| One of the greatest challenges of bass fishing is | | | | conditions. They like to move to warmer, usually |
| determining the best spot to fish. It takes a little | | | | shallower waters to spawn in the spring. But, they may |
| understanding of the bass to figure it out. Once you | | | | not feed much during this time and they can be difficult |
| have it, you can more consistently identify bass areas | | | | to catch. They will mainly be concentrating on egg |
| and reel in more fish. Determining the best area to fish | | | | protection. For this reason, bass fishing is usually best in |
| for bass depends on what type of bass you are | | | | deeper water, starting in the summer. As the water |
| hunting. Large mouth bass, small mouth bass, spotted | | | | warms up in the summer, the bass will want to escape |
| bass and black bass all behave differently. | | | | the heat and get into cooler deeper water. They will |
| Furthermore, they all are very sensitive to conditions. | | | | hang around in large schools around cliffs and deep |
| They may exhibit different characteristics at different | | | | structures. Large rocks, submerged trees and docks |
| times, depending on the weather, temperature, lighting | | | | over deep water are good places to find bass during |
| and food supply. One thing that all bass keep in | | | | this time. If the water gets too warm, they will want to |
| common is their love of cover. Whether it is a downed | | | | escape to even cooler deeper water, but the lack of |
| tree, underwater grasses, a sunken canoe, or a pier, | | | | oxygen in really deep water will force them to stay in |
| they will most likely be near it or under it. This holds | | | | the shallower warm water. These types of conditions |
| especially true for large mouth bass. They are avid | | | | can make the bass act ill, they do not eat a lot, and |
| hunters and want to stay concealed. A lot of bass, | | | | they can be very hard to catch. Submerged rocks |
| especially spotted and small mouth bass, like to hang | | | | offer a cool cover in warm water and a lot of bass |
| out alongside cliffs. This is where your equipment can | | | | will stick close to ledges and large rocks to stay cool. |
| come in handy. Many lakes also have topographic | | | | During winter, they will return to the shallows and can |
| maps that can clue you in to where cliffs may be. If | | | | be a lot easier to catch. The best time to determine |
| you frequent a specific lake or waterway, keep track | | | | good bass fishing areas is in the early morning or late |
| of where you find bass. You will need to record | | | | afternoon. During these times you will likely see the |
| everything about the conditions, the time of year, time | | | | bass surfacing for food, and you will know where to |
| of day, and temperature of the water, whatever you | | | | go. Choose your lures, keep a bass fishing diary, and |
| can. You may not find bass in the same spot again for | | | | get out there for a good year of fishing on your mini |
| a while. They tend to migrate around depending on | | | | pontoon boat. |