New to fishing looking for any advice

[FNGangler]

I am new to bass fishing, as in I've been fishing a month new. To date, have caught nothing but a few bream and a catfish...but I'm having a blast. I haven't spent a lot of money yet but I do have some Saucy Swimmers, a Hula Popper, a Baby Torpedo and a small Rebel Crawfish crankbait.

 

Just pretend I'm a complete novice...because I am.

 

Any advice for the aforementioned lures would be appreciated. (How to cast them, twitch, bump, retrieve, etc) Any advice for any other lures would be appreciated. Any advice for a really basic starter rod/reel combo would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance.

[roadwarrior]

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

[Blue Raider Bob]

What type of rod/reel combo are you comfortable with? Most use either an open faced spinning reel, or a baitcasting reel. For the beginner, I would recommend the spinning reel. It is a little more user friendly. The lures you mentioned will all catch fish in the right setting but to start out, I would use something a little less aggressive. Try a Mister Twister 2 to 3" curlytail on an 1/16 to 1/8 oz. Ball jighead. Everything in the water will show interest. I prefer to slow things down and work a jig close to the bottom but for a beginner, this may result in lots of hangups and spoil the fun. Welcome to the site and prepare for lots of help. As far as a rod/reel combo, it depends on your budget. Mitchell makes a cheap spinning combo called the Avocet for under forty dollars if you just need something to get started, but don't let the price fool you. It is a really good combo for under forty. I own six. If you want something better then these guys and girls can give lots of great advice. Good Luck!

[Captain Phil]

7 hours ago, FNGangler said:

I am new to bass fishing, as in I've been fishing a month new. To date, have caught nothing but a few bream and a catfish...but I'm having a blast. I haven't spent a lot of money yet but I do have some Saucy Swimmers, a Hula Popper, a Baby Torpedo and a small Rebel Crawfish crankbait.

 

Just pretend I'm a complete novice...because I am.

 

Any advice for the aforementioned lures would be appreciated. (How to cast them, twitch, bump, retrieve, etc) Any advice for any other lures would be appreciated. Any advice for a really basic starter rod/reel combo would be appreciated. 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I would buy a decent open faced spinning reel combo from Bass Pro Shop.   The last time I was there, they had some around $100 or less.  Don't buy anything too expensive until you are sure what you want.  You don't want a wimpy action rod for bass fishing.  Find one that feels comfortable with some backbone and a flexible tip.  Load it with clear 8-10 pound mono.  Make sure you load the line in the right direction or you will have tangles.  The easiest bass baits for a beginner are soft plastics.  A 6" black or purple Texas rigged plastic worm will catch bass when nothing else will.  Start with 1/8 oz. bullet weight and fish the worm on the bottom.   Use a thin wire wide gap hook like a Gamakatu 58413.  Don't use snaps or leaders, tie the line directly to the hook.  Cast the worm in the water and hop it slowly along the bottom.  Your plugs will catch fish, but no where near as easy as the worm.  Once you catch a few bass and you will, you will gain enough confidence to try other methods.   That should get you started in the right direction.

[Darth-Baiter]

Throw that thing either wacky style or Texas rigged weightless.  

 

 

dont worry so much about the hard baits at the moment.  lets put some fish on the board!!

[Swamp Girl]

@FNGangler: You clearly want to learn and Bass Resource is the place to do that. Listen to the guys and follow their advice. Then feel free to return with follow-up questions. 

[MN Fisher]

^ Also check out the plethora of articles and videos posted...most of what you need to know can be found there, with us just 'fine tuning'.

[Glenn]

EVERYTHING you need to know is packed into this short video!

 

 

[Kirtley Howe]

And don't forget..you will sometimes get contradictory information. That is because no one technique works all the time or for everyone. And sometimes doing the "wrong" thing is most successful.  No "rules" are set in stone, except for ones about behavior. Be respectful of others. Be respectful of the regulations in your area. Don't litter or otherwise damage the environment. Don't trespass. Be kind to others. And most importantly, have fun!

[Skunkmaster-k]

Go fishing when you can, cause it’s good fer ye. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, Kirtley Howe said:

And don't forget..you will sometimes get contradictory information. That is because no one technique works all the time or for everyone. And sometimes doing the "wrong" thing is most successful.  No "rules" are set in stone, except for ones about behavior. Be respectful of others. Be respectful of the regulations in your area. Don't litter or otherwise damage the environment. Don't trespass. Be kind to others. And most importantly, have fun!

Kistler is spot on.