Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques For Beginners
Beginners guide to bass fishing - learn, plan, and equip yourself for your next bass fishing adventure!
Ultimate Bass Fishing Guide: Learn To Fish For Bass
So, you've decided to join the millions of anglers out there who have fun fishing for bass with their friends and family but need help figuring out exactly how to get started?
Well, you're in the right place! We've compiled the best bass fishing tips for beginners from the internet to help you get started.
Bass fishing is not only a fun and relaxing hobby, but it's also a great way to bond with loved ones while experiencing the great outdoors.
About Us
Beginnerbassfishingtips.com is designed to take you from the total beginner angler who's never held a fishing pole to catching more bass than your friends. We are passionate about introducing new anglers to the wonderful sport of bass fishing and want to help you discover your love for it too!
Whether you're a total beginner or grew up fishing with grandpa on the annual family vacation, we've got you covered with the best freshwater bass fishing tips for beginners.
Fishing for bass can be daunting for new anglers. With all the different fishing tackle, gear, and techniques bass anglers use, it can take some time to learn. But don't worry — we're here to help!
We've built this site to cover all the basics of bass fishing, from understanding bass behavior to choosing the right tackle and gear. We'll also help you navigate the rules and regulations that are in place to protect our waters.
So whether you're just getting started or looking to brush up on the basics, beginnerbassfishingtips.com is the place to be.
This site will prepare you for an enjoyable first day out on the water, hopefully catching your first bass! We'll guide you through obtaining your first fishing license to choosing the proper gear and then teach you how to make your first cast.
Already a weekend warrior or tournament angler? That's great! We're sure you can find something here, even if you're a bass pro, to help you catch more bass!
Why Is Bass Fishing So Popular? Is It Difficult to Catch a Bass?
Bass are a popular choice for freshwater anglers because they are aggressive feeders in waters across the United States. Largemouth bass, in particular, can grow quite large — sometimes weighing over 10 pounds. This makes them challenging and exciting fish to catch.
However, while bass are plentiful, they can sometimes be pretty tricky to catch. But that's what makes fishing for bass so much fun.
Finding where bass are holding in a pond or lake can take time and test your patience. Every body of water provides a unique challenge that changes day to day, moment to moment.
Bass anglers are lured in by the thrill of the hunt.
Anglers use environmental variables to better understand bass behavior and determine where fish might be located in a body of water.
Factors affecting bass behavior include water temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, sunlight, and lunar cycles. By considering these variables, anglers can more easily determine where bass might be located in a body of water and what techniques might be most effective in triggering a bite.
It's rewarding when you get that bite after fishing for hours without success. The excitement kicks in, the adrenaline starts pumping, and the fights on to get that fish into your hands!
While bass can prove challenging for the beginner to catch, they are abundant in our waters and one of the more exciting freshwater game fish to catch.
Preparing For Your First Fishing Trip
Before you can head out and start slaying monster bass, you're going to need to gather some gear, learn the rules for fishing in your local area, and practice tying a few knots. So let's get started so you can get out there and learn how to catch bass!
Understanding The Rules Of Fishing
As a beginning angler, it's important to understand and follow the rules of fishing in your area to both keep you out of legal troubles and preserve our waters so others can also enjoy the wonderful sport for years to come.
In the United States, a license is required most of the time for any type of freshwater and saltwater fishing. Catch-and-release or otherwise.
There are also rules surrounding certain species of fish all anglers must follow, such as bag limits, sizes, endangered species lists, and more. However, without knowing your exact location, we can't tell you what those exactly are for your area.
Fortunately, when it comes to bass, due to the abundance of the species, there are generally less regulations and can be fished for in most places across the country!
How To Get Your Fishing License
At least here in the United States, all 50 states require a freshwater fishing license, and some states also require a separate saltwater fishing license for certain waterways.
Get Your Fishing License
How To Find Your Local Fishing Rules & Regulations
Learn about following the rules and regulations set in place to protect the fish and wildlife in the waterways you plan to fish.
Learn About Fishing RegulationsBass Fishing Strategies
Not all anglers fish for bass using the same strategies.
Knowledge, skills, preferences, and abilities are all determining factors that come into play for how an angler decides to hunt or trap bass.
That being said, the more knowledge and skills you learn, the more opportunities you have to catch bass.
There are two primary categories most fishing techniques and strategies fall into, Power Fishing and Finesse Fishing.
While the term power fishing might sound more excilerating than finesse fishing, don't discount it out. The generally lighter gear used makes the fight that much more fun. Instead of using a broomstick to yard the bass out of heavy cover, as is done with many power fishing techniques, finesse fishing uses lighter rods and requires a longer and tougher fight to get them into your hands.
Unfortunately, the definitions of the two are heavily debated. But this is how we think of them:
Ultimate Guide To Power and Finesse Fishing For Bass
Many bass anglers will define finesse fishing as using small lures on a spinning reel with light line and power fishing as throwing large baits around heavy cover with heavy gear and lures. But is that all there is to it?
Power Fishing vs Finesse FishingBass Fishing Gear
When it comes to fishing gear, bass anglers love to nerd out on all the different lures, colors, scents, rods, reels, fishing line, and gadgets that might prove advantageous to catching more bass.
One of the best things about fishing is that there is more than one way to catch fish!
When you're just getting started, don't get bogged down by all the nuances the professional bass anglers use.
You've probably seen bass fishermen on their boats with a dozen fishing poles and tackle boxes packed with more sizes, colors, and types of lures than your average tackle shop carries.
And, while having multiple rods and lure choices can give you an edge in certain circumstances, it isn't necessary for the beginner angler just getting into bass fishing.
It's understandably fun to try out all the cool fishing gear out there, but do yourself a favor and stick to the basics in the beginning.
You can still have a great time fishing with basic gear, and your wallet will greatly appreciate it.
Beginners Guide To Fishing Rods & Reels
In this article we do a deep dive into everything you need to know and think about when picking out your next bass fishing rod & reel combo.
From rod lengths and action to the types and use cases for different fishing reels, this article will help you make an informed purchasing decision for your next fishing trip.
Choosing A Rod & Reel
Beginners Guide To Fishing Line
Choosing which fishing line to spool your reel with can be a difficult decision for anglers of all skill levels. Fishing line is one of those nuanced topics anglers often debate over as some of the decision making is determined by personal preferences, or "It's just what I grew up using."
Stretch, diameter, smoothness, and abrasion resistance are all different characteristics anglers consider when choosing a type of fishing line to spool on their reels.
There are 4 primary types of fishing line sold by manufacturers:
- Monofilament
- Braid
- Flourocarbon
- Copolymer
There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of fishing line. And many bass anglers will choose one over the other depending on the environment their fishing in. Let's dive in!
Picking Out Fishing Line
Beginner Bass Fishing Tackle: The Essentials
Not sure what tackle you need to get started fishing for bass? This guide will introduce you to the most common terminal tackle bass fishermen carry with them to have a succeessful day on the water. We even put together a beginner's shopping list you can use to rig up the most common bait presentations and enjoy your time spent fishing.
Fill Your Tacklebox
Picking The Best Bass Baits and Lures
With so many baits and lures available to bass anglers, it can be a bit overwhelming to determine what the best lure or bait to use is.
Learn how to pick the right type and size of lure and what colors to use and when.
Learn How To Choose Baits & LuresStorage & Organization
Now that you have an idea of some of the different types of gear you'll need for bass fishing, let's talk about how to store and organize it all.
One of the worst things that can happen to a bass angler is to be out on the water and realize they don't have the right lure or piece of tackle for the situation.
To avoid this, it's important to have a system for storing and organizing your gear so you can easily find what you need when you need it.
One way to do this is to use a dedicated tackle box or bag specifically designed for holding fishing tackle. These usually have compartments and trays for organizing different types of lures and terminal tackle.
Another option is to use small plastic storage bins with lids to store your tackle. This allows you to see all your extra gear at a glance and quickly grab what you need, though it's not something you'll likely bring with you on a fishing trip.
Finally, be sure to label everything so you know exactly what's inside each tackle box, bin, or bag.
With a little bit of organization, you'll be able to find the right bait or lure in a matter of seconds, so you can spend more time fishing and less time fumbling around with your gear.
Ultimate Guide To Organizing Your Fishing Gear
Looking for some storage and organization tips as a new angler? Tired of having a mess of lures with you? This guide will introduce some of the best storage and organization options to help keep your gear both protected and organized!
Organize Fishing Gear & TackleSetting Up Your Rod, Reel, and Line
Once you have your shiny new fishing gear in hand, it's time to put it all together in preparation for your fishing trip. Setting up your gear prior to getting out on the water is a habit you should form. Doing so allows you to maximize the time you've set aside to fish, and gives you an opportunity to inspect and perform any necessary maintenance on your gear.
There's nothing more frustrating for an angler, than dealing with your gear while your trying to fish.
Beginners Guide To Setting Up Your First Fishing Pole
Just got your first fishing rod and reel? Sweet!
In this guide we'll walk you through putting together your bass fishing rod and reel combo and show you how to spool line onto your fancy new reel. We'll also show you a simple beginner friendly way to rig a worm on your line to get started catching bass!
Setting Up Your First Fishing Pole
Beginners Guide To Setting Up A Baitcaster
Baitcaster's can be intimidating for the new angler, however, properly setting up a baitcaster can help prevent many beginner mistakes.
In this guide we go over how to adjust your baitcasting reel's tension and brake system to avoid backlashes and improve casting distance.
Learn To Set Up A Baitcaster
How To Properly Spool Line On A Spinning Reel
Beginners guide for properly spooling each type of fishing line onto a spinning reel.
Put Line On Your Spinning Reel
How To Properly Spool Line On A Baitcaster Reel
Beginners guide for properly spooling each type of fishing line onto a baitcasting reel.
Put Line On Your Baitcaster ReelEssential Skills Every Angler Needs To Know
There are a lot of skills anglers pick up over time and knot tying is one of them. A properly tied fishing knots is one of the most essential skills any angler can learn. There are tons of knots fishermen use out there, and which one is the strongest, simplest, and overall best knot to tie is heavily debated.
An improperly tied on hook produce one of two results: lost fish or lost lures.
There is nothing worse than casting an expensive lure across the water only to watch your lure sink into the abyss with the end of your line at your feet. Not that that's ever happened to me of course...
Now that you have your rod, reel, and fishing line assembled, it's time to tie on and bait your first hook or lure and lure and learn how to make your first cast.
How To Tie A Fishing Hook On Your Line
Not sure how to attach your hook on your line? This beginner's guide will teach you how to properly attach your hook to the end of your line using one of the simplest and most effective knots!
Tying A Hook
Essential Fishing Knots: Beginner Fishing Knots
Not sure how to tie a palomar knot or perfection loop knot? This guide will teach you some of the easiest and most used knots bass fishermen use today.
Beginner Fishing Knots
How To Bait A Hook For Bass Fishing
Not sure how to rig a worm on a hook? This guide will teach you everything you need to know about rigging bait on a hook.
Baiting The Hook
How To Set The Hook When A Fish Bites
Tired of missing your hooksets? This guide will walk you through setting the hook with different lures to make sure you get that fish in your hands! Yep, hook sets are not the same for every presentation!
Setting The Hook
How To Cast A Spinning Rod & Reel
New to spinning rods and reels? This guide will show you how to properly cast a spinning rod combo.
Casting A Spinning Combo
How To Cast A Baitcasting Rod & Reel
Check out how to properly cast a baitcasting combo. Baitcasters can be difficult to cast for the first time, resulting in backlash that could ruin your day of fishing.
Casting A Baitcasting ComboFinding Bass
How To Find Places To Fish
Whether you're fishing from a bass boat or from a bank, half the fun of fishing is finding and experiencing fishing new bodies of water.
Each water source provides a new challenge for bass fishermen, from different water color and clarities, depths, bottom types, cover options, vegetation, and food sources for bass, each location provides it's own unique puzzle bass anglers must piece together.
Plus you never know when you'll find that honey hole that produces fish after fish! Just don't tell your friends about this one!
Find New Fishing Spots
Ultimate Guide To Bass Behavior
Understanding bass behaviors, such as the bait fish they eat, when and where they spawn, where they tend to hide and why, will change the way you fish.
Understanding how bass behave in warmer waters versus cooler waters and clear versus muddy waters, will help you target high percentage areas to fish, and help with things like lure and color selections.
Instead of casting randomly into the abyss and fishing wherever your lure lands, you can combine your knowledge of bass behaviors with other variables like weather patterns, time of year, and available cover options to greatly increase your chances of catching more bass.
Learn About Bass BehaviorIdentifying Bass
So, you caught your first bass? Congratulations! But, now you want to know what type of bass it is?
Knowing which species of fish your catching is not only interesting, it's important for abiding by the regulations set in place to protect them.
Some species of fish cannot be taken out of the water, so quickly and properly identifying them is an important skill for all anglers to learn.
Identifying bass is pretty easy once you know what to look for.
How To Identify The Species Of Bass You Just Caught
There are dozens of species called bass in the world even if they aren't from the same family of fish. In North America, the Black Bass is the most popular type of bass, and the one with the multi-billion-dollar industry built around them.
In this section we dive into how to identify the most common Black Bass such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass.
Identify Bass Species