| Largemouth bass are one of the most popular types | | | | bass that you see doesn't show an interest in your |
| of fish in the United States. You can easily write | | | | live leech, move on and find more active bass. |
| hundreds of different articles on bass fishing and I will | | | | You are not going to want to move on, but do it |
| continue to write about the different techniques that | | | | anyways. Go look for the active fish. There will be |
| you can use to catch bass, but this article will cover | | | | lots of them protecting their beds and they will |
| the basics of bass fishing and how to catch them | | | | usually hit your lure right away. What I like to do is |
| through the seasons. | | | | mark my gps with the spots that have less active |
| In the spring, you will find these fish moving into the | | | | fish and I will come back to them later, sometimes |
| shallows to spawn. In lakes that have crappie, you | | | | even at night. |
| will know that the bass spawn is coming just after | | | | In the summer, bass fishing gets tougher, but you will |
| the crappie spawn. Check the local fishing reports and | | | | still be able to catch some fish shallow. There will |
| talk to the bait shops to see what's going on with | | | | always be some largemouth bass in shallow water |
| the fishing in your area. If the crappie are spawning, | | | | around some type of cover such as docks, weeds, |
| it's about that time to get ready for largemouth bass. | | | | etc. In the summer, many of the bigger bass will be |
| While the crappie are spawning, bass will be in | | | | deeper. Try fishing the deep weed edges for more |
| pre-spawn and you can catch them in deeper water | | | | success. My favorite deep water, summer lures are |
| near the typical spawning grounds. Try fishing deeper | | | | 11 inch plastic worms, deep-diving crankbaits and |
| water off of points, deeper channels near shallow | | | | jigging spoons. If you can get out on the water early |
| water. If you remember where the good spawning | | | | in the morning or late in the evening topwater lures |
| areas were the previous year, try fishing the deep | | | | work very well in 4 to 12 feet of water along weed |
| water that is near these great spawning sites. | | | | edges and other types of cover. |
| Once the spawning begins, you will start seeing bass | | | | During the fall, you can catch more bass in the |
| cruising all along the shorelines and starting to make | | | | shallows, but there will still be some fish deep. You will |
| beds. Some fish will be very picky and others will | | | | have the option of catching fish shallow or deep, |
| strike vigorously. The bass that are cruising will usually | | | | which does give you some options. Try fishing |
| take a live worm, minnow or leech as well as a | | | | shallow and deep to see where the best bite is |
| variety of lures that mimic these baits. Plastic worms | | | | coming from. In the fall, I prefer using big baits. I |
| are very effective, small spinners work and many | | | | move away from worms in the fall and throw big |
| anglers prefer throwing jigs and spinnerbaits. Since | | | | spinnerbaits, big jigs, swimbaits and my personal |
| you can see these fish, many anglers spend way too | | | | favorite is a live chub in the 6 to 8 inch range. Go big |
| much on the inactive fish. Here's a tip to save you | | | | or go home in the fall. I catch more 5 to 7 pound |
| some time. Most bass fishermen prefer using lures | | | | bass in the fall than the spring and I prefer very big |
| and if you are in a tournament, you don't have the | | | | baits. |
| option of using live bait. If you are willing to use | | | | The winter can be tough. If you live far enough |
| some live bait, get some lively leeches and keep | | | | south, fishing can be good, but up north it's time to |
| them in the boat. Fish with your preferred fishing lure | | | | sit inside and watch football or go ice fishing for |
| and if you see bass along the shallows and they | | | | perch, bluegill, crappie, walleye and pike. |
| won't take your lure, put a live leech on a hook and | | | | To get more information, take a look at our |
| flip it out there. Don't use a weight. Let the leech | | | | largemouth bass fishing page. |
| free fall and you will get so many more strikes. If the | | | | |