How Can I Become A Better Overall Bass Angler?

[FishChaser1]

As a fisherman, I have way more days than I should when I don't get any bites all day. I change my presentation, location, etc. and follow seasonal habits but more than half the time I end up not even getting a bite. I can't find what I'm doing wrong. I live in Massachusetts and the water where I fish is VERY clear - I rarely see bass ever get caught shallow except for the few weeks of spawn / post spawn. I can't cast far enough to deep water nor do I even have means to find where the deep water is. 

[CTGalloway21]

get a kayak, leave the banks behind, give yourself access to new bodies and parts of waters.   And get the In-Fisherman books about largemouth bass,etc.  

[FishChaser1]

But how do I know what part of the water to fish without a fish finder? I won't be able to see deep water, drop offs, underwater structure, etc.

[Catch and Grease]

You don't need a fish finder to find fish... If you fish the waters regularly you'll find out from trial and error where fish are and by using bottom contact rigs (Carolina/Texas rig, jigs, etc) you can feel the composition of the bottom to an extent. I do very well fishing without a fish finder.

[RMcDuffee726]

I fish in a kayak regularly and my best advice to you is stick to smaller bodies of water that are easier to break down and just trust your got instinct.  You will be surprised at how much your gut can tell you.  If you look at something and instantly assume there could be fish there, there usually is.  I'm not saying this is 100% correct because bass are weird little creatures that do their own thing, but I'm just saying.  Reading also helps a lot.  An old book that is really good is Roland Martin's 101 Bass Catching Secrets.  It is a really good book!  Cheers!

[FishChaser1]

Thanks guys, I have one more question. Why is it that I almost never see bass caught shallow in my pond? Does it have something to do with the clear water?

[Mr. BattleArmor]

While a Kayak isn't always feasible for everyone, I definitely would recommend it too. Way cheaper than a jon boat, and more portable. For me, it was trial and error, trying out different spots, trying different lures and presentations. It is kind of like learning fishing again, but it really opens a whole new world for you.

 

by the way are you even sure the spots you are fishing have many fish? If you have tried everything and can't buy a bite, it might just be a dry hole. You might not see bass shallow if there is no structure available for them. They tend to not just swim around open water. Good luck though

[FishChaser1]

There is actually a LOT  of shallow cover and that's where I can find bass mid-late spring. But before and after that the cover is just dead. And I know for a fact that there are bass in the pond - there's a rumor going around that someone caught a 10 pounder the other day but I'm not sure how true it is. I've seen some very sizable lunkers here though 

[RMcDuffee726]

There is actually a LOT  of shallow cover and that's where I can find bass mid-late spring. But before and after that the cover is just dead. And I know for a fact that there are bass in the pond - there's a rumor going around that someone caught a 10 pounder the other day but I'm not sure how true it is. I've seen some very sizable lunkers here though 

Can't always believe "dock talk" hahahaha, and just throw something you usually don't throw.  It can never hurt!  Also when bass just cruise around it is sometimes a real pain to catch em.  If you can sight fish this pond try and drop a lure right in front of the fish and try and go for a reaction bite.

[Catch and Grease]

If your bank fishing you'd be surprised how good they can see you standing on the shore and you may be spooking them from the shallows if your not careful.

[FishChaser1]

How big is the learning curve for bass fishing? How long did it take before you guys were catching bass consistently?

[ChicagoEd]

How big is the learning curve for bass fishing? How long did it take before you guys were catching bass consistently?

LOL, learning curve? I'm convinced mine curves down...the more i learn the more i realize i dont know squat. I've wondered the same thing and I'm already two seasons into bass fishing. I get skunked more times than not. But, I've recently started to downsize and I'm catching more than I have since I started. They're all small but at least I'm getting bit. I've really taken a liking to drop shotting, wacky, and small chatterbaits slow rolled right below the surface. All I can do is read, learn from these guys on the forum, become an expert with my gear and ultimately spend as much time on the water. I know this isn't really helpful but I think there are a lot of us still trying to figure this out. Keep at it and Good luck!

[WVbassin87]

FishChaser1 i'm on a similar quest. You've already made the first step: joining this site. the fine folks here are full of great tips and info. nice buncha people too. i'm improving by trial and error. you gotta find what works for you. i bank fish as well, and it can be frustrating at times. one thing i do is try to draw em out. rattletraps run by cover will usually grab their attention. as far as depth goes, tie on a tube jig, cast out in a few different spots and pay attention to when it hits bottom. the longer the fall, the deeper it is. Topwater may also work if that doesn't. I've read about bass coming up almost 30 feet to nail a Hula Popper. hope i helped some. best of luck to you!

[papajoe222]

There are two key factors to becoming a better fisherman. The first is to know your quarry. The second is to know the body of water you're fishing.

You have, I assume, a knowledge of both even if it may be limited. 

Okay, now apply that knowledge to what you know about catching; You can't catch them where they ain't.  'They ain't in the shallows after they spawn.'

Now apply that information again to what you know about your quarry;  Active fish will be where the forage is.  What's the prefered forage in your pond?

Now determine where that forage will be when the fish are active.  Chances are very good that the forage will be in shallow water near some sort of cover.

So, you determine that you need to fish where? The shallows (for more than one reason in your instance). When? When the fish are active. Generally that period fluctuates, but low light penetration usually accompanies that activity.  Early morning, late evening, and dark skies give you the most advantages to cash in on actively feeding fish. 

See, you knew the answer to your question.  You just convinced yourself that you couldn't catch them after the spawn and early spring.

Now, go get 'em and prove that you can become a better fisherman.

[FishChaser1]

Thank you guys very much. I've never met a more helpful and supportive forum than bass resource.

[Loop_Dad]

Do you have a local pop-mom type of fishing shop? Sometimes they know a lot about local ponds because they talk to many locals and willing to give tips to customers.

[fishva]

Probably a cliche, but slow down. I can't tell you many more fish I caught once I learned the value of patience. I still have to remind myself each time I go out to slow it way down, and it almost always pays off.

 

It took a long time for me to grasp this philosophy, but here's what I believe now:

 

You catch more fish by placing your bait in front of as many fish as possible. There are two ways to get your bait in front of more fish.

 

1. Make more casts. This can work, but casts are disruptive and can scare fish.

 

2. Make fewer casts and slow down. Fish move. If you're casting where the fish are, fish have a better opportunity to see your bait when you move it slowly rather than quickly.

 

For me, once I started focusing on making higher quality casts (but making fewer of them on account of working slow), my time on the water became so much more productive.

[BridgerM]

This is my third year bass fishing and my first year was better than the second and my third so far. I jokingly blame it on knowing too much. However, I think there is some truth to that. I've learned alot being on this forum and a local forum. Some info comes from guys who have fished for decades and really know from experience. Some stuff comes from guys who don't know as much as they think they do and seem to just regurgitate what others have said before. The trick is keeping your head from getting filled up with 'knowledge' that isn't helpful. When you are on the water trying to read it, you don't want to base your approach on bad intel. I think to some degree I have learned enough to confuse myself. Everyone has different ways of fishing the same spot. you will get many opinions.

 

We got a small boat last year and had to learn how to fish all over again. It certainly opened up more water to fish, but more options meant more variables to work with. Or try and figure out. Namely a fish finder. Whether on a craft or shore, the key is finding the fish. It can be frustrating at times when you fish a spot that has the characteristics of a 'good spot' but no bites. Are they really not there? What am i doing wrong? Maybe I need to try x bait?

 

I guess what I'm saying is learn what you need to learn, try to filter the useless discussions as they will only cloud your mind while you fish.

 

Focus on leaning how to find the fish. Bottom contours, cover, seasonal patterns, etc. Its much easier to catch the fish if they are in the area you cast to.

 

I try to fish as much as I can and learn as much as I can when doing it. Hard to say if its working, I get the skunk more than not.

[Master Bait'r]

But how do I know what part of the water to fish without a fish finder? I won't be able to see deep water, drop offs, underwater structure, etc.

 

 

I fish in Mass out of a kayak and believe it or not you don't need electronics at all.  Between bank cover, weed lines both surface and submerged and drop-offs you can see down in the water you will have your hands full with options to try.  The days where you will exhaust all your techniques and features are few and far between my friend.  For the ~$350 you will likely spend on an entry level fishing kayak, it's the best money you can spend.     Banks are for money.  Boats are for fishing.  

[tatertester]

Slow down!!!!!!

[einscodek]

Know your battlefield:

Talk to fellow fishermen and get their reports on this body of water.. get maps.. get topo of the area so you can kind of see from the surrounding topo what the water would be like in certain areas even without an underwater topo.

Rent a rowboat for one day and go out and do line-depth scouting

 

If you insist on fishing this body of water and know there are fish in there and have had no luck on the banks at all, I'd suggest coming back at night and giving it a shot night fishing.

 

 

Become a more knowledgeable fisherman.  There are guys even on my lakes whom I never see catching any fish.. they must be saying the same thing:

"theres no fish in there"

"theyre all deep"

They always reply with a gasped "really?" when I tell them theres 20"+ fish in there.

I know theres fish in there, I know the areas, I get in there and pick the place apart and retrieve those fish.. thats the difference.

[Violinguy]

Talk to fellow fishermen and get their reports on this body of water.

If you insist on fishing this body of water and know there are fish in there and have had no luck on the banks at all, I'd suggest coming back at night and giving it a shot night fishing.

If you still cant catch a thing.. well better move on.

 

This.

 

Also, read THIS.  If fish are not biting senkos or other finesse plastics fished slowly, then perhaps another lake would be a good idea.  It took me about 3 trips (1-3 hours each) to locate my 2-3 spots on a small pond near my house.  If I had fished there 3 times and not caught anything, I would move on.  Slowing down and throwing slow presentation baits like Senkos/Yum Dingers etc. should help a lot.

[SCJW]

This.

 

Also, read THIS.  If fish are not biting senkos or other finesse plastics fished slowly, then perhaps another lake would be a good idea.  It took me about 3 trips (1-3 hours each) to locate my 2-3 spots on a small pond near my house.  If I had fished there 3 times and not caught anything, I would move on.  Slowing down and throwing slow presentation baits like Senkos/Yum Dingers etc. should help a lot.

 

 

 

I don't mean to hijack, but I have to ask. What do you mean by "slowing down"? Do you leave it on the bottom longer, drag it slower? Define "fishing slower" for me.

[Violinguy]

I've been working very hard at slowing my presentation with plastic baits like Senkos and other worms.  What I mean is, not just waiting a few seconds once the bait hits the water, but waiting a full 20-30 seconds.  Then waiting longer in between moving the bait.  This is not an easy thing to do because it's hard to leave a slack line that long without checking to see if any bass ate the lure, but I assure you, once you learn to slow down a bit, catching more fish will keep you doing it. 

 

The only side-effect of this type of presentation is more gut-hooked fish - you don't feel them hit the bait and when you set the hook they've swallowed it.  As you gain more experience, you'll get better at line watching and other techniques to minimize this.

[FishChaser1]

Lots of great advice here, thanks guys