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Bass Fishing
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Published: November 2, 2006
Bass fishing, which is the sport of angling for the North American gamefish, has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry, as well as one of the most popular ways to fish.
Bass fishing gives fishermen the opportunity to catch various types of black bass, such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Kentucky bass (spotted bass) and Guadalupe bass. To make a bass fishing trip successful, a few basic things must be taken into consideration, such as where bass are located and how they survive.
Where to Find Bass
Perhaps the most difficult challenge of bass fishing is locating the fish. Because a variety of factors contribute to where bass choose to migrate–such as time of year, water temperatures, water levels, weather, light and the availability of food–it is important to recognize the characteristics of popular locations for bass, such as weeds, rivers and ponds.
Weeds
Weeds, which increase the life potential of a body of water by producing oxygen, tend to be the ultimate cover for bass. Because they make it hard to fish and may require specialized lures and tackle, weeds are among a fisherman's least favorite places for bass fishing.
Rivers
As a result of being highly oxygenated with an even mixture of oxygen from top to bottom, rivers can provide an excellent home for bass. Another reason bass tend to migrate towards rivers is the temperature, which generally is warmer in winter and cooler in summer when compared to lakes. River bends, floating cover, the bottom and the surface are good areas for finding bass in a river.
Ponds
Ponds offer plenty of good bass fishing opportunities, such as fallen trees, deep holes and rocky areas around man-made dams. However, the most important area for bass is the shoreline, especially if the water level remains fairly constant throughout the year. In heavily fished ponds, bass fishing tends to be most productive after dark.
How Bass Survive
In order to survive in a body of water, a bass needs three different elements: food, oxygen and cover. Understanding why these elements are imperative to a bass' survival may not only help avoid various challenges, such as limited or nonexistent bass, but also can help create an enjoyable bass fishing experience.
Food
When it comes to eating, bass seem to have an appetite for everything, including rats, mice, frogs, snakes, salamanders and worms. However, studies show the number one food choice of a bass is a crawfish. Due to its obvious location in various vegetation areas, as opposed to rocky areas, a crawfish is an easy prey for a bass to find and catch.
Oxygen
Any living creature requires oxygen to survive; bass are no exception. To understand why a bass acts the way it does under certain conditions, it is important for a fisherman to recognize the water oxygen content in various areas. For example, if a bass gets more oxygen it is likely to be more active. However, if a bass has a limited supply of oxygen (usually during summer months), it may become disoriented and sluggish. As a result of its lack of oxygen, it will either drop down to cooler water for more oxygen, or head for vegetation areas because of the oxygen provided by aquatic plants.
Since bass tend to be more lethargic during spring, summer, and early fall, it is helpful to be familiar with the various areas where ample supplies of oxygen can be found. If bass are easier to find, they may be easier to catch. Some of the most common areas to find bass include rivers, deep water areas, vegetation areas, mouths of creeks and areas around trees and stumps.
Cover
The most important element in bass fishing is cover. Known as an ambush fish, a bass will use various forms of cover, such as rocks, stumps, trees and holes, to surprise its prey. Also known as a territorial fish, bass are not willing to travel a great amount of distance.
Bass also use cover as protection from the sun's rays; prolonged exposure to the sun can make a bass go blind. This is another reason why bass are likely to be found in shaded areas.
Bass Fishing Competitions
To help express their love for the sport of fishing and possibly win money, many bass fishermen participate in one or more bass fishing competitions. For example, the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which offers a top prize of $500,000, is one of the major bass fishing competitions held in the United States. In this particular tournament, which is nationally televised on various sports networks such as ESPN and Fox Sports Net, 50 fishermen compete against each other in 12 different events.
In modern-day bass fishing competitions, before a caught bass is released back into the water, it is placed in a live well, weighed by officials, and treated for stress and glyco-protein (slime coat); in most cases, dead fish are not weighed. Also, competitors are penalized severely for causing the death of a fish.
Today, fishermen from other countries, such as Japan, Australia and South Africa, enjoy participating in various bass fishing tournaments held throughout the United States.
Sources:
Bass Fishing. Wikipedia. 22 Oct 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_fishing
Bass Habitats. The Ultimate Fishing Resource Guide. 22 Oct 2006.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/habitat .html
Brown, Roger Lee. Understanding Bass: Part 1. Kevin's Bass Fishing Site: Articles. 22 Oct
2006. http://www.bassfishin.com/article57.htm
Finding Bass. The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide. 22 Oct 2006.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/locatio n.html
Bass fishing gives fishermen the opportunity to catch various types of black bass, such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Kentucky bass (spotted bass) and Guadalupe bass. To make a bass fishing trip successful, a few basic things must be taken into consideration, such as where bass are located and how they survive.
Where to Find Bass
Perhaps the most difficult challenge of bass fishing is locating the fish. Because a variety of factors contribute to where bass choose to migrate–such as time of year, water temperatures, water levels, weather, light and the availability of food–it is important to recognize the characteristics of popular locations for bass, such as weeds, rivers and ponds.
Weeds
Weeds, which increase the life potential of a body of water by producing oxygen, tend to be the ultimate cover for bass. Because they make it hard to fish and may require specialized lures and tackle, weeds are among a fisherman's least favorite places for bass fishing.
Rivers
As a result of being highly oxygenated with an even mixture of oxygen from top to bottom, rivers can provide an excellent home for bass. Another reason bass tend to migrate towards rivers is the temperature, which generally is warmer in winter and cooler in summer when compared to lakes. River bends, floating cover, the bottom and the surface are good areas for finding bass in a river.
Ponds
Ponds offer plenty of good bass fishing opportunities, such as fallen trees, deep holes and rocky areas around man-made dams. However, the most important area for bass is the shoreline, especially if the water level remains fairly constant throughout the year. In heavily fished ponds, bass fishing tends to be most productive after dark.
How Bass Survive
In order to survive in a body of water, a bass needs three different elements: food, oxygen and cover. Understanding why these elements are imperative to a bass' survival may not only help avoid various challenges, such as limited or nonexistent bass, but also can help create an enjoyable bass fishing experience.
Food
When it comes to eating, bass seem to have an appetite for everything, including rats, mice, frogs, snakes, salamanders and worms. However, studies show the number one food choice of a bass is a crawfish. Due to its obvious location in various vegetation areas, as opposed to rocky areas, a crawfish is an easy prey for a bass to find and catch.
Oxygen
Any living creature requires oxygen to survive; bass are no exception. To understand why a bass acts the way it does under certain conditions, it is important for a fisherman to recognize the water oxygen content in various areas. For example, if a bass gets more oxygen it is likely to be more active. However, if a bass has a limited supply of oxygen (usually during summer months), it may become disoriented and sluggish. As a result of its lack of oxygen, it will either drop down to cooler water for more oxygen, or head for vegetation areas because of the oxygen provided by aquatic plants.
Since bass tend to be more lethargic during spring, summer, and early fall, it is helpful to be familiar with the various areas where ample supplies of oxygen can be found. If bass are easier to find, they may be easier to catch. Some of the most common areas to find bass include rivers, deep water areas, vegetation areas, mouths of creeks and areas around trees and stumps.
Cover
The most important element in bass fishing is cover. Known as an ambush fish, a bass will use various forms of cover, such as rocks, stumps, trees and holes, to surprise its prey. Also known as a territorial fish, bass are not willing to travel a great amount of distance.
Bass also use cover as protection from the sun's rays; prolonged exposure to the sun can make a bass go blind. This is another reason why bass are likely to be found in shaded areas.
Bass Fishing Competitions
To help express their love for the sport of fishing and possibly win money, many bass fishermen participate in one or more bass fishing competitions. For example, the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which offers a top prize of $500,000, is one of the major bass fishing competitions held in the United States. In this particular tournament, which is nationally televised on various sports networks such as ESPN and Fox Sports Net, 50 fishermen compete against each other in 12 different events.
In modern-day bass fishing competitions, before a caught bass is released back into the water, it is placed in a live well, weighed by officials, and treated for stress and glyco-protein (slime coat); in most cases, dead fish are not weighed. Also, competitors are penalized severely for causing the death of a fish.
Today, fishermen from other countries, such as Japan, Australia and South Africa, enjoy participating in various bass fishing tournaments held throughout the United States.
Sources:
Bass Fishing. Wikipedia. 22 Oct 2006.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_fishing
Bass Habitats. The Ultimate Fishing Resource Guide. 22 Oct 2006.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/habitat .html
Brown, Roger Lee. Understanding Bass: Part 1. Kevin's Bass Fishing Site: Articles. 22 Oct
2006. http://www.bassfishin.com/article57.htm
Finding Bass. The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide. 22 Oct 2006.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/locatio n.html
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