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Landing big bass is 5 percent luck and 95 percent knowledge. There is a lot to learn about bass fishing, including knowing how to locate and tackle the prime bass fishing areas. Many pro and recreational anglers expect to hook a bass as soon as they drop their lines into a new body of water. They wonder why the bass aren't striking, even though they haven't taken the time to familiarize themselves with the water, above and below the surface. Locating the best bass fishing spots is certainly not a shot in the dark. You'll need to do a little homework and understand the water if you want to locate the bass. There are several important factors to keep in mind while searching for those sweet spots swimming with hungry bass: 1. Your fishing expedition will naturally be affected by seasonal patterns. Know the patterns of the bass; where they go after spawning, and how they migrate throughout the season. Be a responsible angler and respect your seasonal limits. Government resource ministries protect the species by setting bass season in accordance with natural spawning patterns. 2. Keep the season in mind. The success of your bass fishing will depend on weather conditions. Bass are most active in early spring, late fall and just after a cold front. Knowing when to fish is as important as knowing where to fish. 3. Know the depth of the water. This factor is naturally combined with the type of bass you're fishing, as well as other considerations such as lakebed materials, natural covers or nearby weed beds. You will find bass in shallow water, if there are sufficient natural covers in place. However, shallow water should be avoided on hot, sunny days. Knowing the depth of the water will also determine your choice of bait. 4. Fish love clear water, so avoid murky, swampy areas. Everyone prefers clean water; particularly fish that need to live and breathe in it. 5. Fish when the water is cool. The natural food chain will be affected when the water drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, the fish simply won't bite when the water is too warm. 6. Find sunken treasure. Bass love to seek shelter among submerged branches and structures. Look for trees that have fallen into the water, old building foundations and even boat docks. Some bass species love to hide out in rock beds and under ledges, so try those areas as well. If you can find a structure hidden beneath the surface of the water, you'll like be able to lure out a big bass. 7. Look for vegetation. Bass are predators, and will naturally stay close to their prey. Weed beds are filled with frogs, insects and other bass treats. Use live bait or choose a lure made for weed beds, such as plugs or small floating minnows. Anchor your boat near the edge of the weed bed and cast alongside the weeds. As the name suggests, the right tackle will "lure" a fish out of hiding. 8. Mind your map. You won't find the bass in the lake if you can't find the lake on a map. If you're fishing foreign territory, the ability to read a map is crucial to your bass fishing success. Sometimes, local tackle shops will have maps available with prime fishing spots marked right on them. Hot spot and topographical maps are two popular choices for anglers. Hot spot maps are made to show anglers where fish can be found, but the natural migration trends prevent accuracy. Topographical maps show the lakes in more detail, with rocks, water depth and other features clearly shown. To use a map correctly, you need to know how to sector it. Study your map and note areas where fish might be found. Use a highlighter or coloured pen to divide the map into sections. Then, use the sections to decide where you will fish during the time that you have. The size of the sections should vary, depending on the contours, structures and different areas will be fished. Take your time in each section, and don't give up too quickly or move around too often. Successful bass anglers know that it takes more than dropping anchor and casting bait to hook a big, hungry bass. That's why bass tournaments can be so competitive and exciting. To come out on top, you need to think like a bass and search out those sweet spots that other anglers have missed. Remember what to look for in bass fishing areas: * Vegetation areas * Shallow water adjacent to deeper areas * Seek shoreline and lakebed contours * Points and point drops * Search out artificial and natural structures Understanding the water is the first step to locating bass. Once you've found a spot that you think is a prime bass fishing area, don't be too quick to give up. Bass are known to be slow to strike, and it may take repetitive action to lure them out of hiding. Be prepared to try several different types of bait and a variety of techniques. You'll soon establish a working pattern and land those big bass.
Article Source: http://www.philvault.com
Contributor Terence Uniacke provides material for numerous Internet magazines, on fishing recreation water and sports outdoors topics.
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