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Today, I’m super excited because we’re diving into one of my favorite things in the world—bass fishing! If you’re new to fishing, or just want to learn more, this is the perfect place to start!
Let me tell you a quick story about catching my first bass. I love fishing with my dad, and we started fishing together when I was pretty young. We fished mostly bluegill, pickerel and sunnies but I was eager to catch a bass! For some reason, I didn’t think I was a fisherman until I caught a bass. One morning, my dad took me to a family friend’s property not too far from our home. I had seen pictures of other people’s catches at this pond, and I wanted to do that myself. We parked the car; I grabbed my tackle box and fishing rod and stomped through a swampy area to a decent sized pond. I immediately tied on a rooster tail lure. I felt confident this would work. After about 30 minutes of continued casting, I caught my first bass!! Aw man, what a feeling, I was hooked!
I share this story for beginners in bass fishing to say, KEEP IT SIMPLE. You don’t need a lot to get started, so just get out there and have some fun.
All you need is a rod, either live bait or a lure, hooks and pliers/scissors/nail clippers.
FISHING RODS: When you are shopping for fishing rods, you can either buy your rod and reel separately or buy a combo. I recommend beginners get a combo. Right now, I’m casting my Lew’s Mach Pro 30 spin reel combo. It casts very smoothly. It has a sensitive rod tip which is good for feeling any bites from fish. The sturdy base makes it easier to set the hook more comfortably. Spinning reels are easy to use and less likely to get tangled like a bait caster.
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LIVE BAIT or LURE: For beginners, I recommend you grab yourself a pack of Sanko worms. These plastic worms look so natural that they can attract bass even when the bass are less active. Sanko worms look like live bait but are much less messy and can be used for longer periods of time. Check out this pack that I personally use.
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If interested in learning more on the best bass lures and when is an ideal to use each of them, check out our earlier post titled, BEST BASS FISHING LURES (jackyboyoutdoors.com)
SOME TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Bass like to hide so throw your cast near the banks and other objects.
Let the fish eat your lure before you set the hook. The timing is important. If you pull too quickly, you could pull it out of the bass’ mouth. If you wait too long, they will feel the hook and spit out the lure.
It’s easy to get frustrated when you aren’t getting any bites, but don’t change spots too quickly. In clear water, bass can see your lure from further away so be patient.
Fishing is all about patience and persistence.
Remember it is called fishing, not catching 🙂
Have REEL fun!
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @jackyboyoutdoors for catches and tips. Please feel free to comment anytime and share what works for you. We’d love to hear all about it!