Want to go bass fishing? Try these tried and true ways
Best choices by a lot of anglers for bass in early spring, such as we’re into now, seems to be spinnerbaits, crankbaits and vibrating plugs. These baits allow you to work fast and throw casts along the bank, and to cover a lot of water areas. Cover as much shallow water as you can, concentrating on mud and clay banks, points, coves and shallow flats.
With spinnerbaits this time of year, bass will most often hit them as they drop, so cast to likely holding cover and let the lure free-fall to the bottom with no tension on the line, but without excessive slack. Watch for a slight twitch sideways or a stop to the lure’s fall, then set the hook quickly.
Mouths of lakes are good spots for locating bass and panfish during early spring because of food being washed into the area and because of the warmer temperatures found there. Try using jigs, thin-minnow plugs, fat crankbaits, live minnows or crayfish. You can try a minnow and a bobber for a variety of fish. Set the bobber two- to six-feet above a #1/0 to 4 hook with a single split shot sinker crimped on the line a foot above the hook. Cast with a spinning outfit or flip it with a fly rod or cane pole next to docks, submerged logs, brush piles or bridge abutments (anywhere a bass may be sitting ready to ambush the food item). Try different depths and keep the minnow a foot or two off the bottom.
Vertical jigging is a good method for stripers, largemouth or smallmouth bass, and crappie. Work a slab-type spoon of 1/4 to 1-1/2 ounces at deep water areas such as submerged humps, bridge pilings, deep points and river channel drop-offs. If you can locate the fish with a depth finder, lower the spoon to the depth or slightly above it, then work the lure with sharp lifts of the rod. As you drop the spoon, lower the rod tip just fast enough so it falls freely without forming excessive slack in Jean Wilson the line. Most strikes will come as the lure flutters down.
The plastic worm has a well-deserved reputation as a consistent fish catcher for all species and well worth a try. Try dark colors on bright days, bright colors on dark days. A good suggestion is to do your fishing before it gets overly hot in the afternoons, take a break, then resume your fishing when it begins to cool down again late afternoons/evenings. Take plenty of drinking water with you to stay hydrated, wear a hat to keep you cooler when the sun is blazing and if you get too hot, take advantage of being at the water and get wet.
A word of caution for anyone venturing to the outdoors: Be on the lookout as its getting warmer for crawly-creatures including snakes. Rattlesnakes enjoy the heat and lay in the sun at times, so as you walk, always be aware of your surroundings. Be on the lookout — keep your eyes and ears open! If you should come across a snake, go the other way. They will most likely leave you alone if you leave them alone. And never reach for something on the ground if you can’t see what you’re reaching for (this is especially true for archers reaching for an arrow that may have missed a target) but true for anyone outdoors — anywhere, anytime.
Fishing clubs
• Desert Bass Anglers “the fun way to fish”: Don’t pass up getting in on the next tournament April 1 at Mittry Lake. Sign-up 5:30 to 6 a.m. that day at the Mittry boat ramp with weigh-in at 2 p.m. or get in on the early sign-up 5 to 6 p.m. Friday at Sportsmen’s Hideaway. The club reports there should be plenty of water for fishing that day, but still use caution as the sandbars move around and debris upstream inflows from recent storms may be submerged hazards for boaters. There promises to be a gift certificate for the angler, first out of the money along with our normal payouts. Dan Mikles, owner of Franklin’s FTS Auto Center is giving a free lube, oil and filter to support the local fishing community. Call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984.
• ABA American Bass — Yuma division: I’ll report results from Saturday’s “Mittry Madness” at Mittry Lake as soon as I get them. If you haven’t fished the Yuma area ABA tournaments yet , it’s not too late. Call Jeff Woods at (952) 824-0553 for information on becoming a member and get signed up.
• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: If you’re interested in hunting, fishing or the outdoors in general, including wildlife conservation, you are welcome to attend the 7 p.m. April 5 club meeting at American Legion Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Drive, to hear about club fishing events, including the April 8 IRS bass derby on the Colorado River and the April 29 Youth Fishing Clinic at Mittry Lake as well as ongoing waterhole projects, latest Hunter Safety Education reports and news of hunting events to name a few. A dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. prior to the business meeting. Be sure to check out the club table at the Yuma County Fair between April 4-9. Watch for details next week or call Doug Beach at 446-1122.
• Yuma Draw-Series/Pro-Am Bass Club: Call Manuel Garcia at 210-0043 to learn what they have to offer.
• Yuma’s High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any youngster to learn all about fishing for bass. Members of both the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club and Desert Bass Anglers assist the kids in providing boats and equipment as well as guide the youngsters, both guys and gals, in gaining a good share of fishing know-hows. Call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation.com to get started.
Shooting sports
• Yuma 4-H Shooting Sports: If you have a youngster who is either a member of 4-H or interested in being a part of a 4-H club in order to get into their shooting sports program beginning again in September, call the 4-H office in Yuma at 726-3904 or Stanley Gourley at 344-0740 to learn what they offer.
• Renegade Archers of Yuma: If you and your family might like to learn all about shooting archery from the beginning, call me at 247-4450 or Kevin Wilson at 726-0953 so we can get together at the Foothills Archery range for shooting fun and great practice. The practice range is open (use is free) daylight hours all week for your much-needed practice and enjoyment. There will be a 3D javelina trail set-up to shoot at 9 a.m. Sundays. Shoot fees are $3 adult with youngsters of all ages free of charge. Call the Wilsons for directions to the range or answers to questions.
• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Anyone interested in trap and skeet can shoot 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at Adair Park. Call Bob Avila at 910-0622. Youngsters in school who might be interested in getting together with the scholastic clay target program with the Yuma Young Guns can call head coach H. McNutt at 580-0918. There will be SCPT practice at 6 p.m. at the range Tuesday.
• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Open black powder matches at the Adair Park range, 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. .22 matches held the 1st Tuesday as well. Call Roger Bickel at 72-7453.
• Cholla Gun Club: The club will offer a full schedule of shooting at the Adair Park metallic silhouette range, all open to the public with instructions available upon need. Call Rick Kelley at (928) 502-0736.
• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: The club will be busy hosting an NRA conventional pistol match on April 8, across the course match April 9, and vintage service rifle matches April 15, all beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Adair Park big bore range. For details, call Joseph Murek at 627-4556, Paul Lerma at 580-7456 or Gerald Brooker at 349-1311. Visit the club website at hprifleyuma.com.
• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered at the Adair Park small bore range, all open to shooters with 7 a.m. sign-up, shooting at 7:30 a.m. that includes the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday, IPSC combat matches the 2nd Sunday, and the SASS cowboy matches the 4th Sunday. Call Larry Wiles at 920-2157 or Irene Snyder at (920) 613-4598 if you are interested.
• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered on Sundays with their practice range open all week. Call Keith Parsels at 7821097.
Hunt happenings
• RunLites light the night for hiking, camping, hunting and running: Carrying a flashlight can be burdensome, wearing a headlamp is uncomfortable and bringing a lantern isn’t always an option. Put light where you need it while setting up a tent, starting a fire, fishing, walking through the woods or running in the dark with RunLites (www.gorunlites. com). RunLites are a lightweight, wearable, hands-free lighting solution for outdoor activities. Designed for most outdoor activities at night as well as for indoor and outdoors tasks in low-light areas in any climate. They are really handy and comfortable, and the LED lights are really great. I’ll keep my gloves handy for our next hunting/camping trip.
Contact Jean Wilson at jeanrenegade@ gmail.com or call 247-4450.