Bass Basics - Equipment

BASS BASICS - EQUIPMENT

Purchasing bass fishing equipment can the best way to start. Let’s take a look at seem overwhelming due to the large variety some different types of rods and reels often of products available. Keeping it simple is used for bass fishing.

Differences Spin Fishing Gear Baitcast Fishing Gear Reel • (A) Open spool with a bail • Located on top of rod • (B) Closed spool with a trigger • Spool rotates while casting • Suspended underneath rod • Timing is important to cast lure • Spool does not spin while casting to a location • Line is drawn out by the weight of the lure

Benefit • Great for variety of tackle, both • Accuracy is the main advantage lures and live bait • Useful for light tackle

Drawbacks • Difficult for casting large lures • Less useful with variety of baits • Not as accurate to cast as and lures baitcasting reels • More skill needed to use • Spool can send out too much line and create knots

Spin Fishing Gear Baitcast Fishing Gear Blank Rod Tip Rod Tip Reel Seat Guides Hook Keeper Guides Lure Handle Bail Reel (A) Lure Spool Star Reel Seat Rod Tip Drag Handle Guides Reel Hook Keeper Handle Reel Seat Button Reel (B) Lure Handle BASS BASICS - LURES and RIGGING

Bass like lures that mimic the prey they crankbaits, rubber frogs, rubber worms feed on. Lures that shake or wiggle will rigged Carolina style, spinnerbaits and catch their attention including minnow surface plug poppers.

minnow crankbait rubber frog

rubber worm rigged Carolina style

spinnerbait surface plug popper

A Note about Knots Don’t forget to tie on your lure with a good Visit our online Knotes on Knots page to learn knot. For beginners, the Improved Clinch and about tying knots at www.fishandboat.com/ Palomar knots are the easiest knots to tie. education/catalog/knotesknots.pdf. BASS BASICS - NATURAL and LIVE BAITS

Crayfish Minnows Crayfish are a staple food for bass, Bass can’t resist a minnow. Minnows can especially crayfish that have molted their be tricky to keep alive when placing them exoskeletons. Smallmouth Bass can’t resist on the hook. It takes some practice, but “softshell” crayfish. Look for newly molted it’s worth the extra effort. A lively minnow crayfish by finding their old shells along will draw more attention from hungry bass. the shoreline.

minnow

crayfish

Hellgrammites Hellgrammites are the aquatic larval stage of the Dobsonfly and are found under rocks in clean rivers and streams. Hellgrammites make a juicy treat for black bass. Hook them on a jig-head or a regular hook, add a small splitshot sinker to your line, drift on the river or stream bottom, and hold on tight. Be careful when handling hellgrammites, as they may bite.

hellgrammite

A Word about Live Bait Be sure to check the regulations on collecting live bait, especially for crayfish. Hooked on Bait The head must be immediately removed There are many ways to hook your behind the eyes upon capture unless used bait after your rig is prepared. Visit www. as bait in the water from which taken. This fishandboat.com/education/learning/ rule and other regulations can be found fish_funda/tmf_how_to_hook_bait.pdf under the Bait Section page of the current to learn more about hooking different Pennsylvania Fishing Summary. types of bait.