okay i have to admit it

[kansasfisher89]

okay i have to admit it, I know nothing about how to catch fish. I'm a 14 year old bass fisherman, fishing is my most favorite thing to do, i just wish i could catch something other than an occasional tiny fish. Like i said i'm manliy a bass fisherman, i know how to use a night crawler and thats it. I don't how to fish lures, what size they should be, how deep to put them, how fast to reel them in, what color to use, and if i need sinkers (ect.), and how to put them on the line. I need to know everything about how to use plastic worms, jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and any other kind of lure that works good for bass. PLEASE help me .
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[daymere]

what kind of lures do you have maybe i can help if i know what you have to use. and also what type of reel and a little about your fishing place .
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[FisherMOM]

Tie a spinnerbait on..cast it out... let it sink, try different depths. Reel it in at different speeds... the fish will tell you what they want. I find they like a jerky retrieve.

Kinda bouse it as you reel it in. Spinnerbaits can be very productive. Sometimes they like them buzzing real fast..other times, it's slow and steady that gets them.
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[ALAN]

You want to know whats fun about this sport? Trial and error, practice, practice, and more practice. At least thats what I keep telling myself. Al
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[tubeN2]

That sounds like the story of my life. Some of us just get to practice more often than others. That's what makes it more enjoyable.
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[Bassmaster-ND]

Hello kansasfisher89, I think we all started out this way at one point or another. Call up a buddy that fishes, you can learn a lot from other experienced fishermen. Dont forget to check out the BFT articles on this site. A good bass magazine to subscribe to is bassmaster ([url "http://www.bassmaster.com"]www.bassmaster.com[/url]) you can learn alot from magazines. If you go to a video store they might have some fishing videos. I've been fishing for a looong time and I'm still learning things.

It just takes time on the water[].

Good luck
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[Flagmanonice]

Soft Plastics for Big Bass Fishing:



The variety of soft plastic baits for bass is mind boggling. The choices available just in worms alone, are enough to cause confusion with the novice angler, and hours of debate among the more experienced. What size? What color?, straight tail? curly tail?, salt or no salt?; what rig to use them on; Drop-Shot? Carolina Rig?, Weightless?, what are the best times to use each one? Then add in the endless variety of lizards, grubs, Jerkbaits, freakbaits, tubes, and creatures, and you end up with more questions than answers. In the following article I will try to list the most effective plastic baits and presentations that catch not only numbers, but big bass as well, whether it is in a lake, pond or river, just about anywhere in the country. There will always be a new type of bait that one person or the other claims is better than the others, but the following baits and techniques will cover most any situation that you are likely to encounter.
Plastic WormsThe original artificial worm manufactured by Nick Creme, in 1949, was a standard straight tailed worm, but it spawned generations of worm companies and hundreds of soft plastic lure designs that are the mainstay of modern bass fishing.

Straight tailed worms are just that--straight, with no bends or kinks in the middle, no curly tails, paddle tails, no air pockets, no flotation, nothing special at all, just a worm. Regardless of their plain appearance, many times straight tailed worms are much more effective than other fancier styles. This was proven to us first hand one day in a New York tournament on Lake Cayuga. The bass absolutely refused to hit any other style of worm except a 6 inch straight tail in black, with a tiny bit of blue fleck in it. If you didn't have that particular style of worm, you were out of the money that day. Straight tailed worms are often at their best when bass are suspicious of anything out of the ordinary, such as in highly pressured tournament lakes. Many times in these situations the bass are put off by a curly tail waving in the current. But the opposite can be true for the same fish, in the same lake, when they are on their beds during the spawn. Many times, the movement of a curly tail will cause the extra enticement you need to catch them. Plastic worms aren't at their best in cold water, but then nothing is. When the water is cold, bass will feed only occasionally, and whether it is spring, fall, or winter, the slow, slightly twitchy retrieve with a straight tail worm will work wonders. But the key to this is working the worm slowly, only twitching it occasionally, allowing the worm to stay in the strike zone as long as possible, where the sluggish bass will notice, and possibly hit it.

These worms also work well for bedding bass, but don't hesitate to put on a small curly tail worm if the bass won't pick up the straight tail. The fact that most straight tail worms are not floating models can be an advantage. While floating worms have a lot to offer in terms of waving around just off the bottom, bass are in the habit of searching and feeding off the bottom. Eels, worms, crayfish, nymphs, frogs, and other prey are often found there. Smallmouth in particular make a habit of routing in the rocks and gravel to find a meal. Plastic worms, rigged weedless, and worked slowly across the bottom, look more like natural prey trying to hide and escape than something floating off the bottom and waving around.

To accomplish this, the standard Texas rig with a bullet weight is best. The Texas rig keeps the worm from getting hung up, and the weight gets the worm to the bottom and keeps it there. The Carolina rig is another option for the straight tail worm. This type of rig allows for a deeper, slower, even retrieve. The straight tail worm, and even retrieve, make this rig resemble an eel, although in smaller sizes, the bass may see it as a slim baitfish, or even a large dragonfly nymph.

We found that these straight tail worms are excellent for fishing in the river. We cast them across the current, using a high rod technique, to minimize drag and allow the worm to drift with the current. Often a little twitch will provoke a strike, but the twitch should be subtle, just enough to move the worm a little bit. We also cast the worm straight upstream, which works very well in the rivers since they require less weight to sink naturally and can be fished dead with the current to resemble a dead or dying shad or other baitfish. Both Texas and exposed hook riggings work, but the Texas seems to be the best if there are any snags or it is a rough, rocky bottom. Tackle is important when fishing straight tail worms, since much of the fishing depends on slow techniques. I like to use a real sensitive rod, such as a G. Loomis, with the reel spooled with a sensitive line, such as Stren Sensor, or any other sensitive line. Using an outfit like this makes it easier to detect strikes, but you should always maintain contact with the worm, even when Deadsticking it. I like to use a small weight to accomplish this. Cross-stream casts in the current will usually maintain some tension, but upstream casts require a retrieve as fast as the current to keep slack out of the line, and make sure that you detect all the strikes.

Straight tail worms are also great for deep jigging. The jigging action makes the worm seem alive without a curly tail waving around in the water. Again, the key here is sensitive tackle, as the bass will often hit the worm on the fall. Straight tail worms are serious bass takers. If a bass follows another type of worm but doesn't take it, then try a straight stick of a worm. They may not look like much, but can take serious limits of bass when they are off their normal feed.
Worms/Floating Worms, & CrittersFirst, almost all plastic worms float. Usually, just adding any hook to the worm is enough to sink it. This allows a variety of bottom presentations, but they are not that great for working on the surface as a topwater. True floating worms have air blown into the PVC mix to create enough flotation to keep them on the surface. Many times over thicker cover these worms shine. When the bass are active, and would be hitting a buzzbait, or other topwater bait, but the cover doesn't allow it, these floating and curly tail worms, can be fished right on the surface, and worked quickly over thicker vegetation like a buzzbait. This has drawn some tremendous strikes throughout lakes and rivers all over the country. Most of these floating worms will float with a hook up to about a 3/0. Some of the more popular companies that manufacture these worms are Riverside, Bass Pro Shops, Culprit, Bass Assassin, Creme and others. Carolina Fish and Fur offer some great hand made floating worms. Most of the companies also make other floating baits, such as Mann's, who calls them Floating Creatures, and they come in frog and lizard shapes.

Air pocket worms have a bunch of pockets of air, such as the Riverside Air Worm, and others have single large pockets, like on the Culprit Burst worms. Bass Pro Shops sold some worms a few years back that we had a lot of luck with, that were called Caterpillar worms. They have a prickly or spiny exterior that holds air bubbles. Most of these worms not only take numbers of bass, but also take big bass. We have been in many tournaments where the big bass was taken on a small worm or creature bait. These floating baits also work well when rigged to work over deeper structure such as brushpiles or weedbeds. A lot of these worms are designed to hold different scents also. Some are designed to have the scents injected right inside of the worm. All floating worms vary in their flotation ability with various hooks, so some experimentation is necessary to produce the desired results. One problem with floating worms is that they look no different than standard worms. Keep your floaters in a separate bag or box in the original bag to keep them from getting mixed up with the regular worms.

The "critter" baits such as the soft plastic crayfish, lizards, frogs, and hellgrammites, also catch a lot of big bass. The craw type baits often have air pockets not only in the main body, but in the claws as well. Claws with air pockets float up off the bottom, putting it in a defensive posture that triggers strikes from bass that are fooled into believing it is a real crayfish. Experiment with different rigs, scents, and rattles in these baits until you find the most productive in that particular area. The floating worms and critters don't replace the old standbys, but they add another dimension to your fishing.
Tube Baits There are as many different tube baits as there are worms, and more and more variations arrive each year. Some of the best tube baits we have used for catching bedding bass, and bass that are holding in tight to cover, are listed below.
Ringed TubesMany bait manufacturers have incorporated rings into their tube designs. Rings add bulk, trap air bubbles, and feel soft and lifelike to the bass. They allow for better hookups by reducing the amount of plastic that the hook has to penetrate. The first tube we ever bought that had this feature was a 4 1/2 inch tube made by Larew. These baits are made with an injection-mold, rather than a dip process, which is what you need to do to make a ringed bait. A lot of manufactures are now adding a skirt to the ringed tube, which gives it even more bulk and a slower fall. The pulsating motion of the skirt and tail seem to come alive when rigged Texas or Carolina style, or used a jig trailer.
Solid HeadThe first solid head tube was introduced right after Denny Brauer won the classic. It is made by Strike King, but now there are many more manufacturers. This was a great innovation, since it gave standard worm hooks enough plastic in which to gain a firm hold. The main problem with finesse tubes is that the thin noses won't stay put on worm hooks.

After these tubes came out, many other new innovations followed, such as longer and fatter tubes. Now there are many tubes in the 4 1/2 and 5 inch sizes. There are even bigger tubes than that, they are Saltwater tubes, which we have used successfully in the California Delta for BIG bass. Oversized tubes also are easier for bass to find in cover or muddy water.
Tube CrittersThe 5 inch "Sala" tube from Mister Twister, features a solid head and a body shaped like a salamander. This bait also has eyes. This is part of the "Exude" line of baits, which contains a water soluble scent that gives the plastic a slimy feel when wet. These baits work very well on bedding bass in lakes all over the country. Because it has a lizard type shape it produces a stronger reaction from bedding bass than a regular tube does. We like to use this tube in heavy cover also, on 20-25 pound test line. When we fish real nasty cover, we use it on a jig with braided line, such as "Spiderline."

Another new type of tube is the tube craw. This bait mimics a crawfish well, and can be worked in all types of cover. Another craw type tube bait is the "Yum" Craw Bug. The tail of this bait is curled under like a crawfish on the move. We always use this tube when fishing for bass that have received a lot of pressure. It seems to get strikes from heavily pressured bass that you wouldn't normally get. We usually rig this bait on a 3/0 or 4/0 Gamakatsu hook, with a 3/16 ounce bullet sinker, and 14-20 pound test "Spiderline" Mono. They make a small 2 inch craw now also, which we use for drop-shotting. I like to use the craw tube in muddy water, because it is more buoyant than regular tubes and moves more water. Rattles can also be added to this tube to increase it's effectiveness in muddy or stained water. There is also a tube now called a "Fork" Craw, which I like to use when fishing grass. It is thinner and slides through vegetation more easily and presents a smaller profile which is great for clearer water.

Another new type of tube is the Double-tail tube, which has two curled tails that appear as wings. Luck "E" Strike also makes a new tube called a "Ring Daddy." It was designed by Rick Clunn who believes the rings give off a hydrodynamic signal that appeals to bass. I have used this bait effectively when pitching and flipping. When we need to skip a tube under docks, we like to use Strike King's new baits called the "Tube Craw", "Wild Thang" and "Tube Lizard". They have smooth bodies which make them ideal skipping baits. I use them on a 4/0 hook with a 5/16 ounce bullet weight. The "Wild Thang" is a great bait for after the spawn. It is 5 inches long, has a hollow body, and a shredded tail. I always use this bait when I believe the bass are looking upward. I like it in the summer months, and I have fished it with a swimming motion very successfully. The tube lizard is a great bait for the spawn through the post spawn period.
Soft JerkbaitsSoft Jerkbaits like the "Zoom Super Fluke" are great substitutes for a hard Jerkbaits when the grass is too thick to use a hard bait with treble hooks. This bait was the best producer for the top ten finishers in the "REDMAN" finals at Lake Gaston. We had tried many other baits that day, but the Fluke was the winner, hands down.

There are a variety of different rigging techniques for soft plastic Jerkbaits, but I want the maximum action I can get with this bait, so I use a really large offset hook made by Eagle Claw. This hook is bigger than what most anglers use for the Fluke, but the bigger hook not only adds casting weight, but it shifts the weight to the rear of the bait and causes an exaggerated "walk-the-dog" action on the retrieve. It's a great bait for bass in weed pockets, or in deeper, thinner grass like the situation we ran into on Lake Gaston. This bait definitely gave you an advantage that day. I use a light/dark pattern with these baits, but occasionally go to colors like watermelon and green pumpkin, in the clearer water sometimes. I use this bait a lot in place of a surface bait like a rat, and if a bass blows up on it and misses, which happens a lot in heavy scum and grass, then I just maneuver the bait to the hole created by the bass and let it sink. Most of the time the bass will still be there and take the Fluke on the drop, something I can't do with the rat.

All of these baits and more can be very effective for big bass at times. At night I use a 10-12 inch worm for some huge bass. But none of these baits will work for the beginner or intermediate angler unless you are fishing in the right spot. Some of the best advice I can give is: fish slowly, when you think you're fishing slowly, slow down some more. Fish some of the smaller lakes and rivers. With emphasis on tournaments, many anglers forget about the great fishing in some of the smaller lakes and rivers that you can't fish in a bass boat.

Don't make your fishing too complicated. Use a few basic baits to start, then expand after you have learned how to use those starter baits. Find the right depth; You can't catch fish if you fish above them or below them. Learn how to use the electronics on your boat properly.

Fish as often as you can, nothing can replace the knowledge you get from being on the water a lot. The first few years I started fishing, we spent at least 8 hours a day, 3 or 4 days a week fishing. Get out on the water as much as you can, nothing replaces hands on experience.


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Facts about BASS

[font "arial"][size 2]Bass Are:

Cold Blooded:
Their body temperature and more importantly, their metabolism is controlled by water temperature. The warmer the water, the higher their metabolism. Bass are most active between about 60 degrees and 75 degrees. Below about 50 degrees, their metabolism slows down, causing them to eat infrequently. Above about 80 degrees, low dissolved oxygen levels in the water place them under stress. Dead perch may be an indication of low oxygen levels.

What's more important than the current water temperature is what's happening to it (i.e. is it going up or down?). Changes in water temperature affect shallow bass much more than those residing in deep water. Keep in mind that water temperature is but one factor to consider when putting together a fishing strategy.

A Schooling Fish:
If you catch a bass, you're likely to catch another in the same area. So once you "locate" bass, slow down and fish the area thoroughly. But don't put caught fish back in the water. Instead, put them in the livewell if you want to catch more fish. Panicked bass will scare the others off.

Pay attention to depth: the deeper the water, the tighter the school. Bass of similar sizes tend to school together.

Near Bottom:
Bass usually will be on the bottom or something that represents bottom. Usually, the closer to the bottom they are, the more they're in a position to feed. Knowing where the bottom is dictates what type of lure you use. Bottom contour, composition and depth play important roles in finding bass.

Predators:
Bass are predators - they like live prey. But they don't hunt for prey, instead they prefer to lie in wait for an unsuspecting victim to happen by. Therefore, casting accuracy and presentation are vital to bass fishing success.

Seek Safety:
While bass are a predator fish, they can also become the prey. Bass use cover and depth as refuge from other predators. Smallmouths and spotted bass prefer deeper water than do largemouths. But even largemouths - which may be found in water only inches deep - require relatively deep water to be nearby.

Near Structure:
Bass use objects as places to launch an ambush. They'll use just about anything - pilings, rocks, tires, wood, bushes, weeds, sunken objects or anything "different" from the bottom.

Near Edges:
When in a feeding mood, bass will position themselves on edges or "transitions" of any sort because it's easier to dart out and catch their prey. Bass prefer to be at or near the junction of any two or more features, including: small rocks and big rocks; shallow water and deep water; shady areas and sunlit areas; current and still water; weeds and open water; emergent weeds and mossy weeds; wood cover and weedy cover; etc.

Opportunistic:
Bass usually feed on crawfish, sculpin, and minnows. They won't stay long where there's no food so learn where to find the prevalent and preferred food types in each season, and you'll find bass. They will eat an easy meal, so crippled and injured prey are they're first choice - even if it's not on their main menu. Bass have been known to eat worms, insects, panfish, frogs, lizards, salamanders, snakes and even birds!

Spawners:
Through much of the year, particularly from late winter through spring, bass usually can be found in or near spawning areas, namely fairly shallow, flat areas with some cover and with quick access to deeper water. Everything they do throughout the year is connected to the spawn. When searching for beds, keep in mind that generally the deeper the bed, the bigger the bass.

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Bass Fishing Tips

Finding Bass
[font "arial"][size 2]Of course, even if you have all the latest gear, you still won't catch any bass if you don't know where they are. Finding the fish is often the most difficult part of bass fishing. Bass move about a lake, pond, reservoir or stream as the seasons and water conditions change. Time of year, water temperatures, water levels, weather, light and the availability of food are all contributing factors to the migrating characteristics of the black bass.

Sharp contour changes are prime locations for bass. Therefore, points should be the first place to start fishing. Look for rocks and brushpiles on these locations. Largemouth bass especially are highly attuned to "cover" or places where they can hide, feel secure, and ambush prey. Such cover is likely to be in shallow water, but may be deep.

Many fishermen find that smallmouth bass relate to, but do not tend to hide in, cover. For example, a smallmouth might suspend 2 feet off a stump, rather than sit tightly against the stump. Spotted bass, at times, shun cover and suspend out from steep bluffs and over deep river channel structure in reservoirs. At other times, they may hide in deep brush or standing timber. As you can see, all bass use cover; they don't all use it the same way at the same time, however.

[size 4]Wood[size 2]
Wood can provide excellent cover for bass. Typical wood cover includes: [ul] [li]Standing timber and fallen trees totally or partially submerged.
[li]Stumps.
[li]Brush.
[li]Logs and logjams, floating or sunken.
[li]Man-made wood structure, including fence rows, docks and pilings.
[/li][/ul]Most wood deteriorates over time. In a newly inundated reservoir, brush in the water attracts tremendous quantities of baitfish. Bass fishing is typically good to excellent for several years. (This is the so-called "hot-period" of the lake.) Then as the brush decomposes, baitfish often move farther offshore and bass fishing becomes tougher. A lot of decaying wood in a lake or reservoir can spell trouble for bass fishermen because the decay process uses oxygen. Therefore, where a lot of brush and logs are decaying right on the bottom, the bottom layer of water is often unproductive for bass. In situations like this, a topwater bait might be far more productive that a bottom bumping bait like a jig or worm. When fishing docks, keep in mind that isolated docks tend to hold bass better than a whole group. Floating docks or barely elevated ones are usually best.

[size 4]Weeds[size 2]
Many bass fishermen consider weeds to be the ultimate cover for bass. This is because weeds produce oxygen, increasing the life potential of any body of water. Weeds also can be tough to fish, and may require specialized lures and tackle. Good weeds for bass fishing are usually green and with a definite "structure," rather than brownish and/or slimy and filamentous. Weeds to look for include:
[ul] [li]Hydrilla.
[li]Lily pads. Watch for movement. Spooked bass will zigzag through the pads. Be patient and wait a minute or two. The bass usually come back.
[li]Floating weeds such as hyacinths.
[li]Emergent grasses.
[li]Subsurface grasses (milfoil, hydrilla and coontail)
[li]Green mosses.
[li]Reeds (tip: bass tend to leave reedbeds when it's windy. Why? Who knows? They just do.)[/li][/ul]In some bodies of water, fishing interests must be balanced with navigation needs and the fears of local homeowners where weeds are concerned. While weeds offer superb bass fishing, they get in the way of barge traffic, block access to boathouses and access areas. One of bass fishing's continuous struggles will be balancing weed growth with weed control.

[size 4]Rocks[size 2]
Rocks provide cover for bass, but the "quality" of this cover is often not as good as that afforded by wood or weeds. This is because rocks are inert - they neither make oxygen nor offer the bass the ability to hide deep within their structure, as do brush or weeds. Rocks do provide a "storage system" for nutrients in the water. However minute particles of decaying matter are caught in the spaces between cracks and are held there, where they can be eaten by minnows and crawfish. This in turn attracts bass.

In general, smaller rocks are better for bass fishing than giant rocks, such as boulders. Gravel is a good type of rock for bass, because gravel holds a lot of decaying matter and attract minnows and crawfish. It also provides a suitable spawning surface for smallmouths.
[/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/size][/font] Bass Habitats:


[#0000ff][/#0000ff][font "arial"][size 2]Rivers
Rivers can provide excellent for bass. Rivers are highly oxygenated and the oxygen is usually evenly mixed from top to bottom. Rivers often receive less fishing pressure than lakes. Temperatures in a river are moderate as compared with lakes. Rivers are generally slightly warmer in winter and cooler in summer than lakes. Look for bass close to, but out of, the direct flow of the current. Shoreline objects such as stumps or logs serve as current breaks; bass will hold on the downstream side of these objects. Bars are good places to fish in a river also. As active fish will herd schools of bait onto these areas. River bends, floating cover, the bottom and the surface are other good bassin' areas in rivers. Midstream structure, such as a large log or boulder in the middle of the current flow, can provide outstanding bass potential as the fish has a "conveyor belt" bringing food past.

Streams
Streams are largely overlooked for bass fishing, but can provide excellent angling, especially for cooler-water varieties including smallmouths. Look for bass in deep holes below rapids and along the face of a bluff or steep bank. Undercut banks where current has washed away the soil offer excellent holding areas, especially in a narrow stream where hiding places can be at a premium. Bass avoid heavy current, so look for objects in the stream (trees, rocks) and fish near them.

Tailwaters
Tailwaters can provide good bass fishing, although heavy current is often not conducive to bass fishing. Bass tend to seek objects such as wing dams, stumps, rocks, logs, etc. that break up or deflect the current flow. Baitfish may school up heavily below dams; many are injured as they pass through the turbines into the tailrace. Here, bass can feed heavily. Tailwater fishing is best in extremely hot weather and in the fall, as the tailrace tends to be cooler than surrounding water.

Reservoirs
In a reservoir, the water level often fluctuates due to seasonal drawdowns. Where these fluctuations occur, it is difficult for shoreline weeds and vegetation to take hold. Consequently, bass must use shallow brush, logs, etc. for cover. When brush deteriorates after the lake has been flooded for several years, shallow fishing becomes tougher and the bass tend to move offshore. Inundated structure such as flooded creek and river, submerged islands, humps, stump rows, standing timber along a channel and man-made structure including flooded roadbeds, fences and house foundations provide holding and hiding places for bass. In addition, many reservoirs offer a forage base consisting primarily of schooling baitfish, such as threadfin shad. These tend to follow drifting blooms of algae and plankton, which move with currents and wind. Offshore points assume tremendous importance to the bass; they use points as a reference marker and ambush place that puts them between deep and shallow water. Oxygen stratification is often a warm-weather problem in reservoirs; hence, bass may be found only at a certain depth - the thermocline," which contains cooler water and higher oxygen content.

Ponds
Small lakes and man-made ponds offer good bass fishing and can hold big bass. Many are on private land. Obtain permission from the landowner before fishing.

The shoreline is the most important area of most ponds for bass, especially if the water level remains fairly constant throughout the year and shoreline vegetation takes hold. Fallen trees, deep holes and rocky areas around man-made dams offer good bass fishing.

Ponds may become heavy with vegetation, making bass fishing tough but bass habitat better. Heavily fished ponds can often be most productive after dark.

Natural Lakes
Bass fishing can be good to excellent in natural lakes, depending on the region of the country in which they occur. In the deep South, shallow natural lakes can house giant largemouths. Small natural lakes are often bowl-shaped and the focus of life tends to be around the weedy shorelines.

Larger natural lakes, especially in the North, can have natural reefs, offshore weedlines, humps, holes, islands and other structure. Northern lakes can be rather infertile, meaning the water is very clear with not much plankton or algae. Here, bass are often not the primary species; walleye or trout may be more common.

Rocky Lakes
Deep highland reservoirs tend to be quite rocky, without a lot of brush or weed cover. These lakes often are tough to fish due to deep, clear water, lack of cover, and other factors. In some of them, smallmouth bass may be the prominent species, although largemouths and spotted bass can occur, too.

In these lakes, points, deep river and creek channel drop-offs, and shallow spawning flats focus much of the life. The main forage base is often crawfish and nomadic baitfish such as threadfin shad.

Natural rocky lakes, such as these that occur in the far North, can be excellent for smallmouth bass fishing. These lakes may be large and the angler should concentrate on offshore reefs, rock piles, rocky islands and humps, points, etc.

River-Run Lakes
River-run lakes are typically narrower than most reservoirs, with more current flow. The lower end is typically the widest point; the lake tapers into a river throughout much of its course. River-run lakes offer fair to good bass fishing. Spawning is difficult in these lakes since they are used primarily for flood control and navigation, not sport fishing, and water levels can fluctuate quickly and dramatically. Current is a factor to contend with in these lakes. Often cover is limited to shallow creek arms and the shoreline. Fish will hold out of the current around structure such as rocks, fallen trees, wing dams, rock piles and boulders, riprap around the dam, etc. River bars and drop-offs are especially important structures in these lakes. Look for active bass chasing baitfish onto the shallow ends of the points and bars and fish fast-moving baits that can work well around current, such as a lipless crankbait.

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[StriperAddict]

Hay Flagmanonice.... thanx 4 all the info ! []
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[kansasfisher89]

thanks guys it lets me know that we all start out not knowing much about catching fish. Even if don't catch anything, it beats doin a lot of other things.
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[tubeN2]

You are right about that. It takes time and patience to learn as well. There are so many books and sources of information as well. Stick around here and you will learn from many different people that have been fishing for many years.

If you ever need any help, just holler and we will take care of your needs the best that we can.
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[DrownedDesertRat]

[reply]Even if don't catch anything, it beats doin a lot of other things.[/reply]

You've got that right! That's exactly why I spent 5 hours out at the lake yesterday, got skunked (didn't catch a thing), and came home happier than when I went.
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[tubeN2]

That's the story of my life. My Dad always says that "The fishing is always good even if the catching isn't."
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[PrinceFisher]

Hey Flag, that may be the longest post ever on BFT. []

Thanks for all the information; it was all very informative.
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[aku94]

I'm a nightcrawler freak! I would alsoo recommend him try Wammy Tail Spinners, they are supposed to be good for everything! Also, Rappala lures are supposed to be superb. Wal*mart sells them for about $5. They have some off-brands, that cost about $3. Good Luck. Also, make sure you go before the water gets warm, and the Bass sink. As stated earlier, Bass like cover.
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[maniac]

Just buy some four inch Kalin grubs in Avocado green with black flake, some tubes in watermelon seed,and pumpkin. A few 4-6" strait tail and curl tail worms. A couple bags of salt sticks {senko's} in four or five inch. stick with natural colors greens browns, and black and blue or shad colors. A spinner bait, a couple crank baits. If nothing else you can catch bass any where on tubes, curl tail grubs, and salted worms. If the people in your near by tackle shop know anything about bass,then they should be able to further assist you in selecting the right stuff for your area. Good luck and good fishing!
James
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