Summer2016

Bass Fishing FUN

Xander Meese, age 5, with his first Largemouth Bass, Quemahoning Reservoir, Somerset County.

Bass fishing is a fun activity. Bass are known for their strong fight and acrobatic efforts of throwing the hook. There are several different fish species that people call black bass, but this newsletter will focus specifically on Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass. The Spotted Bass is also a black bass in Pennsylvania.

Did you know that Smallmouth Bass and Largemouth Bass are actually members of the Sunfishes family? They are related to Bluegills and other fish commonly known as sunnies. Let’s take a closer look at fishing for bass.

FINDING BASS WATERS - WHERE to START

Interactive Maps Visit our interactive maps web page at

www.fishandboat.com/county.htm. This web page provides an easy way to help locate various waters with populations of bass. There is even a map of Pennsylvania’s Big Bass Waters, which are under special regulations to increase chances of catching a trophy bass. The regulations for these waters can be found at www.fishinpa.com or in the current year’s Pennsylvania Fishing Summary.

Bass Fishing Opportunities Another great resource is the

Pennsylvania’s Best Fishing Waters program. This program highlights waters where great fishing can be found in Pennsylvania.

While online, be sure to visit Pennsylvania’s Best Fishing Waters web page at www.PaBestFishing.com to help you plan your next bass fishing trip.

Knowing the types of waters where bass live can help you become a more successful angler. Largemouth Bass prefer slower,

warmer waters like ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers. Smallmouth Bass prefer rivers or large streams with cooler temperatures and faster flowing water. There are some places where these two types of bass overlap, too.Pond Stream

WHICH DO YOU

PREFER?

FINDING BASS WATERS - The HUNT for HABITAT

Bass are creatures of cover or structure. Fallen trees and stumps, rock piles, underwater ledges, lily pads and even boat docks make great cover. Bass hide in these areas for protection from larger predators or to wait for their prey.

Focus your Bass Fishing Efforts Bass are ambush predators. Casting bait

or lures near cover will help entice a bass to strike. Twitching or jerking your lure or varying the speed of your retrieve will mimic the behavior of a live or injured fish.

Fish react differently depending on the time of day, water temperature, season and other factors. Spending time on the water will help you learn bass habits and allow you to develop new skills to catch them.

A bass in the summer with warmer water temperatures may explode out of the water to strike a rubber weedless lure being dragged over lily pads. On cooler days, the lure may need to be retrieved slowly in front of bass to entice a strike.

Visit our bass feature on our web page at www.fishandboat.com/bass.htm to learn tips and tricks that will help you focus your bass fishing efforts.

Smallmouth Bass Largemouth BassSmallmouth Bass

BASS BASICS - EQUIPMENT

Purchasing bass fishing equipment can seem overwhelming due to the large variety of products available. Keeping it simple is

the best way to start. Let’s take a look at some different types of rods and reels often used for bass fishing.

Reel • (A) Open spool with a bail• (B) Closed spool with a trigger• Suspended underneath rod• Spool does not spin while casting• Line is drawn out by the weight of

the lure

• Located on top of rod• Spool rotates while casting• Timing is important to cast lure

to a location

Benefit • Great for variety of tackle, both lures and live bait

• Useful for light tackle

• Accuracy is the main advantage

Drawbacks • Difficult for casting large lures• Not as accurate to cast as

baitcasting reels

• Less useful with variety of baits and lures

• More skill needed to use• Spool can send out too much line

and create knots

Differences Spin Fishing Gear Baitcast Fishing Gear

Baitcast Fishing GearSpin Fishing Gear

Reel Seat

Handle Reel (A)

Hook Keeper

GuidesRod TipBlank

LureBail

Lure

Rod Tip

Guides

StarDrag

Handle

Reel Handle Reel Seat

Spool

Reel SeatHandle

Reel (B)

Hook KeeperGuides

Button

Rod Tip

Lure

BASS BASICS - LURES and RIGGING

Bass like lures that mimic the prey they feed on. Lures that shake or wiggle will catch their attention including minnow

minnow crankbait

spinnerbait

A Note about Knots

crankbaits, rubber frogs, rubber worms rigged Carolina style, spinnerbaits and surface plug poppers.

Don’t forget to tie on your lure with a good knot. For beginners, the Improved Clinch and Palomar knots are the easiest knots to tie.

Visit our online Knotes on Knots page to learn about tying knots at www.fishandboat.com/education/catalog/knotesknots.pdf.

surface plug popper

rubber frog

rubber worm rigged Carolina style

BASS BASICS - NATURAL and LIVE BAITS

Hooked on BaitThere are many ways to hook your

bait after your rig is prepared. Visit www.fishandboat.com/education/learning/fish_funda/tmf_how_to_hook_bait.pdf to learn more about hooking different types of bait.

A Word about Live Bait Be sure to check the regulations on

collecting live bait, especially for crayfish. The head must be immediately removed behind the eyes upon capture unless used as bait in the water from which taken. This rule and other regulations can be found under the Bait Section page of the current Pennsylvania Fishing Summary.

Crayfish Crayfish are a staple food for bass,

especially crayfish that have molted their exoskeletons. Smallmouth Bass can’t resist “softshell” crayfish. Look for newly molted crayfish by finding their old shells along the shoreline.

Minnows Bass can’t resist a minnow. Minnows can

be tricky to keep alive when placing them on the hook. It takes some practice, but it’s worth the extra effort. A lively minnow will draw more attention from hungry bass.

Hellgrammites Hellgrammites are the aquatic larval

stage of the Dobsonfly and are found under rocks in clean rivers and streams.

Hellgrammites make a juicy treat for black bass. Hook them on a jig-head or a regular hook, add a small splitshot sinker to your line, drift on the river or stream bottom, and hold on tight. Be careful when handling hellgrammites, as they may bite.

minnow

hellgrammite

crayfish

Written by: Andy Desko, Southeast Regional Education Specialist

Editor: Spring Gearhart Design and Illustrations: Andrea Feeney

Photos: Jeff Bievenour, Walt Dietz, Dan Hudy, James Lindow Sr. and Art Michaels

© Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission

The SEARCH for B IG BLACK BASS

Find the bass fishing terms in the word search below.

Bass Fishing Terms:Largemouth

Smallmouth

Crankbait

Spinnerbait

Popper

Minnow

Crayfish

Worm

Hellgrammite

Lake

River

(Hint: Some words may appear backwards.)

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SEE BELOW FOR ANSWERS TO THE BASS FISHING TERMS WORD SEARCH

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