Bass Fishing Techniques

Those of us waiting for the hard water to melt and don't watch American Idol can only dream of those lazy summer days on the water. For the last three years I've really concentrated my efforts searching for Bass. I throw the big lures for Muskie when I need a change of pace. My true passion are those elusive Muskies. Many years of working out and bench pressing have left my shoulders in such a state that casting those 12" plugs takes it's toll after an hour or so. At that point I must retreat to my light duty rods and settle for bass fishing. With that said, I would like to share what I think are a few techniques I believe are most important........see if you agree .........
Take note my experience is only in the Mercer Area lakes. I use live bait as a last resort......... I prefer artificial lures as they are more fun. As a young boy in the late 50's and early 60's my dad made me fish with a cane pole and worms, I vowed when I got older I'de never use live bait again !!! Anyhow here's a few things I've learned................ Seems like early morning just after dawn and before 9:00 A.M. are the best times for bass. Chop or no chop doesn't seem to matter much. I use a Minnkota troller at silent speeds and work with the wind, picking a known productive shoreline drifting with the wind and adjusting with my troller. Prior to my "picked" shoreline I'll cut the power to my 50H.P. Merc and drift in to the targeted shoreline as quite as possible. Next, pour a cup of coffee and wait for the water to calm and the natural sounds to take over. I really like to work the lilly pads and shallow water at dawn, again being as quiet as can be. Also I wear dark clothing and avoid casting a shadow when possible. Believe it or not my Pontoon boat works best as it leaves a small "foot print" on the water and is very quiet while drifting along the shoreline. Quiet, Quiet, Quiet is the key here. The fish spook very easy in calm water if you make noise. Surface baits seem to work best for me. Rubber frogs, crawfish and small top water lures. Another old favorite is the gold weedless Johnson spoon. To be honest, that Johnson spoon has worked for me most of my life. If you are using scum frogs or rubber crawfish, cast them on or at least up to the lilly pads and wait for 10-20 seconds then begin twitching the lure back to the boat. Twitch and wait, twitch and wait....... take your time and be patient, you'll miss 50% of the strikes you get, but I garantee you'll get that water to boil !!! Again, quiet is the key, become part of the lake, not a noisey clinger and clanger and you'll see more action than you ever did !!!! ....... I'm far from an expert bass guy, but these are a few things I have learned over the years.

Kind Regards, Larry F.

hey frog-ever try a texas rigged artificial worm?Caught my biggest lm bass on one-23.5' and 6#-what a hog she was.As far as i know still swimming CPR'd.Also use wacky worms and buzz baits.Cant wait to get up to TFF and catch some of those nice fat smallies.
Tight lines to all,
Bob

Hey Bob, Texas rigged worm......... Yesiree, I sure have, anyone fishing for bass uses that set-up. I tried every size, color and make of those plastic Texas rigged worms and found them less effective than the methods described in the previous post. Once Texas rigged, those worms glide though heavy cover and look to have near perfect action. However........ as stated above that set-up just isn't as effective for me. Many people swear by those worms, but not me. I like the 2" red plastic worms on the end of the "trusted" weedless Johnson gold spoon. Again, I'm by no means a bass expert ......... but I do have reasonable success, at least on the Mercer area small lakes. Just a note: my brother-in-law lives and dies by the plastic worms rigged "texas style".

Best Regards, Larry F.

ever try the helicopter lure it will catch anything that swims

Then there was the time that I was musky fishing on English Lake 45-50 years ago, or so. I was casting a large Jitterbug. I liked that "glop, glop, glop" sound it made on the retrieve. But, I snagged a bit of weed, and it stopped reacting properly. So, I lifted it out of the water and grabbed the bit of weed. To my surprise, what I grabbed, instead, was a tiny large-mouth bass! It wasactually no bigger than that musky-sized Jitterbug. Talk about verocious apetities! I guess that if they're hungry enough, the type and size of the lure doesn't really matter all that much, huh? That was the same day that I later caught my first legal-sized musky - - on that same lure. That was also back when nobody I knew went bass fishing on the Flowage - - back prior to the smallmouth invasion, that is.

That little bass sure falls into the What were you thinking? category. A friend of mine is a retired fish biologist and I have asked him why a small fish like that would go after a lure equal to his size or larger. He said it probably has nothing to do with feeding, but more to do with survival. I guess that little bass must have figured a good offense was the best defense. Personally, I think it's just a hearty appetite! ;)

Hey musky mauler-smallmouth invasion is that a good or bad thing? I think pound for pound smallies fight better than just about anything? I hope the attitude up there about bass isnt like down here! Some old timers that love walleye hate the bass down here-even going so far as to stab them in the head and throw them back in! What a waste of a beautiful fish.I love those football smallies up there in the TFF.What a wonderful area of natural beauty.

Tight lines/big fish to all,
Bob

On one occasion, a couple of decades ago, I had a guy show me a unique method of fishing for bass at night. It required a six-pack of beer, a lantern, a cane pole, and a bit of patience. A couple of folding chairs also came in handy.

After dark, we proceeded to the end of the pier. He lit the lantern and hung it onto the end of the cane pole, which he then extended kinda far out over the water. At that point, we unfolded the chairs, sat down, opened a beer, and engaged in pleasant conversation. Soon, bugs began to orbit around the lantern, and some of them fell into the water. We finished the first can of beer, and then popped open another one. More conversation ensued.

Then, some minnows began to flick to the surface to snatch the bugs. I was reminded that a bit of patience was required. We each just continued to snatch sips from that second can of brew while enjoying the evening stars and more conversation.

Then about the time that we popped open the third can of beer apiece, some larger chubs began to ripple and rustle the water as they fed on the minnows that were attracted by the bugs.

Then, just about the same time that the third can got emptied, we heard a "whoosh" out at the far end of the circle of light. That was the first bass to show up and feast on one of the chubs.

At that point, we cast our lures out into the shadows and retrieved them into the circle of light. It did take awhile, but sure 'nuf, we each got a hefty bass that night and I was initiated into a "new" method of nighttime bass fishing. I wonder if it would work on smallies in the Flowage? For some reason, I've never tried it.