Hundreds of lures, how-to books, and videos promise anglers the experience of hauling in big bass. Although small bass are fun to catch, fishermen anticipate the moment when they land the ten-pound lunker of their dreams. They buy jigs, rigs, spinners, and deep-diving crankbaits. They throw soft baits and swim baits. They fish early morning and late evening hours, always hoping to hook the giant fish that lurks below the waters of their local fishing hole. They spend hours watching television programs that make tournament fishing look easy. Professional anglers, with their boats and shirts sporting the logos of their sponsors, reel in bass after bass. Even the smallest of these would make the average bass fisherman happy. How do they do it?
Spend Time on the Water and Use the Time Wisely
Successful fishermen agree that there is no substitute for time spent on the water. As one much-experienced angler declared, “You won’t catch nothing if your line ain’t in the water.” Professionals and amateurs alike know that dedication is more likely than luck to produce a trophy catch. It takes time and experience to become intimately familiar with a body of water. One must know how the currents flow, what lies on the bottom, what flora and fauna surround it, how deep the water is, and how and when depth changes occur. The old fisherman’s wisdom holds true as well. The more hours one spends with a lure in the water, the greater one’s chances of catching fish.
Professional fishermen get to know their favorite lakes by studying them. They read topographical maps and use high-definition electronic imaging devices in order to know exactly what the lake bottom is like. They study temperatures and pay attention to water quality. They do their homework and find out where the big fish live, and those are the lakes and the areas they target.
Study the Life and Habits of Bass
The most successful bass fishermen are those who understand their quarry. They learn as much as they can about the life and habits of bass. They know when the spawn occurs in the lakes they fish, and they know where fish go to find cooler temperatures in midsummer. They know what the fish are feeding on, and this allows them to choose lures that mimic current bass food in color, shape, and movement. Every time a fisherman keeps a bass to eat, he should open the fish’s stomach and examine the contents. When the bass are biting, anglers should take note of the location, time of day, air and water temperatures, weather conditions, type of lure and presentation, and any other information that seems pertinent. Over time, these notes will create a pattern, and the fisherman will be able to predict where and when the bass can be taken.
Choose the Lure to Suit the Fisherman and the Habitat
How do bass fishermen choose from among the myriad lures on the market today? Some people swear by the old standards that have caught trophy bass for decades. Others claim that new, improved lures will fool the wise, old bass that have seen a million of the same old crankbaits go by. Experts tout the advantages of life-like swim baits and soft plastics. Deer hair bass bugs, frog and mouse imitators, and lures that rattle and spin all have their proponents. The truth is, all of these will catch big bass when presented in the right way, under the right conditions. Conditions vary tremendously from lake to lake, from area to area, and from day to day.
Fishermen vary tremendously as well. No two fishermen will retrieve the lure in exactly the same way. Casting ability varies. Perhaps the greatest variation of all lies in the unquantifiable differences in fishing instinct. Often, fishermen are totally absorbed in the moment, the movement of the water, the feel of the air, and all that combines so that the angler is sure that the big bass is lying right there. He casts the lure, retrieves it at the speed and depth that simply feels right, and the lunker hits, just as expected.
On the next day, at the same time, in the very same place, the fisherman will cast in vain. Fishing is a sport that requires constant evaluation and adaptation as the angler searches for a moving, unseen quarry in constantly changing conditions. Consistently catching big bass like the pros do requires dedication, study, instinct, and hours of time with a line in the water.
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