Are you planning on going bass fishing for the first time? Not sure where to start?

In this post, we are going to take a look at 11 essential bass fishing tips for beginners.

Bass Fishing For Beginners: 11 Essential Tips

Understand the rules. Before heading out on the boat, it is always important to check the regulations for the area you will be fishing. Many states have laws that regulate bass fishing and all states will require purchasing a fishing license.

You can find this information by going your state’s website and looking for fishing regulations. You can find such information as when bass fishing season starts, how big the fish have to be to keep them, and where to buy a fishing license.

For more information on purchasing a license for your state please click this link here and then click the state you will be fishing.

Find the fish. Locating bass is the crucial first step to becoming a successful bass angler. One area bass can almost always be found in is, in or around cover. Start by looking for bass around lay downs, docks, rocks, stumps, lily pads, as well as any other man-made or natural places of cover.

Bass love these areas because it offers them a source of protection and it allows them to easily ambush prey. So, if you are bass fishing for the first time, start by fishing areas of cover where most likely a bass or maybe two will be waiting.

Be observant – match the hatch. Another important tip when bass fishing for the first time is to choose the right bait.

How do you know if you have the right lure? Be observant. What are the bass feeding on? What do you see swimming in the water? Do you see a lot of baitfish? Do you see a lot of crawfish?

For example, if you see a lot of shad swimming in the water, mostly likely that is what the bass are feeding on. Throw something that imitates a shad and you will be on your way to catching your first bass.

Water temperature. Bass are cold-blooded creatures which means they are greatly affected by the temperature of the water. In warmer temperatures they tend to be more active, they are more aggressive and they eat more.

The opposite is true when the water temperature starts to drop. When this happens their metabolism slows down and they aren’t as aggressive.

This important to keep in mind because it affects how we fish for them. During the warm summer months, fast-moving baits and a more aggressive approach can be effective in catching bass. However, during the winter, you need to slow things down.

Start with plastics. There are many different techniques to catch bass, however, don’t think you have to master the them all to become a good bass fisherman. To be honest, some of the most effective baits are the easiest to use.

Remember, bass fishing for beginners doesn’t have to be difficult, keep things simple.

So, for the beginner bass angler, I would recommend starting to fish with a plastic worm such as senko for two reasons.

The first reason, is because they are extremely easy to use. These lures give off so much action themselves that there is  very little that you have to do.

Next, plastic worms catch bass. There is nothing more discouraging than fishing all day only to come home empty-handed. For that reason, start with a plastic worm and start to catch bass from day one.

Start small, finish big. One of the best places to start fishing are small ponds. Most ponds are easily accessible which means you can fish them more often.

This will allow you to have more practice. The more opportunities you have to fish, the more comfortable and confident you will feel.

Also, it is important to note that sometimes these small ponds rarely see other fisherman or any fishing lures in general. What does that mean for you and I? It could mean large bass that have never seen a fishing lure before, just waiting to be caught. You’d be surprised by the size of fish that have been caught in theses small bodies of water.

With that being said, start small by fishing nearby ponds and small lakes. If you are having difficulty finding these areas ask around. Some of the best places to ask around are at your local bait shop.

Another place to find ponds is using good maps. In Google maps you the option to see an overview map of your area. It will also allow you to zoom into a street level. These can help you to find those secret hot spots that nobody else knows or fishes.

Start with ponds close to your home and slowly expand outward. Mark a few of them down on a map and get out there and start fishing them.

Choose the right reel. Without a doubt when we think about bass fishing we think about fishing with a baitcaster. However, this can be a struggle for the beginner bass angler. For that reason, it is important to choose the right baitcasting reel.

When I say choose the right reel, I mean choose one that you will be comfortable using. Keeping in mind that it doesn’t have to be a baitcasting reel. You can start with a spinning reel and then as you feel more comfortable make the switch over.

Next, get out there and practice. Even before you get out on the water, make sure you can cast the reel without it resulting in a backlash. This is important because if you go fishing and get one backlash after another, you aren’t going to enjoy fishing that much.

Before you start fishing, practice, practice, practice.

Fish those windy days. Fishing on a windy day doesn’t seem that appealing. Many times it results in us being cold, tangled lines, or almost falling into the water. We need to look at windy days from a different angle.

We need to think about it from the fish’s perspective. Underneath the water the wind can turn things up, get things moving and ultimately get fish feeding. The wind can also help to hide the noises from us walking around on the boat.

During windy days, some lures such as spinnerbaits are even more effective as the fish don’t get to have a good look at the bait. So, if you really want to catch some fish, sometimes we need to stick it out and fish those windy days.

Choose one lure – don’t put it down. When hitting the lake for the first time, you might be tempted to try out every lure that you have in your tackle box.

However, I don’t think that is the most effective way to catch bass. If you cycle through all your lures and you don’t catch anything you are going leave discouraged and the worse part is that you are not going to have any confidence in your lures.

Instead, I would recommend you choose one lure, go to a small pond, and learn to fish that lure. Keep fishing it until it produces results. By doing this, even if you don’t catch a fish, you will leave satisfied knowing that you have master a technique.

If you do catch some fish this will give you an idea of how the fish want the lure and it will also  give you confidence in that one lure.

Learn the proper hookset. When we do finally have a fish on the other end we can be so excited that we either set the hook too strong or we don’t set the hook properly Before going out on the water, take a few minutes and remind yourself how to set the hook.

There are two different ways to do this. One way is the over the shoulder hookset. This is done by reeling up the slack line and quickly bringing the rod up to your shoulder. It is most effective when fishing a lure with a single hook.

Another way to set the hook is with a sweep of the rod to one side. Use this hookset when fishing with treble hooks such as crankbaits or swimbaits.

Don’t forget the camera. There is nothing worse than catching your first bass only to have nothing to prove that you caught it. For that reason, always bring a camera and be ready to document that special moment.

What do you think is important thing that a beginner bass anglers should know? What are your favorite tips for bass fishing for beginners ? Please share with us your thoughts in the comments below.