Out of all the types of fishing, bass fishing remains the most popular type of fishing when it comes to freshwater fishing. In fact, there are more than 15 million anglers in the US that pursue largemouth bass alone. One of the main reasons why bass fishing has become so popular is because bass are everywhere. Largemouth bass can be found in all of the lower 48 states, parts of Canada, parts of Mexico and even in Cuba.
Catching bass is a lot of fun because bass put up fights like no other fish. Struggling to catch a largemouth can make the eventual catch highly rewarding. Even if you are unsuccessful, you will have a great story to tell about the bass that got away. There is also a lot of money to be made in bass fishing from tournaments, boat sponsors, along with many other bass related stuff that is on the market, such as clothes and other types of fishing gear.
So What is a Largemouth Bass?
Largemouth bass are the most popular game fish in North America.  Generally considered the main predator in their ecosystems, largemouth bass are extremely common (so popular that even an outdoors store is named after them) and usually live alone. They are a member of the sunfish family. Bass are a greenish color with a distinctive stripe of a darker color running horizontally down its sides. The dorsal fin is divided to the point of almost forming two fins, and they have nine spines in the front part of their body
Bass are almost everywhere and you can find them in rivers, lakes, streams, or ponds. The best place to catch bass are rivers, especially rivers which have different currents. Obstructions like rocks, fallen trees, or stumps make hiding places for bass. They will hide between rocks, among water vegetation, or under roots and limbs of sunken trees, striking at their prey from the shadows.
Largemouth bass generally feed on smaller fish such as perch, sunfish, and minnows. They are also known to feed on crayfish, insects, frogs, and even small aquatic birds depending on their ecosystem.
These fish are fun to fight because of how resistant they are to being caught, but they also make a great meal because they’re high in protein and low in calories.
Where Do Largemouth Bass Fish Live?
The largemouth bass is one of the most sought after fish species across the nation and are great fish for beginners and experts alike. So, where do the largemouth bass fish live and how can you find them? First, let’s look at what type of habitat the largemouth bass can most often be found in.
The largemouth bass prefers slow moving currents when in rivers and they thrive in the shallows of lakes and ponds. They prefer non-flowing water when possible, and they gather around structures found in the water, both natural and human-made.
Bass seem to love trees, logs, weeds and grassy areas the best since they can easily hide in these coverings.While largemouth bass can be found in all types of lakes, rivers, and ponds, they seem to prefer lakes the most.
The largemouth bass tends to seek out areas that have submerged vegetation and structures where they can hide, but they also appear to prefer areas that are less than twenty feet deep. They hide in these structures and wait for prey to swim by at which point they strike. Largemouth bass will flourish best in clear water where the temperature ranges between 80 and 90 degrees.
Largemouth bass flourish best in clear water where the temperature ranges between 80 and 90 degrees. However, they can be found in the northern part of the country where they must survive freezing temperatures for up to six months. Bass found in the middle of the country can tolerate temperatures ranging from 65 to 90 degrees. If the water is above 95 degrees for extended periods, largemouth bass will eventually die.
Of course, for the largemouth bass to grow and thrive, there must be a good source of food in the area as well. Therefore, the perfect habitat will also have plenty of insects, crayfish, plankton, and plant life that provides food for frogs, waterdogs and other small fish that are also a favorite food of the largemouth bass.
How to Find the Largemouth Bass?
Now that you know where the largemouth bass grows and prospers the best, it’s time to learn some of the best ways to find them.
Start by looking for them in waters that are the ideal temperature and in waters that are around five to ten feet deep. If for some reason they’re not there. then move your search out to the deeper waters or shallower waters. This species will move around from deeper waters into the shallows and back again in search of food so, you can’t always go by the water temperature or depth.
Bass Fishing Equipment
Fishing for bass can be extremely lucrative if you use the right type of bass fishing equipment.
Best Bass Fishing Rod
For bass fishing, you will need a medium to heavy fishing rod since you will often struggle to reel them in when you’ve got one on the line. Most bass will put up a good fight so you need to be prepared. The Entsport 2-Piece Baitcasting Fishing Rod is a great spinning rod that will help you catch a lot more bass. Pairing the Entsport with the KastKing Royale Legend Baitcasting spinning reel, a highly durable reel, will make your bass fishing expedition much more rewarding. The KastKing is also braided fishing line friendly.
Bass Fishing Line
In order to catch bass, you will need strong fishing line. Without strong fishing line, your line is likely to snap when you get in a fight with a largemouth bass. To prevent that we recommend using braided fishing line, such as Spiderwire Superline.
Bass Fishing Lures
There are many different types of fishing lures that will help you catch bass and it is important to know the differences between the different lure types. In general, you want to choose a fishing lure that looks similar to an actual bug or small fish.
Bass fish like to eat smaller fish as well as several types of small bugs and insects. Therefore, you are going to want to pick a fishing lure that looks just like a bug, fish, or insect. The top fishing lures are designed to resemble small fish, bugs, or other prey of the bass fish. It is extremely important to understand how and when to use each type of fishing lure.
Many novice fishers believe that all lures were created equal. The fact of the matter is that some fishing lures are significantly better than other lures. When deciding on which fishing lure to pick there are several things to consider. First, you will want to look at how realistic the lure that you are buying looks. If the lure does not look realistic to you, it probably will not look realistic to the fish.
The best types of white bass fishing lures are the ones that have multiple hooks for bait on them. Some lures only have one spot where you can attach a piece of bait. Other lures have multiple hooks which allow you to attach more than one piece of bait.
1. Jigs
Jigs are considered a year-round kind of lure since bass will bite at them at all times of year. Skirted jigs usually have tassels that surround the hook, disguising the hook from fish. They work in any temperature water, from 40 degrees to 90 degrees, and all sorts of fishing environments, including grass, rocks, wood, and open water. They even work in all sorts of water depths from 2-feet on down. Jigs can be considered the swiss-army knives of bass fishing lures because of their versatility.
2. Crankbait
Crankbaits are another great year-round bass fishing lure. Changing the type of crankbait depending on the time of year will greatly increase your yield though. In the winter, you will want to use slender profiled crankbaits with flatter sides and a subtle wobble to resemble prey bass eat during the winter. During warmer weather, you should move to baits with wider wobbles and more aggressive retrieves to keep the fish biting. To catch bass in deeper waters, big-lipped plugs will be more useful. You can also alter your bill shape to best fit the conditions.
3. Finesse worm
Although not a very fancy kind of lure, finesse worm lures work exceptionally well in any conditions. Finesse worms are plastic replicas of their namesake that really look like real worms to bass. They are guaranteed to work and extremely affordable. A pack of 20 will set you back only $7.
Live Bait
If you want to catch bass with live bait, you need to research what foods they like to eat. In general, bass like to eat fish that are smaller than themselves. They also like to eat many small insects and bugs that can be found in the water. Largemouth bass tend to prefer baitfish and crustaceans which includes minnows, crawfish, crayfish, and crawdads.
If you do an online search, you can learn about the types of live bait bass prefer in your area. Then you can print out pictures of these bugs and smaller fish and bring them with you to your local tackle shop so that they can help you pick out the right kind of live bait.
You need to be very careful when picking your bait and lures. The fact of the matter is that fish are smarter than a lot of people think. Many novice fishers make the mistake of underestimating the intelligence of the average fish. Many fish are aware of the fact that you are trying to catch them. Some fish may have been hooked before, but gotten away and survived. This results in the fish learning from past mistakes and being more careful when eating food.
Tackle Box
It is also important to have a tackle box to organize all of your lures when you are on a fishing trip. The reason for this is that you want to be able to access your different tackles as quickly as possible. If you do not organize your different types of tackle in a box, you will quickly find yourself confused when looking for a specific kind of tackle. Tackle boxes are extremely affordable and can be found at any local bait shop. Additionally, you should have a high-quality cooler to keep all of your catches in.
Conclusion
Bass fishing remains one of the most popular water sports in America and is a great way to start a fishing hobby. Whether you are new to fishing or an old pro, bass fishing will keep you fishing for a long time. Keep calm and fish on!
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