How To Protect Those Magical Bass Spots

With Christmas fast approaching, some say it’s the most magical time of year, so I thought it would be appropriate to talk about a little magic in the bass world. In the event you missed it, becoming a successful bass angler has become just as much about one’s ability to gather information as it has about hard work and practice on the water. With the right connections, locations and patterns that could have taken years to map and figure out can be learned in minutes, and everyone is always looking for the “magic spot," then worrying about protecting it. In terms of not giving up the magic, bass anglers are their own worst enemies.

I say finding and protecting a magic spot all starts on the water, just like it should. No matter how good or fast off-the-water technology is, without showing your cards on the water, those off-the-water searches makes little difference. That said, any hope of keeping a magic spot to yourself relies on good maintenance practices. By that I mean don't make a spectacle out there by hitting the throttle every ten minutes, but at the same time don't think you gave up the entirety of the magic if one person sees you there from a distance. Magic, and magical spots, are in the eye of the beholder.  

The truth is, there is really no such thing as a naturally magical spot: magic is made by the existence of several properties and actions that give the angler a complete grasp of the spot's potential. The spot is magical because the angler knows what lure and color to use there, what time of day and year is best to fish it, what angle to make the premier casts or even what weather makes it dazzle. If you want to keep it magical, it's a good idea to leave the puzzle pieces to the imagination of those who see you on it. As for keeping that magic spot for yourself, here’s what I’ve learned: it’s usually not someone else who makes a spot lose its mojo, it's he who is trying to protect it that ends up ruining it. How could that be? When someone finds something great, they go there every single time they’re on the water until they pressure it to death. If you exhibit a little self discipline—by, say, spending more time looking for other spots—the magic can be prolonged.