Authored by Douglas Mefford in Fishing
Published on 05-10-2009

For freshwater fishing excitement, the large mouth bass, micropterus salmoides, is second to none. This widespread species of the sunfish family can in some instances, grow up to three feet long and weigh in at over twenty pounds although the average is closer to two foot and ten to twelve pounds of exceptionally tasty meat. Ranging throughout the United States, the large mouth bass can adapt to many different environments, from fast running streams to small stagnant ponds.

Finding the best methods to catch these fish is a never-ending experiment with different types of lures, locations and times. While a young bass will often school together near the surface, the older bass become solitary hunters that prefer deeper water. That their food sources change with their age increases the difficulty level and makes the angling that much more fun.

Bass are very intelligent and have been known to acclimate themselves to a particular type of bait or lure very quickly. Having a wide assortment of lures that one can switch between will help increase the chances of a successful hunt for your bass fishing experience. Lures that look like naturally occurring water creatures will generally give better results than obviously artificial lures since the eyesight of the large mouth bass is excellent and they are quite adept at noticing and avoiding unnatural looking offerings. A swivel sinker and preferably about a three foot leader, depending on water depth, can help give your lure a more natural presentation.

Large mouth bass are observant of their surroundings as well and it is best to leave an area after a successful strike for at least fifteen to twenty minutes just so they will get over the nervousness caused by the previous catch. Deep water fishing in murky water can cut this “cool down” time since it helps prevent the fish from seeing other fish being caught and hauled away. Still, if the fish are hungry, they will begin to strike again after a while.

A pliable rod is best for fishing large mouth bass, as you will need the flexibility to help work these fierce fighters. A couple of hundred feet of line will also help provide the necessary give and take of combat as you strive to land one once you have it hooked. Unless you specifically need the food, the large mouth bass has been shown to be quite capable of surviving the stresses of catch-and-release fishing. This can improve the fish as it matures as the ten pound fish you release today may be the fifteen pound fish you catch again next year, smarter and more aggressive for the experience.

Finally, one should always give a listen to the advice of local fishermen in any area you are newly fishing. Conditions vary so much that it is always advisable to have an understanding of the “ground rules” of any particular area you are attempting to hunt a large mouth bass in. This is also good advice for the time of year as winter fishing for large mouth bass is very different from angling for them in the summer.