Can someone teach me to bass fish!??

[Throbbit _Shane]

You're on a noble path young angler - once you quit all this bass nonesense and start to fish for a noble species...

Do**he bag... He came asking about bass not noble species or what ever non sense that may be.

colbypearson took a giant leap to start baiting the salmon anglers without knowing anything about me, my fishing habits, or my background. Raincatcher followed him by telling me to change my direction. You seem to be ready to make the same leap into thin air.

Baiting Salmon anglers in the bass section eh? Most salmon/steehead anglers care less about bass and wont be clicking the bass threads on here.

I even have an interesting post in this thread claiming a scientific study ranks fish intelligence. I've spent four hours I'm never going to get back seaching for any study discussing relative intelligence of fish species and if it's there, it's mighty well hidden.

should of spent that time fishing.

And I still don't think bass are smart or clever or a challenge to catch. I do think they're a challenge to find, but once found, are not terribly hard to hook.

And I dont think your smart or clever Tinker, but it's my opinion just like its yours on bass.


I have said that I've been trying for a year to catch a steelhead and haven't caught one, yet. As Vitaliy is with bass, I am with steelhead: we want to catch a fish but we're asking questions about how it's done. Further, I don't think you or colbypearson or Raincatcher can show me any post in which I suggest that bass are any less intelligent, less clever or less challenging to catch than any other species.

Are all Oregon bass anglers so insecure? I might have to stop fishing for bass in Oregon...

Good stop fishing for bass! They arnt "noble" enough for you anyways.

 

[Raincatcher]

Okay, that's enough of all the getting all bad ass and up in yo face kind of crap! Save it for the pm. Get back on topic or go fishing.

 

[colbypearson]

You want to use both. What you want to do is find what they are doing at any given time, and that can change throughout the day. You may find them actively feeding, and topwater lures can work well in those situations. You might find them sunning themselves - resting but not feeding - and then you have to aggravate them into taking your lure.

Bass have a territorial hierarchy and will aggressively defend their space. If they aren't feeding, you can't get them to take an attractor plug, but can get them to hit an aggravator. Most topwater plugs and grubs are designed to imitate a prey fish and induce a predatory strike, and most imitators (like Rapalas), spinners or spinnerbaits are designed to enduce an aggressive territorial strike.

If you're convinced you're on a spot that holds fish, you should try both types of lures to thoroughly fish the area.

If you're fishing a bedding area, in general, spawning fish are rarely feeding fish but will usually be extraordinarily territorial. Post-spawn fish are voracious feeders and a lot less territorial. In warm water they're more active and will chase the lure. In colder water, they may be lethargic and you'll need to put the lure on their noses. An ideal situation is to find the bass warming themselves in shallower water when they are not spawning because that's when they are preparing to feed.

Depth in the water column has more to do with barometric pressure and water clarity than anything else. If they are not actively defending the spawning bed, they'll move into water in which they are safe from predators; but if there's a sudden drop in the barometric pressure (a storm is approaching), it can unbalance their swim bladder enough that they'll be more shallow than you'd normally expect for several hours.

I'll bow to colbypearson's experience with the Columbia basin, but in other parts of the country, bass don't seek gravel or sand for spawning, but seek weed beds and reeds where the hatchlings will shelter and mature. They'll dig through the silt that the weeds grow in to reach gravel for the nest, but they seek the weeds and reeds as shelter for the hatch.

If I were to fish a spawning ground when they are actively spawning, I'd start with a shallow diving lure - 1 to 3 feet - and follow that with a deeper diving lure that will bounce along the bottom. A nesting bass will often flash at a shallow lure without taking the lure - just chasing it away - and when that happens, you might want to change to a deeper lure and keep casting it to the nest until she hits it to protect the nest.

If you search a few videos online, you'll find some that show fish caught from their spawning beds and they're almost always caught by putting an imitator lure on the bottom very close to the nest and trying to get the female to attack the lure to protect the nest.

I was just wondering if you were talking about carp.......... :lol:

If that is somehow baiting salmon fisherman then so be it, I only tossed Salmonid species in that post because I know your not talking about bluegill, and past that you start running out of popular target species in Oregon. Carp fishing is actually one of the most popular facets of the sport on this forum.

As far as spawning habitat I was mostly talking about Smallmouth, a lot of lakes in Oregon and California for that matter are reservoir style fisheries with fluctuating water levels preventing vegetation growth for the most part. Thanks for that addition.

I spend a lot of time learning the habits and targeting trophy bass, largemouth and smallmouth in Oregon, they really don't even behave like bass in a nutshell.... They definitely aren't "Stupid" or easy to catch in terms of fish...Probably why next to no-one can consistently get it done outside of the spawn or in a private pond here in Oregon, I'd definitely consider them "noble" lots of people don't even know they exist.

 

[Tinker]

<sigh>

 

[VMAN-Fishing34]

Well thanks for everyone who gave me advice about this sneaky son of a fish, i will attempt to use all the strategies y'all gave me. and as for you who just can't stop fighting about how smart a bass is... someone should make a different forum for that haha. just kidding it was an interesting convorsation regardless. thanks to everyone.

 

[Liphooked]

After I digest this thread I'll go fishing and give a report. It isn't the fish it's me! @VMAN Thanks for the thread. I just started myself so this thread makes it easier for me! I can say only one thing. With all the bait lures and scents I have what I notice right off the bat is they love the worm and scent really helps. going later in the day helps, being on the side of a point that the rivers water is rushing against (pools the food source.) Now I have only caught 3 over a half pound so take that for what it's worth. I only started this year. On the Columbia this year ( I know it's semi early- with the weather getting cold again and water temps just getting to 56 to 58 degree's). At least Am I getting the idea? The bite is my problem. They are killing my line. hard hits and missing worms. I got the blue's! lol. What am I missing?

 

[Liphooked]

I have been going with two poles and should be only using one! I have missed so many bites because fishing poles on the ground. lol. thanks.

You are definitely well-geared. Just a suggestion: choose your favorite rod/reel combination, just for this season, and find the fish. Stick with whatever rig you choose - that's another layer of complexity at the moment - hit the river and have fun. I'm always out there fishing, I'm sometimes out there catching, but I'm always out there having fun.

This was said about trout, but it applies to all species: the thing you have to admire most about fish is their impeccable taste in landscape. Enjoy it.

 

[Aervax]

There is a lot of good Bass information for you on this thread. It makes me wish this forum existed when I was your age and learning it all the hard way. Do what these guys are telling you to do and you will catch a few
ore fish every outing.

I want to comment on your line about missing strikes. Not all rods and lines are quite right for bass fishing. Bass have hard mouths. If you set the hook when their mouth is completely closed they can hold closed tightly enough that you do not get a good hook set. That is why you see the pros on the shows set the hook like they are trying to yank the bass right out of the water. I hooked a largemouth once on San Pablo Reservoir in California t

I grew up fishing for trout in the Rockies. I eventually focused on Bass more and
ore to mix things up a little. The trout rods and lines were absolutely wrong for catching Bass. The rods are too soft, and the small doameter nylon mono to stretchy. No matter how hard you set the hook with that gear there is enough give that the hook just does not make it through a Bass' lip. Changing from 4-6 lb nylon mono and medium-light rods to 8-30 lb co-polymer and medium-heavy and heavy rods and super sharp hooks made all the difference. For most applications for smallies on the Columbia I use a medium heavy rod and spinning reel with 8lb co-polymer line.

There is no hurry toadd to your gear with a $100-300 rod. These days you get as good of functionality out of a $35rod as $100-$200 rod from 5-10 yrs back. I use a lot of plastic worms and jigs on the river. A really soft sensitive tip with a stiff backbone on the nottom 3/4 of the rod has been ideal for my fishing style on the river.

Finding active bass is the key to catching numbers and eventually size. The Columbia holds a lot of 5lb+ fish, maybe more than anyplace in the country. Learn bass feeding, resting, and territorial habits; then think about those behaviors when you are looking at the water and choosing a place to fish. Think like a fish, "If I am a Bass on this stretch of water right there is the spot I would wait to ambush

I am seeing a lot of good advice for you on this thread, but no invitation to take you fishing. I am just up the Gorge from you in Hood River. I have taught many people how to fish over the years and would be glad to have the company of an angler along with the passion for the sport that you have. I am tying up some new experimental shad jigs today and will be on the river testing them out tomorrow.

 

[Aervax]

I will be carrying bass tackle too, to fish for spawners and staging fish. If you want to join me tomorrow or some other time send a message to me at aervax@gmail.com. We can nail down details then. Eric

 

[colbypearson]

I am seeing a lot of good advice for you on this thread, but no invitation to take you fishing. I am just up the Gorge from you in Hood River. I have taught many people how to fish over the years and would be glad to have the company of an angler along with the passion for the sport that you have. I am tying up some new experimental shad jigs today and will be on the river testing them out tomorrow.

I live way down near Medford that's why I didn't offer, lol.

Awesome of you to invite him!

OP- Take him up on that offer, the Columbia near Hood River is world class!

 

[Aervax]

Thanks Colby. My wife and I fish the Hood, Columbia, Deschutes & John Day. They are our home waters. We just moved to Oregon a couple years ago and are having a blast exploring the endless fishing options. Fishing was a strong influence to us choosing The Gorge as our place to settle. We have not gotten outside the homewaters much yet, but plan to start expanding our trips in all directions ober the summer. It it seems you have the bass dialed in down there in Medford. Look me up when you get bored with all those chunky bass down there and I will share some of the spots up here with you. I have a lot of swimbaits from 4"- up to the 12" Castaic trout, but have not used them as much as I expected.

 

[Aervax]

That stringer you posted a couple days ago was quite an accomplishment. I have never seen a limit of smallies that big before. Congrats!