Easiest Way To Start Catching Bass?

[LakeNormanFishing]

Being new to bass fishing I am overwhelmed by the amount of options there are to catch them. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, millions of soft plastics, etc. Right now I just want to catch some fish. I don't care the size so much but just want some fish.

I only fish from the shore and have a medium 6'6 spinning rod. The lake is stained with maybe a foot of visibility on a good day and there is a slight current. The floor has almost no vegetation and is almost completely rocks.

What's the easiest, low skill lev way for me to catch some bass this time of year in these condition?

Thanks, Christian

[OroBass]

Get some 3/0 gamakatsu ewg hooks and some senkos in a darker color like June bug. Rig em weightless and cast em to weedlines, fallen trees and anyother shoreline cover. Fish early in the morning and later in the evening. That's about as simple as I can make it. Good luck.

[OroBass]

YouTube how to use a senko. It pretty much has a built in action which makes it user friendly.

[5fishlimit]

Get some 3/0 gamakatsu ewg hooks and some senkos in a darker color like June bug. Rig em weightless and cast em to weedlines, fallen trees and anyother shoreline cover. Fish early in the morning and later in the evening. That's about as simple as I can make it. Good luck.

X2

[John G]

Buy a Black on Gold Rapala minnow around a 1/4oz and just cast and retrieve.

[ABW]

Don't forget patience when fishing senkos

[Djman72]

Senko x1,000,000

 

Also, consider getting a few crankbaits to cover the water column. As for color, figure out what the main food source is in the lake and mimic that. Cast out, retrieve, profit!

 

Good Luck

[LakeNormanFishing]

What length senkos should is use?

[EvanT123]

People always recommend senkos to beginners and yes while it is an easy way to catch fish. 1. It's boring as all heck (great way to introduce someone to fishing lol) 2. Everytime I take someone inexperience I have to use the gut hook removal trick. Shoot I still have to do it sometime myself. Op I'm not saying don't try senkos but there are other options such as a white or green pumpkin fluke or a white spinnerbait. IMO these baits are much more "fun" to fish and generally induce much more violent strikes which will give you a good handle on what a bite feels like. Whatever you choose get out there and have some fun!!

[ThatZX14Fella]

Easiest way in my opinion would be to buy a white or chartreuse spinner and use it. It may not get you as many bites, but if you get bored easily then it's better than using a worm.

[LakeNormanFishing]

Can I use bullet weights with a spinner if I only have 1/4 oz spinners and want some more weight?

[EvanT123]

Can I use bullet weights with a spinner if I only have 1/4 oz spinners and want some more weight?

Never tried it but I don't see why not. Hey you could be onto something!

[new2BC4bass]

Live minnows, a couple splitshot and a bobber. 

 

Don't forget the metal hook remover at this site.  http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/Search/hook%20remover.aspx

 

Works slicker than greased flubber.  Best $6+  a live bait fisherman will ever spend.

 

Haven't fished live bait in many, many years, but keep one of these tools.....just in case.  May have to try some live bait so I can get my grandsons interested in fishing.  Fishing is tough around here.  No fish = bored = no grandsons fishing with me. 

[rippin-lips]

I'll agree that a weightless senko will catch you some fish but as mentioned, it is very boring. It's literally my last resort after I've tried everything else. Seeing that you mentioned bullet weights I'd start with a 1/4oz bullet weight and a 3/0 hook. Texas rig your choice of plastic worm and catch some fish. It's faster and you can cover more water. Remember if you aren't getting bites it's okay to move. Sometimes the fish just aren't there.

[aavery2]

Catching fish is always less boring that repeated casting with few takers in my opinion.   A Senko is as close to a guaranteed thing as I can think of.  Start with a 5" Senko either wacky or Texas rigged, there should be about 10 million videos on how to rig them.   I like colors like watermelon pepper or green pumpkin pepper, dip the tip in a little chartreuse dye and start catching fish.

[1099gl]

putting your line in the water. but texas rig is what I learned first its really simple to set up and fish and I think you could fish a lighter version on your spinning rod. also I would stay away from crankbaits for now unless your very confident in them. weightless baits and finesse baits are good on a spinning rod but over all to start off with I would say (finesse jig, and a texas rigged craw or worm)

[SenkoGuru]

 I find it very funny that people think fishing Senko's is any different than fishing flukes, Texas rigs, jigs and other baits. It is my favorite way of Bass fishing and I am so happy to hear people use it as a last resort, that may explain why I've won so many tournaments fishing Senko's. The most boring way of fishing is chunk and reel, I hate it, throw out a spinnerbait or crankbait and reel it in and cover water, after a 100 cast you may catch a couple of bass. It is much better to find a grass line that is holding bass and start flipping a jig or a senko.

 

 

P.S. The most fun you will have catching Bass this time of year would be on topwater frogs, IMO. Work the frog in the thick stuff and when you have a blow up, wait a few seconds until you feel the fish and then set the hook. Frog fishing takes some practice, it is hard to get a good hook set until you have worked at it a while. You will get it though just keep practicing. Frogs are much tougher to fish than baits like spinnerbaits that pretty much set the hook for you but they are well worth it. Very exciting to see a big Bass blow up on a frog.

[LMB KING]

The easiest low level skilled to catch a bass is a frog. Just reel until you see them blow up and bring em in.

[SenkoGuru]

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on the frog fishing. You can't "just reel them in" after a blow up. There is more of an art to frog fishing than Senko fishing. While I LOVE Senko fishing it is an easy way to fish but I do not see it being easier than chunk and reel. To me the easiest way of fishing is a spinnerbait. Throw it out and reel it in, can't get much easier. To me low level fishing is spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbait, buzzbaits and other chunk and reel type fishing where the fish will set the hook for you on most all hits, just throw it out and reel it in, atleast with Texas rig's, jigs, Senkos, flukes and frogs you have to work the bait and then set the hook. There is nothing like feeling that bite on a Senko and reeling down to set the hook, while wondering just how big this one might be, it is a very exciting time.

[ThatZX14Fella]

I guess we will just have to agree to disagree on the frog fishing. You can't "just reel them in" after a blow up. There is more of an art to frog fishing than Senko fishing. While I LOVE Senko fishing it is an easy way to fish but I do not see it being easier than chunk and reel. To me the easiest way of fishing is a spinnerbait. Throw it out and reel it in, can't get much easier. To me low level fishing is spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbait, buzzbaits and other chunk and reel type fishing where the fish will set the hook for you on most all hits, just throw it out and reel it in, atleast with Texas rig's, jigs, Senkos, flukes and frogs you have to work the bait and then set the hook. There is nothing like feeling that bite on a Senko and reeling down to set the hook, while wondering just how big this one might be, it is a very exciting time.

 

I agree. To me, fishing T-rigs and jigs are the most fun. However, when you're just beginning and you see everyone else reeling and reeling and you're going slow paced you tend to want to pick up the pace. Once he catches some fish and gets the excitement and decides he wants to learn new techniques, that is when the Senko fishing will be fun.

[roadwarrior]

"Just Getting Started"
Guaranteed To Catch Bass
I just cant catch bass
Learning to fish on your own
 

[BadBassWV]

A senko will catch fish, but not all the time. Like any other lure I've used there have been days where I couldn't buy a bite with a senko.

[aavery2]

A senko will catch fish, but not all the time. Like any other lure I've used there have been days where I couldn't buy a bite with a senko.

When I can't catch some type of fish on a Senko, I pack the boat up and go home.

[BadBassWV]

When I can't catch some type of fish on a Senko, I pack the boat up and go home.

I think that there are so many anglers throwing senko's around here, the bass are tired of looking at'em. I am hoping that's what everybody does, is go home when the senko bite is off. That way I have the lake to myself.

[jdl2425]

I'm in the minority of people here, as I absolutely hate senkos. Here's my suggestions for you:

 

KVD 1.0 or 1.5 in black back chartreuse or any color of your choice; If you let them bounce off the rocks you say you fish around, you're sure to get bit. (Don't try to set the hook if you feel a thump as its most likely a rock. Instead pause for a few seconds to let the bait rise over the rock. This is when a fish will probably strike.)

 

3/8 oz. white/chart. spinnerbait

 

Rebel Pop-R; Color choice is up to you but I prefer ones with a chrome/silver bottom

 

If you want to get into soft plastics get a bag of black/blue 4 inch chigger craws (or any other type of soft plastic craw) and texas rig 'em