Bass
Bass is a gamefish primarily native to North American waters. It can be a freshwater fish or a saltwater fish and is basically a perch which means “bars”. There are many different species of bass from small mouth bass to giant sea bass. Most North American species of bass are called black bass and are actually members of the sunfish family. The term used in North America among fisherman when fishing for bass is called angling.
The behaviors of bass vary depending on which species of bass you are angling for. For instance, small mouth bass are aggressive fish, they fight and jump. When they jump out of the water it is their method of trying to throw the hook as opposed to large mouth bass which will generally put up a short but tuff fight before wearing down.
Being a good bass angler means having the right bass fishing tackle, reels and rods. Bass angling can be a lucrative sport but bass angeling can be very tricky. In most cases the best time to catch larger bass is at the beginning of spring.
Large mouth bass will typically stay hidden until this time when they will come out to spawn when the water warms up. This is also probably when you are likely to catch a larger fish because the female of the species has fattened herself up for breeding.
Bass love baitfish. Live fish is part of their natural diet. So using live bait such as minnows for fresh water and anchovies for saltwater is best but can get expensive. If you cannot afford live bait then you are going to want to shop for the right lures for the type of bass you are angling for.
Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs, tail spinners, topwater plugs, bucktail jigs, jigs and pigs, spoons and let’s not forget the good ole fashioned plastic worm are some of the many different types of lures you can buy. Now depending on where you are fishing you will also want to research what lure will work best. Some of these lures like the topwater plugs, are lures made for topwater fishing or fly fishing and best for warmer weather or waters when they are less likely to stay at the bottom; where as tail spinners are great for catching bass that are swimming deep or in colder water.
Anyways, if you are not sure which lures will work the best for you and you aren’t sure what kind of bass you are angling for then either buy fishing equipment on sale or take a little time and learn about your fish, your waters, and you lures before spending a fortune on expensive fishing equipment that may or may not work.
Ask around, see what the other guys are using, what they have caught, what they recommend etc. While I recommend doing a lot of research first and buying a reel and rod and lures that are good and usually more expensive, I also recommend testing out a variety first, not because it might be the best rod or reel for your choice of angling but because it also needs to feel comfortable to you.