Bass fishing clues/tips

[Matthew Pitts]

So I'm sort of an avid fisherman I fish about every weekend but I'm trying to step my game up, every now and then in a video I'll see people talk about clues like the fishes teeth being sharp, red at the top of their mouths from craws, well today I caught a decent sized fish on a fluke and looked in his mouth and saw a tail sticking out of it, so I switched to a rattle trap and the next cast a caught a 4 pounder so I was wondering if there was any more clues or little hints that nature could provide 

[EricTheAngler]

Always observe the location before fishing. Also read read read, fish fish fish.

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard, Matthew!

Sounds like you're doing well with your own
observation! Hit up the articles section on the
site and you'll find a wealth of reading material.

[gulfcaptain]

Read about seasonal patterns.  Check water temps.  How are the fish biting when you do get one. Watch for birds, bait, Enviormental factors.  Did I mention read about any and everything. 

[Bankbeater]

Around here if small fish are breaking the surface then the big fish will be moving also.

[Jigfishn10]

Matthew, welcome to the community.

As Darren mentions, you're doing well on your own. The advice given from the other members on this thread are very good and should be strongly considered.

The best advice I can give to you is the more time you spend on the water the more you will learn. Experience is second to none. Read as others have advised and take the classroom to the field and put it into practice.

[Jigfishn10]

BTW:

The best thing you can do for your community you just joined, is to go over to the "Introductions" page and tell us a little bit about yourself.

[A-Jay]

Hello Matthew and Welcome to Bass Resource ~

Being situationally aware of the environment can only help your fishing success.

Good work.

A-Jay

[scaleface]

I am always looking out for seagulls . Even if they are on the bank , they are waiting at the best spots while the scouts look for feeding fish .

[Jake the Cake]

I think finding birds, looking through a fish's mouth, and identifying water levels are the most useful tricks I've learned.  Especially the birds in spring and fall, I'll haul towards them and fish a swimbait or topwater.  If you're looking for fish in general, I'd take a 4" Gulp minnow when I see the birds and start fishing for anything that wants to bite.  had a lot of good days like that.

[Mike L]

Mother nature can tell us more than the obvious if we just take the time to stop and look around a while. You're doing it right. What you've already been told is exactly what you and all of us frankly need to do.

The only other thing I can add is learn how the seasonal changes in your area effect your waters which will in turn affect your fishing. Case in point, here in Florida after a cold front comes through is the toughest fishing you'll find anywhere. They just shut down for a day or so and makes it very tough. I have friends who won't even go to a lake for 2 days after. 

Good Luck

Mike 

[scaleface]

Usually the fishing is pretty good when you can hear owls hooting during the day .

[the reel ess]

If can you see turtles swimming, it's warm enough to use a willow blade spinnerbait per Jimmy Houston.

By the time the dogwoods are in bloom, bass spawn is full-swing. Not sure if that's universal or a SC thing.

Fish that have been shallow long will be dark, those that have been deep will be very light.

If you spook one you can pass it by and come back later. Their memory is only 15 min max.

That's all I can think of right now.

 

 

[the reel ess]

And welcome!

[badhatharry]

Every spring, I pay particular attention to what's happening around the area.  I live next to a wetland and every year there is one day, sometimes in February sometimes March, when every frog starts croaking....like somebody threw a switch.  Then the ***** willows come out, then the cherry trees bloom.  When the dogwoods flower they're on the beds.  All these "happenings" tip me off to what phase the fish are in.  I'm sure you know the importance of water temp so I won't mention that. In the fall, first frost tells me the smallmouth will be stocking up. In my area....dark fish are on rocks, light colored fish are on weeds.  Good luck

[Matthew Pitts]

Thanks everybody! Means a lot! great community 

[papajoe222]

Welcome to BR.

There are a lot of clues that the fish can give you (once you catch one).   Their activity level is one that I'm always looking to figure out. If you hook a fish deep in it's mouth, or if it hammers your moving bait you can be fairly sure that the fish are active (just the opposite for lightly hooked  or subtle bites). If your plastic bait has bite marks near it's head is also another indicator.

How they want a bait at any particular time is another. Did you catch that fish while your bait was paused or moving, falling , sitting still, or moving vertically? The biggest mistake I see anglers make is not paying attention to what their bait was doing and where it was in the water column when they catch a fish. 

[blckshirt98]

Anyone hear of people cutting a bass they catch open and check stomach contents to see what they're feeding on?  I've never done, have never seen anyone do it, nor condone it, but, I'm sure there's people that do it.

[Bluebasser86]

Just now, blckshirt98 said:

Anyone hear of people cutting a bass they catch open and check stomach contents to see what they're feeding on?  I've never done, have never seen anyone do it, nor condone it, but, I'm sure there's people that do it.

If you're going to eat them then absolutely do it. I do it with any fish that I keep, however rare that may be. 

[clh121787]

On 1/10/2016 at 1:07 AM, blckshirt98 said:

Anyone hear of people cutting a bass they catch open and check stomach contents to see what they're feeding on?  I've never done, have never seen anyone do it, nor condone it, but, I'm sure there's people that do it.

I do it regularly. I'll keep a limit of short buck bass everytime especially when the water is cold. I primarily fish lakes with a slot. That's what the slot was designed for. 

[blckshirt98]

my mistake, didn't mean to make it sound like I frowned upon it like that, but if you're going to eat it then I respect that.  I was more thinking along the lines of people who don't eat the fish but cut one open so they can get fishing clues then discard the fish.  A bit of West Coast snobbery on my part since so many people here catch and keep bass in already heavy heavy pressured waters.