Bass is one of the best and most sought-after freshwater gamefish to catch.

In the best of Bass page you'll discover alot of content and resources to help set you up for success while out on the shore or lake fishing for Largemounth Bass as well as Smallmouth Bass.

Unfortunately, there isn't one particular bait, lure or technique that is guaranteed to catch Bass all of the time. However, knowing the the lake, forage, weather, time of year etc will help you align the bait and lure you need to help you be even more successful.

Below you'll find the the following for catching bass:

Best Bass Fishing Videos
How to catch Bass in various seasons
Best places to fish for Bass
Best Bass fishing gear
Best Bass fishing bait and tackle
Best Bass fishing books

Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

Facts:

The most active feeding water temperatures for bass are the upper 60’s to 80 degrees

Bass Fishing Videos

How to Fish For Bass in Various Seasons?

One of the most important factors when you are fishing for Largemouth Bass or Smallmouth Bass is really gain a firm understanding of how Bass react to various seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter) of the year.

Fishing for Largemouth Bass or Smallmouth Bass during the Fall and Winter months Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass are less active, meaning they will be harder to catch during this time.
Fishing for Largemouth Bass or Smallmouth Bass during the Spring and Summer months Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass are less active.

Spring Season: How to Fish for Bass?

During the Spring season, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, as well as all other fish species, will start migrating, usually following a migration pattern in a lake, pond river, from the deep and colder waters to the sunnier and shallower, basically closer to the shoreline (more on the west-facing shorelines) so the Bass can lay their eggs.

If you are able to track these migration patters and come across these Bass during this specific time you'll start to get more bites, but also a great chance to land a huge Bass.

Also, during the Spring season, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass's metabolism increases as the temperature rises making Bass more likely to strike on your bait or lure. Bass will typically feed on Bluegill, minnows, bream and other smaller fish species. Just make sure when your fishing for Bass use a bait the strongly mimics the current availble forage look and size to bring in a great Bass.

Quick Tips

What's the big appeal of early spring bass fishing? HUGE BASS FISH
Water Temperature: 50-70 Degrees
Large Numbers of Adult "BIG Bass" Are concentrated near shore during this time.
During the Spring, you will want to fish for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass early morning and late evening early morning and late evening.

Summer Season: How to Fish for Bass?

In the mornings Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass will often be in the shallow areas and near the boat docks, logs, rocks, and other types cover.

During the daytime, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass will often be in deeper water, especially near dropoffs and ledges. However, Bass will be swimming up and down as the oxygen levels fluctuate during the summertime heat trying to stay confortable.

Bass will also head out to deeper waters more towars the middle of the lake during the day to get away from the warmer waters in the shallower areas.

During the summertime using a dropshot rigs and deep diving crankbaits works great for Bass that are in deeper waters

Deep diving crankbaits and Carolina Rigs, dropshot rigs, artifical worms work well in deeper water.

Quick Tips

Summer time Bass fishing, is the only time, in the fishing season where every fishing technique is on the table to catch Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.
Early in the mornings is one of the best times in the day where small baitfish will swimup and congregate near the shoreline.
During the Summer, you will want to fish for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass early morning and late evening early morning and late evening.

Fall Season: How to Fish for Bass?

In autumn time, when the weather starts to get cooler the lakes, rivers and ponds starts to get cooler as well. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass start to migrate to the back, but are pretty . As stated in the Spring time, if you can identify these migration routes, you'll be on tact for catching some good Bass.

Bass will head to feed creek areas with incoming water to feed on bluegill, shad and other fish to fatten up for the winter time.

Using good spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and top-water baits all allow you to cover a lot of water and draw in and catch several Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.

Quick Tips

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass will aggressively feed and eat anything that resembles a shad.
Most shad species (feeder fish for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass) usually do not survive when the water temperatures falls below 45 degrees or less

Winter Season: How to Fish for Bass?

Fishing during the Winter time certain slows down as Bass don't feed as often and the Bass are pretty lethargic, but there are still opportunities out there and Bass to be caught and can be found in deeper waters and may be suspended in certain water columns.

The best bait and fishing techniques to go with it do everything slower. Basically slower to retrieve/reel in. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are looking for good opportunities that are easy to feed on.

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass love feeding on smaller baits as well as crawfish, which are availble in every lake, river and ponds. This would also be a great bait to catch Bass with.

Quick Tips

During the Winter you may want to fish midday when Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass for a-little more active.
During the Winter time, use slower fishing and retreiving techniques.

Best Places to Fish for and Find Bass

The best places to fish for Bass:

Some of the best places to fish for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass are around: steep drops offs, fallen trees, logs, docks, rocky areas and emergent grasses.
If you're fishing from the shoreline areas are great to fish from, but pay attention to what season you in and well as the forage as well.
If you’re fishing from a fishing intertube or a boat, you will want to position the boat about 40-50 feet from the shore and cast towards it.
To help you search and finds Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass as well as identify locate drop points, grass areas, structures, schools of bait fish as well as depth, use the Deeper PRO+. Once you've identified these areas, hunker down and focus on this area to catch a nice bass.

Bass love to stay close to some form of structure.

In the shallows and grass
Close to rocks
Around humps and stumps
Boat docks
Bridge pilings

Best Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass Fishing Gear

Fishing Rods
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

In fishing for a Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass using a good 6 or 6 1/2 ft medium action fiberglass rod will work for you.

Fishing Reels
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

For beginners a spincast rod & reel set up is good as it's tough enough to reel in most Bass fish. For more advanced users a baitcast or spinning reels with at least 5 or 6 bearings and a fast gear ratio or use a spin would be a great choice..

Fishing Line
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

A good Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fishing line to use is a 8-12 lb test that has low visibility.

Fishing Hooks
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Grab some 2.0 and 3.0 hooks as well as some assorted weights if you decide to fish with live bait such as worms, shad or minnows.

Best Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass Fishing Bait & Tackle

This Could be the BEST Bass Fishing setup EVER!!

Be sure to fill tackle box with a good wide variety of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fishing baits, lures and other tackle for great success in any situation you're faced in while fishing for Bass. Always be prepared.

When choosing Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fishing bait and lures you need to keep in mind the weather conditions when you're fishing as this will be vital in catching Bass.

During the cooler seasons you may want to choose smaller baits and lures and use larger baits and lures during the warmer months Spring and Summer when fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.

Quick Tips

Choose the faster baits when the water is clear.
Choose the slower baits when the water is murky.
Bright lures work better during warm weather.
Bait scent helps improves Bass strikes
Red Fools the Fish

Best Live/Artificial Bait
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

The best live bait to catch Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass with includes: Earthworms/Nightcrawlers, Bluegill, Crayfish, Frogs, Grasshoppers, Crickets and leeches.

Best Jerkbaits
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

To catch Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass with Jerkbait is really dictated by the water conditions. If the water is clear, go with a lighter more natural pattern. If the water is murky water go with a darker color or something neon.

Suspending jerkbaits are most effective over points, ridges and humps that are close to deeper water and adjacent to spawning areas.

Best Lipless Crankbaits
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass crainkbaits are a must! It's basically a cast and and retrieve bait that looks like baitfish. A pause every now and then allows the bait to rise in the water column.

Best SpinnerBaits
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass using spinnerbaits, the main colors to use and start with include: blue, chartruese, white, and yellow spinnerbaits. Spinnerbaits are noisy baits due to the blades as the vibrate through the watter that helps attract Bass. Spinner baits work great in reflecting light and work really good on sunny days

Best JigBaits
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass using jigbaits is another popular way to catch Bass. Bass love any type of lure and bait you throw at them, it's really all about matching the season, water, forage, etc. Basically it's all about presentation at the right time

Best Plastic Worms
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass using small plastic worms is a great choice for challenging and shallow fishing conditions. With plastic worms you can try a variety of rigs (Carolina Rig), add dropsshots, shaky heads to bass juice, but just make sure you hook them very well so you don't lose them.

Best Top Water Lures
for Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass

Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass using topwater lures is best in shallow waters or an area that is heavy floating vegetation and perfect when weedless bait is needed. Some of the best times to fish with top water lures is early in the morning or at sunrise.