How To Catch Bass Like An Elite Angler

Bass may be plenty, and you have heard, without a doubt, plenty of fishing stories about trophies and what not. Yet, whenever you go fishing, you either catch too little, your fish is far from qualifying as a trophy, or, worse, you catch nothing at all.

Learn from experts what you may be doing wrong, and what to focus on if you intend to become an expert in catching bass.

Find Where the Bass is Hiding

Bass is the type of fish that prefers to remain hidden from view, and that means that it always searches for places where it could stay unseen. When you visit a body of water for the first time, allow yourself some time to carry on some exploration.

Walk around and see where the areas with the most cover are. These could be boat docks or places where rock and water vegetation provide excellent hiding places for bass.

While bass may like to roam around from time to time, you would bet a winning hand by focusing on the areas with plenty of cover.

Read: Bringing Nemo Home: How to Get a Saltwater Fish Tank Set Up

Lure the Fish with the Promise of a Hefty Meal

Bass is a predatory species and feeds on other fish, so the bait you’re using should match its appetite, at least from a visual point of view. Experts say that the bait they use usually has red or pink heads, and they even use crankbaits that come equipped with red hooks.

The reason why bass likes red in the baits you’re using is that it believes that your bait could be an injured fish that it could pounce on and eat. Don’t forget to use a high-quality bass spinning reel with the rest of your gear, to maximize effects.

Sharpen Your Hooks After Each Catch

Bass is a good biter, and has a boney jaw. So, you may expect a lot of damage to happen to your hooks when it bites. Prepare your hooks before every trip, and each time a fish bites, make sure to sharpen the hook right away.

Keep an Open Mind

Many anglers tend to believe that a single technique is enough to catch fish as unpredictable and challenging to fool such as bass. But that is a mistake that elite fishermen never make. You will need to invest some time and energy into learning various techniques.

When something fails, you should be prepared with a second plan right away. Bass can take you well out of your comfort zone, and that’s why it is considered so challenging. Be ready to face such trials, by getting better equipped with knowledge on bass fishing techniques.

Be Aware of Weather

One thing you shouldn’t overlook when you’re fishing for bass is the weather. If conditions change, so does bass behavior. That’s why you may be surprised to discover that one day, fish are biting, and the next, they no longer do the same thing.

Here are some details on how weather influences bass and what it does. For instance, cloudy days are great for catching bass, as the fish get out from cover and swim close to the surface to feed. On such days, a good idea would be to switch to moving baits and topwater plugs.

For sunny days, go for bouncing baits. On such weather, the bass remains in cover, and waits for meals to swim by. Catch its eye with jigs and flip the bait to create movement and have the bass come for it.

Pay Attention Where the Wind Blows

To catch bass, the wind should be in your face. That’s a simple rule to remember and another that many anglers with experience swear by. Bass likes to swim with the current, so the idea to do so would be to let it get to the bait and not to your boat.

Also, any sound you might make while paddling through the water will be carried away so that the fish don’t catch on.

Match Your Baits with Water Temperature

If you aim for catching more bass on your next fishing trip, a good idea would be to pay some attention to the water temperature.

For instance, slower moving baits work best with cold water, while those that move faster are ideal for warm water.

Practice Your Knots

Any detail counts when it comes to bass, and you should not be surprised to see a lot of anglers interested in learning how to tie a good knot. There is nothing more disappointing than losing a fish just because you could not tie the knot correctly.

To make sure that you are well equipped when you travel to destinations well known for their bass population, pick a type of knot and practice it until it becomes your second nature.

Palomar is a good option, but Clinch is another option that bass anglers use. You can find many tutorials online on how to tie these knots.

In Spring, Go for Shallow Waters

Learning about the behavior of this fish species (bass) will put you in the right place at the right time. Here is a quick tip that will get you closer to scoring a high performance when you fish for bass.

In spring, bass likes to spend more time in spawning beds, which are located in shallow waters, such as coves.

Here, bass finds the perfect spots for their eggs. It also prefers areas that protected from heavy winds. Also, after winter, the bass is hungry, too, so it will be easier for you to attract them with some tasty looking bait.

Read: Are You Fishing for the First Time? Here Are Some Fishing Basics You Should Know

Don’t be Afraid to Fish Before a Storm Hits

It was mentioned earlier that bass like overcast days for being active, but there’s even a more likely moment that feels ideal for it to go out from cover and hunt for its prey. That moment is right before a storm.

The increasing pressure creates the perfect opportunity for you to catch something, as bass becomes more agitated. Also, remember that, after a storm, bass will go for a nap, and you won’t see any close to the surface or in open areas.