Sight Fishing For Bass
One of my favorite ways to fish for largemouth bass is " sight
fishing." It can be difficult, you are fishing when the bass are most
finicky. You will need to know when to go, when not to go, and a good
technique with some helpful tips and you will be ready to go sight
fishing for bass. It really is an adrenaline rush to actually watch the
fish strike your bait.
First of all, I will talk about when not to go. When their is an overcast, this will obviously affect your ability to see. Early mornings and late evenings, are not a good time to go sight fishing. When the sun is at an angle it reflects off the water as opposed to penetrating it when it is directly above the water. You will want to go when the sun is directly above the water. Go when the surface is calm, windy days don't work, the wind causes ripples in the water that obscures your vision.
Now I want to talk about when and where to go sight fishing. Try to stay in ten feet of water are shallower. Obviously, you will want clear water, stained or murky water won't work. A rocky bottom are gravel is ideal for sight fishing. Avoid grassy bottoms, this will also obscure your vision. Try to find protected banks, what I mean by this is, banks that are protected from the wind by hills or a dam etc..
For a good bait I like to use a tube bait. Don't Texas rig it. A Texas rig will make the bait sink straight to the bottom. You will want your bait to spiral on its way down as this will provoke a strike. Use a jig hook were they have a little extra weight at the bottom of the shank. Let your bait sink to the bottom, and then crawl it like a crayfish. Always cast your bait past the fish. You can also swim your bait like a minnow. Plastic crayfish work good in the spring and plastic lizards work good in the fall.
Now for some helpful tips and you should be ready. As a rule of thumb, don't sight fish where you can't see the bottom. Always wear polarized sunglasses and keep the sun at your back. When you spot a fish, throw your boat in reverse. Stay as far away as possible to avoid spooking the fish, but keep the fish in sight. Wear drab colored clothes, avoid red, yellows, and whites. When you spot your fish, avoid sudden movements and try to make as little noise as possible. The name of the game is to spot the fish before he spots you.
First of all, I will talk about when not to go. When their is an overcast, this will obviously affect your ability to see. Early mornings and late evenings, are not a good time to go sight fishing. When the sun is at an angle it reflects off the water as opposed to penetrating it when it is directly above the water. You will want to go when the sun is directly above the water. Go when the surface is calm, windy days don't work, the wind causes ripples in the water that obscures your vision.
Now I want to talk about when and where to go sight fishing. Try to stay in ten feet of water are shallower. Obviously, you will want clear water, stained or murky water won't work. A rocky bottom are gravel is ideal for sight fishing. Avoid grassy bottoms, this will also obscure your vision. Try to find protected banks, what I mean by this is, banks that are protected from the wind by hills or a dam etc..
For a good bait I like to use a tube bait. Don't Texas rig it. A Texas rig will make the bait sink straight to the bottom. You will want your bait to spiral on its way down as this will provoke a strike. Use a jig hook were they have a little extra weight at the bottom of the shank. Let your bait sink to the bottom, and then crawl it like a crayfish. Always cast your bait past the fish. You can also swim your bait like a minnow. Plastic crayfish work good in the spring and plastic lizards work good in the fall.
Now for some helpful tips and you should be ready. As a rule of thumb, don't sight fish where you can't see the bottom. Always wear polarized sunglasses and keep the sun at your back. When you spot a fish, throw your boat in reverse. Stay as far away as possible to avoid spooking the fish, but keep the fish in sight. Wear drab colored clothes, avoid red, yellows, and whites. When you spot your fish, avoid sudden movements and try to make as little noise as possible. The name of the game is to spot the fish before he spots you.