Best advice for a new bass angler?

[BryanSJ]

Hey all! I know that there are tons of resources out there for folks just starting to get into bass fishing and a lot of it can be overwhelming for someone new. Many of the info and recommendations out there are split between fishing reaction type baits first, others swear by starting off with soft plastics to develop a "feel." Other sites talk about the importance of learning bass behavior and patterns first. But aside from just going out and fishing as much as possible, what would be the number one tip that you would give someone new? 

[mattkenzer]

1. 2500 Spinning Reel with a Medium Heavy 6' 10" Rod.

2. 10-15 lb High Vis Braid with a 8-10 Fluorocarbon Leader.

3. Offset worm hooks, soft plastics and a few split shot weights ... hooks to match the plastics.

 

Good to go.

Sorry, I may have misunderstood your question ..... tips are vast and numerous.

Find the fish .... it gets easier after that.

[Cory Doras]

A map of the lake or pond your fishing. Fishing without knowing the structure is like fishing without a rod

[WRB]

Too much information can overload a new angler. My advice learn basic bass behavior and select 1 rod & reel combo and a few lures that you can fish effectively where fish.

Soft plastics are slow to fish, not very exciting, and very effective at catching bass. 

Hard moving lures are more fun to fish and less effective at catching bass. You can do both with 1 outfit.

I teach new bass anglers using spinning tackle and a slip shot rig because it works.

Tom

[J Francho]

Just get out and fish!

[jbmaine]

Do you know someone that fishes? Or drive to your local body of water and talk to local fishermen. One on one interaction with a more experienced person knowledgeable with local waters and conditions can be a great jump start in the learning curve.

[Ratherbfishing]

To borrow from an old hippy expression, "If it feels good, do it" (within the boundaries of the laws and regulations of your state, of course).  Don't get caught up in all the hype.  It is easy to get overwhelmed if you aren't careful.  You can make fishing about as simple or as complicated as you wish it to be.  The first tip I have for you is to learn the habits of the bass.  Learn what they need to survive and to thrive and learn where they tend to be at specific times of the year.  Everything else is just icing on the cake.

[Mike L]

Nothing can replace time on the water...Period

 

Get yourself a quality rod and reel, one that fits in your budget, pick up a few of the most popular plastics, a few hard baits, various sizes and styles of terminal tackle and go have some fun. 

 

Don't try to learn everything all at once. Bass fishing can be as hard or as easy as you make it. 

Your confidence will increase with each outing as will your skill level. 

 

We can teach you how to work any bait made, but you're the one who'll have to do it. 

 

Sooo, the best advise I can give you is just go do it and don't worry about it.  

You'll learn and have more fun that way. 

 

After all its just fishing!

 

Good Luck to you

 

 

 

 

 Mike

[senile1]

Are we talking new to fishing, or just knew to bass fishing?  If someone is new to fishing, I agree with starting simple as the posts below indicate and not overwhelming someone with too much information.  Not only would I keep it simple but I would recommend a small body of water that has a lot of smaller bass so the new angler gets a feel for casting, working the lure, and the joy of catching/fighting the fish.  Once he or she gets a feel for that, then they can start digging deeper and try more complicated waters.

 

If new to bass fishing only, then the answer depends.  If he or she is a very experienced angler for another species I don't think it is too much for them to jump into deeper information about bass behavior along with learning to use the appropriate tackle.

 

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Too much information can overload a new angler. My advice learn basic bass behavior and select 1 rod & reel combo and a few lures that you can fish effectively where fish.

Soft plastics are slow to fish, not very exciting, and very effective at catching bass. 

Hard moving lures are more fun to fish and less effective at catching bass. You can do both with 1 outfit.

I teach new bass anglers using spinning tackle and a slip shot rig because it works.

Tom

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Just get out and fish!

 

[Scott F]

Join a local fishing club. Not a tournament club, just a fishing club. That will put you in touch with other fishermen who are looking for guys who want to fish. My experience tells me guys in clubs like to share what they know and are more than willing to help out a new guy. On your own, you will spend a lot of time trying to apply what you read about. Fishing with people who know what they are doing will speed up the learning curve.

[scaleface]

 Every cast should have an intent .

[Boomstick]

Here is a great youtube playlist that covers a lot of the basics of Bass fishing for beginners. There's certainly a lot it doesn't even get into like establishing patterns and whatnot, but it will give you everything you need to get started.

 

 

 

 

[Deleted account]

5 hours ago, BryanSJ said:

But aside from just going out and fishing as much as possible,

In that case. I got nothin' for ya...

[lo n slo]

be patient 

[Mobasser]

I have to agree with mattkenzer on his tackle choice and and baits. Learn to get good with plastic worms. Pick up a couple bags of Zoom finesse worms, and learn that technique.  Many days it can make up 70% of your fishing.

[geo g]

Some simple advice. 

 

Keep you line wet as often as possible.

 

Use a simple plastic bait, senko, fluke, worm.

 

When things are tough slow down.

 

Have patience.

 

You will catch bass!!!!!!!!

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, scaleface said:

 Every cast should have an intent .

The intent of every cast I've ever made is to catch a fish...

[Hez]

Accurate casting is so important. 

 

1. Learn how to cast to a specific target

2. Learn how to minimize your splash

3. The next cast could be "the one" 

[bassguytom]

Look up wacky rigging a 4 inch senko. Use a spinning rod and reel. You will be hooked in no time. Most importantly have fun!

[burrows]

Wacky rigging a senko for sure. Don’t buy a bunch of stuff you most likely won’t need later. I say start off learning a wacky rig senko and some square bills! Keep it simple.

[ratherbfishin1]

Don't be cheap.  Buy stuff thats going to work. I've seen people who will buy a 20 pack of crankbaits off of amazon for $15.  Instead buy two strike king ones that are going to actually work. This sounds like a no-brainer to people who have been fishing but i've seen people make that mistake and the lures don't work at all.  I'm not saying yum dingers don't work and you have to buy yamamotos just stick with stuff that's fairly popular at first until you know a little more.  Ordering bulk baits for cheep off of amazon or ebay from a brand that you've never heard of generally isn't a good way to spend your money.

[NickMWC]

Disclaimer: long rant...

As someone who did a bit of fishing as a kid but never really “learned”, especially about bass fishing, as others have said, nothing replaces time on the water. That said, ive learned a ton (Dont judge) from youtube. Nicktheinformativefisherman, bassresource and some old KVD videos are a good/free start. Ive learned not to take anything as gospel of course, but just absorb everything. 

 

When you start, anticipate it will be tough. You will fish a spot for 30-60 minutes without a bite, then someone will pop by and pick up 2 bass. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. more importantly, see what they were doing differently and note that. Maybe luck, maybe subtle differences. If participating in dock talk tell folks you are new to bass fishing right away and humble yourself and ask questions. You will learn who is a true fisherman and who is full of it right away. 

 

After that starting with a spinning rod/reel setup, then slowly learning On a baitcaster can help. 

 

That is more of a general overview i guess. Otherwise, as other have mentioend learn how to texas rig and wacky rig a senko or other platic bait and then learn the fish. What i mean is go hunting. At first dont worry about catching fish (easy to say right!) focus more on where the fish are in your area, in what time of year and in what weather. Dont overthink it but just be aware every time you get a bite, what bait, what color, what time of day, what weather conditions etc. were. Think structure to start with, that will usually produce the easiest bites to get you excited to keep going. The real deal is once you get that first 3-5 pounder you will be hooked. Showing my stripes here but the buzz i got from my first 3 pounder lasted hours and i was sold. As i said, humble yourself. ? 

 

Tips from an amateur, so take it for what it is. One thing i have come to love about the fishing community is that the real anglers are a very open, educational bunch, as displayed in this forum. At this point all i can share is what got me going and has fueld my now addiction...I remember how overwhelming it was ar first too. 

[Catt]

Understand what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively.

 

Understand what the predominate prey species in your lake and how that species relates to structure with each season...morning, noon, and night.

 

Understand that next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure.

 

Understand the #1 key to consistently catching bass is between your ears not between the folds of your wallet.

 

Understand ALL lures are "reaction" lures, bass see's lure, bass bites lure!

 

[Sam]

Go to the top of this page under Tools and look up the Fishing Log.

 

Download it.

 

Make copies.

 

Complete one every time you hit the water.

 

Retain them in a three-ring binder for future reference and review, especially during the winter months.

 

Consider making a matrix of your design and chart the weather, water temperature, water clarity, fish caught, wind, cloudy or clear days, warm or cold front situations, baits used, techniques used, did you use MegaStrike or JJ's Magic, hook sizes, weights, etc.

 

This is a fantastic learning method and you can parlay the data into the future to improve on your technique and bait selections.

 

Now do as the guys penned above and go out and catch some fish!!!!

[NickMWC]

51 minutes ago, Sam said:

Go to the top of this page under Tools and look up the Fishing Log.

 

Download it.

 

Make copies.

 

Complete one every time you hit the water.

 

Retain them in a three-ring binder for future reference and review, especially during the winter months.

 

Consider making a matrix of your design and chart the weather, water temperature, water clarity, fish caught, wind, cloudy or clear days, warm or cold front situations, baits used, techniques used, did you use MegaStrike or JJ's Magic, hook sizes, weights, etc.

 

This is a fantastic learning method and you can parlay the data into the future to improve on your technique and bait selections.

 

Now do as the guys penned above and go out and catch some fish!!!!

^^^ This is great advice and something I still need to do!