Bass Location Tips

Perhaps one of the most important parts of bass fishing is actually finding the fish. Once you locate the fish, half the battle is won. In order to find bass, you need to know where bass like to hang out. Bass are often found in and around underwater shelter, whether it's fallen trees, rocks, sign posts, boat docks or dense weeds. Also, bass tend to prefer ledges, where there is a steep drop-off, coves, and sandy areas. Many lakes, actually have man-made cover underwater designed to attract bass. They are usually made from rocks or dead trees. In order to find these areas, a topographical map charting the geographical contours of the lake, can prove to be an invaluable tool. Also, ask local fishermen, tackle shop owners, and rangers who are familiar with the lake, where they have had success.

Fishing in and around these structures, can be frustrating, as it's difficult to really work a lure down into many of these areas. Ask your local tackle shop for lures and jigs, specially designed to penetrate these bass shelters. Also, fishing the heavily weeded areas and grassy-bottom parts of the lake, can cause a lot of snags. Bass are not fooled by a lure covered in grass. Try using a weedless hook, or bury the tip of the hook inside your rubber jigs. That way they will cruise right through the weeds and moss without hanging up.

Once you have located the bass, even if it is just a few, generally, there are many more in the vicinity. Bass tend to frequently return to these spots, so it also can be helpful to keep a diary of where you found the bass. You can note your exact position using a geographical positioning system (GPS) or if you don't have a GPS, just triangulate your position with landlocked reference points. Return to these spots year after year, but keep in mind that bass have seasonal patterns, so don't expect to always find the fish in the same spot through out the year. During their spawning season, for instance, look for the bass to move into the shallower areas where the water tends to be a few degrees warmer. Also, the bass like to create their nests in sandy areas or in small pebbles. The bass can appear to be easy targets when they are in the shallows, near the shore, but their mind is usually concentrating on protecting their eggs, so they may not be as easy to catch as you might expect. Often times they chase a lure when they are spawning, but it is just to get it away from their nest, and not to actually feed.

Without a knowledge of the underwater sheltered areas, bass can still be easy to find during their heavy feeding times. Although bass love minnows, they are often top feeders, and rise out of the water. During the early morning and late evening, bass lakes come to life as the surface of the water begins to boil with their movement. This is perhaps the best time to fish for bass. After all, why not fish when they are feeding? This is a good time to try using a top-water lure, with a lot of movement. This action really catches their attention.