By JOHN MARTINO
“What, me go bass fishing?” a guy said while visiting with his friend at a Mississinewa boat ramp last weekend. “There is no way I could afford it,” he said gesturing toward the glistening metal-flake bass boat loaded with rods, boxes of lures and mysterious electronic gadgets. “It’s way too complicated and way too expensive.”
Modern day bass fishing can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. I was about eight when I caught my first bass. It was just a few years later I hooked my first trophy, a largemouth stretching 22 inches weighing six pounds. I caught the fish on a homemade jig a friend gave me and cheap rod and reel by today’s standards. That fish still hangs on my wall, a constant reminder of simpler times.
Fishing was a lot more basic back then. There were no Global Positioning Systems, no LCD graphs and no ultra-sensitive graphite rods with velvet smooth ball bearing reels. Soft plastic baits were not bio-scented or offered in 65 shapes and 142 colors. Worms were made from crude rubber in a handful of patterns and they still caught plenty of bass.
These days would-be anglers are literally bombarded with advertisements for products supposedly needed to catch fish. “You can’t have everything,” I’ve always said. “Where would you keep it?” But how do you get started in bass fishing without stepping in over your head? Fear not, it’s not that difficult.
I was hooked on fishing at a very early age and have never regretted a day on the water. (Well, almost never!) Besides being fun, fishing provides mystery, excitement and a never ending challenge. It’s also another reason to be outdoors.
Anybody who starts fishing must quickly understand there will be times of fast and furious action. But equally important you must understand (and accept) there will be more outings of limited success and trips when you will go home skunked with no fish at all. There are times when fish just aren’t feeding and you can’t get a hook in one no matter how much equipment a person owns.
Survey after survey proves the large and smallmouth bass are one of the most sought after fish species in the United States. They are extremely adaptable and inhabit just about anyplace that holds water year round, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, rivers and ponds.
So how do you get started? It all begins with a decent rod and reel and this will probably be your largest investment. You don’t have to mortgage the house as decent equipment can be purchased fairly reasonable. Whether spinning or casting purchase something with which you are comfortable.
When it comes to what you will tie on the end of your line, repeat three times: There are NO magic lures! Bass don’t strike a lure because they develop a liking for it or think it’s cute. Bass strike because they think it’s something worth eating. Most lures are intended to imitate either a crawfish or some kind of forage fish, mainstays in a bass’s diet. There is no need to start out with a trunk full of every type of lure imaginable.
All it really takes is a few carefully selected lures to take largemouth and smallmouth bass in a variety of situations and conditions. Be sure to have a lures for use in heavy weeds, moderate cover and open water.
Stick with lures easily fished from shore that offer near fool proof retrieves. Avoid baits with treble hooks during initial fishing sessions. Soft stick or swim baits, spinner baits and Texas rigged worms are examples of lures that can be fished in a variety of conditions and catch plenty of fish. For areas of extremely thick surface vegetation throw in a snag proof frog or weedless spoon.
“But he still hasn’t mentioned a boat,” you might be thinking. Watercraft are a luxury and by no means a necessity. Bass can be readily taken from shore and many of the best places have limited access anyway. Besides, have you ever noticed that boat anglers are always casting towards shore while shore anglers usually cast as far out as they can?
Beginning anglers must not shy away from “snags.” Weeds, downed trees, stumps and stick-ups are normally where you’ll find fish. Cover is key since bass are object oriented. If you are not fishing where you’ll get hung-up occasionally, you’re not fishing where the fish are.
With experience you will soon acquire increased knowledge about bass habitat, location and how to fine tune presentations. Eventually die-hard fishermen discover ways to squeeze out a few fish even on the bad days, perhaps with the aid of the fancy stuff. But in the beginning remember to keep it simple.
Last but not least is don’t be afraid to seek advice from experienced anglers. You will quickly find they are some of the most benevolent and helpful groups of people and our area is loaded with great fishermen who love helping beginners get started.
In the end remember to keep things simple. It doesn’t take a fancy boat, state of the art electronics or dozens of rods to catch bass. All it really takes is desire!
Kokomo Seniors to meet
The Kokomo Seniors, a bass club comprised of some of our areas most experienced anglers, will host an organizational meeting April 7. The program will take place at 7 p.m. at the Elks Lodge located at 416 S. Union Street. The club is open to competitive bass fishermen age 50 and above. Some of the topics that will be discussed include tournament sites, schedules and rules.
John Martino is the Tribune’s outdoors columnist. He may be reached by e-mail at jmartinooutdoors@att.net.
