Bass fishing is a great sport that allows you to spend time with friends and family relaxing doing something that you really enjoy. Many anglers love the opportunity to see some of the wonderful things that nature has to offer while out on the lakes and rivers. The scenery is definitely beautiful and can't be matched by anything else.
Whatever takes you out of the house or office and onto the waters to go bass fishing, you need to get all of your gear ready before you go out. One of the most important items found in your fishing gear will be the fishing lures. When it comes to bass fishing you have the biggest selection available compared to any other type of fishing lures.
With so many different shapes, sizes and colors available how do you know which ones to choose? In the end it all comes down to your personal preference but the information listed below can help you get started searching for the bass fishing lures that work the best for you.
Below is a list of some of the best bass fishing lures in North America.
Spinnerbait
Spinnerbait is one of the most popular bass fishing lures used today. They come in many different colors such as red, yellow, white, brown, black and so forth with gold or silver blades. Many anglers prefer the metallic spinnerbaits but all designs are bright and shiny to attract the attention of the bass. Some spinnerbaits have rubber skirts that are designed specifically for getting the attention of the bass. You can change these skirts making this type of spinnerbait more versatile.
When it comes to the shape of spinnerbait you should use, you need to consider the types of fish found in the water where you are located. Spinnerbait is designed to imitate the bait fish found in different waters to outsmart the bass so they will take the bait. These tend to trick the bass into taking the bait by impulse.
Crankbait
Another very popular bass fishing lure is the crankbait lure. It was given this name because the lure is connected to the end if the line and then you crank it back to the area where you are fishing. Some crankbaits sink directly to the bottom of the water while others float on the top. There are even crankbaits that stay suspended at the depth where you stopped reeling it in. Crankbaits are designed for shallow, medium and deep waters.
Jigs
There are a wide variety of jigs available for you to choose from. The bucktail jig is very popular because they resemble smaller fish that the bass feed on.
Bucktails are made with both curly and straight tails to capture the attention of the bass easier. Many experienced anglers have great success with the Jig and Pig lure. These are the lures that are used in many tournaments.
Topwater Plugs
The topwater plug is a great lure that floats along the top of the water. When you get a bite it will be pulled down into the water so you know it is time to set the hook. They work great around lily pads, trees, stumps and around docks. They help prevent you from getting hung up on obstacles while fishing for the bass. Some examples of topwater plugs include spoons, jitterbugs and boppers.
Heddon Antique Fishing Lures
One of the first Bass fishing basics to learn will obviously be the bait. This can be live bait such as peeler or soft back crabs, these are really fine baits for Bass. A crab is a peeler when it is in the process of losing its old shell, (to test if a crab is a peeler, try lifting the rear end of its shell; it should come away easily). A crab is a soft back when it has already discarded its old shell but before its new shell has hardened.
Other good Bass fishing baits include sand-eels, lugworm, and rag worm. Sand-eels can be collected from wet sand where they lie buried on a receding tide. They can be used as a dead bait but are more effective as live bait. Both lugworm and rag worm can be dug at low tide and will keep for a couple of days wrapped in damp newspaper. You could also try what is called a bait cocktail, which consists of both crab and worm on the same hook.
Other popular baits are artificial lures, and these should be part of any Bass fishing basics kit. There are so many of these artificial baits available that you could spend a fortune on them. My best advice would be to take a trip to your local tackle store, and ask for the most popular types for your local area. Start off simple with just a handful, which should include a couple of (top water baits) a couple of (spinner baits) and a couple of (plastic or rubber lures). As with the live baits these should all be retrieved slowly when fishing for Bass.
The next of the Bass fishing basics is the cast. When you find yourself fishing from the shoreline, make sure to try and cover a large area. To do this you should cast in a fan shape, start with a cast to the left of where you are standing and retrieve your bait, slowly pausing every ten to fifteen feet. On your next cast aim slightly to the right of the last cast and repeat this process until you have covered a fan shaped area. Try this a couple of times and if you have no luck simply walk twenty or thirty yards down the shore and start again.
Night fishing for Bass can be very productive, some of my best Bass fishing has been at night. For this you will need a lure that makes a lot of noise in the water when being retrieved. There are some excellent lures available for this (again ask at your local tackle store) and the Bass will find them irresistible. These are just a few of the Bass fishing basics, you will pick up more as you go along, but the best advice I can give is to get out there and have a go, I guarantee you will soon be hooked.
Richard Legg has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Internet Marketing and Cars. Discover how to catch more fish than anyone else with this expert guide. Visit now:. Richard Legg's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
A Writer's Life 2006 A writers life is hard work and rarely filled with instant gratification. However, for those who have experienced the call to write it is difficult to imagine a life lived any other way