Any Tips for Bass Fishing?

Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
3,792
Likes
1,549
Location
Haverhill, MA
Feedback: 2 / 0 / 0
So I started fishing this year, have caught a ton of bluegill with a worm, but now trying to branch out to catch some other stuff. I have caught a couple bass (along with some pike and one yellow perch) in local lakes using panther martins and rooster tails but have not had a huge amount of luck. Any tips on what would be good to throw to target bass?

I am fishing from the bank if that is relevant.

I have pretty much ruled out trying to fish with live worms for bass because everything seems to be vacuumed by bluegill fairly quickly.

IMG_20220619_113510134.jpgIMG_20220701_191559385.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wacky rig or Texas rig a senko (depending on weeds). Cast and let it sink to bottom. Figure one second per foot. Watch the line for any unusual movement indicating a bite and reel into the bite to feel it just before setting the hook. You can lift and let it drop as part of the retrieve. Most bites come on the drop.

ETA:. Crushing the barb makes for cleaning catch and release (my preference), and watch this video for unhooking a gut hooked bass. I can do this by hand too...



View: https://youtu.be/tdYM_Tp5C6c
 
Last edited:
Hang a dorsal hooked shiner about 2 feet below a bobber and toss it near but not in some weeds.
What size of shiner is good for that?

It’s not how deep you fish…it’s how you wiggle your worm.

Guess I will have to practice with a rubber worm. The live ones lasted about 30 seconds before they were reduced to a nub on the hook.

Wacky rig or Texas rig a senko (depending on weeds). Cast and let it sink to bottom. Figure one second per foot. Watch the line for any unusual movement indicating a bite and reel into the bite to feel it just before setting the hook. You can lift and let it drop as part of the retrieve. Most bites come on the drop.

Will have to practice that. Got some rubber worms but only got one bite so far.
 
What size of shiner is good for that?



Guess I will have to practice with a rubber worm. The live ones lasted about 30 seconds before they were reduced to a nub on the hook.



Will have to practice that. Got some rubber worms but only got one bite so far.
Rubber worms work great too. But a stickbait (Senko or cheaper Yumdinger) has an irresistible action that really triggers a bite on the drop. Great way to get into bass fishing.

I added a de-hooking video to my previous post too.
 
Agree, small shiners are THE bait for bass. I've never once tossed a dorsal hooked shiner in the water that didn't hook a bass within seconds, they go ballistic over them.

Will have to figure a time I can swing by the place with live bait and pick some up ahead of getting out fishing. Seems like a solid way to get some results.

Fish where there are bass

I seem to have a good feel for fishing where they were, now if only I could keep up with where they keep moving to.

A black & gold number 7 jointed Rapala lure has been my go-to bass lure for decades. And not just bass. If it swims you can catch it on this lure.
View attachment 634486

Will have to see if I can snag one next time I am in a fishing store.
 
If you're fishing the hours of dusk or dawn, a "wake bait" can produce some large bass. You cast it out and keep contact with it, reeling it in very slowly - so that it runs on top, and creates a wake. A Cotton Cordell Redfin works very well for this.
 
I remember as a kid camping in Myles Standish campgrounds and catching the small tree frogs for bait. Hooking them through skin on the back, they'd catch a large mouth bass every cast.
 
It's tough fishing from shore because you have to find the fish in order to catch them. Shiners work well. Senko's also work well if the bottom is not too rocky. You can also try a jighead with a curly tailed grub.

Tried yum dingers Texas rigged, clearly haven't been positioning them well yet.

I did hit one with a rapala tonight, then promptly lost the lure when my knot came undone which put a damper on the evening. Wish I had written down what kind of rapala it was, bought it used today and liked the action of it.

Also wish I too a better picture, currently running down what it was based on outline and bill.

IMG_20220706_201703247.jpg

Grab a topwater lure. It takes a cast or two to learn to “walk the dog” back but there’s no better feeling than watching a monster come up and nail a top water. That’ll really get you addicted.
View: https://youtu.be/Sdim6e4HCik


Got a Storm Chug Bug today at the store today, was practicing but didn't see anything bite at it yet.
 
Tried yum dingers Texas rigged, clearly haven't been positioning them well yet.

I did hit one with a rapala tonight, then promptly lost the lure when my knot came undone which put a damper on the evening. Wish I had written down what kind of rapala it was, bought it used today and liked the action of it.

Also wish I too a better picture, currently running down what it was based on outline and bill.

View attachment 634754



Got a Storm Chug Bug today at the store today, was practicing but didn't see anything bite at it yet.
Looks like a Shad Rap. Dives pretty deep.
 
Last edited:
You can fish the best bait with the best technique. And if you aren't where the bass are, you're NEVER going to catch fish.

The fact that you are around bait is key. Now you need to find something for a bass to be around. Drop-off, rock, stump, isolated grass spot. Using these to your advantage is half the game.

As far as what bait? I'd have 2 rods ready - one with a worm (Texas or wacky) or craw on it and a spinnerbait. Use the spinner to fan cast and get as many lure presentations as possible to the bass. Once you know where they are, you can slow down with the plastic bait.

Keep your colors simple. Summer time. Green pumpkin for the soft plastics. Some variation or a "fishy" looking color on the spinnerbait. I tend to throw a reasonable facsimile to a perch in my lake. That means golds and blacks and whites. I think Booyah makes the best version of this color. I think. I'd have to remember.

Vary your retrieve. Fast. Slow. Stop. Speed up. All that. The nice thing about a spinnerbait is that it's pretty weedless.
 
I do all my fishing from the bank and most of the time I'm throwing either a craw or a lizard on a weighted creature hook. Like Dennis said, go for a natural color, I run a brown or green/brown mostly since that's what I have in my box [smile]
Just like you see in the picture, you screw the screw piece into their face and put the hook through somewhere in the middle. If you do it right, you can just slightly put the point of the hook into the back so it won't get caught on weeds and will still pop out when you get a bite. It sinks a little bit slower than the texas rigs depending on the size of the hook and what you have on it and it doesn't seem to attract as many weeds either.

I attached a picture of the knot I use too, it can be a little tricky the first few times around trying to keep track of all the loops but once you get it down, its a breeze to tie and the only time I've lost a lure is when the line snaps from either a snag or one of those damn pickerel LOL
Another tip, if you use this knot, especially if you're using braided line, when you're pulling it tight make sure to get it wet, I just run it though my lips real quick. Makes it slide together like a breeze and keeps things interesting for the 'ol immune system!
 

Attachments

  • Fishermans-knot-all-steps.jpg
    Fishermans-knot-all-steps.jpg
    49.4 KB · Views: 10
  • OWN-5130W_2_.jpg
    OWN-5130W_2_.jpg
    5.3 KB · Views: 10
Tried shiners, hoofed around two areas in the afternoon and couldn't buy a bite.

IMG_20220709_151949004.jpg


After dinner went as a family to throw the remaining living ones (less than 50% made it 4 hours in the bucket in the garage)


As I am tossing them into the local pond to offer and easy takeout dinner bass start popping up and nabbing them from the top.

So I got one bass, missed a couple other bites as I was juggling helping get the kid with the remainder of the ice cream cone she got while I was fishing.

IMG_20220709_181249835_HDR.jpg

Overall went well but will have to practice a bit more with non live bait for a more spontaneous type trip.
 
Tried shiners, hoofed around two areas in the afternoon and couldn't buy a bite.

View attachment 635819


After dinner went as a family to throw the remaining living ones (less than 50% made it 4 hours in the bucket in the garage)


As I am tossing them into the local pond to offer and easy takeout dinner bass start popping up and nabbing them from the top.

So I got one bass, missed a couple other bites as I was juggling helping get the kid with the remainder of the ice cream cone she got while I was fishing.

View attachment 635820

Overall went well but will have to practice a bit more with non live bait for a more spontaneous type trip.
Get an air pump for that bucket (I have a plug in for the garage and a portable battery one for fishing with) Throw ice cubes in too and change the water at least once a day and most will last days and some a couple of weeks... They're easier to keep in the winter.
 
Plenty of good advice on lures/bait. Bass fishing in particular is weather sensitive. Typically overcast/rainy days, low pressure systems, etc. are better than high pressure bluebird sky days. Bass like cover so fish where you see cover: weed beds, under logs, around rocks, etc. Also where a creek or stream empties into a lake or pond are usually pretty productive. Wear polarized sunglasses so you can see better into the water. Bass are aggressive and can be tricked over and over again to hit a lure if presented properly. On overcast, rainy, low barometric pressure, etc, they're more susceptible to flashy fast moving lures. Sunny blue sky days you need to go deeper & slower, rubber worms on a Texas or Carolina rig worked slowly, or a whacky rig worm or Sluggo (google is your friend). Surface lures work well at dusk & dawn, particularly if the water is calm. If you can see them bite you can learn how to catch them. Live shiners work well although it's a different kind of fishing. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Plenty of good advice on lures/bait. Bass fishing in particular is weather sensitive. Typically overcast/rainy days, low pressure systems, etc. are better than high pressure bluebird sky days. Bass like cover so fish where you see cover: weed beds, under logs, around rocks, etc. Also where a creek or stream empties into a lake or pond are usually pretty productive. Wear polarized sunglasses so you can see better into the water. Bass are aggressive and can be tricked over and over again to hit a lure if presented properly. On overcast, rainy, low barometric pressure, etc, they're more susceptible to flashy fast moving lures. Sunny blue sky days you need to go deeper & slower, rubber worms on a Texas or Carolina rig worked slowly, or a whacky rig worm or Sluggo (google is your friend). Surface lures work well at dusk & dawn, particularly if the water is calm. If you can see them bite you can learn how to catch them. Live shiners work well although it's a different kind of fishing. Good luck!

Amen. I'm convinced we caught a ton of fish on Sunday b/c it was a bit windy. Seems like we caught more than a calm day even though it meant more work for me on the trolling motor and such. I prefer a nice calm day but you definitely don't catch as many fish as a bad day. And it's WORST the clear sunny day after a storm.

My bait casting skills must be getting better. Regardless of the direction of the cast, I had one backlash all day.
 
From a canoe I like to live line shiners. No bobber just dorsal hook and toss em out around stumps and downed trees.
 
Back
Top Bottom