Some bass fishing basics for the upcoming season from Bob Bonney
With Pennsylvania’s bass season now open as of this past Saturday along with the official arrival of summer this week, it’s time to get serious about angling for the state’s second most popular game fish. So, for some bass fishing pointers, I asked Waterways Conservation Officer (WCO) Bob Bonney to offer some words of wisdom for those eager to wet a line in quest of smallmouth and largemouth. As the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s WCO assigned to our corner of the Commonwealth, Bonney has been a familiar presence for most area fishermen as he diligently patrols the region’s lakes, streams, and rivers. But Bonney is also an avid fisherman himself, so serious bass anglers would be wise to heed the advice that follows.
According to Bonney, fishing for bass is not unlike fishing for other species of fish. You need to know and understand your quarry’s habitat and habits. Whether in a river, lake, or pond, a great place to hunt for bass is in the lily pad fields. If the lily pads are close to shore look for low hanging tree branches, which provide additional cover or shade and sometimes food. That’s a great place to fish. When fishing the lily pad fields or weed beds (another great place for bass to hide), you’ll be more successful using a weedless set-up such as a Texas-rig to help prevent those annoying tangles in the weeds.
Whether you’re experienced or a beginner, soft plastic or rubber stick baits and rubber worms are your best bet for success in the weeds and lily pads. I know from experience that color is very important. On any given day on Marsh Creek Lake the colors that work best are black, pumpkinseed, purple and white. However, successful anglers will keep a wide assortment of colors in their tackle box as well for those days when the bass simply aren’t cooperating.
When fishing stick baits and rubber worms, it’s very common for bass to take your offering as it sinks to the bottom. When casting these baits in the lily pads and weed beds, attempt to do so with as little splash as possible. For the obvious reason do not drag your bait across the bottom -- fish/ jig it in a vertical position, otherwise you’ll be spending a lot of time re-rigging. Bass can also be found and caught in deeper water as the sun and temps begin to rise during the day.
You can still fish the stick bait and rubber worms in the deeper water; however the technique is somewhat different. You can allow the bait to lie on the bottom or drag it along the bottom. Rubber crayfish and salamander baits are also very effective here and, again, color does matter. If you’re fishing in open water and/or from the shoreline, crankbaits are another great choice. The takes can be rather vicious when they hit.
If you’re someone who is out before the crack of dawn or if you enjoy fishing at night, then top water plugs are a great choice. Unlike fishing in the lily pads and weed beds, you’ll want to fish a lure that floats on top and makes a lot of noise when it hits the water as well as when it’s retrieved. Since fish cannot see your lure well at night they rely on the vibrations from the lure striking the water to find it. So after casting your top water plug, allow it to sit still for a minute or so. This allows the rings from the lure hitting the water to spread out so bass nearby can hear and find their way to your offering. But, before retrieving it, give your lure a twitch or two then allow it to sit for a bit while the rings spread out again. Do this a couple of times prior to retrieving your lure; the takes can be violent when you’ve mastered this technique. Once you begin to retrieve your plug do so in an irregular stop and go manner so that each time you start your retrieve you make a large sound for the bass to follow.
When a bass takes you lure resist the initial urge to immediately set the hook, because if you don’t you will pull the lure out of the fish’s mouth. Instead, wait for the tug then set the hook. By doing so you help the bass to hook itself. Additionally, there is the ol’ fail safe: Garden
Tackle. Nothing says come and get it like a great big, good old fashioned night crawler! Bass have a really hard time saying no to that one.
In any case, to make sure you have a successful day on the water, if you haven’t done so already, you should check over your equipment and perform the necessary maintenance on your rod, reel, monofilament, lures, etc. prior to hitting the water to ensure a pleasant day of fishing.
Bonney cautions that before going out on the water there are some things fishermen need to keep in mind. The obvious one is make sure you have a current 2018 fishing license and that it is displayed on an outer garment while in the act of fishing. The penalty for fishing without a license is $117 for Residents and $177 for Non Residents plus court costs. Second, please read your 2018 PA Summary Fishing Handbook and know where you are fishing since some lakes and impoundments have different creel and size limits than the rivers. To that end, refer to page (11) of your 2018 PA Fishing Summary Handbook.
One final word to the wise for those who will be fishing from boats. Bonney laments that there have been four boating fatalities on state waters so far this year. That’s a lot of fatalities this early in the season, so if you’re going to be fishing from a boat, check over it thoroughly prior to launching. Make sure you have all of your safety equipment, especially PFD’s (Life Jackets) and make certain that they will fit those who will be on board your watercraft and do not put adult PFD’s on children. Bonney strongly urges everyone on board to wear their PFD. My thanks to officer Bonney for sharing his angling expertise with our readers.
Good luck, and good fishing.