, and if |
| As with bass fishing anywhere, the first tip that I will | | | | you are a fly fisherman tie on the fly that best |
| give you, or anyone with a brain in their head will give | | | | matches the hatch for that time of year. With this |
| you is this, "Locate the fish." This seems like an | | | | we must also understand how these food sources |
| obvious first step, but of course it is crucial to our | | | | also act in current. An insect, well... can't exactly |
| fishing success, because If we are not locating fish... | | | | swim, so you fly fishermen, let your fly float past |
| well we may as well stay home and cast in our | | | | the spots we talked about above. Minnows, and |
| swimming pools and sip margaritas. So we know that | | | | crayfish, much like the bass, will be battling the |
| Largemouth as well as Smallmouth bass like to find | | | | current, and will be found in places with less current |
| structure that they can relate to. This can be a tree | | | | pressure. Crayfish dart around the bottom in short |
| down in the water, a really big rock, or any part of | | | | bursts 6"-12" in length with pauses. |
| their environment that is unique to the rest. In rivers | | | | When a crayfish sees a bass approaching it will put |
| this holds true as well but with a twist. In lakes and | | | | its claws up in defense and swim backwards more |
| ponds bass can easily locate structure and hold to it | | | | quickly, so we must mimic this movement with our |
| without any problems. In a river or stream, however | | | | jig. Also, rigging a trailer that will give the profile of |
| current comes in to play, and that nice big rock out in | | | | two claws is always a good addition. I find the Gary |
| the middle becomes a swirling whirlpool of current | | | | Yamamoto Hula Grub to fit the bill quite well. When |
| that would cause more energy exertion that it could | | | | fishing a crank bait in the current, know that a bass |
| possibly be worth. So, this being said, largemouth and | | | | will rarely strike a lure that you are swimming against |
| smallmouth bass alike, want to stay the hell out of | | | | the current. This is because this is an unnatural |
| the current! | | | | occurrence. You will never see a little minnow in the |
| So that leaves us with a pretty simple answer to the | | | | middle battling the full force of the current, so don't |
| question "Where can I find bass in a river?" Search | | | | make your lure do it! When using crankbaits fish |
| for weaknesses in the river's current and fish them, | | | | cross-current patterns, this will leave the bait in the |
| find current breaks. An example of a current break is | | | | strike zone long enough for the bass to strike, and |
| a huge rock up against the shoreline, the water will | | | | give a more realistic presentation. |
| flow around the rock creating a sort of still pocket of | | | | Well, now that you know where to locate |
| water right behind it. Hanging in this pocket will keep | | | | largemouth and smallmouth bass in rivers and |
| bass out of the current, as well as give them a good | | | | streams, and how to lure them out, get out there |
| view of what is floating by so they can ambush a | | | | and do it! The most wonderful thing about bass |
| tasty dinner. This is much like a largemouth bass | | | | fishing in a river is the diversity of species you will |
| hanging on the edge of a weedline, ready to ambush | | | | find in a river. Here in New England you could be bass |
| when the time is right. Apart from current breaks | | | | fishing on the Connecticut river and just happen to |
| search for backwaters. Backwaters are the holy grail | | | | pull out a 40" pike, you just never know. While bass |
| of river bass fishing, and the best thing about them is | | | | fishing on the Connecticut river, using exclusively bass |
| that you can just fish them using the tactics that | | | | tackle I have pulled in a handful of rock bass, |
| you are familiar with for pond and lake fishing. | | | | roanoke bass, walleye, perch, rainbow trout, and |
| A backwater is a section of a river that is out of the | | | | salmon. Its always a pleasant suprise to get |
| main current, forming a sort of small lake, or arm | | | | something for free that you weren't expecting. Take |
| reaching away from the river. The picture at the | | | | these river bass fishing tips with you next time your |
| beginning of this article is one of my favorite | | | | out on the water. |
| backwaters to fish. The third and final river location | | | | |