All anglers know that when you’ve been bitten by the fishing bug, every little accomplishment is a huge victory and this is enough motivation to get back out on the water to fish again. As you learn about fishing and know about the different fish species, you begin to realize that they all handle bait differently and some are easier to catch than others.

For example, let’s talk about bass. Bass is one of the most common freshwater fish in the world, and there are a variety of different types. Each bass requires a slightly different approach. It’s an advantage if you can identify each one. A general fact to know when it comes to catching these species is that when you try to catch them, there’s a natural progression that occurs. You don’t typically step out onto the boat and grab a five-pounder on the first go.

That said, there are some things a beginner can do to help speed up this progression. First is to be able to distinguish the types of bass; jaw length, number, and size of stripes, number of spines, and region of the country you fish.

You also need to know which appropriate boat accessories you need to have; from the best bass lures to the best bass fishing rods.

Largemouth Bass: The upper jaw extends out past the eye. They have spiny dorsal fins with a deep notch between them.

Smallmouth Bass: The upper jaw does not extend past the eye. They have spiny dorsal fins and three dark lines on their cheek. This species has nine to ten spines on the dorsal fin.

Redeye Bass: These have small dark spots below the lateral line and a second dorsal that appears red. Their upper jaw does not extend past the eye.

Shoal Bass: These have an upper jaw that does not extend past the eye. They also have dark blotches that fade more as the fish ages. They look similar to redeye bass minus the red colouration.

There are more species out there, but these are the primary ones you will run into and have to identify.

Best Live Baits for Bass

Different types of bass require different live bait since not everything will work for them. There are a few things that small and largemouth bass are always interested in. These are minnows, crawfish, salamanders, worms, leeches, and frogs, just to mention a few.

The cream of the crop when it comes to live bait fishing is the crawfish since the bass loves them. Minnows make for a great baitfish, and they come in a couple of different varieties. There are shiners, creek chubs, and a whole bunch of others. Fishing with minnows may increase your chance of hooking a larger fish.

When it comes to casting, the basic throwing and retrieving get boring after a while so you can try playing with the bait in the water or even dragging it behind your Quintrex boat. It’s best on a calm day when the water is still. When there is little activity on the water, you can agitate the bass by bouncing the lure around the water. This is an excellent way to get them to bite.

If you are out on a cloudy, windy day or if the water is high and murky from rain the best way to reel in the bass is by casting and retrieving. The way to change it up though is to do it at an irregular pace. Reel in quickly, then stop and repeat that for a while.

Your ultimate goal as an angler should be to make your bait seem as real as possible when you fish. If the bass believes it’s alive and squirming, it will be more likely to strike it. You can do this by moving the bait slowly and smoothly through the water when the bass are around.

If you cast around stumps or pads, you are more likely to find bass. When you cast into these areas, try to get as close to the objects as possible so you can make a little noise when you get there. You want to draw the attention of the bass so you can proceed to egg them on.

The primary issue people have when fishing live bait is that the bass will swallow the hook more often. Pay close attention when you fish with live bait so you can set the hook at the first sign of a nibble before the bass swipes it up. 

Don’t forget to make some noise. There are many different ways you can make noise on the water, but one great way is to stop your cast halfway and let the lure hit the water and skip a few times. This makes a lot of noise. The bass will notice, and if you have everything else in check, you are bound to get a bite.