The following article includes some amazing information that may cause you to reconsider your largemouth bass fishing stratergies. The most important thing is to read this with an open mind and be willing to change your way of fishing if necessary.
We're going to talk about using lures to hammer the big largemouth bass
in your area.
Most importantly, follow the special guidelines for using crankbaits... and you'll attract instant attention from the monsters... no matter where it is... and no matter how cold it gets!
And if that isn't enough... this video will show you the quickest shortcut to catching mass bass quickly:
If you are a bass fishing enthusiast and visit a lake or pool with a high population of largemouth bass then the likelihood is that you have a working knowledge of he techniques that can be used to catch them throughout the year.
After all, they do have certain behavioural patterns that they follow year in and year out.
If you are a seasoned expert then you probably have it down to a fine art by now, but how much thought have you put into the lures you use? Whether you are a novice or an expert, you should take the time to look into the different lures to see which ones work best with the largemouth bass in your local pool or lake.
Lures are essential pieces of equipment and using the right ones can really increase your catch rate. If you use the wrong ones then this can dramatically reduce your catch rate as well so taking the time to figure it all out is an excellent idea. Of course, it is not only the lures you choose but also the way that you use them. This is why it is one of those things that you have to perfect over a season or two rather than just falling into it or picking it up right away. There are so many factors to consider - the clarity of water, the vegetation, the nature of the habitat. As such, you should investigate the
nature of the lures and what they actually do so you know when to use them.
Spinnerbaits are a fine example of that.Largemouth bass absolutely love spinnerbaits and they can really improve your catch rate, but only if you use them correctly. They are perfect for use in vegetative areas and also in shallow waters. They are especially useful for dragging along the bottom of a lake or through thick weeds. As such, they target he largemouth bass proactively and directly so you do not have to wait for them to bite. You should choose those with bigger blades though because they cause a greater vibration in the water.
They are not good for medium or deep waters though. For those, you need other types of lures.
Truthfully, the only difference between you and largemouth bass experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to largemouth bass.
Crankbaits are fantastic for use in medium waters, especially if you are skilled enough to get them to turn when the bass is approaching. Depending on the depth of the water, you can choose shallow, medium and even deep diving crankbaits. No matter what type you choose, they will have the largemouth bass eating out of your hand. Literally in most cases! Worms are also fantastic lures, especially the plastic ones that are used on a regular basis.
The bass go crazy for hem because they are so realistic and are textured as if they were real. They are excellent for use in the vegetation and when fishing deep and well as in shallow pools. Worms are literally the great all rounders of the lures selection you have at your disposal so if all else fails, they should be the lures you turn to.
Worms are particularly known for their deep fishing abilities with largemouth bass.
However, no matter how deep the waters it is prudent to try surface fishing in the spring and summer. Buzzbaits and torpedoes are perfect for that.
Their minute vibrations disturb the topwater and actively attract the bass like no other.
However, they may not work as well in rougher waters. In those waters you should use a chartreuse swimbait instead. Swimbaits look exactly like real fish a will move on the water as though they are too. As such, you can achieve great results from these lures during topwater and surface water fishing.
Lures and their correct usage are extremely important when it comes to actually having a successful day on the lake. They can make all the difference between a poor and a great catch rate. As such, it is worth taking the time to learn how to use them and to familiarise yourself with when each type should be used and how.
While everyone else is out hunting, I urge you to get out there and try some of this stuff if you can.
The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact on your largemouth bass fishing. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about largemouth bass.
P.S. ...and if you want more old school tips than you could possibly use in a lifetime... stuff that is tried and proven to put fish on the dinner table... even when in the worst conditions possible (and even when nobody else can catch a single bass), you gotta give this a look: lures and baits.
Today we are going to look at 3 bass fishing lures that can take your bass fishing to new levels.
But you need to follow the techniques and rigging were going to look at to get the most out of these tips. "As its not always the lure...it can be how you fish it."
Let face it there are always some new bass fishing luresappearing on the market each year,and what we find is they do not come with the benefits of being tried and tested, but they are worth looking into and putting them into the water to see what kind of reaction these cause. These are just a few of the newest bass fishing lures that have come onto the market.
First, there is the Culprit Ultimate Series Minnow. It usually comes in a pack of four and is about four and a half inches long. The Culprit Ultimate Series minnow has a hollow body that causes the body of the lure to actually collapse when the fish bites down on it. The realistic appearance is enhanced by a bleeding gill look.
If you set it by placing the hook into the lure's head, angled out through the bottom. Pull the hook through the lure
and up in the direction of the bait.Then, just line the hook up and stick it through the body into the top of the bait. If you need weedless presentation, you should just stick the hook point back into the plastic, and this will make the lure have a realistic wobbly swimming motion in the water to make it look very realistic.
Secondly, there is a slinky worm. It comes in a pack of fifteen and is about six inches long. This lure has a long, slim body with a tentacle adorned c-tail. This lure works very well in just about any condition. All you have to do to make it great for heavily vegetated areas is to weight it.If you need to fish the bottom, just use a heavier weight. It will then float tentacled tail up, and the motion of the water will make it wiggle enough to attract the attention of any passersby.Slinky worms are good with a drop shot rig too. The long body helps to keep the tentacled tail away from the line and hook.
If you need a weightless lure, consider a 2/0 hook and Carolina rig the slinky,for really good results. You will really like this lure on a sandy bottom. The slinky worm comes in a wide range of colors for every water condition.
Next is the Tail Kicker. This lure comes in a package of fifteen and is about six inches long. The body of the Tail kicker
is long and ribbed, but there is a short flip tailed kicker at the end. The ribbing on the body causes a subtle pulse action on the end of the lure.The Tail kicker will work well in a variety of conditions, but because of its design, works best when using a quick retrieve over holes that have floating vegetation like lillie pads and other top water cover.
If you are fishing under docks and other structure. Just flip underneath, let the lure sink, retrieve it, and then let it
drop down again and repeat the procedure. Another good use for the tail kicker is when the bass are a little lethargic and slow reacting. Just dead stick it on the bottom, and use it to cast in open pockets in heavy vegetation.
Next, is the Foxy Craw by Culprit. It comes in a nine count package and is about four inches long. This new soft bait has an exceptionally sleek design that facilitates easy presentation for flipping into heavy cover like thick hydrilland exceptionally heavy mats.The exceptionally realistic, vigorous vibration of the legs, split tail, and craws in the water act as an enticement to cause the fish to bite. When movement stops, the tail and legs tend to float up and down making the Foxy Craw appear very lifelike.
Try Texas rigging this lure and you can cast right into the lily pads and sparse grasses. It can also be flipped with a
heavy weight into heavier cover or Carolina rigged through hydrilla.Should you try any of these new fishing lures. , be sure to take the time to give them a review. Many of the newest models are fantastic options, but there are some great old, tried and true models as well.The bet course of action is to choose a bass fishing lure that you feel comfortable using.
Or, test out something new. It can never hurt to try something new especially when you get fabulous results when bass fishing.
In this article I'm going to go through a bunch of tips for hauling in the biggest bass you are or any of your friends have ever seen.
Pay special attention to the"temperature tips" and varied strategies.
And also pay special attention to "The Great Equalizer" here:
Bass fishing secret weapon!...it's something that can turn a struggling bass fishing novice into a guy that catches so many big bass, everyone is green with envy.
Techniques for catching trophy bass will vary according to the season. Bass migrate like crappie, but to a much lesser extent. They seldom move more than 1/2 mile from their established territory. Bass are viciously territorial, and many times attack lures more out of anger, than hunger.
In late spring and summer, after the spawn, bass will move back and forth,along regular routes from their established 'home' area to 'feeding' areas. Their home area will be some sort of structure with a good water temperature, usually in 20-30 feet of water, such as submerged timber, rockpiles, etc....They will usually hang out here during the heat of the day and rest. In the early morning, evenings and at night, they will move along breaklines, channels or other structure lines to feeding grounds in 10-20 feet of water, along ridges, coves, weedbeds,or anyplace that has baitfish, or other food. This will seldom be more than 300 feet or so from their home area. They will hunt and feed in this area until they are sated, or the water starts to warm up.
The feeding times vary with the weather. On overcast days, you can expect them to linger longer in the hunting grounds.Then they will move back along the same route they came in, back to their home area. Trophy bass can be'patterned' just like deer. Also, many different bass will use the same routes at different times of the day.
As the water cools down in fall, shad and other baitfish move into creek mouths and shallow coves seeking cooler water and more cover. Bass will follow them. Again, they will use breaklines,channels and lines of cover to move from home to the hunting grounds, and they will use the same route every time. Once in the feeding area, they will gorge themselves inprepartion for winter. This is one time that bass will suspend their territorial habits, with many fish feeding in the same area. It probably has something to do with an abundence of food in a concentrated area. They will feed for longer times before returning to their 'home'.
Early winter bass will tend to form schools as they continue to chase shad and baitfish, and put on weight. When the water approaches 50 degrees, they will re-loocate their homes to areas along major creeks, channels, points,secondary points, ridges and humps, near structure, in 30 feet of water..Their metabolism slows down and they will no longer move to hunting areas to forage. They will not move around much at all. Most anglers will be out deer hunting, so fishing pressure is much lighter.This is the time to fish jigs and jigging spoons. This can be some of the most productive fishing of the year.
There are a few extra considerations about winter fishing that you need to be aware of.
Hypothermia is a very real danger and can strike without warning. It doesn't even have to be that cold. People havesuffered from 'exposure' in as warm a weather as 55 degrees.
The best way to prepare for cold weather fishing is to eat right. Foods that have fat will allow you to generate more bodyheat. Also, drink plenty of water,around a gallon a day is about right.Wear a hat, because as much as 60% of your body heat can be lost through yourhead. Dress in layers so you can adjust as needed. Have a cell phone handy for emergencies, and be sure to let someone know where you will be, in case you don't come home on time.
In early spring, as the water warms above 50 degrees, bass will return to their warm water 'homes'. At this time of year, they are preparing for the spawn, and will establish 'holding' areas off of suitable nesting sites.
They will not necessarily be following baitfish into the shallows, for at this time, crawfish are spawning, and have shed their shells to become the 'softshell' variety, and salamanders have also arrived to mate, and dine on fish eggs. Bass attract both the crawfish and salamanders (mudpuppies) with abandon. These imitations are your best bet in early spring. As the water warms to suitable spawning temperatures (65 degrees and up), males will build 'beds in less than 5 feet of water, on flats with structure nearby.
As the water warms to near 70 degrees,females come in, select a mate and spawn. Females them lay eggs and bug out fortheir homes, leaving the males to guard the nest.
At this time, bass will attack anything that approaches the nest, regardless of size, color or movement.. If you find them, you will catch them. After the eggs hatch, the males will return to their spring and summer habits.
By mapping bass seasonal patterns, you can catch big bass all year long.
I know there's some stuff in there you can use and tweak for your needs when your bass fishing , in your waters.
We're moving into the hottest part of the year, and you need to be on your game to "trick" the big bass to attack your presentations...and these tips are only the tip top of the iceburg.
Just remember...this thing makes it even easier:Bass fishing secret weapon.
There are 3 things that matter in regards to your presentation...
1. The bait/lure you use...
2. Your rigging...
3. Your technique...
The technique you use is tied for the MOST important of these 3.
(Of course your rigging will effect and enable you to use different techniques... but your technique is a big key!
Today we'll dive into some real killer largemouth bass fishing techniques, along with the baits and riggings they work well with
Pay special attention to the "pork rind combo" technique.
It's wicked-good!
Now...this is just the tip of the iceburg on the unique,"unusual", and deadly old school secrets these old timers bring to the table: Bass fishing techniques
(You'll get amazing bass fishing secrets from TWELVE different guys, and some of this stuff is NOT for the feint of heart!)
Stuff like:
* The shocking story of how Jeff slammed a monster 14 pound bass...after breaking the law twice! (This happened in his crazy younger days on a golf course pond... using an illegal game fish for bait.) (He also reveals a special twist you'll
use to catch your own monster...legally! Just imagine the look on your wife's face when you walk in with a huge trophy bass.)
* A brilliant technique for unleashing an irresistible presentation roaming bass will nail!
(When the bite shuts down in a spot, you'll be able to track 'em down and haul 'em in hand over fist -- while everyone else is scratching their heads... and striking out!)
* How to tap into big bass bite instincts with Jeff's "twitch, pop,slurp" topwater lure technique... and
trick them right onto your hook!
Check out all the rest of these amazingly powerful techniques,strategies, and old family secrets:
largemouth bass fishing techniques
And now...here's some killer stuff
to sink you teeth into for catching
largemouth's hand over fist...
fishing lures
If you are a novice wanting to explore the best ways of using lures to harvest white, striped, large and smallmouth bass, the myriad of choices can seem daunting. But take heart. All is not lost.
Artificial baits have proven useful to most anglers. Live baits are best, but these fish can be tempted, teased and lured to strike with artificial ones such as spinners, spoons, crank-baits, surface plugs and plastic worms – more on this a little later. Knowing which to choose (and WHY), use, switch to in certain conditions, and how to optimize this art of allure, is a key basic element for every aspiring or great angler alike.
Knowing how to tell a smallmouth from a large-mouth bass, striped from spotted and so on, is a very basic skill most anglers master quickly. Looking specifically at size and physical features are good places to start. Train your eye to ‘spot the differences’, so to speak.
While there are thousands of lure designs out there, bass lures can actually be broken down into 9 categories.
They are: Spoons Jigs Spinner-Baits In-Line (French) Spinners Crank Baits Jerk Baits Soft Baits Top-Water Flies Spoons are just what the name suggests. An oval concave slab of metal, sometimes painted, or sometimes not, with a hole to tie line in on one side, and a hook on the other.
Sometimes, they are made to be weedless for fishing in heavy cover. They are very versatile, as they can be jigged,hopped, trolled, fished vertically or just cranked in. They usually have a wobbling action, and can be augmented with rubber tails, bodies or pork skins to enhance their appeal. They can be fished deep, or shallow. Spoons are most often used for vertical jigging in deep structure, mainly in cold water when bass are suspended and not very active.
They work best when bass are in tight structure, such as along a creek channel. Bass often bunch up in these areas. The technique is to locate suspended bass with a depth-finder, then jig the spoon up and down right in front of them. That is all there is to it.Alternatively, spoons can simply be cast, allowed to sink to the desired depth, and retrieved straight. The drawbacks to spoons are the limited designs available.
No matter what color they are, a spoon is basically a spoon. Some of the more well known brands are the Daredevil,
Worth, Little Cleo, Johnson Silver Minnow, etc....
Jigs are the most versatile lures available. They consist of a hook with a molded lead head on them. They can be dressed with feathers and fur, much like flies, or have plastic bodies of every shape imaginable placed on them, without removing the jig from the line.
This makes it very rapid to change colors, sizes and styles on the water.Another type completely covers the jig head, and is referred to as 8tube lures. Even real minnows and other live bait can be impaled on them, with very effective results. One of the top lures for bass in deep water is called a Jig & Pig, which is a jig with pork skin bodies on them.
They can even have small spinners on them to provide extra flash. Jigs can be trolled, casted, flipped, vertically jigged, and even fished in tandem, under a bobber, or without one. They can be fished directly in heavy cover.
Spinner Baits are simply a jig on a safety-pin type wire, bent at a 90 degree angle, with one or more spinner blades on the end of the wire, and a hook on the other. The lead head rides between the two. They can be dressed with feathers, plastic bodies or bait, and fished shallow, deep or jigged. They are usually cast out and retrieved just under the surface, near cover. They are highly effective in the warm months.Popular models are made by Heddon,Strike King, and custom lure makers.
In-Line spinners are a wire, threaded through a lead body, or weighted beads,with a loop in the end to tie line to,and a hook on the other end. A rotating spinner is in front of the body and spins on the retrieve, sending out vibrations through the water that bass can detect from considerable distances..
The hook can be dressed, or plain. They are usually cast out and allowed to sink to the desired depth, then retrieved near cover. They are especially effective on active, feeding fish.Popular models are Mepps,Panther-Martin, Blue Fox and Rooster
Tails. These are one of my favorite lures to use. I am partial to Rooster Tails. Another variation on this design is the rear mounted spinner, such as the Little Suzy and Little George lures.
A crank bait comes in several designs.The most common is a hard plastic, or balsa wood body that resembles a pregnant perch. They are painted to match various bait fish and crustaceans.They have a plastic lip at the front that imparts a violent wiggling motion to the lure on the retrieves, and sometimes makes them dive rapidly,depending on the design. They are usually fished deep near structure, and are simply cast out and retrieved.
Other types have minnow, or thin shaped bodies, or even look like a boomerang (Lazy Ike), but they all work the same.
They work best on schooling bass. The most well known of these types of lures is Rapala. Other models are Heddon, Fred
Arbogast, Tom Mann, and custom lure makers.
Jerk Baits are a relatively new phenomenon. They are a minnow-shaped,floating body with several treble hooks on them. They have no action on their own, but must be jerked to each side, in a technique called walking the dog. They create a surface commotion that drives bass insane at times. They resemble a struggling animal on the surface,irresistible to a hungry bass.
Soft Baits are the king of all black bass lures . The most common is the ubiquitous plastic worm. If you could only have one lure for bass, this is it. Plastic worms have accounted for more bass than all other baits combined,including live bait. They are simply soft plastic worm-shaped molded lures.They are usually rigged Texas style,with a special hook piercing the head,
back out and back into the body, with a slip-sinker on the line directly above it. This is the most weedless lure there
is. It can be fished right through the heaviest cover. They can also be rigged Carolina style, with exposed hook points
for special situations. There are crawfish, and other shaped models, but the worm is by far the winner. They come in every color/combination there is.
They work everywhere, anytime of the year. They are cast out right into heavy cover and allowed to sink to the bottom.
Then, they are retrieved ever so slowly, with short,light jerks of the rod tips. If there are bass around, they will bite these. This is as close to can not-fail as it gets. They can also be flipped, and jigged in special situations. The
biggest marketer of soft baits is probably the Zoom Lure Company.
Now we come to 2nd most fun way to catch bass. Top Water lures are just what the name implies, a plastic lure that floats
on top of the water. Most have a cupped head, or lips attached that makes a loud splash, or pop, when jerked. This attracts bass from great distances, and incites them into a murderous rage at times. They are cast out near cover, and retrieved in short jerks, with pauses in-between. When a bass hits, the water will literally explode, with the bass often coming completely out of the water in heart stopping leaps. Top Waters are most effective in the shallows, in the morning and evening.
Popular models include the Chugger, Popper, Crazy Crawler, Jitterbug, and my favorite, the Billy Bass. There are other types with a veritable arsenal of treble hooks on them, shaped like thin minnows, with spinners on them such as the Devils Horse, and Tiny Torpedo. They are all deadly.
Fishing for and catching Bass, in various waters across the globe, has a proud history and tradition. Most of us are too glad to get dabbling in and form part of it, whether from boat, shore, rocks or rocks, rivers, streams, lakes or oceans. We like to tell our mighty tales and contemplate how to change and modify, adapt and or create new techniques, approaches to hook smallmouth, large-mouth, speckled, spotted, striped and black bass. To each his own. You pick your favorite.
I hope you get out fishing over the weekend, and if you get a chance to try any of the tips above, let me know.
You will probably find that you already have most of the tools that you will require, and is not going to break the bank buying the rest you need for making your bass fishing lures. First off your going to need a vice for clamping your work you can get small clamp on vice at most hardware stores that you can just clamp onto your work station. If your going to be making metal lures you will also need an anvil for working the metal fishing lure if you invest in a larger make of vice some will come with a built in anvil on the back of the vice.
You should start off by making a simple fishing lure first till you gain confidence and get used to using your tools, a simple one to start with is the wobbler this is an old time favourite with fishermen. It is a simple shape and does not require a lot of carving skills perfect for the beginner, it is generally 4 inches long and 3/4 of an inch diameter these are normally classed as bait casting size perfect for spin casting and spinning.
Once you have cut your timber to length you will need to carve to a round shape along its length and round one end, then on the other end cut a 45% angle you will then need a gauge chisel to form a groove on the end you have just cut to 45%. to finish the fishing lure you will need 3 treble hooks and 4 screw eyes, you should make pilot holes before attaching the hooks and screw eyes you do this using a brad awl, attach the treble hooks to 3 of the eyes then attach one to the rounded end of the fishing lure then attach the other 2 at about a third of the way in from either end. The attach just the eye to the 45% end you cut earlier now all that is left is to paint your fishing lure to your requirements.
There are many myths that surround using live bait instead of artificial and most of them are not true. Live bait is still used by many anglers. The one factual part of live bait, which no one can dispute, it that is often messy, and it smells terrible. If you can surmount these two factors, you will be in good shape to try live bait on your next fishing outing.
There are some basic principles that should not be ignored when using live bait. None of the principles concerning live bait are clean or nice, but they are mandatory. You should never handle live bait when your hands are dry. Bait has a slimy layer on the outside, which is protective as well as inviting to predators, and if your hands are dry you will risk removing that layer.
If you are running short on live bait, try to save the bait that dies in your live well or in a nearby bucket. When your live bait has run out, you will still be able to use the freshly dead bait on your hook to attract fish. All you have to do is cast your line and bob it a little to give the appearance that your decoy has some life left. Be careful of the weight that you put on a line with live bait. Fish are going to spot a weight if it is too heavy and weighting down the bait. Your weight or sinker should be light enough to give the bait the appearance of free floating in the water.
Seasonal fishing can change the perspective on live bait. For instance, the summer months can be brutal, especially in the South. You may need to adjust your thinking and practices when the summer months hit. Keeping the bait alive will be the hardest obstacle for any angler in the summer. In order to keep your bait living, you will need to change out the water regularly so that the oxygen can keep flowing through to the bait. However, you can’t just stop at changing out the water.
The temperature of the water is crucial because the water on the surface is hot and deadly for living bait. Therefore, having ice on hand to put into the live well will be the most beneficial way of keeping your live bait happy until they reach the hook. There is also a bait shortage during the summer months on things like shrimp and live croaker. You will save yourself a lot of time if you call the bait shop the night before to ensure that the bait you want is available. The shrimp are the most common bait in the summertime, but they are not as effective as you may think. When everyone is using shrimp, the fish are not as excited by them because they see them everywhere. Try using a baitfish that is not as often used in the summer months and guarantee a better chance of catching a fish.
Some other tips you should keep in mind when fishing with live bait is to never hook your live bait in the eyes. The reason is that you want the bait to see the fish approach them because they will become more excited and it will cause the fish to latch on better. Another thing is that you should add water softener salt to the water that is holding your live bait. The salt will make the scales of your bait harder while instantaneously preserving the slimy coat that attracts predators.
Lastly, you should make sure that you know how to properly throw a casting net before trying to catch bait. People often times throw the net too hard or too soft and this results in frustration and a net that does not consistently open.
Live bait can come in handy when you are trying to have a big day out at sea. Reason and logic will tell you that a fish would be more attracted to real food as oppose to faux food. However, the live bait does increase the workload so make sure you are prepared to deal with the entire package before committing to fishing with live bait.
