Bass Fishing
Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass
Bass. The most sought after of all the game fish. Its appeal spans cultures, age groups and genders to tap on the heart strings of anglers everywhere.

Bass are very aggressive feeders and agile enough to chase down and catch most of their favorite foods. They are most easily caught during a feeding spree but can be enticed into striking an anglers bait for reasons other than hunger. They are predatory by nature and at times will strike at anything that enters their world. If it moves and they can get it into their large mouth, bass will attempt to eat it.

Find a bass lake in your area and try the techniques and tips presented here. For more detailed information visit the bass fishing articles section, or the bass fishing videos offering additional insight to bass fishing ideas. We offer an excellent book on bass fishing that gets right to the heart of where and how to catch more bass.

Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides

Also known as bucketmouth, this fish has a mouth that opens wide enough to swallow its own head. It will attempt to eat virtually anything it can catch and swallow. Growing to well over 20 pounds, it is much bigger than it's cousin the smallmouth bass.

Fishing For Largemouth Bass

SPRING
Top Baits: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms.
Fish shallow to moderate depths as the bass move into the shallows for warmer water, spawning and food source activity. Try shallow-water flippin on cloudy days or in murky water.

SUMMER
Top Baits: Crankbaits, Jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 35 feet. Largemouth's often feed at night during the hot summer months.

FALL
Top Baits: Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and spoons.
Fish shallow to moderate depths in the mornings and evenings. As the bass move deeper during the day move to outside deep structure and use spoons or jigs.

WINTER
Top Baits: Jigs, pork baits and plastic worms.
Try shallow in the mornings then move deeper as the sun rises. Bass are not very active in cold water, so move your bait in a slow, easy to catch manner and fish deep cover and structure. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 35 feet.

Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu

While the smallmouth only grows to about half the size of the largemouth, it is much more agile, faster and powerful for its size. It eats pretty much the same foods, just smaller specimens. It is without argument one of the finest game fish an angler can pursue. The thrill of the frantic runs and jumps are the source of many a fisherman's dreams.

Fishing For Smallmouth Bass

SPRING
Top Baits: Small crankbaits, small jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow to moderate depths as the smallmouth move into the shallows for warmer water, spawning and food source activity. Gravel points and submerged humps are prime holding areas.

SUMMER
Top Baits: Small crankbaits, Jigs and plastic worms.
Fish shallow in the mornings and evenings and move deeper as the sun rises. Use lures that mimic crawfish as this is a favorite food for smallmouth bass. Follow points and rocky or gravel structure deeper until you establish the proper depth. Smallmouth's are also known to feed at night during the hot summer months.

FALL
Top Baits: Small jigs, small crankbaits and spoons.
Fish shallow to moderate depths in the mornings and evenings. As the sun rises move deeper toward outside structure and use small spoons or jigs.

WINTER
Top Baits: Jigs, spoons and plastic worms.
Try shallow in the mornings then move deeper as the sun rises. Smallmouth are less active in cold water, so move your bait in a slow, easy to catch manner and fish deep structure. "Deep" depends on the overall depth of the lake you are fishing. In some lakes you may need to go as deep as 60 feet while others seldom hold fish below 45 feet.

Redeye Bass
Micropterus coosae
World Record: 8.8 lbs
The redeye bass looks very much like a largemouth with a red eye and red coloration in the tail. Found in the southeast part of the US it is often confused with the shoal bass, because of the red eye. Prefers water temperatures from 65 to 70 degrees and is often found in cool streams and rivers. Fish for the redeye with conventional bass tackle favoring smaller baits and lighter tackle. If you like to fly fish, try fly fishing for the redeye bass.

Shoal Bass
Micropterus cataractae
World Record: 7.8 lbs.
Closely related to the spots, it is often mis-identified as a redeye due to the red coloring in the eye. The coloring is brownish similar to smallmouth. It is found primarily in the warm waters of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. They populate lakes, rivers and streams. Fish for shoal bass as you would most bass and, as the name implies, look for them to congregate on shoals and similar structure. Prefers water temperatures from 65 to 72 degrees.

Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
World Record: 9.5 lbs
Easily identified by the dominant, spots along the lateral lines, they are found primarily in the southeastern states. Spotted bass are often called Kentucky bass, Kentucky spotted bass, Alabama spotted bass and Kentucky spots. It prefers warmer water temperatures from 70 to 78 degrees. They have a smaller mouth than the largemouth so use lure sizes similar to smallmouth tackle. They feed on smaller fish as well as insects, crustaceans, frogs and worms.

Visit the Bass Fishing Guru's website for additional information on all types of bass fishing.

Contribute Bass Fishing Articles

The purpose of the page is to provide specific detailed information about fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Find information on basic trends and seasonal patterns of bass. Look here for tips, recommended tackle, techniques and more. We want to help you make your bass fishing trips more successful. Use the navigation on the left to locate specific information about Bass fishing in your state.

If you have information, articles or photos relating to bass which you would like to see published here, please submit them for consideration. We will gladly give you credit for your contribution. If you have a fishing related business and would like to mention it within the context of the article, we will consider your request. For significant contributions we may offer complimentary display ads, please contact us if you are interested. Bass articles can be listed under the general bass category or can be listed under bass articles in a specific state.

Bass Fishing - All About Fishing for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.