Splitshotting can mean the difference between taking a cold boat ride and a great day of catching fish. Invest the time to practice this technique and you will have more fun bass fishing in the cold winter months. This and other Bass fishing techniques are required to master the art of bass fishing.
If you put the time in, you will soon learn how to master the fall and winter bass fishery in British Columbia. Your efforts will be rewarded with exceptional smallmouth bass of trophy sizes. Remember though it takes roughly 8 to 10 years for a smallmouth bass to attain a weight in excess of 5 lbs., so conserve your catch by practicing responsible catch and release methods.
Well the cold weather has put the bass into their winter patterns. Forget about rip baits, spinner baits and crank baits. Now is the time to break out the finesse gear. One of the most common techniques for getting bass to bite during this season is splitshotting. It is a fairly straightforward technique and requires little investment in terminal tackle.
The hardest thing there is to teach a bass angler learning to splitshot is detecting the bite. The bite will vary according to the activity level of the fish. There will be times when they pop the bait hard and you will know immediately that they are eating the bait. Other times there will be a soft, almost imperceptible tick and then nothing. And finally there is the dreaded pressure bite. The pressure bite will take two forms.
The first way to describe a pressure bite is you will feel a slight resistance to pulling your line forward. This is somewhat like hooking a soft, spongy rubber band. The second pressure bite is when you lose contact with the bottom.
A bass has picked up your lure and is just following along with your forward movement. This is why it is so important to maintain bottom contact. Once you realize that you've lost the feel of the weight against the bottom, and your depth hasn't changed significantly, you have to put two and two together and get ready to set the hook.
The preferred hook set for this technique is called a sweep set. Once you have detected a fish holding your bait drop the rod tip towards the fish, reel down to the point of feeling resistance (or just shy of that point) and 'sweep' the rod horizontally away from the fish.
If the rod loads up good and you're sure that you've got the hook in the fish just fight him to the boat. If you set the hook and it didn't feel solid you may want to set the hook a second time. The drag on your reel should be set tight enough that it doesn't give on the initial hook set. But it shouldn't be set so tight that a larger fish can't take the line if needed.
British Columbia, Canada's foremost sport fishing web site containing BC saltwater fishing, BC freshwater fishing, maps, fishing tackle news, sport fishing destinations, fishing tips and techniques, editorials, articles and much, much more. Inside you'll find everything you need to tackle trophy fish of all varieties including salmon, halibut, steelhead, trout, bass, and sturgeon to name a few. They also had their own approach and techniques regarding bass fishing.
Since the best spot to catch bass is never on weeds and cover, use weedless lures when possible. This will cut down on the expense of losing lures.
Bass exist in a wide variety of temperatures, but tend to get inactive during a cold front. Fish swim deeper during the sunniest part of the day. Sun seems to adversely affect bass fishing. Seek out shady spots or deeper water with cover. On cloudy or overcast days try shallower waters. In cold water, retrieve your bait slower. Fish tend to react slower in colder temperatures.
Freshwater Fish Identification is another technique used by anglers. So whether you're watching a consummate professional angler check-in fish during a tournament, or listening to an on-air running commentary on a television fishing program, you know that he'll be speaking the truth of the matter.
Fishing makes great fun! Whether you fish for a living or for pure hobby, you have to be as smart as a fisherman should be.
Every smart fisherman has his own fishing techniques that allow him to catch the fish he wants. Like in bass fishing or fishing in fresh waters, the fisherman will always have to use bass fishing techniques suitable for the kind of waters he is fishing.
The first consideration in developing bass fishing techniques that can bring you your dream catch is to choose the shore you are to start out.
Also you have to be very keen with the weather. Bass fishing is most productive in the great lakes and like the ocean, these great lakes are also very dangerous if bad weathers occur.
That is why it is most ideal to do bass fishing during summer especially if the place you choose to have your bass fishing adventure is a big lake like the Lake Erie.
The other thing to consider in bass fishing is whether you goal to fish in the deep called off-shore fishing or just in the shoreline.
When you are fishing in the deep, make sure that your boat is fully equipped with the safety devices and must know the regulations imposed by your host state regarding bass fishing in their respective area of responsibilities.
Some fishermen use the trolling techniques in the deep sea fishing or off-shore fishing to catch more fish.
While if you opt to do bass fishing in the shorelines, you only need small boats and minor fishing gadgets.
Also, it is an experience that to be more productive in bass fishing in the shore, one technique is to fish during night time.
You may also watch or look at the waters if it is very clear. Most probably you can not make a good catch when the water is very clear. Bass fishes prefer discolored waters. Smallmouth bass fishes and many other species do not stay in clear waters.
The contour of the underwater terrain is also a thing to consider in bass fishing. You may consult an expert in the terrain of the lake you are fishing and he will guide you to the best place to fish.
Of course your choice of fishing gadgets will spell much of your success in bass fishing. Choose the most durable hooks that will hold firm when opportunity is given.
The choice of baits is also crucial. There are plastic baits that do but natural baits such as worms and flies make better. Remember always that the bigger the bait, the probability of catching the big fish is better that having small baits.
During summer, one bass fishing technique is choosing to fish along Long Point Bay at Lake Erie because during this time, the bass fishes especially the smallmouth bass fishes are swimming their way here back to the main lake after their spawning period.
If you are an amateur in bass fishing, the best thing to do is to fish with a companion who is an expert in the field not only in fishing but also an expert in the flora and fauna of the river you are cruising or fishing of.
As a beginner, you may opt to fish only in the shorelines of the lake or you may try fishing in the smaller lakes. Smaller lakes offer also varieties of bass fishes including the smallmouth bass and the white bass.
Bass fishing in the rivers is also fruitful to beginners. Catch that catfish and its fun. There are rivers with runs and pools and in many cases fish are stacked up in these areas where catching them is as easy as eating nuts.
Definitely your summer fishing will be very educational and full of fun. Plan your summer bass fishing well by developing and adopting bass fishing techniques suitable to the waters you aim to explore and the fish you wish to catch.
Bass fishing techniques vary from one situation with another. The few ideas presented to you here may help you in deciding and planning your next bass fishing adventure.
Lastly, please bear in mind that safety is the must be technique to adopt in any endeavor. Always check your gadgets for any defect and if you will use a boat, it has to be a licensed one.
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