Knowing More About Largemouth Bass Fishing

The Largemouth Bass is probably one of the most exciting fresh water fish to catch. A few other names for large mouth are Black Bass, bucket mouth or sunfish. Large mouths are actually a member of the sun fish family. They usually travel in water between 2 to 4 feet deep. Found in all of fresh waters, from small farm ponds to the largest of lakes, from small irrigation ditches to large rivers and streams, the Largemouth Bass can also be caught under many varying types of water conditions, from the very warm water of summer to the frozen iced over lakes in the winter.

Knowing more about the Largemouth Bass can certainly help you catch more. Here are some more interesting facts about the largemouth bass: It is the largest member of a group of closely-related fishes called black bass. Biologists have identified two subspecies of largemouth bass, the Florida largemouth and the Northern largemouth. A trophy Florida bass can weigh from 10 to 12 pounds, and its Northern counterpart will usually range between 6 to 8 pounds. The world record Largemouth is weighed in at a monstrous 22 pounds, 4 ounces! It was caught in June, 1932 at Montgomery Lake in Georgia.

They vary in color, depending upon the type of water they are in. Bass from murky waters are pale, while those from clear waters are darker. They actually have 6 senses. Along with the normal, hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch they also have the lateral line. The lateral line is made up of nerve endings on the side of the fish. The lateral line picks up vibrations in the water. This is so sensitive it can tell what size, speed, shape, etc. of the prey or predator. They can see objects that are above the water, including you standing in your boat with that brightly colored shirt on! So remember that in clear water you should always try to wear clothing that will match your background. Bass have a keen sense of hearing. They use smell to detect prey or predators. Their sense of taste is not important because of very few taste cells in their mouths.

Understanding the largemouth bass feeding and spawning habits will increase your chances of catching them considerably. The newly hatched largemouth bass feed heavily on tiny crustaceans and other zooplankton until the bass reach 2 inches in length. Bass can adapt to almost any foods. Because bass don't like bright sunlight they usually feed early in the morning or late in the evening during the summer time.

Large mouths usually spawn when the water warms to the low- to mid-60s. Depending on where the bass are they can lay their eggs anywhere from February to mid-June. After dropping her eggs the female usually abandons the nest leaving the male there to guard until the young bass can fend for them selves.

If you're ready for the action of largemouth bass fishing, you'll want to know where to find them. You can find bass outside of the river current's direct flow and on the downstream side of fallen logs, trees, weed beds and stumps. You can find huge largemouth bass inhabiting many southern areas that contain a number of shallow lakes. Try fishing around bridges, they offer shade and cover. Look for rocky points, in the slack water, and creek channels. Farm ponds are usually quite abundant in vegetation and baitfish, providing excellent cover and food source for the bass.

They are usually more productive in the spring and fall with the cooler water temps. As the water temperature starts to raise the bass will start heading into shallower water to begin spawning. Strong sunlight and warm temperatures may force the bass out of the shallower water and into the deeps. As the water temp cools, the bass will return to the shallower water and begin their fall feeding binge. During the fall turnover, the fish can be found just about anywhere. As the surface water temp cools the fish will once again return to the deeper (warmer) water, where they will remain throughout the winter. Many ice fishermen enjoy a short feeding flurry of action just after freeze up, but the cold water tends to make the bass very sluggish and hard to catch the longer the ice is on.

Weather conditions will also greatly affect where you will find the largemouth bass. During stable weather, bass go through a routine of feeding and resting that is often very predictable. A slight chop in the surface can turn on bass while no wind or heavy wind turns them off. Fishing for bass is usually great on rainy days.

The equipment that you need to be successful at catching largemouth bass depends on the type of bass fishing that you plan on doing. Get a boat that best fits your needs. You need a powerful strong rod for setting the hook and horsing the fish out of heavy cover. Probably most importantly though is to make sure you balance the rod with the same type of reel.

The Largemouth Bass has a very wide range on its appetite selections. It can be caught on red worms, leaf worms, night crawlers, leeches, bee moth, crayfish, minnows, and all types of artificial baits, from top water lures to under water spinners and spoons. Largemouth is more apt to strike live bait after a cold front than artificial bait. And in very clear water the live bait will be a lot more effective than anything artificial that you can throw at them.

Understanding more about the largemouth bass will increase your chances of catching them considerably.