Pound-for-pound bass put up one of the hardest fights of any game fish. Catching trophy bass comes down to the right gear and the right location. You do not need the most high-tech equipment or a fancy boat. Just some basic knowledge, patience, and some determination.
I will walk you through the basic setup requirements and some tips on finding bass from shore, and a boat. Throughout the article, I will also link to other articles that go more in-depth if you want to further your knowledge.
How to select a bass fishing rod
Selecting a rod is one of the most important decisions when fishing, yet most never give it a second thought. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the massive selection of options, and which one is right for the type of fishing you plan to do.
A good all-around bass rod for beginners is a medium light to medium 6’6” to 7’ rod. I prefer a solid rod over the 2 piece rods if you have room in your vehicle to transport and store it.
If you only plan on going fishing once or twice a year a rod and reel combo will more than likely be all you ever need. If you plan on doing more serious fishing, I would personally stay away from the combo deals because the reels usually are of cheaper quality, and inferior to even some of the budget reels.
The best beginner rod I have found is the Ugly Stik GX2. They are around $50 for the rod and $60 for the combo deal. I always have a couple of them on my boat and they are one of my go-to rods. For the price, you cannot beat the quality and amount of abuse they can take. Although I cannot speak for the reel that comes with the combo.
If you want to get into more serious fishing you can read our article all about rod selection, where we cover rod power, action, guides, handles, materials, and which rods work better for different styles of fishing here!
How to select a fishing reel
When it comes to reels you have 3 basic types spin cast, bait cast, and spinning reel. Just as important as your fishing rod your reel selection will make or break your success when fishing. A lot of people buy reels without ever paying attention to the specs of that reel.
For the beginning bass angler, a spinning reel is the best option for almost all styles of bass fishing.
The first spec that you will notice is how many bearings the reels have. For bearings the more the better! You want to select a reel that has a minimum of 5 bearings.
The next spec that you will notice is the gear ratio of the reel. That determines the speed at which you can retrieve your lure or fish. 5:1 gear ratios are considered slow 6:1 are considered medium and 7:1 are considered fast retrieve. There are more ratios but those are the most common for bass reels. 6:1 is a good all-around ratio that will accommodate most of your needs.
The manufacturer may or may not state the recovery rate. This is important when stringing your reels up so you do not end up with too much or too little line on your reel. If it does not I show you how to figure out your recovery in this article here!
Spinning reels come in 3 different sizes small, medium, and large. For bass fishing, you want to choose a medium-sized spinning reel because you want to use at minimum an 8-pound line but preferably a 10-pound test for bass.
When buying the reel it is best to buy the best one that is within your budget with at least 5 bearings and a 6:1 gear ratio.
If you would like to learn more about what makes a good spinning reel. Where we go in-depth about the drag, ratios, construction materials, and when to use them read our article here!
What fishing line should I use?
Much like reels there are 3 main types of fishing line monofilament, fluorocarbon, and braid. There are advantages and disadvantages to using each type of line. For bass fishing, a good all-around line weight is 10 pounds just make sure your reel is matched for a 10-pound test fishing line.
The type of line to use for bass is subjective, as I said before they all have strengths and weaknesses. Monofilament has been around since fishing has been a recreational sport. If you decide to go with monofilament don’t buy the cheap $3.00 roll of 1000yds although the price is tempting you will more than likely regret it. Any 10-pound test mono from a reputable manufacturer will be fine. You can usually have the store you bought your reel from string your reel for free or at most a couple of dollars. If you would like to learn how to string your reel read this article!
If you would like to read more in-depth about fishing lines, leaders, and when to use each type read our article here!
What lure should I use?
From lipless crankbaits to square bills and whacky rigs to Carolina rigs there are millions of options. On top of that, each year brings out the newest and greatest lures, some of which will stand the test of time, and some that will end up with rusty hooks sitting in a box of old junk lures. How can you possibly figure out what to use with all the options?
Sometimes it is easier to use some of the styles and patterns that have stood the test of time. One of the best ways to figure out which lure or style is to read the fishing reports. You can get them usually online or call a couple of local tackle shops that are right on the lake. You can also look up the forage that is local to that lake, if there is an abundance of small bluegill a bluegill pattern would be a good starting point. Being that there are millions of options for lures when it comes to bass fishing it is impossible to say what is the best. Weather, time of day, season, and even the moon cycle can and do affect what works and when. You can check out a list of our articles where we cover some of these things here!
Fishing from shore
Everyone that fish for bass wants the newest and fastest boat with all the new technology on it, myself included! Even with the most basic gear and only a shoreline, you can still catch bass and trophy bass also.
Bass like shelter and rarely will be sitting in open water on a flat. To catch bass you must fish where they are first. Good starting points are under docks, rock piles, submerged stumps, and areas with a quick drop-off. Try to find a spot where you can see minnows, bluegill, and other small fish that the bass feed on. If there is food the bass are not far from it.
Fishing from a boat
All of the above tips for shore fishing still apply even when you are in a boat. A good depth chart of the lake you are fishing in is a must. You can download apps on your phone that have depth charts of the lake you are fishing. They usually have a GPS feature that will show you exactly where you are, and usually are fairly cheap to buy.
You want to find underwater structures such as points, humps, and breaks these areas usually hold bass especially if they have a weed bed, rocks, wood, or other pieces of cover. Getting a fishing report will also help you to locate bass and usually tell you what the fish are biting.
When fishing from a boat it is important to follow all local laws and also have courtesy towards other boaters and shore anglers!
To start bass fishing you do not need to spend thousands of dollars on equipment to be successful. A decent reel and rod and some basic knowledge of bass are all that is required. When I started bass fishing all I had was a 14’ aluminum boat and a $150 fish finder. I caught some of the biggest bass of my life from that boat and also taught my son to fish from it. Bass fishing is an art that you constantly need to learn and adjust.
