Fishing Tips for Bass | What Every Beginner Needs to Know

GARMIN 010-00403-00 Fishfinder 160C

The best fishing tips for bass will do you no good unless you have the right tackle. There are many varied opinions when it comes to preferred tackle to use. However here is a good starting point for most anglers.

The rod should be in proportion to your own height. If you are shorter, then a 6' rod may suit you well. However if you are a bit taller, a 6'6" to 7' medium action rod is a good overall choice.

As you get more advanced, you will probably want to have different rods for the different types of lures that you will be using. It is easier to cast longer distances with a longer rod, but you will tire out quicker with a longer rod. So factor this in when choosing your rod.

The reel can be any type that you are comfortable with as long as it is not a lightweight type reel. An open-faced reel may take a little more practice to master. A reel with at least 2 ball bearings is a good starter.

There are many different types of line that can be used. And each has their own unique application. But as a general rule, a good monofilament line is a good choice to start with. At least a 10 lb test (14lb preferred) when fishing open water, and a 20lb test when fishing heavy cover.

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The biggest fishing tip for bass that you can learn is this. Bass absolutely love structure. Structure can be a fallen tree, a group of weeds, underwater creek channel, a group of rocks, etc. It basically is anything that changes the floor of the body of water that you are fishing on from smooth to varied.

Bass are often found hiding under a log or in the weeds. The structure provides cover for them to protect them, but more importantly, supplies a place where they can lie in ambush of anything that happens to swim by. They also like to hang out around the drop offs that allow them to flee to deeper water if the need arises. If you are trying to fish a drop off, the drop doesn't necessarily have to be that great. A difference of as little as 2 ft can give a bass plenty of area to hang out.

Points also provide a good place to look for bass. If you see a point extending out into the water from the shore, chances are you can find fish around it. Off the points the water will be a bit deeper, providing the aforementioned drop offs that bass love so much.

Bass can be voracious eaters one day, and finicky the next. They can be caught on a variety of baits including live baits as well as artificial lures.

The types of live bait that a bass will devour include minnows, shad, crayfish,worms,crickets,& grasshoppers, & lizards just to name a few. Bass will even eat small snakes. They are aggressive feeders. Live bait will outperform dead bait by a wide margin when searching for bass. If your bait is dead, you will probably only catch catfish and other scavenger type fish species.

However bass also love to strike artificial lures. There are a wide variety of colors and styles to choose from. One of the most difficult fishing tips for bass to understand is the proper color selection. So let's start with picking the right color.

The color of lure that you use depends greatly on the sunlight that is penetrating below the surface. Basically on cloudy or dark days look for a more subdued color. Lures that are opaque or flat white in color work good in these flat light conditions. If the water is dirty, try a chartreuse or orange bait.

If the sky is clear, and it is sunny, look for the more flashy baits. The sliver baits will catch a lot of the underwater sunlight and flash. The more the bait looks like a shad, the better in these conditions.

All the fishing tips for bass you will ever need!

One of the best fishing tips for bass I can give you is not to overwhelm yourself with trying to figure out every little tactic known to man, and get on the water and fish. You will learn so much from experience.

Whether you catch a lot of fish initially or not, just remember how nice it is just to be out in the great outdoors. This is especially true if you can spend that time with someone you love like your son or daughter, or perhaps your old man.

If you would like to preview an A-Z course full of fishing tips for bass, then I encourage you to check out Bill Dance's new program called the "Complete Bass Fishing Course". Bill Dance is a 3 time angler of the year and member of the Professional Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. He holds 23 national bass titles.

His 12 DVD & CD series will give you more fishing tips for bass than you can shake a stick at. You will be out-fishing your buddies in no time.