How to Bass Fish – a Basic How to Bass Fishing Guide – by Ted Thurman

I get a lot of  great “How To” bass fishing questions, and I think it’s great that more people are becoming interested in fishing. I love answering their questions, but frankly, it’s easier to show than it is to tell (or type, as it were). However, I’ve put together some basic information that I hope will be helpful and get people started fishing. 

Lures and Styles of Fishing 

Bass fishing techniques are varied as they are numerous. There’s no simple answer that will suit everyone all the time. I’ve picked out two of the best and easiest techniques to explain and I feel that they will have some benefit to those who are just getting started in bass fishing.

Shaky Head Fishing – This is a rather new technique that is quickly becoming one of my favorites (and apparently many other people feel the same way). It’s making the rounds in the fishing tournaments and does quite well. Ironically, it seems to do even better when other lures aren’t getting much attention from bass. I have actually made a page completely dedicated to shaky head fishing at ShakyHeadJig.com so I won’t explain it in detail here. You can visit my other articles for this one.

Top Water Fishing – This tried and true technique requires a floating bait, a rod and real. You generally use a bait that replicates an injured minnow -some of them have propellers that sputter and splash across the top of the water. Buzz baits are also a topwater bait. You can cast and reel at a slow, steady pace or you can cast and reel it in short spurts to further reproduce the effect of an injured fish. The great part about topwater fishing is that when the bass strikes there’s a HUGE splash. It’s really exciting to watch the fish lunge toward the bait.

Either of these styles of fishing should be enjoyable and successful for anyone. There are a lot of articles out there that make both styles sound much more complicated than need be. They are both effective and simple and should be enjoyable to any fisher man. It takes some experimentation to find what you like best and what works for you.

Finding a Good Spot

A completely different aspect of fishing that you must consider is where to fish. Because I don’t know what you have available to you in your area, so I’ll tell you what I look for in a good fishing spot in the waters where I fish.

River fishing for bass is my favorite bass fishing. I’ve fished on big rivers, but enjoy smaller rivers more. Naturally, quiet out of the way places work better than areas with lots of people. It’s generally a good plan to try to look for the spots in the river that aren’t typical. For instance, if you find a big boulder or something blocking the current, you can generally find a nice fishing spot on the downstream side of the boulder because dead bugs and such gather where the current is blocked. Another good idea is to look for a spot where a lot of tree branches overhang the river. Fish gather to eat the bugs that fall out of the trees and they like the shade, especially in hot weather. Downstream of a confluence is also a good place to look for a fishing spot. Fish tend to gather in hopes of getting the extra grub that washes out of the creek, stream or river.

Lake fishing for Bass. Bass fishing from the bank can be very challenging, but not impossible if you have the patients and dedication for it. Look for schools of shad. Anywhere that shad gather, bass will be nearby. An abundance of underwater cover such as logs, rocks or artificial crappie beds are places where bass like to hide out. All fish like cover and quiet little hiding spots and bass are no exception. The challenge to this is that often you get your favorite lures caught in the cover and can’t retrieve them.  Boat fishing defiantly has its advantages, but there’s a lot of good fishing to be had without a boat. Of course, if you have one, use it. If you don’t, don’t let that stop you.

That’s it! You’re on the way to the best bass fishing of your life! Fish on!