Bass Fishing 101

Table Of Contents
1. Foreword 4
 What are we fishing for again? The Target: ‘Bass’ defined
2. Introduction 9
 Knowing and Going where the fish are – Locating, Luring and Acquiring
the target
3. The basics of Bass Fishing – An overview 12
 Tools of the trade: Tackle, Boats, Accessories, Lures and Baits (all
about plastics, spinners, crank and others- top-water and specialty
lures) 17
 Water, Weather, Timing and Other Environmental Aspect, Facets and
Considerations for Bass Fishing 33
 Techniques for Bass Fishing like a Pro (worms, skipping, Ripping, Drift
trolling, Fly-rodding) 41
4. Mistakes and Secrets to Bass Fishing 47
5. Styles and Specialty Bass Fishing Techniques 49
6. Final Thoughts: Summary and Conclusions 51
7. References And Other Handy Books On Bass Fishing 52
APPENDIX 1: Bass Fishing Glossary 54

1. F oreword - What Are We Fishing For Again? The
Target: (‘Bass’) Defined
Whatever the reason you had for picking up these pages, to learn
more about fishing, and game fishing, specifically with an all-time
angling favorite embedded in the aptly titled: Bass Fishing, 101:
How To Catch The Next Big One, you are sure to find a quenching
reprieve. Still your thirst for knowledge and any bass fishing
pursuit, challenge or battle, you will or might face in your
lifetime, right here. There is something for everyone in this book!
If your main interest, is improving your ability to catch Bass,
increasing, (and maybe) even stacking the odds in your favor of
succeeding time and again, every time, in this angling equation
and any future expeditions you plan to undertake, then this book
has something of value to offer you.
When you are on the hunt for Bass, knowing the basics is like the
lifeblood of your strategy, bringing your chances alive with every
cast!
ALSO, discover and develop YOUR OWN sportsman-like, angling
style and character, while gradually building your appreciation
and understanding of the great outdoors, as part of your fishing
experience.

We present a practical approach to the intricacies and
complexities involved in this popular sport. We hope that this is
captured well by the short title: Bass Fishing 101: How to Catch
the Next Big One.
Our focus, approach, aims and goals are simple – the basis and
premise even simpler: learn the basics, get them right,
consistently, with skill and mastery, and they will
eventually lead you to catching all the Bass you can
possibly want or handle!
We prefer to get right to the topic and elements of our discussion
– how to find and catch Bass! Basic yet detailed, the text is
written in such a manner, that it can be put to use and work for
you right away, without spending hours reading and wading
through pages of information, you do not need.
Most published works and accomplished authors (many anglers
themselves), depict Bass fishing as the ultimate angling
experience and ‘The Bass’ (predator-hunter itself), as toughminded,
unpredictable, with a strong survival instinct, great
awareness, sensing/sensors, that make them the keen and
effective hunters they are.
These fish benefit from natures’ gifts of powerful sight, hearing,
vast speed, maneuverability and even jumping action moves, that
will have you catch (pardon the pun), your breath… with awe,
excitement and expectation that is! All of this makes it possible
for the Bass to live up to its name and reputation, as one of the
“extremes” of the gaming fish populations and every angler’s
dream catch!
Part of the Percichthyidae family (also sub-classified into the
genus Morone – considered a separate unit or branch (white,
yellow, striped), they are widely distributed in temperate and
tropical waters, sub-species to be found in fresh and saltwater.
There are also the Australian bass (Acquaria novemaculeate),
European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).
Their food of choice/feed and natural diet includes small fish,
crustaceans, worms and insects – some anglers have also had
great success with live-bait, like eels and even frogs.
Then there are the black bass, collectively referred to and
including our prized target – called by some to be the most
sporting species in North America – the Centrarchidae family.
(Largemouth and smallmouth bass, redeye, spotted, striped,
black bass, Suwannee, Quadalupee).
Artificial baits have proven useful to most anglers. Live baits are
best, but these fish can be tempted, teased and lured