Bass Fishing 101 - Part I

Contributed by: Marce

I’ve been a fisherman all my life, so I thought. Back in 2006 while fishing with my brother I realized there was a whole new level in bass fishing and with very little effort on his part, I became “hooked”. I’ve taken on many hobbies ranging from RC airplanes and cars to motorcycles and atv’s and nothing has captured my interest as much as bass fishing. To me, bass fishing is almost like listening to your favorite song on your iPod. Once it’s over, you immediately want to listen to it again. I’m sure most of you out there can relate to the feeling….

I wanted to cover some of the things I’ve learned over the past couple of years from various people I’ve fished with. This may help some of you out there who are looking to get into the sport. Believe me, this article will save you both time and money and we all know how important that is. And now for the disclaimer….

Disclaimer: I am not a pro nor do I pretend to be. I am an ordinary guy who truly enjoys the art of fishing. If you would like to comment on this article feel free to do so in the Forums in the Front Page Article Section.

The Setup (My Brother)

First, I’d like to discuss your setups. After years and years of being afraid of the baitcaster I finally took the plunge. My first rod of choice (based on my brother’s recommendation) was a Lamiglas XC705 with a Daiwa Zillion 7.1:1 retrieve ratio. Now this is not the cheapest setup on the market but I’ll tell you what, it’s probably one of the most versatile. I use it to throw brush hogs, senkos, jigs, and anything else that calls for 15 lb flourocarbon. Simply put, I absolutely love this setup. It’s my go-to rig and some day when I win the lottery I’d like to get another one just like it.

My main point here is DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME using inferior equipment. Work some overtime, sell some of your toys, gather up some money and look for good deals. True Story Time: My Dad has about seven setups and six of them are ugly sticks with cheap spinning reels. It kills me to see him working those things but I can’t get him to spring for a nice setup. He’s old school I guess but with his birthday coming up my brother and I hope to change that. There are times when he and I are throwing the exact same bait and I get four fish and he gets none. Why? Because of presentation. Your setups not only control how you bring your fish in, they also control your presentation. My “tap, tap” is much different than my Dad’s “tap, tap”. Catch my drift?

So again, make sure you get the right setup for the right type of fishing. I’m sure all the money spent on those cheap setups would add up to a couple of really nice combos. My brother is a whiz at this and he helped me get most of my rigs going so if you have some questions send him a PM (marone).

The Spawn (My Brother, Friends, Magazines)

I’ve fished the spawn a couple of times and hands down it’s the absolute best time of year to fish. Not only are the fish most aggressive this time of year, they are also in the best shape - fat and fit. They are extremely territorial and are more inclined to attack anything that comes near their beds. The spawn typically happens in April when water temperatures begin to rise. I’ve read in a few places that the males begin to head to the shallows first, before the females, when the water temp hits about 65 degrees. The females then get ready to spawn when the water temperatures reach the high 60’s a low 70’s. This year since the weather was so weird we had a drawn out spawn in most of our local lakes and reservoirs. Some people were reporting fat belly bass well past the April time frame. Weird.

So remember, during this time the shallows are your friend and increasing water temps make for great fishing days.

The Post-Spawn (Magazines, Other Websites)

This is the time of year when the fishing gets tough. The fish begin to head back into deeper water and begin their road to recovery. Largemouth tend to school more tightly during this time frame and someone once told me that if you catch a fish during this time to throw your lure/bait right back into the same spot and you’ll likely bring in another. I actually just tried this recently and it worked! I brought in four bass the exact same size in four consecutive casts into the very same spot.

The post-spawn phase can be somewhat tough but if you can work it right you can still find success during this time. Not to mention, this time of the year precedes the top-water bite which is probably one of the most exciting ways to fish.

to be continued…….

1st Annual San Jose Bass BBQ & Fishing Day

Hey there everyone we will be hosting our very 1st Annual BBQ & Fish Day at Lake Almaden this weekend in San Jose, CA. Feel free to bring your own food and drink and then join us on the water for some fishing time amongst friends.

What: 1st Annual San Jose Bass BBQ & Fish Day

When: Saturday, July 14th @ 12: 00 p.m.

Why: For the fun of it!

How: This is where all of you come in. ;-)……

I plan on getting there a little early to setup and get things rolling and here’s how I’d like the schedule to pan out:

12:00 - 2:00: Raffle Sign Ups, General Chatter, & BBQ Preparation

2:30 - 3:00: Raffle and Food Time

3:00 - Closing: BBQ, Fishing, and Whatever

As it stands right now we have quite a few people attending this shin dig which is great! Most people who are attending are bringing something for the BBQ. If you’d like to add to the menu check the list here to see what food items are already on the agenda.

Lake Almaden is perfect for both children and adults so bring the whole family if you would like. There is an awesome playground, snack shack, sandy beach, paddle boat rentals, and more. Please keep in mind that there is a $6.00 parking fee to enter the park and the park closes one hour before sunset.

See you all then!

Marce