How is it that in an age of technology and electronics, something as 'primitive' as bass fishing is luring in new avid anglers year after year. So much so that as soon as they hear something new and fancy that catches their interests, they will dive into it and try to get as much out of it as possible.



One common theme running through bass anglers (tournament or recreational) is ?Where are the what...? Where are the bass!?

Even for the experts. When they are fishing in a body of water that they have never fished before, after dropping the boat into the water, they will start to wonder, where is the best place to fish?

I will try to unravel the mysteries of finding areas best for bass fishing. Locating bass and understanding the water would be the top questions among many bass anglers today. This is closely followed by the question, "Which is the best bait to catch a "big" bass?"

Actually, Bass Fishing can be simplified into 2 main areas. Once you know them, you will definitely be a better angler. The 2 must know things are:

1. How to locate bass?

2. How to catch bass using all the different techniques, presentations, and baits?

Learning how to locate bass can be somewhat of a challenge to most anglers as there are so many different factors. Here are some 'Do You Knows' for you to consider:

1. Do you Know how to read a map? This is a fundamental skill that you should try to learn because with a map, it is easier for you to zoom in on the location that is good for bass fishing.

2. Do you Know that the most practical place to look for Active Bass is just after the cold fronts and during early spring and late fall? This means you must take into consideration weather conditions as well.

3. Do you Understand water depth? This is an important element because the depth or the hollowness of the water tells you if it is a good location.

4. Do you know what Water clarity of the location?

5. Do you know the Water temperatures of the location?

6. Do you know that seasonal patterns has a direct relationship with whether it is bass fishing season or not.

But that is not all! Bass tournaments are so competitive and exciting because the winners are not necessarily the good and consistent bass anglers who knows how to get into boat, hitting the water, and casting their baits. No, more often than not, it is those who know how to locate the bass more quickly that has won half the battle already.

So how do you know what is the best location? Start by looking at a lake map.

There are two general types of lake maps that most anglers will use. They are referred to as the ?Hot Spot? and ?Topographical? maps. The difference between the two is that a ?Topo? map shows more detail, and the ?Hot Spots? map shows what the name implies, more fishing spots (well, at least we all hope they do).

Here's a secret about how you can best use a lake map. Sector it. That's right. Sector the map by first studying it for a moment (look for areas where the fish would most likely to be). Next, use a highlighter to divide the map into sections based on how much time we can pre-fish before a tournament or how many days we have to just fish for fun.

The other secret is to always check the actual situation versus what is stated on the maps. The size of the sections will vary depending on contours, structure, and number of places to be checked out during the course of the day based on what the map shows. Don't just cast your bait into the water and work on it for five minutes and leave. Try an assortment of baits to see signs of fish in any given area. This will help you understand their working pattern.

A good bass fisherman will know how to keep notes or markings on his maps. This will be his source of best bass fishing locations for his enjoyment for years to come.