Bass fishing lures are probably
the most highly purchased of all fishing lures today. Bass fishing today has become one the hottest sports among anglers.
Like golf, Bass fishing tournaments are common and becoming popular as tournament stakes are high. There are many manufacturers
of bass fishing lures, companies such as Heddon, Rapala, and Bass Pro Shops offer anglers sponsorship into tournaments for
the serious angler that can prove his or her level of professionalism.
These aggressive fish can be found in nearly
any body of water throughout the United States. Both large and small-mouth bass are habitually warm water fish, and are likely
to hide in cover in hopes of attacking their prey. Bass fishing lures come in many shapes, sizes and colors to help the angler
mimic this prey.
Spinnerbaits are one of the most popular and adaptable bass fishing lures ever invented. These
effective fishing lures can be fished fast or slow, in clear or murky water, at variety of depths.
Crankbaits are another commonly used bass fishing lure that come in all shapes and sizes covering
a full spectrum of colors. Crankbaits are comparatively simple to fish and can be very efficient when used in the right situations.
Diving depth is determined by the size of the lip or bill the longer the lip the deeper this bass fishing lure will dive.
Buzzbaits produce a splashing, sputtering, and gurgling commotion which bass find hard to resist. This deafening line
of bass fishing lures when fished on the surface will often persuade bass to come out of deep cover.
Artificial
worms and minnows are also common bass fishing lures and will produce great results when others may fail.
Trolling for bass another excellent technique that works best in large rivers or lakes that have long
stretches of deep water with slow to moderate current. While trolling, bass fishing lures should remain in the water at all
times. Try varying depths until desired results are achieved. Trolling is a relatively easier technique as compared to casting,
and enables the amateur angler to cover more water thoroughly. Any of the bass fishing lures mentioned in this article can
be trolled effectively.
Choosing the right bass fishing lure depends on many conditions. Color plays an important
role of duplicating the baitfish in the particular body of water you are fishing. The size of the lure number of blades etc,
are just many things to consider when choosing your lure. With spring just around the corner, bass fishing is sure to
be a sport enjoyed by many.
The first question is “Why
fish creeks?” every one has small lakes, rivers, and large lakes near their home. If your area is like mine the small
ponds are highly pressured and the only way to fish the larger lakes is to use a boat. Yes, I have a boat but not everyone
does. The other problem is I may only have an hour or two to fish, is it worth it to put the boat in an out of the water I
don’t believe so.
The benefits I see of fishing the creeks are I can fish for as little time as 30 minutes
or all day if I have the time. The deepest part of the creeks I fish is just 8 feet and if you’re wading you can always
walk around the deeper holes. Bank fishing is always an option especially in early spring before the weeds and brush grows
too thick to get to all the good spots. When the water warms up just an old pair of gym shoes and a pair of shorts will do
the job. If you wish to purchase waders I would suggest chest waders. When I use hip waders I always find areas I would like
to go but the hip wader always seem to be a little to short for where I what to go.
In the little creeks by the
house I have landed Large Mouth Bass, Small Mouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Cats, Saugeye and by accident a turtle.
Tackle is simple a medium light rod or ultra light if you prefer, a small reel I like one that will hold 80 yards
of 6 lb test line. I have used 4 lb test line and had no problems landing fish but it is more likely to break if you get hung
up on a rock or bush. Using 6 lb test line the hooks I use will straighten before I break the line. I have to give a plug
here for Yo-Zuri hybrid fishing line because it is simply awesome.
I have found for best results which means to
catch the most fish is to down size your hooks and bait. I use 16th oz jigs and 1 ½ to 2 inch grubs. If you like using
in line spinners use 16th oz. I take 4” twister tail worms and pinch off about an inch and use a size 1 or 2 offset
worm hook. When fishing the creek I use a small waist tackle pouch with three pockets to carry all the tackle I need. My tackle
is in the truck at all times incase the opportunity presents itself to fish a while.
The jigs, small spinners,
small top water poppers work well in fast running water even just a couple feet deep. I have better luck in deeper water with
the twister tail worms and small tubes. Small crank baits work well also if the water is clear.
Don’t
miss the opportunity to have great day fishing at your nearby creek.
November 2006 Author: Michael Kilby
Worm Fishing
There
is probably no more popular fishing bait on the planet earth than the good old worm. Just for the record, I'm not speaking
of the colorful plastic things that Bass fishermen use. No, I'm speaking of the real thing, a live worm and the best way to
fish it. Some anglers believe it's as easy as buying a Styrofoam container of worms, tying on a size 4 hook, and threading
a worm onto that hook. Of course worm fishing cam be done this way (if you're 10 years old), but an angler can get a bit more
technical and learn how to present their worm naturally by employing a set of gang hooks.
Worm fishing becomes as much of an art as
fly fishing when a set of gang hooks and ultra light gear are used. So what is a set of gang hooks? A set of gang hooks is
simply two small hooks tied in tandem. You see, two small hooks tied in tandem allow the angler to present the worm in a completely
natural way. The live worm that you're fishing with ends up looking the same as if you just took a live worm and through it
in the water. A set of gang hooks is the only way to go worm fishing, in my opinion.
So how do you get your hand on some of these gang hooks? You can buy them from somewhere like JRWfishing.com,
or with a little research you can tie them yourself. If you what to tie them yourself, simply do a little knot research and
you'll be on your way. I personally like to use small hooks (size 10), but size 8 seem to work well for worm fishing as well.
If the hooks are too big, the natural presentation is lost while worm fishing.
The
bottom line is that if you like worm fishing, and catching more fish, gang hooks need to become a part of your fishing repertoire.
My fishing mentor taught me how to use gang hooks while worm fishing, and I've been catching fish ever since. As I alluded
to earlier, by using gang hooks and ultra light fishing gear, worm fishing becomes every bit of the art that fly fishing claims
to be. Remember: You don't have to be waving a fake flea back and forth to be considered an artist.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing
for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in
the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
Fishing
rods are a classic tool for catching fish, dating back at least to ancient Egypt, and possibly even further back than that.
They can be easily made from all sorts of different things, ranging from plants like bamboo to modern man-made materials.
While fishing rods were once essential for catching food, today nets tend to be used instead, with fishing rods being
used more often as a hobby or for sports fishing. Although the specifics are different depending on the kind of fish that
is being fished for, the general idea is to put some kind of bait on the end of the line, throw it into the water, and then
use a wheel to pull the line up again once a fish has been hooked. More sophisticated lines can float in the water for hours
on end, waiting for a fish to come by, without having to be thrown down and pulled up again.
A fishing rod has
more parts than you would expect, including the rod itself (the 'stick' part), a grip (where you hold it), a line, guides
(to hold the line in position), a wheel (to pull the line back in), and finally a hook (to hook the fish). When you add the
bait to this, you can either use live bait (for example, worms), or artificial bait, which is designed to resemble a small
fish that the other fish will want to eat.
Having a good quality rod is important, as poor quality ones may snap
(either on the rod or the line) if they are used to catch a large or particularly aggressive fish. The best modern rods have
been tested over and over again to find the precise configuration that will best catch the fish � although skill still
plays a part, it is not too difficult to master modern fishing. Eager to make the sport more challenging, many fishers have
turned to fly fishing or ultra-thin rods to make competitions a little more difficult.
