There’s an age-old idea in bass fishing that states “it’s a must to discover’em earlier than you’ll be able to catch’em.” Properly that’s kinda of like “duh.” Sure, it factors out the manifestly apparent, however the reality behind it may well by no means be ignored. And abiding by this ideology of technique will lead to extra bass, extra usually, on extra events!
So let’s dig into this a bit. We’ve three built-in strategies by which to systematically discover bass. The primary one entails our personal understanding of bass conduct. That is the mental a part of the puzzle of understanding the seasonal and every day actions of bass as they relate to their surroundings. By educating ourselves on bass biology and conduct, huge parts of a fishery might be eradicated from consideration. For instance, within the spring of the yr, we all know bass spawn in shallow water that tends to heat up sooner. Due to this fact extensive open deep basins might be ignored, whereas as a substitute, dead-end coves, canals, and bays are locations to focus on as a result of that’s the place many bass will finally spawn (particularly in northern, pure lakes).
One other technique of “discovering them” is completed with the help of marine electronics (I take advantage of Lowrance). The developments on this subject have actually made it a lot simpler to seek out bass. Utilizing the electronics is a two-step course of at its most simple stage. First use the mapping, then use the sonar imaging. Let’s start with the extremely detailed mapping accessible. Nearly each widespread lake in the USA has detailed mapping by Lowrance’s C-Map or different manufacturers. The electronics show these maps and present us precisely the place our boat is positioned on these maps. I don’t even carry paper maps anymore, which was a tough behavior to interrupt! For instance, if our understanding of smallmouth bass biology suggests we have to be discovering rock humps topping out between 20-25 toes, we will simply scroll across the map and rapidly establish appropriate construction, after which drive our boat on to it. And oftentimes the element of the contours will present us the little wiggles and factors the place bass usually appear to want on construction. Now the second stage of digital’s skills come into play. That is the place we use downscanning and sidescanning features to hunt out the eccentricities of the construction resembling larger boulders, or maybe a man-made brushpile. In fact, the electronics are also used to really establish baitfish faculties and the bass as nicely at instances.
I suppose a 3rd tier for electronics and their assist to discovering bass could be the latest introduction of forward-facing sonar (Lowrance Lively Goal amongst others). This know-how comes into play as soon as we truly cease the boat to fish. Transducers for these items are usually mounted on a bow-mounted trolling motor (I just like the Minnkota Ultrex), which permit an angler to “sweep” and scan the waters forward of the boat. Anglers can grow to be very gifted at recognizing particular person or faculties of bass and casting baits on to them.
The third technique of discovering bass is completed with the very fishing strategies which can be utilized. Electronics have limitations (for instance, they’ll’t reveal bass buried up in heavy weed development). So when electronics can’t verify the presence of bass, it have to be executed with rod and reel. Discovering a faculty of bass buried up in an enormous weedbed can appear overwhelming. On this state of affairs, there are numerous nuances to choosing aside large weed areas that may require pages of writing, so I can’t cowl all of that. However there may be one precept that I really feel is necessary to focus on. You should definitely lean on these fishing strategies that cowl water extra rapidly. I’m speaking about lures resembling spinnerbaits, bladed-jigs, crankbaits, and topwaters. In different phrases, selected shifting baits which can be solid and reeled. As soon as a spot has been recognized as to holding bass, then slower strategies, like a wacky-rigged worm, might be utilized if vital. Typically you’ll be able to simply preserve catching them utilizing the shifting baits. One remaining bait to say as a search bait could be a heavy jig (3/4 oz All-Terrain Deal with AT Jig) or a Texas-rigged creature of some variety (BillyRubBaits Snatcher). Typically I really feel like I’ve to drop one thing of their face. I like to start out with heavy weights first till I’m comfy figuring out I’ve nailed down the areas of the bass. These shows gained’t cowl as a lot territory because the horizontally shifting baits, however generally the bass are torpid and don’t need to depart their safe place deep down within the weed development. Switching to a lighter weight could or could not yield extra bites as soon as bass areas are recognized. For instance, I used to be on a pure lake in Minnesota this fall and felt strongly that the bass had been schooled up within the weeds. So I began with the ¾ oz All-Terrain Deal with AT Jig and moved alongside the weed edge dropping this jig as quick because it allowed each twenty toes. I got here to a change within the weed development and had like 4 bass earlier than I couldn’t get anymore. With out shifting the boat, I picked up a gradual falling wacky-rig and proceeded to catch one other 36 bass! Certainly, the search bait/gradual bait has lengthy been an efficient technique.
What I’ve mentioned here’s a very fundamental framework of discovering fish. And actually, it doesn’t should be far more sophisticated or refined than this. One, use your information of bass conduct and biology to steer you in the direction of probably areas to examine; Two, use your electronics to go looking the probably space; And/Or Three, use your rod and reel if the bass are hidden the place electronics can’t see them. That is an method that has been round endlessly. The one change is an growing emphasis on utilizing electronics at the moment, on account of their unbelievable developments.
