If you are an angler or enthusiastic about fishing, you must have come across the term “bass fishing” on occasions in the past. Bass fishing is a recreational activity, and it is also a popular sport in the regions of North America and beyond. As the name implies, it involves catching specific fishes for fun or other purposes to sate domestic and commercial needs.
However, it has since been adopted as a local sport that attracts the best anglers to compete against themselves.
The bass fish is unique and native to the rivers in North America. But the term has been used to classify a wider variety of marine and freshwater fishes. Bass fishes all belong to the order of the Perciformes, and it involves fishes like black basses, temperate basses, and Asian seabasses. Many other fishes from around the world have been associated with the bass specie, but the largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted basses are the most sort after for sports.
You can easily be convinced that bass fishing is an effortless task if you watch the experts do it. But it is quite the contrary, as this specie of game fish ranks among the most aggressive and complicated catches. You will struggle greatly if you venture into bass fishing without sufficient experience. However, there is a much easier way to go about fishing bass, and it involves using live baits. This article will highlight expert tips for bass fishing with live bait.
Bass Fishing
Bass fishing was initially introduced as a sport in the 19th century in the United States. However, it has since gained popularity, attracting anglers from different countries as it rose to fame.
Bass fishing is now a well-recognized and rewarding sport in countries across different continents. As a result, the development and sales of fishing gears have kicked off the notch in various local and international markets.
Types of Baits Used for Bass Fishing
It is noteworthy that bass fishing can be a pretty dangerous game for amateurs to participate in, as the sport requires significant expertise and experience. One critical decision that can affect how you fare in bass fishing is your choice of bait. Fishing bait is any item placed at the end of a fish hook or trap to attract fish to the trap. It often involves items or food that attract the specific fish you intend to catch.
Different types of baits have been introduced for this purpose, but they each have different levels of productivity and efficiency. Artificial baits are among the most used today, with different modifications that improve their effect in luring bass. But as far as baits go, there is no doubting the superiority of live baits for bass fishing.
What is a Live Bait, And Why Is It Superior?
Live baits generally refer to living organisms placed on a fish trap to attract the fish to the trap. Live baits are way more effective for luring various fishes into a fish trap, and bass fishes are no exception. In fact, you will almost certainly attract several bass fishes when bass fishing with live bait, and here’s why.
- Live baits are often the prey of the fishes, so they are naturally attracted to them.
- Fishes like bass can smell their prey from a distance; hence they can be attracted from a long way out.
- Live baits can be mobile, and their movement can attract fish’s attention in the water.
Natural baits can be attractive to bass fishes, dead or alive, but you can be sure to get their attention more with live baits.
Here are some of the best live baits for bass anglers.
- Shads
- Minnows
- Hellgrammites
- Frogs
- Mice
- Salamander
- Crawfish
- Nightcrawlers
Expert Tips for Bass Fishing with Live Baits
As earlier stated, bass fishes are tough catches, and it takes more than identifying the best live baits to catch this game fish. You must know how to use your live baits to the best effect before you can expect any catch.
Here are some expert tips for using live baits for the best bass fishing experience.
- Prepare to Catch Your Life Baits: Of course, you can purchase shads, minnows, and other live baits from bait shops. But it may not be advisable to depend on these outlets, as they may have limited supply when the time comes. However, you can easily collect your live baits if you prepare with adequate equipment.
- Use Shiners for Clear Waters: Bass fishes are attracted to shiners as they are to many other baits. However, shiners are more visible and can be spotted by bass from far distances.
- Store Live Baits in Coolers: Live baits can only stay alive for so long after you remove them from their natural habitat. However, you can prolong their life span by storing them in a styrofoam picnic cooler.
- Identify the Location Where the Bass Are Hiding: Live baits are very effective for catching bass fishes, but they can only attract the fish in the area. Hence, it’s a no-brainer. Fishing close to bass hideouts will undoubtedly attract more bass fishes to your live bait.
Bottom Line
Bass fishing is often a strategic process that requires attention to detail. Live baits will undoubtedly give you the upper hand, but you must utilize the right equipment. Your reels and lines must be appropriately sized, and you must ensure to follow the proper steps.
This article has highlighted some expert tips for bass fishing with live baits.
