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HOW TO CATCH BASS IN A LAKE
Other than bass fishing being an incredible sport, it is an amazing way to unwind and relax and it is no surprise that many are getting involved in this as much as they can. Bass fishing did not suddenly become a sport, there were series of evolvement it underwent before it became what it is today. It was not until the early 20th century it became established as a sport.
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There are various species of bass with each being unique in its way. They include largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, rock bass, with the largemouth bass being the most common sport fish in America. Bass fishing as a sport has caused fishermen, conservation groups, and governmental wildlife departments to introduce bass of various species into different parts of the world.
Different types of Bass found in a Lake
Different types of bass can be caught in a lake. Every angler needs to be able to differentiate between the various species of bass that exist. This way, there is an assurance that one does not catch a largemouth bass when what he wants to catch is smallmouth bass. Some of the types of bass that can be found in the lake are:
Largemouth Bass: The largemouth bass is a carnivorous game fish native to eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada, and Northern Mexico. It is a species of bass that gets introduced in various parts of the world. It is also known by quite several names such as bigmouth bass, bucket mouth bass, green bass, black bass, Florida largemouth among others. No one needs a seer to know that
the largemouth bass has quite a big mouth, a feature that distinguishes it from other species of bass. It is evident by its name. Not only is its mouth large, but the body is also really big. Its maximum recorded overall length is 29.5 in while its maximum unofficial weight is 11.4kg. The largemouth bass is marked by a series of dark blotches that form a rough parallel stripe along each side.
Smallmouth bass: It is not uncommon for people to assume that the smallmouth bass is a small fish probably because of its name, but this could not be further from the truth. The name 'smallmouth bass' comes from their relatively small mouth - which does not extend past their eyes- and it has absolutely nothing to do with their size.
Unlike the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass prefers staying in deep water, hence, they are more difficult to catch and are less widespread. They also tend to be more abundant in cold water compared to largemouth bass but both can be found in the same lake.
Although smallmouth bass might not attain the same size as largemouth bass, they are not to be taken lightly. Catching them is no child's play; it requires lots of strength and confidence. Many anglers who caught a two-pound smallmouth thought they caught a fish twice that size.
Striped Bass: The striped bass are silvery with their back looking olive green and their belly white. They have seven or eight never-ending horizontal stripes on each side of the body and they are usually referred to as stripers or linesider. Striped bass is the biggest of the temperate basses. They are anadromous which means that they spend their adult lives in the ocean before returning to freshwater tributaries to spawn.
Striped bass is opportunistic predators. They feed on plankton, insects, small fish, and crustaceans all through their diverse stages of development. Striped bass does not have eyelids and the absence of this causes them to retreat in deeper water whenever the sun comes up. They are native to the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico and they range in the Western Atlantic from the St. Lawrence River in Canada to the St. John River in northern Florida. In terms of size, there could be variations as the adult striped bass can range from 16 to 30 in. The highest reported length is 6ft, 6in. while the more popular length is 3ft. 11in.
Rock Bass: The rock bass is quite different from other species of bass. It is sometimes described as the kind of fish that is caught as a fill-in for days when fishing for other game fish is ineffective. This description is probably because rock bass is not regarded as sleek and powerful as other species of bass and is known to receive less fanfare than smallmouth and largemouth bass. Nonetheless, rock bass which is also called goggle eye is still considered an appealing fish as some anglers claim it is a handsome fish ruggedly.
The Latin name for rock bass is rupestris which translates to living among rocks and it is native to the upper Midwest, all the way through the Mississippi River Basin and all through its drainages.
To successfully catch rock bass, anglers put some things into consideration. For one, they know that the life cycle of the rock bass is a great determinant of whether or not they will end up with one. As soon as it is time for spawning, males begin to change to dark color and it is believed that the lighter colored males are the dominant ones and they are avoided by those changing into a darker color. Hence, anglers recognize that it is not a great time to fish for it.
Secondly, anglers understand that you stand a high chance of catching a rock bass as long as you play your cards well. They know that the fishing of rock bass is not as common as the fishing of other species of bass as it is usually a last resort for most fishers of bass. This means that not many rock basses have seen the same pressure that other species of bass have experienced. So, this can make catching one easier.
Myths of Bass Fishing
Because of the popularity of bass fishing, there have been plenty of bass fishing tips and different kinds of information about the bass. But is this information accurate? This is something that might be difficult to tell especially for those who have little or no concrete information about bass fishing. For you not to get confused by the abundance of information flying around about bass, below are some myths about bass that could help you sieve inaccurate information from the accurate one
1.Bass becomes dormant in cold water: There is a belief that bass is dormant when they are in cold water and this could not be further from the truth. Indeed, there is a tendency for bass to be inactive for a while once the temperature of the water changes but this does not in any way equate to dormancy. As the poikilothermic animals that they are, they would have to take a while to adjust to the temperature changes of their environment to maintain life in the same conditions they have evolved in. While the water gets cold, the relative movement of bass declines, and there is a decrease in their rate of digestion but this does not stop them from being active. A testament to this is occasions when underwater cameras have shown bass
moving along shallow and deep water during winter.
2.Bass cannot be found in areas treated with herbicide: Here is another myth of bass fishing; it is believed that bass abandon areas treated with herbicide. Scientific evidence has debunked this myth; bass is not in any way affected by the application of herbicides as long as it was correctly done. Dr. Mark Bain and Suzanne Boltz of Auburn University, nearly twenty years ago, were able to confirm whether or not herbicide causes the bass to migrate. They applied herbicide to areas around a lake in Alabama and they discovered that the basses did not evacuate even as plants began to drop off. In another experiment, scientists applied herbicide directly on nesting bass and water onto some to serve as a controlled experiment. The results showed that the herbicide was not enough reason to cause the bass to leave as they failed to abandon their nests and even reproduction in areas treated with herbicide was similar to reproduction in untreated areas.
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3.Bass strike red hooks because they look like blood: Right here is a myth that has been capitalized on by manufacturers. Because of the belief of people that bass will be attracted to lures with a red hook as they can be mistaken for blood, manufacturers continue to make lures with red hooks, red lines, red sinkers. Studies show that bass can easily detect red. This can be true but this does not in any way indicate that they get attracted to the color red. It is easy to reason that because blood is red, bleeding baitfish can be attractive to bass. As much sense as this makes, bass are unable to think like this. Indeed, the bass can quickly bite what they consider rewarding while at the same time ignoring what they consider unrewarding and avoiding what they consider dangerous, they cannot associate the color red on lures to blood on batfishes.
4.Without a big and fast boat, fishing for bass is completely impossible: This is yet another myth that has prevented many from trying to fish
for bass. Being successful at bass fishing has little to do with the kind of boat one uses. It is the skill of the angler that would most likely determine whether he catches a bass or not and not necessarily the kind of boat he fishes with. No wonder some of the best fishermen still use small, underpowered boats. Even, some anglers can be successful at fishing for bass without boats. Some can decide to fish offshore in areas such as bridges and piers.
5.Tournaments affect the bass population negatively: Some anglers are simply opposed to bass tournaments because they believe that it harms the bass population. This is not in any way true. Bass fisheries continue to boom despite these tournaments. A look at tournament lakes such as Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, Kentucky Lake; Kentucky, Sam Rayburn; Texas, Grand Lake; Oklahoma, Lake Seminole; Georgia-Alabama to mention but a few ill prove that bass tournaments do not in any way harm bass population. There is indeed no doubt that bass will be harder to catch when it is being fished by many, but to blame it on bass tournaments is completely unfair. All who fish for bass have a role to play.
6.Big baits catch big bass: This particular myth is not entirely untrue. Big bass has been caught because of the big size of lures used. However, there is a whole lot more to this. Researchers have found out that big bass eats items as small as microscopic water fleas and can even go on eating this for months in situations where larger preys are not available. So, it would be better to say that big baits can catch big bass just as small baits can in some instances, instead of just outrightly stating that big baits catch big bass like there have not been cases of small baits doing the same.
7.The biggest bass in the lake resides in the deepest water: This can be true of certain places like the deep clear northern waters but it will still be wrong to assume that in all lakes, bass resides in the deepest water. For instance, in Florida's shallow lakes, the biggest bass is not found in the deepest of waters. Instead, they lie on top and might not even move in the direction of the bait as long as they can take cover. They are not aggressive except in their spawning season. Hence, they can be easily caught when they are lying shallow. All you need to do might just be to flip a heavy cover.
Tips on how to successfully catch bass from a lake
Now that the myths of bass fishing have been explained, what can you differently from other anglers that would ensure you catch bass from the lake? Well, below are a few tips to help with this:
1. Be versatile: One of the biggest mistakes anglers make is to stick to only one technique. As an angler looking to increase your success, you have to be able to try out different methods and ways that you can successfully fish for bass in a lake. To do this, there is a need to fish at new places and consistently practice new techniques. In essence, go outside of your comfort zone. Leave the lakes you are used to fishing and move to another that will require some sort of expertise.
2. Understand how weather impacts bass: While fishing for bass, it would be unwise to ignore the weather conditions because every angler knows that the weather conditions have a great effect on the behavior of bass from day today. Hence, not understanding how bass behaves under different weather conditions is tantamount to failing at bass fishing. On cloudy days, there is a tendency for bass to be more active and expose themselves in the process of feeding. When it is sunny, on the other hand, bass becomes less active and prefers to get cover and wait until preys come their way. Also, spring and summer are considered ideal fishing conditions for bass as this is a period they feed closer to shore. On the other hand, during winter and lower temperatures, the chances are bass will not expend so much effort to feed and might only bite tour lure if they are within their strike zone.
3. Watch the water temperature: Just as important as understanding weather conditions is when fishing for bass, understanding the different water temperatures is equally important. Throughout the year, water temperatures vary drastically and it greatly affects the level of activity of bass and also their feeding pattern. The water temperature will determine the kind of baits that are thrown into the water. For instance, it is more advisable to throw slow-moving baits in cool water temperatures while fast-moving or aggressive baits should be thrown into warm water.
4. Optimize your terrain: There is a likelihood for bass to stay closer to certain areas because of the level of safety they feel being there. This is something you have to be observant of and try to use it to your advantage.
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5. Practice knot tying: As simple as it sounds to tie a knot, knot tying while fishing is no child's play. It could be the factor that determines whether or not you get as many bags as possible. To become a pro at knot tying, why not try practicing as often as possible even before you go fishing. Not only will it help you save precious fishing time, but it would also guarantee more fishes than when you always struggled with the knots. There is no doubt about the big role accurate knot tying plays in the successful catching of bass as this is one of the most sought-after tips on how to catch a bass on the internet.
6. Research some more: Any angler who is counting on only sticking to the way he has always known in his quest for bass will be shocked by how much has changed when he eventually decides to try new techniques. This is an age that has been taken over by technology and bass fishing has not been left out of these technological advancements. Technology has changed the way many anglers fish. Services like Google Earth and Fishidy can now be used to get a more robust knowledge of the place an angler intends to fish from. Even before going out to fish for bass, you can identify specific lakes that you can get bass and also identify certain things that can double your chances of getting a bass. This way, you already have a plan for your fishing trip even before you set out. When you become invested in research, you would be shocked at your success rate and how you now dish out bass fishing tips.
7. The Wind might just be there to give you a hand: It is common for anglers looking to catch bass to return home when it is very windy. What they fail to realize is that the wind can even make it easier for them to catch bass. This is because the wind will stimulate bass and it will cause them to want to feed. Also, when the water surface is disturbed by wind, it becomes less likely for bass to be spooked by boat movement. So, the next time it becomes windy (as long as it is not a tornado or hurricane) while you are on the water, you should consider staying back and giving bass fishing a shot. With all the other accurate tips you know, you should be perfectly fine.
8. Be persistent in your search for bass: Why would you give up on bass fishing simply because you tried it a few times and were not so lucky? That particular lake you think you cannot get bass might just be the lake you will be getting your catch from. But how will you know if you do not persist at it?
CONCLUSION
There is much information to suggest that bass fishing stands out from others especially when it is done from a lake. Fishing for bass from a lake not only gives an angler the chance to get bass from an abundant number, but it also allows an angler to exercise various bass fishing tips and methods that would otherwise be unnecessary in other water bodies.
So, if you as an angler are yet to experience what it feels like to fish for bass from a lake, it is worth trying. Or, if your the more adventurous type, read about "Catching Bass at Night."
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