Bass Fishing - Catching bass all year (2/2)

I hope none of you are getting bored with my bass series, I realize there are lots of people who do not fish for bass on a regular basis, but hopefully this information will make you a better bass fisherman, and give you the confidence to go out and catch some nice bass the next time you are on the lake or stream. Please let me know if you want me to write about any other kind of fish, fresh or saltwater, or mix them up, maybe throw in some boating , boat upkeep, or seamanship articles.

When you first get to the lake, say in early spring, and the bass are not yet in the spawning mode, points are the place to start. I usually have several rods rigged and ready. One has a 3/8 oz. spinnerbait in a light green and white color, chartreuse if the water is not real clear. The next one will have the Bagley DB3 crankbait in chartreuse and white or Tenn. shad for real clear water. My third rod will have a green plastic six inch worm rigged wacky style, ( the hook in the middle of the worm ) this is for fish that hit the spinnerbait and miss, I jerk the spinner out of the way and throw the worm to where the bass missed the spinner and most of the time get an instant hit. When I come up to the point, I start out upwind and drift down to the point. My first cast is across the point, about three feet from shore.

My next cast is about six feet from shore. When fishing the spinner, I close the bail when the lure is just about to hit the water, and immediately start reeling just fast enough to keep the spinner gurgling on the surface. Now as i drift past the point, I can make two long casts down either side of it, the first just outside the shoreline, and the second about six feet from the shore. Now I turn around, and using the trolling motor, go back into the wind.

The next series of casts are with the crankbait. The DB3 dives to about seven to ten feet, so look at the slope of the point and figure where the seven to eight foot level of water depth is, this is where your first cast will go. You want it to bump the bottom as it comes across the point, I have caught many nice bass just as the bait comes free from bumping across the point. You should make several casts across each point and several down each side. You should judge by the slope of the sides of the point where the eight foot water is and make your casts out far enough from the bank that you are not constantly getting hung on the bottom.

If you are fishing a shallow lake you may want to use a number 12 Rapala so you are not always hung on the bottom. After about an hour of this you should have a pretty good idea of what the bass want and where they are located. If most of your strikes are on the spinner on the shady side of the point, just put the crankbait away and fish the spinner until the fish stop hitting it. Patterns change during the day and you must change too, if you want to stay on the fish. Spinnerbaits are usually best early and late in the day, and the deep diving crank shines during the midday!