YOUR LARGEMOUTH BASS FISHING GUIDE

The number of fishing methods and techniques for trying to reel in these fish could fill a huge book. So, we will break down some of the most common ways these incredibly smart fish can be caught. Let's start out with what makes them so bright, and then you can plan your casts accordingly to try and use this to your advantage.

First, this species of fish can see in color. So choosing the correct color, either green pumpkin, red crawfish, or another color, can significantly affect your success rate. Secondly, this type of Black Bass has a sixth sense and can feel vibrations in the water from other fish, thanks to its lateral line. Finally, females will spawn in the shallows, but after laying her eggs, the male will help guard the nest.

We could sit here and tell you what brand of all of the best fishing gear to buy and what combinations you should use, but we aren't here to sell you equipment or tell you what is best for you. Anglers have success with many different techniques and with various brands of gear. What makes them successful is their ability to cater to their strengths to meet the current weaknesses of the fish.

A common question for any fish is, "What's the biggest ever caught?". It seems the secret to catching a prized world record largemouth bass is skipping a day of work and enjoying a fishing trip instead. That's that George Perry did when, in 1932, he reeled in a 22 pound and 4-ounce lunker! Many have come close to breaking the record, but it still stands strong today and is the most coveted world fishing record out there.

Fish like the one above caught on Montgomery Lake are rare. However, if you find yourself on a lake known to produce quality bass, then you can expect to catch them in the 6 to 10-pound range regularly. Lakes with a high population of bass, you can frequently find 2-pounders.

Like all fish species, the seasons affect where they are located and their level of appetite (aggression towards your bait or artificial lure).

• Spring: Spring is a can't miss season for Black Bass fishing. They are in spawn, and a big female can be found guarding her nest close to shore. So enjoy the action-packed catch and then release her back to her so she can finish her spawn.
• Fall: When the leaves begin to fall, these fish begin to scatter. They are harder to find during this season, so bring a variety of lures and be prepared to use your fish finder to its full potential. When in doubt, we recommend fishing the areas with the best structure. The biggest adult largemouth bass claims these territories, so they are certainly worth the hail-mary.
• Summer: Largemouth Bass need to cool off in the summer too, so they will head for deeper water and find the underwaters structures. Dense vegetation areas that provide cover from the sun are still an option if you prefect to cast towards the shoreline.
• Winter: When the water temperature gets cold, they begin to care the most about warm water areas. Try fishing a reservoir that provides water to cool an electrical plant. The electrical plant will discharge the water back into the lake, causing the water temperature to rise in those areas.

The best locations for catching Largemouth Bass can vary year to year depending on factors like spawning success rates and fishing pressure, but some fishing spots can produce year over year.

Top 10 Largemouth Bass Destinations

• Sam Rayburn Reservoir - Texas
• Lake Guntersville - Alabama
• Lake Fork - Texas
• Thousand Islands - New York
• Mille Lacs Lake - Minnesota
• Chickamauga Lake - Tennessee
• Falcon Lake - Texas
• Clear Lake - California
• Lake St. Clair - Michigan
• Lake Erie - New York

Don't see a bass fishing lake near you on our list? Don't worry. There are many great bass fishing lakes out there with some fishing spots that can produce big bass and maybe even a larger fish than one of the lakes above. Just book a fishing guide on your favorite body of water, and they will likely know how to get you on a big fish.

Sportfishing doesn't get much more magnificent than trying to outsmart this hard fighting fish. Focus on the following factors when learning how to catch Largemouth Bass is the time of year, the temperature of the water, and the depth of the water.

Bass will move into the shallow areas during spring, stay cool in the summer, and as the weather gets colder, they will move to deeper water or near a source of warmer water. Choose a type of lure that will work best in the depths for that season, such as a topwater frog over some shading Lilly Pads during the summer.

Choose a color of lure that will mimic the bait available in that body of water at that time of year. An example is a red crawfish during crawfish season. For those who prefer to fish with live bait... a good largemouth bass bait is a medium to large-sized minnow that is native to the area.

Remember, bass are highly intelligent. So change your approach or try something new after a few casts don't work. It might not be the fishing spot, but something as simple as a change of color.

Should you eat Largemouth Bass is a widespread debate amongst anglers.

Can you eat them? Yes, you can. As long as the local officials have cleared that body of water for the safe consumption of its fish and you cook them properly, they are safe to eat.

Does a Largemouth Bass taste good? Yes, many people enjoy eating the smaller fish they catch.

We recommend asking your local fish and wildlife department officials if the lake needs more fish harvested. With other fish such as Crappie, Catfish, and White Bass being the popular catch-to-eat fish and Largemouth Bass being famous for catch and release, sometimes the populations would benefit if more people kept their bag limit for consumption.

Every state as a different set of state-wide rules and regulations for fishing for and keeping Largemouth Bass. Additionally, individual bodies of water will often have different requirements than the broad state-based size requirement and bag limits.

Angling comes with the responsibility of staying up to date with the rules and regulations for any waters you fish. It's only through abiding by the requirements and doing our part to be ethical in our actions that we can leave better fishing opportunities for future sportsmen and women.

• Claims Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and Tennessee as the state's official state fish.
• They can live up to 16 years.
• These fish can see color.
• They can feel vibrations in the water using their lateral line.
• The bigger the fish, the sooner they will start to spawn.
• Bass are smart and can learn from their mistakes.