Crank bait are small lures that look like small, live fish. There are two three-point hooks on each lure, one under the belly and one at the tail. The lures also have a flat plastic area on the lip of the fish. Try the Jackall Boil Trigger and the Rapala Ultra Light Crank. Spinner bait have two main parts. There is one arm that has large, curved pieces of metal called blades, and there can be one or multiple blades. The other arm is the same length with a hook on the end. The hook is sometimes covered in plastic wig that hides the hook or hooks. Try the Panther Martin or the Blue Fox Vibrax Spinner Minnow. The spinner arms can also be shaped like a fish, which can make it look similar to the crank fish. The difference is the crank fish has two three-pronged hooks and a lip while the spinner has one hook and blades. Plastic worms look like large earthworms and have a hook embedded into them. The fish are hooked once they try to eat the worm, so they are effective but require a bit of patience. [2] X Research source [3] X Research source [4] X Research source
The best kind of minnows for bass are shiner and the creek minnow variety. [5] X Research source
The spinning reel is a fixed spool with the line exposed. It is built to use 4 to 12 lb test line and can move the handle between the right and left sides. It allows easy casting but requires you to stop the line by hand. To do this, cast out your line. To stop the line, flip the metal lever over the top of the spool and hold the line with your finger. The spin cast reel is rated for 4 to 12 lb test line but can take up to 20 lb. It is also simple to cast. You hold down the button on the front of the reel and release it as you cast your line. Once it gets to where you want the line to go, rotate the handle just a little to reengage the locking function on the reel. The test line rating is the most weight that the line is tested for. The range of weights can be as small as a few pounds to upwards of 50 pounds. Each reel has a rod of the same name that is used with it as well. If you are planning on catching larger bass, you need to get a rod with medium to medium light power. If you are just catching small bass, get a rod with light power. The power of a rod is its weight capacity and is usually written on the side of the rod. This measurement can be listed as a phrase such as light, medium, or medium light, or as a number between 1-10. [6] X Research source [7] X Research source [8] X Research source [9] X Research source
During this time, you can catch bass closer to the shore and closer to the surface. You can bass in any season, but they are really active during the spring months. If you catch a female during this period, make sure you let her go so she can nest and populate the body of water with more bass. [10] X Research source
Most bodies of water have a map available online from either the state or local natural resources website. [11] X Research source
You can get bass to bite in the afternoon in open water if it is cloudy or if the water is muddy enough to shield the sun. [12] X Research source
Be careful when you cast around these kinds of objects since you might get your lures or hooks stuck on them. If you do, you could lose your lure or have to re-hook your line. The risk is worth it because sizable bass are in these areas. [13] X Research source [14] X Research source
Once you feel a bass tug on your lure, gently pull back on the pole. This will tug the hook into the bass’s lip, which is called setting the hook. Once you do this, you can reel in your bass. If you are fishing in a calm body of water such as a lake or pond, use steady, even pulls and reels with the bait. If the water is choppy or moving such as a river or on a windy day, switch back and forth between pulling and reeling fast and slow. You can also try to make the movements seem as realistic as possible. You want to bass to think that the lure is a real fish. [15] X Research source
This method can be more difficult because it is harder to hook your fish because the bass often bite at the blades instead of the hook. This causes it to take more time to actually hook a bass. [16] X Research source
You should put a weight into your worm so it sinks to the bottom once you cast it. Otherwise, it will stay too close to the top of the water and not attract the bass.
