Bass Fishing part 1

I have been a bass nut since I caught my first one at age 9 or 10. This fish hit a Mepps #2 spinner cast into holes and trails in the lily pads. It probably weighed less than two lbs. But it was a beautiful, wonderful, exciting fish that sent me down a road of discovery, that has stayed with me all my life.

Most of my fishing is done in the ocean now but fresh water bass fishing has remained the type of fishing that is always near the top of my list of favorites. There are many ways and methods for catching largemouth bass, some work well at certain times of the year, others work well year round in temperate climates ( no frozen water periods ).

My favorite all time bass lure is the spinnerbait. It is a very versatile lure, that can be fished fast in the search mode to find which areas, and type of cover are holding fish. Then slowed down and become an effective lure for less aggressive fish. In the search mode the spinnerbait is cast near shoreline cover, trees, brush, rockpiles, and any other form of shallow cover suspected of holding bass. A cast is made, and right before the lure hits the water, the reel is engaged and you start reeling as the lure hits the water. This may sound complicated, but with some practice it becomes second nature. The spinnerbait is very weedless, and can be cast into some very snaggy places without hanging up.

Most of the year reeling it on the surface with the blades bubbling on the surface is the best way to fish this bait. It can also be slowed down and fished just under the surface. During the cold water time of the year, it can be fished like a jig, cast out and let flutter to the bottom, then slowly fished back to the boat with a slow lift and drop. In the winter I have found that a pork frog added to the lure makes it much more effective.

In clear water a tandem silver blade model works well, in muddy water a single bronze Colorado blade is best. As far as color is concerned, use green and white in clear water, red in muddy water and black at night. Use the color guides as general information as color is the least likely variable to cause a bass to strike. Vibration and motion are the variables which cause a bass to strike more times than not. I have only seen a few times that color made much of a difference. Manufactures use colors to get you to buy many more of their products than you need.