# Help a newbie to bass fishing



## Josh24 (Jun 18, 2011)

I have done nothing but catfish since i can remember. I was gonna try my hand at bass fishing this year. Being as i have never done it im not to sure on what tackle i need or rod/reel type ect. If anyone could help me by giving some tips on tackle and good places to fish for bass would be very helpful.

The rod/reel combo i was gonna use for this new fish was reel-shimano magnumite GT-X2300 Rod- Shimano Bull whip


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## Fishing4the Lamb (Feb 11, 2013)

In my limited experience I'd say the same line you're using for cats will work. I'd say try your hand at some bass jigs or buy some crank-baits. I think you're going to get a lot of different advice, but it is really anyone's best guess. Bass can be hard to catch. 


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Josh24, I was in your situation last year. This will be my second year targeting bass and last year was a blast!

Best advice I can give is research first, buy just enough to get by and see if you like "it" then use what your most comfortable with.

After a short while you'll read enough and figure out your strengths quickly, and will start adding to your bag'o'tricks rapidly like I did.

Search threads on here about tackle and tactics. Many of these guys are excellent fisherman and can answer your questions easily, just show them you put some work in before asking for easy answers. There also a million threads about baits and lures.

Oh yeah! Almost forgot! HURRY! "Pre-spawn" starts shortly and with bass you wanna know something about top water fishing! And don't worry, we all jump the first time a big bass smashes the silence as you retrieve that lure in the morning/night. Man I gotta go fishing!



Mr. A

(2013)
SMB: 0 LMB: 0 
Catfish: 0 Bluegill: 0 
Other: 0


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## Josh24 (Jun 18, 2011)

by all means i was not just trying to get any easy way/answer...i honestly just have no clue on how or were to start when it comes to fishing with lures and such


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## BigFish614 (Jan 27, 2011)

I'm on my third year bass fishing. The best advice I can give goes with what Mr. A said, don't overwhelm yourself with a ton of baits. I recommend starting with some rubber worms, a top water, a spinnerbait, and a squarebill crankbait. Develop confidence in these baits and learn when to use each one, then expand on colors and sizes. Natural colors are important. Good luck!


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## stak45dx1 (Jun 21, 2011)

you have no idea what you're about to get yourself into, lol... i don't know what the rod you have is like but the first bass rod i would recommend is a 6'6" or 7' medium power fast action rod with 12 lb line on it, if you're comfortable with a baitcaster i'd go that route, but a spinnig reel will work fine. in a few years you might end up with 8 rods with you on every trip like me, lol. look up how to 'texas rig.' its really easy and effective with plastic worms and craws. you'll also want some spinnerbaits (white and black to start) and topwater 'poppers.' these three are what got me hooked on bass. i'd also recommend some bass jigs, the kind with a weighted head and rubber skirts. and then crank baits that are capable of getting to the bottom of wherever you fish. do some reading but mostly fishing... i've learned more out on the water by myself than anything else. always try different speeds with any lure you're using. good luck.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Josh24 said:


> by all means i was not just trying to get any easy way/answer...i honestly just have no clue on how or were to start when it comes to fishing with lures and such


I wasn't thinking you were asking for easy answers now, sorry about that. Just saying if you ask for information make it clear what yo9u have done up to the point you got stuck, this way people know how to help you and can cut through the stuff you did or know already.

I looked through my tackle and broke it down to a few things that started it all. These guy have already mentioned most if not all of it so I'm just making the same list I'll have to withing the next year for my son (hopefully!). Here's my list:

Plastic worms- they come in all shapes and sizes. I started with stick worms, they're my go to bait from post spawn to fall. Pumpkin w/chart tip, black, blk/blu, red.

Swimbaits- I fell in this hole last year, beware! They are addictive but don't necessarily replace the rest of your tackle. Choose wisely here, may want to get some time on the others so you have a better set of skills when swimbaits aren't working.

Jigs- I like booyah's because they have good colors, sharp hooks, and are affordable. Get a green flecked one, a black one, a blk and blue one. (You can also put plastic trailers on them Jig and pig) 

Crankbaits- get a repala Original minnow in blk/silver, then buy a few different cranks with different bills. Where you fish matters. If you fish ponds a deep diver prolly won't be money well spent.

Top water- Get a natural colored frog, a black and a white buzzbait, and a popper.

Terminal tackle- get the right hooks for the baits you're using, buy quality line, get some drop shot sinkers, slip sinkers, and some split shot. Get good swivels.

Research- youtube is your buddy! Look up carolina rig, texas rig, drop shot, as well as every lure I mentioned if you have questions, youtube has a how to video to help you. Use the search function on this site to get information as these guys know their stuff! Also look up types of retrieves like "walking the dog." 

This is a very basic list, I know I forgot some stuff but the others will let you know what I missed.

Don't forget about trial and error. I learn more about fish and my tackle this way than all other ways combined, and I get to fish while doing it!

Hope this helps out, and welcome to the club! 

Mr. A

(2013)
SMB: 0 LMB: 0 
Catfish: 0 Bluegill: 0 
Other: 0


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## jason_0545 (Aug 3, 2011)

i turned over from catfishing also and this will be my 2nd year full time bass fishing. as stated in basically every post so far theres too much stuff to have one or a bit of everything. jigs do work good but i think from shore(if thats what your doin) creature style baits will work better. not saying i havent caught fish on jigs but most of the ones i have caught are when theres visisble cover to throw 2. 2 bags of worms and maybe 2 bags of creatures will do for your texas rig fishing. for me a must have is a rattle trap. no wrong way to fish them. straight retreive when it hits, you can count it down to a desired depth,rip em off the bottom and let them fall or slow them down and hit the bottom with every reel turn. smaller minnow type cranks like the original rapala will catch fish. i use rebel cranks of that type. they are cheaper and easier to get down imo. think of it simply a couple baits to throw on bottom, a few mid-depth (which will vary on where you fish) and then baits that are gonna be in the top of the water or are topwaters. i would definately say to learn texas rigging and how to fish them first and foremost. anyone can pick up a crank bait and chuck it for 4 hrs and while this will catch some fish you would prolly cry if you knew how many you were missing(trust me ive been there) more importantly have fun and remember learning anything espescially bass fishing takes time. GOOD LUCK


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## Josh24 (Jun 18, 2011)

thanks for all the replys so far ill prolly just end up taking my catpool out cast it out and start messing with diffrent rigs and stuff wile wating for a cat bite


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## Cat Man (Apr 9, 2007)

Mr.a hit it pretty much on the head as an overview. Starting off (depending on what time of year your starting) I would recommend fishing a plastic worm, Texas rigged or a crank bait to get some fish on shore and then move on from there bait-wise. Many people that get into bass fishing initially do research online and find baits that work for tournament anglers and use more difficult baits, and if you dont use them in the right place or the right time and don't catch fish or don't catch many and are turned off of bass fishing. Crankbaits and plastic worms will catch fish anytime of year or in any location. start from here and work your way up. Once you get the hang of it and catch a few bass, you'll start to realize what the bass want and where they are holding up and then you can experiment with different baits until you realize which baits are better for different times and locations. Hope this helps


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## JohnPD (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for the info, not trying to steal the thread, but I started my thread on the bass lure/gear help, and this thread helps even more with good info


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## Fishing4the Lamb (Feb 11, 2013)

I think Large Mouth are caught better with top water and smallies are better caught with mid to bottom hanging rigs. I hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong. 


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Fishing4the Lamb .... the main reason you may think large mouth are better caught on top water than small mouth are, is really a product of the type of water that a large mouth lives in. Large mouth are a more shallow water fish than small mouth. When small mouth are shallow, they're suckers for a top water. It can actually be one of the best lure choices you can make, when small mouth are up shallow. Water clarity and a top water lures effectiveness go hand in hand. Most Ohio lakes have a water clarity that is going to restrict the use of top water lures to shallow or shallower water. In other words, the part of the water column where Mr Large mouth spends the majority of it's time. There are exceptions when a top water can work over deep water. But that's usually when you have extremely clear water, or suspended fish, but they're really a shallow water bait.

So it's really not a difference in the fish ...... it's a difference in what part of the water column each fish inhabits.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

If you're just starting out using Texas rigged soft plastic lures I'd suggest using a 4" worm over a 6" worm. I really wouldn't bother with a skirted jig and trailer unless you're going to be swimming it. Now is not the time to worry about quality of fish, and you won't get as many bites with a jig and trailer. The main thing you want to do is get bites so you know what they feel like, and you'll get more bites with a 4" worm. Personally I'd use a 4" Zoom lizard if I were just learning to fish soft plastics. June Bug, or Black with red flake You'll get tons of bites, and all of God's creatures love a 4" lizard. lol As far as what worm to use, I'd use a 4" black Berkley Power worm. The power worm has flavor enhancements cooked into it so fish will hold on to it longer, which will give you more time to feel the bite, and set the hook. I'd use an 1/8 oz. slip sinker with either a 2/0 or 3/0 straight shank hook. I prefer Owner hooks, but you can use any hook you like as long as its a good quality hook. Don't skimp on hooks. Most of your fishing for largemouth bass is going to be around cover so you're going to want to do what is called "pegging your sinker". You can use a toothpick to peg it. After you have rigged your sinker take a flat toothpick and insert it into the back of your slip sinker. Push it in far enough to where it gets snug and won't let your sinker slide easily up or down your line. Don't push it in too far. Just enough to snug it to the line. Clip off each end of the toothpick with clippers so they are flush with each end of the sinker. After rigging your bait on your hook slide the sinker so it is tight against the nose of your bait. It's a good idea to wet your line Just spit on it or run it through your mouth) before you slide the sinker down. The spit will lubricate the line and make the sinker slide easier without putting friction on your line. This will keep your sinker and bait together and make it less likely to hang up. It also ensures that your bait is falling in the same spot the weight is. 

A hit on rubber worm or lizard will feel like a tick on your line. When you feel the tick, set the hook. Some people like to wait for a second or two before they set the hook, and some times you may have to. But personally, I set the hook as soon as I feel the bite. Some times you'll notice your line swimming off to either side. If you do ..... set the hook. If you see your line jump ....... set the hook. I hope this helps.

I wanted to add ........ Jason was right on when he said creature baits. I would fish those in lieu of a jig. Get either Zoom Baby Brush Hogs, or Reaction Innovations Smallie Sweet Beaver..... that's the 3 1/2" size. Green Pumpkin is a great color for either of those baits. In the Smallie Beaver, Penetration is a great color.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Josh24 said:


> thanks for all the replys so far ill prolly just end up taking my catpool out cast it out and start messing with diffrent rigs and stuff wile wating for a cat bite


I am by no means a bass expert, but i do target nearly every gamefish in ohio. So i guess i'd say i know a little about a lot of things, in comparison to guys who target one species which know alot about a few things. 

To the point. I have tried many styles of fishing and from past experience i can tell you that your not going to want to bring the cat rod along. Focus on what you are trying to achieve. Bass fishing can be fast paced, constantly moving and constantly switching lures/rods. You dont need the distraction of the other rod. I was once learning how to drift fish for channel cats and i failed to catch fish using this method because i had no confidence and would toss an anchor and go back to old methods of fishing. It wasnt until i had a buddy tell me that the only way to learn to drift fish was to leave my anchor at home....this way i was forced to learn how to drift.

Hope this helps.

And for my 02....start with small baits and work your way up. Get a light spinning rod and start tossing weightless berkly powerbait worms. Also try the smaller crankbaits 2 to 3 inches. I think norman makes some larger crappie crankbaits that are tons of fun to use in the spring. Also start fishing in smaller state lakes, and ponds. They have less pressure and hold a good population of 2 plus pound bass. Also fish with a buddy if you can, and use different lures until one of you finds what they want, this will help you put more fish in the boat or on the bank and lessen the time spent finding the right presentation by yourself.

Oh and dont burn yourself out too early. Dont start fishing until April, bass can be hard to locate in march when the waters cold. A few bad trips can really damage your confidence.

Best of luck.


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## stak45dx1 (Jun 21, 2011)

its a goood thing you didn't get inspected that day you left the anchor at home... lol. but that's for another discussion.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

stak45dx1 said:


> its a goood thing you didn't get inspected that day you left the anchor at home... lol. but that's for another discussion.


Didn't know it was a law to have one, but after checking you are right. Thanks for the heads up, a fine would ruin a day of fishing.

Only been inspected twice from a boat by the way, never asked to see an anchor. Usually its the life jackets and registration. Thats new to me.


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

I'd look into buying a couple packs of senko's or trick worms with some gamakatsu 3/0 worm hooks. Youtube how rig it as a weightless texas rig and throw it on a 6'6" or 7' spinning rod with 8lb mono. This is one of the easiest ways to start catching bass and it will get the ball going...once the addiction starts though it doesn't stop.


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## Josh24 (Jun 18, 2011)

thanks for all the info on this subject guys i will post pictures if i catch any bass this year...sure hope i do good luck to you all this year as well


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## TimTaylor75 (Apr 7, 2009)

This is what makes this community so great. A wealth of knowledge, happily shared to those willing to learn.

When I first got back into fishing a couple of years ago, I stocked up on a large variety of different types of baits and yielded poor results because I didn't learn how those baits "work". I read Ike's book and found his advise to be very helpful. I'd take one type of bait out for a day and try different areas, patterns and colors to help me better understand its characteristics and behaviors. This has translated into more successful and more enjoyable fishing. And that's what it's all about.

Can't wait for that first cast this year!


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## ranger373v (Oct 26, 2012)

some really good info here...dont dive in head first, learn.and maybe go out with someone who does it alot, theres usually an open seat in my boat!


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## my vise (Jun 12, 2011)

Bottom line - practice throwing! If you put the bait where the fish are you catch. 6" can b the biggest difference. 

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