Fishing

In this article I will discuss the best artificial lures you can use to catch Largemouth Bass. Each is good only in the specific situations I will describe.

In my opinion the spinnerbait is hands down the number one bass catching lure on the market. When selecting a spinnerbait to use you have to choose between two different varieties of blades. Spinnerbaits with willow leaf blades are designed to attract the bass primarily through sight. Spinnerbaits with a blade that is round with a cupped end are designed to create vibration and attract bass through sound.

Spinnerbaits are without a doubt the most versatile artificial lure you can effectively use. By varying your retrieve you can use them as a topwater bait or fish them effectively as much as four feet below the surface of the water. They are also somewhat weedless. This feature allows them to be used in the heaviest of cover. One of my favorite techniques with a spinnerbait is to retrieve it into small pockets of the weeds, especially lily pads. You will be amazed at how many strikes you will get while the bait is simply falling into one of these pockets.

The key concept to remember when fishing a spinnerbait is to be thorough. If you start by retrieving it near the surface make sure to try it also a few feet under the water if you are not having success. Carry a variety of colors and styles in your tackle box. It is a bait that will work, just be patient and use your full arsenal of styles.

As you fish deeper water two other artificial lures become the weapon of choice when trying to catch Largemouth Bass. The key factor in determining which to use is the activity level of the fish.

If the fish are very active and feeding heavily the crankbait becomes the lure of choice. Crankbaits also come in a variety of styles and must be matched to the fishing conditions. As always it helps to know what the bass are feeding on naturally. You can then match the body shape and color to the natural forage.

You also need to be concerned with the depth in which the bass are feeding. All crankbaits are designed to be retrieved at specific depths. This is accomplished by the size, shape and angle of the plastic lip near where you tie your line to the bait. When fishing a crankbait I like to use one that runs near the bottom, sometimes even bouncing off the bottom, much like a forage fish avoiding a predator.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/bass-fishing-lures-the-best-artificial-lures-398029.html

Depending on where you live and fish, the time from mid-April to mid-June is a good time to fish for spring bass. At this time of year, there are many bass spending time on their spawning beds in breeding mode and other bass staged to begin breeding soon.

Bass that are on their beds for the spawn are not really feeding but are in aggressive defensive mode ready to attack anything that happens to get too close to the bed. These fish are in the shallows and are able to be fished by sight in many cases. The challenge is to entice them to attack your bait presentation by getting it close to their faces. These bass will defend the spawning beds!

Bass that are not quite ready to spawn yet are staged in a little deeper water but are feeding aggressively.

In order to catch as many bass as possible in the spring time, follow these seven guidelines to locate spawning and staged bass for some great bass fishing action!

Fish underwater ledges, ditches or troughs. Using a depthfinder, locate the contour changes that form these troughs or ledges. Staging bass will be there typically near cover or creek intersections. These bass can be fished for using a variety of baits. Perhaps your best chance at catching these bass however would be with soft artificial worms or lizards in pumpkinseed color.

Fish the deep grass. Staging bass often congregate along a grass bed’s deeper edge. Cast artificial baits parallel to the grass bed edge, but staying close to the edge itself. Your bait should be retrieved fast enough so not to snag on the weeds. Rattling crankbaits in crawdad color may work well here.

Fish the creek channel bend. Staging bass will locate on the deeper side of the bend. Try casting a black or pumpkinseed jig tipped with a trailer of some type to entice the bite.

Fish the points. Staging bass often congregate on the side of the point closer to the spawning area. If there happens to be any cover in the area, the spot should definitely produce well. Cast a white or chartreuse spinner bait retrieved just under the surface close to the shoreline cover. An up and down jigging retrieve with the spinner bait can also produce well here.

For spawning bass, fish the pads and the stumps. Sometimes bass will make their beds on the roots of pads or underwater stumps. These fish will be close to this structure and can be fished with a lizard or large worm in chartreuse, white or black with a white stripe. The tactic here is to cast past the bed itself, then move the bed ever so close to the bed to entice the byte.

Fish the rocks and the docks. Spawning bass naturally seek out rocky areas to spawn. Those areas are especially good for producing bass if there is overhead cover like a dock or overhanging tree limb. Try a tube bait with a jig head cast into the bed area and retrieved with a twitching motion to entice a strike.

Fish the shallow grass. Spawning bass will make their beds among patches in underwater grass beds. To catch the bass located here, try fishing with some type of swim bait as it is common for bass beds located here to be visited by other fish species like bluegill.

All in all, tailoring your strategies to catch spring bass that are spawning or that are in pre-spawn mode can produce some exciting bass fishing adventure. When you are out on the lake, pay attention to the topographical features of the lake to locate these exciting catchable fish.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/where-to-catch-spring-bass-23937.html

Is there one lure that will work best for all type of bass fishing? Veterans of this sport fishing will be quick to tell you that it really depends on why the bass is striking the lure. It could be an instant reaction to a foreign object in the water, an attempt to defend their territory against what is seen as a predator or because the fish wants something to eat. It is highly unlikely that the bass would be trying to defend its territory unless you cast out your line near a nest. Therefore, a bright and shiny lure would grab attention, as would one containing food.

Most of the time the best type of lure to use for fishing bass is shad. However, most shad grow larger than bass, so you need to look for the threadfin shad, which are the main food of bass. Shad tend to be deep in the water during the summer months, which makes it harder for the bass to feed on. This is one time of the year when you are most likely to be really lucky in catching bass because of the scarcity of the food source. You also have to realize that bass are most active during the afternoon hours and do not actively hunt for food once the sun goes down.

Another good lure for catching bass is carp. During the spring, there are a lot of newly-hatched carp in the waters on which bass do feed. During this season, they would be easily attracted by a gold or bronze colored lure shaped like a carp. If there are a lot of carp in the water, though, for the bass to feed on, you will have a hard time getting one to nibble or bite on your lure.

During bass tournaments, you can choose to use a worm, spinnerbait or topbait. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages. Most bass fishermen like to use crankbaits because of their versatility. You can fish them from anywhere, such as on top of the water, right down to the bottom or somewhere in between. If you want these lures to suspend, then you can add weights to them.

You should make sure your hook is sharp and don’t automatically assume that split rings will last forever. They will get rusty, which will weaken them and cause breakage. You should inspect them regularly and replace them with new ones as soon as you notice any damage. Think about the depth of water that you are fishing in when choosing crankbaits. In a river that is 10-12 feet deep, you should use a crankbait that runs at least 15 feet. Using a light line will also let your lure go deeper.

There are different materials in lures as well. Plastic lures are very light and are easier to throw, but wooden ones have more buoyancy in the water. If you are fishing in really cold water, then your best bet with a crankbait lure would be to use a flat sided one and if the water is not clear, use a lure that rattles to attract the attention of the bass.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/the-best-bass-fishing-lures-to-use-481296.html

We will try to outline the proper conditions and methods for using each of them.

The spinnerbait is perhaps the number one lure for Largemouth Bass. It is a lure that is quite versatile and able to be used in many different conditions with many different presentations.

Spinnerbaits come in two main styles. The Willow Leaf Spinnerbait has a blade that is shaped like a willow leaf. The large amount of area for the sunlight to reflect off makes this bait designed for visual attraction. It is best used in conditions where you have available light to use to your advantage. It also works best in clear water where the visual range of a fish is at its longest.

Indiana style spinnerbaits employ a blade that is both circular and is cupped at the edges. This bait is designed to provide attraction though sound. It is used successfully in murky water and especially late at night when the available sunlight is either low or non existent.

The presentation you use when casting a spinnerbait can vary based on conditions. This lure is somewhat weedless and can be used most effectively through moderate to light weed cover. I like to use spinnerbaits in lily pads.

I vary my retrieve, sometimes allowing the bait to cruise between the pads at various different depths between the surfaces of the water and two to three feet below the surface. If this method does not work I will try a stop and go retrieve that causes the bait to occasionally drop in pockets of the pads.

Often you will notice the strike occurs as the bait begins its drop. You must be cognizant of this fact and be ready to set your hook.

Crankbaits are designed for catching active Largemouth Bass in deeper water. Visually they appear more like a fish than any other bait you will use. The first key consideration is selecting which crankbait to use. There are two factors to lead to the answer of this question:

1) You should try to match the shape and color of the bait to the forage fish of the Largemouth Bass you are angling for. In lakes where shad are the preferred forage species a round silvery crankbait is in order. In rivers where the forage is generally much smaller minnows you would change to a different color and smaller sized bait.

2) The running depth of crankbaits vary, you must choose the right one for the area you are fishing. Ideally a crankbait will have a running depth very close to the bottom. You will in fact like the bait to occasionally hit the bottom. By vary the speed of your retrieve and angle of the rod you can alter this factor somewhat. The primary running depth however is influenced most by the design of the bait itself. The key determining factor is the clear plastic lip near the eye hole. The size and angle of this lip determines how deep the bait runs when it is retrieved.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/best-largemouth-bass-fishing-lures-520123.html

The Eastern Shore of Maryland has several fantastic rivers for bass fishing including the Pocomoke, Wicomico, Nanticoke and Choptank Rivers. Anglers fish from private boats or fish with a local guide for largemouth bass and other freshwater fish in these waterways.

The Pocomoke River is one of the most popular fishing locations in Maryland, especially on the Delmarva peninsula. It starts as a small non-tidal stream and meanders down to the Chesapeake Bay. Guides offer fishing and site seeing charters year round on the Pocomoke, even in the winter months. Cold water fishing begins after thanksgiving to around the second week in March and can be surprisingly very good. Largemouth bass are a cold-blooded fish so their body temperature is the same as the water temperature for the most part.

Largemouth bass of the Pocomoke River avoid heavy current and prefer backwater areas where they can suspend and conserve energy in cold conditions. They might only feed a couple of days a week due to their slow metabolism so slower presentations with your baits are critical. Targeting areas like oxbows, marinas, cuts or ponds give winter anglers access to warmer water and low current. Guides focus on local conditions for success. For example, the sun hits the north and northwest shores most on the river in winter so your guide may target these areas looking for warmer water. A water temperature gauge is also useful for winter bass fishing on the Pocomoke. Cool water lures include spin baits, crank baits, jigs and senkos.

The next phase of fishing occurs in late March thru June. This period includes all phases of the spawn. Fishing guides look for spawning areas such as coves, flats and backwater areas. Bass fishermen also seek out deeper water with cover leading to spawning habitat. The pre-spawn fishing can be great around this structure. Water temperatures for pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn can vary greatly, so guides often suggest checking the spawning areas and migration routes leading to and away from them on every trip this time of year. Keep in mind bass prefer a sandy or hard bottom and must have sunlight to aid in hatching the eggs. Hard river bottoms are rare on this river but bass will make due with the best they can find. Productive lures during this period are senkos, tubes, lizards and flukes.

Summer is a favorite fishing season on the Pocomoke River as the fish are very active. The river is tidal which affects where fish congregate. A good low tide is at least three feet down. In summer this river is notorious for only dropping a foot or less and quickly filling back to high tide. Northeast winds usually back up water at the mouth of the river and it’s a good bet the next couple of days after that will be really high tides. Largemouth bass can still be caught by adapting to the conditions. Anglers can find containment areas like bulk heads, walls or high river banks the higher tides cannot get past. This holds the fish in an area you can still access. Also skipping baits like senkos and frogs on the flooded shorelines, creeks and pad fields will still produce. If you are lucky enough to get a good low tide, fish wood close to the channel drops, pad line drops and creeks with jigs, senkos, spinner baits and crank baits.

Fall is another preferred time to fish the Pocomoke River. The bass are not affected as much by cold fronts and very active in feeding up for tough days ahead. This is a great time to run way up the creeks like Nassawango and even further north above the Snow Hill Bridge. An experienced guide will cover lots of water in fall with crank baits, spin baits and buzz baits. Senkos, jigs and worms are always good for the tougher days in fall with high barometric pressures.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/fishing-the-pocomoke-river-with-a-professional-largemouth-bass-fishing-guide-860255.html

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 ho 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.

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.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/large-mouth-bass-fishing-lures-that-work-like-crazy-548219.html

There are two main species of bass you can catch in rivers. The Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass often inhabit the same river. Each of these species however are quite different and inhabit different section of the river. As a result of their particular traits you need to fish differently for each of them.

Largemouth Bass do not enjoy the areas of the river that have heavy current. When fishing for this species your first place to look is for backwaters off the main river. Most rivers have several small creeks that branch off the main river and then reenter the main river downstream. It is not enough to know only to fish the backwater creek. You need to know where to fish on these creeks. The best place to fish is the closest clam spot near the entrance to the creek. Largemouth Bass prefer to allow the water current to bring small morsels of food into the creek where they can pounce on it. The second prime spot in these creeks is areas of heavy weeds. Weeds are not as common in rivers as they are in lakes. When you find a calm area in a river with weeds you have truly found a prime fishing area for Largemouth Bass.

Smallmouth Bass have much different preferences. Unlike their larger cousin this species loves fast moving currents. The key piece of cover to look for with this species are rocks. The larger the rock the better. Smallmouth Bass feed off crustaceans that inhabit the rocky bottom of a river. The lure of choice for this species is definitely the crankbait. You want to select a crankbait that is relatively small yet will swim near the bottom of the river. If you can get it to bounce of the rocks this is excellent. Unlike the Largemouth Bass this fish does not prefer to be near the shoreline. If conditions warrant they will hold near shore but they are just as likely to be found in the middle of the river if conditions dictate holding in such an area. They are a far more versatile fish than the Largemouth Bass. You can and will find Smallmouth Bass in prime areas for Largemouth Bass. The opposite will almost never be true.

A great place to look for both of these species are islands. Most rivers have many islands throughout the water. They key is where to fish each of these islands. Largemouth Bass should be fished in the slack area created by an island. Better yet is a situation where you find a series of islands bunched closely together. Smallmouth Bass on the other hand true to their nature will hold downstream from an island. They will be looking for their food to be brought to them by the current.

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/river-bass-fishing-tips-for-catching-bass-in-rivers-397671.html

While there are some so-called ‘new’ bass lures on the market, in actuality they are just re-vamped normal designs. There are a few exceptions:

The Banjo Minnow: Not really a new lure, but a different way of rigging a soft plastic bait. The infomercial says that it makes the lure move more naturally.

I’ve watched videos of it, and it doesn’t move any better than a lot of baits already on the market. Will it catch fish? Probably, at least sometimes. Is it better than baits already on the market? I doubt it. If you like them, use them.

The Flying Lure: A normal tube jig with a reversed weight on it. This causes the lure to swim AWAY from the casting point, keeping the line tight, and allowing it to ’swim’ under undercuts and structure previously considered unreachable.

Invented by Alex Langer in the 1970s, this lure really did impact the market, and is still a good lure. Does it out fish others? Under some conditions, yes! Is it better than standard lures? No. It is a specialty lure that is one more tool for your tackle box.

I’d recommend having a few, but I don’t use them all the time. They work best near heavy structure and undercuts.

The Bionic Minnow: A Banjo Minnow clone. There are other ‘TV’ , supposedly ‘new’ lures out there, but suffice to say they are mostly for catching fisherman.

Lure fall into a few basic catagories:

Surface Plugs- the industry standard is the Heddon Chugger, and Rapala Poppers. Others that are time-proven are the Jitterbug, Torpedo, Hula Popper, Lucky 13, Devils Horse, Rapala Floating Minnow, Rebel ultralite Critters, Crazy Crawler, and the Zara Spook. New offerings are just different color schemes of the same.

Subsurface Plugs-also known as crankbaits, these include classics like the

Big O, Shad-Rap, Hellbender, Lazy Ike, Little George and Little Suzy, Cotton

Cordell’s Jointed Minnows, Bombers, and Yo Zuri Snap Beans. Again, new offerings are just new colors.

Soft Baits-these are jigs rigged with soft plastic bodies that imitate every aquatic creature in the planet, and some that only exist in nightmares!

They catch all predator species, in all waters, all the time, fresh or saltwater, inshore, offshore or along the shore.

There are many different ways to rig them, and they are the most versatile lures an angler can have. The industry standard is the still King of Lures, the Plastic Worm. This has probably accounted for more landed fish than any other bait ever used, including live bait. Other models imitate shad, crustaceans, minnows and other baitfish.

They are the top choice of most pro Tournament anglers. One of the top trout lures is the Trout Magnet, a soft inchworm-type bait that almost never fails if you find the right color combination for that particular time. This catagory also includes Tube Baits, which are phenominal. Also, the ultra-successful Sassy Shad family.

There is little new here. They already come in every size, color and shape imaginable. How can you improve on perfection? If I could only have one type of lure, this would be it, hands down!

Source: ArticlesBase
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/newest-bass-fishing-lures-on-the-market-519552.html