Bass – How to Bass fish – Bass Pro Tips – Tip 1: Bass fishing bait
To be a successful recreational fisherman it is imperative that you understand the habits and preferred food of your intended catch species. The following snippet from a research study conducted on the feeding habits of striped bass is a great fishing guide to the bait we should be seeking out and using to catch stripers.
“Given that Atlantic menhaden provide up to 60% of the diet for age 3+ striped bass in Chesapeake Bay (Hartman and Brandt, 1995) and 69% of the diet for striped bass in this study, and given the increased population levels of striped bass, it is likely that striped bass predation represents a large part of the natural mortality for Atlantic menhaden (Hartman, 2003; Hartman and Margraf, 2003; Uphoff, 2003).”
The Atlantic menhaden, which is more commonly called bunker, mossbunker or pogy, is one of the most important fish species found off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The fish seldom exceed a pound or so in weight and is a toothless herring with a blue, blue-green or blue-brown body. The sides, fins and belly are silvery, often with a yellowish sheen. and have extremely oily flesh. Menhaden are found in very large schools in the warmer inshore and near shore waters, following an annual coastal migration each year. Their habit of travelling in large, densely-packed schools makes them a ready quarry for hungry stripers. Menhaden are a favorite prey of many predatory fish and other species, including striped bass, bluefish, weakfish and others. Small menhaden can be caught in creeks, sheltered coves and canals using cast nets. Their vast numbers also support a very large fishery, providing both fish oil and meal for industrial/agricultural uses and bait vital to a large number of commercial and recreational fisheries.
Menhaden are not always available particularly in the cooler months. A technique I have used when Bass fishing is to prepare my baits a couple of days prior to going fishing. I cut the bait whether it is squid or fish into strips 3 to 6 inches long, place in a plastic container and cover with fish oil (you can purchase fish oil at your local fishing tackle shop), put the lid on the container and place in the refrigerator. This works fine for the firmer species but if I only have softer fish species I salt the flesh for 4 – 5 days prior to adding the fish oil. Salting results in a firmer bait that stays on the hook better. Regardless of the bait firmness I like to secure the bait to the hook with bait cotton, this improves bait presentation to the Bass and makes it more difficult for small scavenger fish or crabs to remove the bait from the hook.
When Bass fishing the first couple of casts I leave in the water for a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes I then retrieve and check bait condition. I always try to present good looking appetizing baits to the fish. This method allows me to judge how long a particular bait is going to stand up under the prevailing conditions. What I learn I then implement for the remainder of the day or whilst conditions remain similar. A change of conditions will require me to review how long I leave baits out. Remember when Bass fishing old bait catches fewer fish! Keep your bait fresh.
Next Bass Pro tip to improve your Bass fishing experience to follow: In the meantime click here for more articles, books and all your fishing tackle needs…
About the Author
Fishing Experience: 40+yrs the majority of this has been spent surf fishing. As well as producing fishing articles based on my extensive experiences, I enjoy providing dedicated surf fishermen with quality products to enhance their fishing.
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