| Where’s the what?... Where’s the
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| | what the map shows me. I am certainly not
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| bass! How many of us anglers (tournament
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| | one to just cast a bait into the water
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| and recreational) go to a body of water
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| | and work it for five minutes and leave; I
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| you’ve never fished before, drop the
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| | will try an assortment of baits if I see
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| boat in the water, then, ask this
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| | signs of fish in any given area to try to
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| question to yourself? This is probably
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| | establish a working pattern.
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| one of the biggest topics in bass fishing
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| | Here are some key elements I usually look
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| that an angler should learn more about. I
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| | for when it comes to locating bass on any
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| generally receive about two hundred (give
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| | given body of water: Vegetation areas…
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| or take) emails and phone calls each week
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| | Irregular contours… Shallow water close
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| from anglers, prospective bass fishing
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| | to deep water areas… Points and point
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| school students, and charter clients from
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| | drops… Various types of structure…
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| all over the Nation (even some from
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| | Let’s take the first one, VEGETATION,
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| foreign countries) asking me many
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| | this is by far my favorite because you
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| different questions related to bass
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| | will usually find more congregated bass
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| fishing. Out of all of these questions, I
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| | in vegetation than anywhere else on the
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| would have to say that about sixty-five
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| | whole body of water. Remember, a bass
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| percent of them would be on how to locate
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| | needs three things to survive and that is
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| bass in their area, or on a body of water
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| | a. FOOD b. OXYGEN c. COVER (or structure)
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| that they have never fished before. I
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| | that’s it, and vegetation offers it
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| would comfortably say that locating bass
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| | all! Now, I know what some of you are
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| and understanding the water would be the
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| | asking yourselves, you are thinking;
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| number one question among bass anglers
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| | well, what if there’s no vegetation
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| today. The next most asked question would
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| | right? Then simply go to the other
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| be is which baits they should use to
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| | elements 2, 3, 4, and 5 that I mentioned
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| catch “big” bass.
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| | above.
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| Now when you think about it, there is
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| | Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but, how
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| really only two (2) main topics that go
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| | many of you anglers’ fish the weed
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| hand-in-hand when it comes to bass
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| | lines and never go in the midst of the
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| fishing, and if you understood more about
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| | weeds? I can’t tell you how many times
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| these two, You would definitely become a
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| | (while showing my students how to fish
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| much better angler, and they are; Knowing
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| | weeds) that we will go to weedy areas
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| how to locate bass.
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| | just to see other anglers fish the
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| Knowing how to catch bass using all the
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| | outside weed lines for a while, and then,
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| different techniques, presentations, and
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| | watch them move on. After they pull away
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| baits.
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| | from the outside weed area, I will pull
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| Learning how to locate bass can be
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| | the boat up into the midst of the weeds
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| somewhat of a challenge to most anglers
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| | (in the same areas where these other
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| because there are so many different
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| | anglers were fishing) and start catching
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| factors that need to be determined such
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| | bass (usually nice quality ones.) I have
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| as; Knowing how to read a map… Knowing
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| | known many anglers over the past several
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| the most practical places to look for
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| | years that have just hated to pull up
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| “Active Bass” just after cold fronts
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| | weeds, or they don’t like when they get
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| and during early spring and late fall
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| | weeds on their boat carpets or in their
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| periods.
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| | boats, or they just get tired of picking
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| Understanding water depth… Water
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| | the weeds off their hooks. Well guess
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| clarity… Water temperatures… Seasonal
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| | what? I’ll suffer through these
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| patterns… Locating structure areas…
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| | bothersome weeds any day of the week
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| Finding vegetation areas… and believe
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| | because that’s where you will usually
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| me, there is more! Being a consistent
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| | find the bass in numbers.
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| bass angler is so much more than just
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| | There are several different baits and
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| getting in your boat, hitting the water,
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| | techniques that can be a bit tricky to
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| and casting your baits… That’s why
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| | use when fishing weedy areas and I
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| bass tournaments are so competitive and
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| | won’t go into them right now, but keep
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| exciting, because the more you learn
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| | in mind that weeds (especially when you
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| about locating bass the quicker you can
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| | find several different types of
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| start catching them right? And hey,
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| | vegetation in one area) are by far my
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| isn’t that half the battle? Let’s
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| | number one choice to fish than all the
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| start by looking at a lake map.
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| | other areas combined. One of the best
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| There are two general types of lake maps
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| | places you’ll find bass would be in
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| that most anglers will use which are
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| | vegetation areas, especially if you have
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| referred to as the; “Hot Spot” and
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| | different types of structure in the
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| “Topographical” maps. The differences
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| | weeds, and better yet!, if this weedy,
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| between the two is that a “Topo” map
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| | structured, area is close to where the
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| shows more detail, and the “Hot
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| | shallow water meets the deep
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| Spots” map shows more fishing spots
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| | water…..Boy-O-Boy!.....Hold-On!.....Try
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| (well, at least they’re supposed to :-)
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| | It, “You’ll Like It!” Now, if you
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| The secret (or key) in learning how to
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| | can’t seem to find any vegetation areas
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| use a lake map would be to sector the
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| | on your body of water, then, look for the
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| map. What I mean by this is that I will
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| | structure. Structure can consist of many
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| take the map and study it for a moment
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| | different things like; Rip-Rap (chunk
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| (looking for areas where the fish would
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| | rock areas)… Overhangs (where tree
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| most likely be.) Next, I will (using a
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| | branches hang over the water)… Docks…
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| highlighter) divide the map in sections
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| | Stumps… Irregular contours… Rocky
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| based on how much time I have to pre-fish
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| | areas… Road beds… Ditches… So
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| for a tournament or how many days I have
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| | really, just about anything other than
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| to just fish the body of water for fun.
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| | the flat, smooth, bottoms that offer
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| The size of the sections will vary
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| | nothing at all (which are a waste of time
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| depending on contours, structure, and how
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| | to fish anyway) would be considered as
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| many places I may want to check out
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| | structure areas.
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| during the course of the day based on
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