When it comes to fishing gear we anglers can be much like human sized pack rats, compiling various types of gear with the hopes that some of the gear might some day help us catch a fish. In my view this simply doesn't have to be the case. Call me a minimalist, but I believe that not only is fishing not that difficult, but we also don't need a ton of gear to simply go fishing. As a matter of fact, I personally don't need a lot more than a package of gang hooks, some swivels and split shot, a bait bag full of live worms, my rod, reel, and waders, and my most important piece of fishing gear…my polarized glasses. That's right, my polarized fishing glasses are my most important piece of fishing gear. Why? Because they enable me to see under the water. Not only can I spot fish that I want to cast to, I can also spot underwater structure such as rocks and branches. More than spotting fish, I think I prefer the fact that my polarized glasses enable me to see the underwater structure. This is as important when fighting a fish as any single factor. You see when fish are hooked (especially large fish) they will immediately run towards structure in an attempt to get free. If you know where that structure is, it helps you in trying to keep them away from it. Before I had a good pair of polarized fishing glasses, many a fish ran to structure and got me hopelessly tangled, before ultimately getting free. I emphasize the word "good" because I used to refuse to spend more than $25 on a pair of sunglasses, and subsequently never liked polarized sun glasses. I didn't realize that the reason I didn't like polarized sun glasses was that I was a tight wad and purchasing cheap ones that didn't work properly! One day I was fishing with a friend who insists on quality sunglasses. As a matter of fact, his cost him about $150! I had lost my cheap ones and asked if I could borrow his. He let me and I was impressed. His $150 sunglasses were amazing. The clarity and vision that I had looking underwater was incredible! After that day of fishing I obviously had to return the glasses. Within 2 weeks I had purchased my own for $125. That was a little over 8 years ago! Since I spent over $100 on them, I take really good care of them (I never thought about this). If I amortize the cost of those glasses, they only cost be about 15 bucks a year! That's less than I used to spend on the cheap ones! This was quite a realization to a tight wad like me. My point is that skimping on your polarized fishing glasses is not the way to go. Skimp on your frozen vegetables, but not your fishing glasses. Do you remember what your Mother used to tell you? "You get what you pay for", well this is most certainly true with polarized sun glasses. Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money, you'll be glad you did!
When you are choosing your bass fishing gear, you'll need to make many decisions to assure yourself a good chance of catching a large number of good sized bass. Rods, reels, bait, lures, and more should be considered when packing your bass fishing gear, and you'll want to make sure you have the equipment in the right combinations to produce results you want.
The first rule to effective bass fishing gear is to never overwork your bait. Pairing your bait with a reel that offers the wrong retrieve speed can cause this. For example, when you try your hand at fishing with a crankbait, you'll find that you can present it many ways, but when retrieved too quickly, you get no results. Crankbaits come in various sizes, ranging from quite narrow for quicker retrieval to a fat bodied variety that lends itself to a very slow recovery. The latter type of bait should be paired with a reel that allows the crankbait to come in at a slower speed. If the technique you are using with your bass fishing gear is not working on a given day, try something else. Increase or decrease your speed, but don't overwork the bait.
In terms of reels, there are three common items that are considered necessities in your stock of bass fishing gear. Keep baitcasting, spinning, and spincast or closed faced reels in your arsenal at all times. While you may develop a preference for one or the other of these, you may find conditions or areas in which a different type of reel will bring you better results. For example, if you are fishing under and around the docks with light bait and need to cast into the wind, you probably shouldn't use a baitcaster, especially if it's windy because you may experience a backlash. While a spinning reel may work, you run the risk of catching line twists in the wind. Instead, try a spincast reel, where the line will unwind freely from the reel with no tangles, despite the weather working against you.
Once you've chosen the appropriate reel for the day's journey, you'll need to determine what type of bait and rigging works best with your bass fishing gear. Depending on your choice of bait to pair with your reel, you may opt for different fishing techniques in the water. For example, if you take a plastic lure and configure a Texas rig, you will probably find the best results with either a baitcaster or spinning reel. On the other hand, top water fishing lends itself to baitcasting reels alone. Using soft jerk baits, you will probably wan to opt for a spinning reel. Of course, there are plenty of other types of baits and fishing techniques, but this gives you an idea of what to expect.
Both Trevor Kugler & Daniel Eggertsen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Trevor Kugler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acid Reflux, Fishing and Fishing. Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout. Trevor Kugler's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Daniel Eggertsen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Site Promotion, Fishing and Dancing. Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best bass fishing information possible. Get more information on. Daniel Eggertsen's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.