Hitting the Books
By Danny Russell
www.huntnfishla.com

With hunting season winding down nearly everyone's thoughts turn to fishing. A cold, rainy afternoon is the perfect excuse to sit by the fire and read a good fishing book. My friend Greg, who shares a hunting camp with me, can tell you I've spent many an hour in the deer stand and in the hunting camp reading fishin' books and magazines. Reading about new concepts and products (mostly in magazines) is a good way to keep updated on all the latest in fish catching news. But, there are several old, not so new, and newer books available that have a wealth of information. Here is a list of books, that I've read, that you can certainly learn from.

OLD BOOK

Complete Book of Bass Fishing, by Grits Gresham
Grits Gresham is probably one of the best known outdoor writers, having written for nearly every major outdoor magazine. He is also a graduate of L.S.U. and has worked for the La. Wildlife and Fisheries. Written in the 60's, you'll find it interesting to see pictures of some of the old equipment and lures. Also some of the concepts have changed, as well as the techniques. BUT there is still some good information that has been forgotten and still applies for today’s and tomorrow’s fishing conditions. This book is sort of a history book with good information about fishing that gives you a good idea how far fishing has come in the last 30 yrs.

NOT SO NEW BOOKS

Hook, Line and Sinker- The Complete Anglers Guide to Terminal Tackle, by Gary Soucie
If your in to the technical side of fishing, this book is for you. It has every thing you wanted to know (and a lot you may not want to know) about terminal tackle. This book gets in-depth on descriptions and names of hooks, sinkers and weights, snaps, leaders, weights, and line. Also it has 50 PAGES of knots and how to tie them!!! Also the author talks about lure types and design.

Circle on Bass, Bass wisdom from a master, by Homer Circle (also known as Uncle Homer)
Homer has been fishing for over 50 years, so that's a lot of experience to learn from. This book covers everything from anatomy to catching bass like a pro. A good beginner’s book that has a lot of information for even the most experienced fisherman. Also Uncle Homer gives that personal, humorous touch he is known for.

Anglers guide to Bass Patterns, by Larry Larsen
This book covers productive methods, places and times for patterning bass. This book covers more places and conditions that create a pattern than methods for finding patterns. Still it is a good source of knowledge for finding bass in different types of waters and different conditions.

NEWER BOOKS

Catching Bass Like a Pro, by Guy Eaker
Guy Eaker is a touring B.A.S.S. pro who has been fishing tournaments for over 20 years. Eaker gives accounts of past tournaments and how he got started in tournament fishing. He also does a good job covering different conditions and discloses some of the secrets he has found over the years. At the end of the book Guy also discusses turning "pro" and gives his views and suggestions on the topic. Also, each book is personally signed by Guy Eaker.

Denny Brauer's Winning Tournament Tactics, by Denny Brauer
Any book with Brauer's name on it demands attention, especially if you like to flip and pitch. Denny tells his methods of fishing just about every condition with special focus on heavy cover. He also gives tips on jig fishing which is very useful. A lot of the book has elementary fishing info but there is still some good information you can filter our.

Bass Strategies, by Kevin VanDam
I saved this one for last, hoping some of the guys I compete against in tournaments wouldn't read this one. This book has in-depth information on finding bass under different conditions, effects of weather, water clarity, fronts, fishing pressure etc. This is a very good book for all levels of fishermen.