I live near Grand Rapids and I'd love to know some great fishing lakes or rivers nearby to fish for bass or pike? I also have property on Lake Manistique in the upper peninsula. Any known bass or pike lakes near there would be great to know about. Also some excellent strategies for catching fish on these lakes/rivers is also appreciated. Thanks!
Castiac right off highway 5 after the mountains. huge bass and plenty of them.
i live 15 minutes from the lake that the world record bass was caught. i've seen plenty lunkers in these san diego lakes, and i do believe they also hold potential record breakers. the thing is, these lakes are heavily pressured, so excellent luck.
I like to fish for catfish, perch, walleye, pike, etc. Don't people ever get bored fishing for the same fish every time? I know they put up a fight and stuff but so do other fish. I mean just about every fishing show is bass fishing and it sucks. Sorry if I offend you proud bass fishermen but this is my opinion.
No offense meant by this, but if you need to question this question, there is nothing I could say that would answer your question to your satisfaction. Sorry.
I think it's all about the strike and the fight. The different lures, baits and presentation make it challenging. I guess it's kind of a like a hunt also, bass is good eating and you can go to a lot of different fish markets and buy perch, walleye and others but not normally bass.
There isn't anything incorrect with any of the fish you mentioned. The reason most of the shows focus on bass is that the Largemouth Bass is the most sought after sportfish in the US based on creel and license surveys. The TV guys are going to play to the numbers.
I am a tournament bass fisherman, and I like it. It feeds two of my passions: competition and being outdoors. That said, I also delight in going to Alaska yearly to go after King Salmon, and to the mountains in my home state of Arizona to spend a few days catching trout. I will tell you that if I could fish Kings all year long, and they had tournaments for them, I'd probably never bass fish again. Trout is another matter. all you need to know about the difference between a bass and a trout is what one uses to catch them. Would you rather fight a fish that slurps small bugs or get into a barroom brawl with a fish that will attack something nearly as big as it is?
I personally agree with you 100%. i like to saltwater fish and for different varieties.It's not knowing what's going to hit your lure that makes it more fun for me.I must have gone bass fishing maybe 4 times in my whole life and i still don't get an adrenaline rush as to when i go croaker fishing and all of a sudden i have a shark on the line,you have to play him different reset the drag and trying your darndest to land the fish.i like to fish from shore and i also get bummed out when all i see on tv is bass shows fishing from a boat.there are different types of fish out there and there are different type of fisherman/woman.I wish they would once in a while make a show of surf fishing and not knowing what they are going to catch.
I think bass are more common to go after because they're the most readily available predator fish in most ponds.Personally I like carp because I rarely fish lakes with pike and walleye.for me carp and bass are what is available.Depending on how active I feel like being I will choose to either go for carp or bass.I live a 5 minute drive away from many local ponds that have both.The nearest place I could find walleye or pike would probably take me 30 minutes or more to get to.My guess is it's more a matter of convenience for most people.
haha i really know what you mean! i like bass fishing just because of the fight they put on! but i want to fish all the other fish too! but the problem is is that im not that good at fishing for anything else except bass, perch, and bluegill! can u give me some headers or tips please? just e-mail me!
Bass fishing has evolved like playing golf (shudders) and has taken the fun out of fishing. I use a fiberglass 14' Jon boat, a 6 HP Merc 4 stroke motor and I catch more fish, have way less expense, get into more places than a bass boat would ever dare go and probably forgot more about fishing than these so called pros.
As my username suggests, I catfish and i do it very well. I sell trotline jump box's I make with Trotlines and people who use them swear it's by far the fastest way to put out a trotline… and it is.
When I go fishing, I go for the meat. I don't care about getting there fast or looking good. I'd say 2/3 of my fishing is within two miles of where I put in and very rarely do I come home with less than 15 lbs of filet's or more and I probably spent @ $25.00 per fishing trip with gas being my biggest cost.
So ya, different strokes for different folks. I prefer doing it the fun way and providing some of the best table fare a fellow can sit down & eat. Already I've had four fish fries with up to 15 folk we know and always everyone had plenty wanting to know when we're going to do it again.
I have a website (link on my profile) where I share some of my secrets and many people has written me thanking me for some useful information and I do it because I like fishing and sharing with others that which I have learned over the years.
Fishing this year, I have tried for just about everything but the only "keeper" fish I have caught have been bass. But, I don't have a boat and I only fish from shore, and many of the other kinds of fish you mentioned are very hard to catch from land. I've caught small- and largemouth bass, various sunfish (rock bass, bluegills and pumpkinseed), perch, catfish and one small walleye. A guy fishing beside me from a pier I was on caught a large walleye on a virtually identical lure as the one I was using. just luck of the draw, I guess.
I think the lure of going after bass is simply the challenge of matching yourself up against one of the larger but more catchable kind of game fish. I really don't get it either – what is vital to me when fishing is to catch some fish, and the fish be something I can eat. I like to catch a variety and in larger bodies of water I use lures that will attract nearly any of the top predatory fish. Since the middle of June I have caught about 24 or 25 fish, but the only ones that were good for eating (huge enough to bother with) were about 7 largemouth bass. I guess I should be a proud bass fisherman, but I am really frustrated by not being able to get at the other species.
I don't get the big deal with the bass putting up a fight – I've caught huge codfish, walleye and trout at different times in my life and found the fight they put up was just as good. Landing a lure-stealing 15 lb cod using a spincast rod with 8 lb test line was the MOST challenging fun I ever had fishing.
I think that the bass appeal is that you can use inexpensive tackle, you don't always need a boat, and still catch a big bass (I think the world record largemouth was caught on a cane pole and a cheap plug-type lure). The shows make it look even simpler, and people in general tend to want to emulate what they see on TV.
For the record, though – the fishing shows we have in Canada show a lot of variety in the fish they go after and really don't focus on bass that much. Maybe you should try and find some of the Canadian shows like 'Facts of Fishing' to watch online, I am pretty sure many of the shows are available on their website.
I want to be prepared for fishing what are some fantastic bass lures
Early spring is prime time for catching giant largemouths and smallmouths alike, but you must have the right tools for the task. Here are a few recommendations for this time of year (full disclosure, I work for PRADCO Outdoor Brands who own Lurenet.com)…
1) Smithwick 5 ½-inch Suspending Rattlin’ Rogue – Clown
The suspending jerkbait that put suspending jerkbaits on the map, a Rogue is the bait of choice for giant smallies when they stage just off spawning flats. Pause it as long as you can stand between jerks – and maybe a little longer – and remain ready.
2) 7-inch YUM Dinger – Watermelon Pearl Laminate
Huge, bold offerings often trigger heavyweight spawning fish into committing, and nothing will do that job quite like a 7-inch YUM Dinger. Huge Dingers’ also produce hoards of hawgs when pitched around shallow cover throughout the spring.
3) BOOYAH 3/4-ounce Football Jigheads – Brown
During early spring many huge fish remain in or very near their winter areas, which dictates hitting deeper structure. a BOOYAH Football Head allows you to keep soft-plastic offerings close to prime structure and comes equipped with a 4/O Gamakatsu hook for putting those huge fish in the boat.
4) YUM 5-inch Gonzo Grub – Green Pumpkin/Orange Flake
A perfect match for the Football Jighead, a Gonzo Grub has a fluttering skirt and twin tails that provide an incredible amount of action. the 5-inch Gonzo provides the necessary bulk to get a lunker to commit.
5) Bomber fat Free Shad – Dance’s Citrus Shad
If you ever travel to Mexico without a stock of fat Free Shads you’ll buy some before the trip is over, and if you fish anywhere bass grow huge without ‘em, you’re leaving something significant on the table. fat Frees dig deep to get down among ‘em and have just the right profile and wag.
6) 1-ounce Double Willow BOOYAH Blade – White Chartreuse
Another trophy bass gem for when the lunkers are laying low in the water column, a huge Double Willow BOOYAH Blade offers a large profile to suggest a serious meal. let it fall to the bottom and slow roll it across the deepest edges of flats and the ends of points
7) ¾-ounce Single Colorado BOOYAH Blade – Coleslaw
When early-spring storms stain huge bass waters, it’s time to pull out a thumping single Colorado. the fish will go tight to shallow cover, and they will dart out of bush to ambush something that’s creating huge vibes. Work close and make small accurate casts, working the bait tight to the thick stuff.
BOMBER Deep Flat a – Apple Red Crawfish
The Flat A’s extra-tight wiggle suggests an simple meal, which is something bass cannot resist while their metabolism levels remain low. use a steady medium-slow retrieve and kick it off rocks and the bottom whenever possible.
9) Cotton Cordell Super Spot – Tomato Red
A first-season classic on grass lakes, the Tomato Red Super Spot accounts for a tremendous amount of hawgs this time of year. let it fall into patches of submerged vegetation, rip it out of the grass and hold on tight!
Night crawlers are my favorit. ruberworms next, catfish minows,are fantastic, for some resson bas despise cat fish hit them hard then spit them out so set the hook quick, rapalas, work. small poping bug with ruberband legs is good for fly fishing cast under overhanging trees let set on the watter for a min shake 2 times let set for a min sone a bass bluegill crappy catfish carp or someting will take it, hook with green pipe cleaner around it if cappella worms are dropping of the trees can give you some quick action as well
The sexy shad that the one guy is talking about it made by strike king. thats Kevin VanDam's lure model. some good lures other than that are the spinnerbait, a rapala x-rap, top water frog, and of course pastic worms. Texas rigged is very efficient and if you dont know how to do that try wacky worm. Just put the hook right through the middle of the plastic worm(6 inch) and than just twitch it slowly.
start with plastic worms. get an assortment. sizes/colors.
add to this some soft plastic topwaters. rage tail shad and toads by strike king. 5/0 or 6/0 extra wide gap offset hook.
a few spinner/buzz baits. different blade styles and different colors but mostly white/chartreuse. be sure to have a couple colorado blades in the mix.
l like (like) rico poppers by lobina lures but they're just so damn expensive. l wade into the lake to retrieve hung ones and there is no body contact allowed.
rebel pop-rs and zara spooks by heddon round out what l use most.
l don't use many crankbaits. sorry, you're on your own. just match them to the shad or whatever your local forage is.
this is my list of favorites that l always carry. but it's only a start. l use others. there are many fantastic lures and you are sure to get many other favorites in these answers
The best thing to use to catch bass is a rubber worm. I use Culprit brand in the 6" or 7.5". I like the crawdad color.
its a crankbait, and its color is sexy shad, but i forget who makes it and the model. another is the snagproof frog for large mouth in lillypads.
Yamamoto Senko. I use them year round and do well.
Watermelon with red and black flakes.
There are a lot of imitations that work well also but I prefer Yamamoto brand.
ive had fantastic luck with a rubber frog and a diver that looks like a shrimp/craw daddy…lots of bass magazines at supermarket/book store…..try bass masters on web [yahoo,google] and pro bass shops
Usually I have good luck with spinners, crankbaits, plastic worms, dare devils, kast masters, and Hula poppers.
I like the ancient fashioned Jitterbug especially in the evening when it's cool.
a simple night crawler
i catch more bass on them than any lures i have in my box
Zoom 6" plastic lizard pumpkin seed and Strike king makes the sexy shad
6" plastic worm, texas-rigged in the color grape.
Hope i helped ya out.
I perfer a rapala floating crank bait.
A favorite of mine that no one has mentioned is the Rooster Tail.
floating lures, like frogs.
any spinner works well
I got about $40 dollars to spend at ***** sporting goods. I want to buy a new spinning combo for nice size bass. I only want to spend around $30 to $35 for a new one. Whats a excellent combo i could buy there? or i can buy a spinning reel and spinning rod separate but together still in that price range. i am also fishing on Oneida lake, NY any tips on fishing there would be fantastic Thanks
just go to their store and look around. what they have on sale online isn't always the case in store. i would suggest a 7 ft. rod for longer casts and a 6' 6'' for accuracy. they should have a couple to choose from. also i would suggest a medium/heavy over a medium action to fish the weeds.
I plan on taking a small road trip from Virginia to Texas soon, and i would like to know where i should stop on the way there and back for fantastic bass fishing. Also i can go to Alabama and Louisiana. List anywhere i should go, (lakes, ponds, reservoirs, rivers). Also what is your top 10 list of the best bass fishing in North america. THANKS!
Top 10 States.
1) California.
2) California.
3) California.
4) California.
5) California.
6) California.
7) Florida.
Florida.
9) Texas.
10) Texas.
im going on a trip soon to lake mojave in nevada and i wantwed to pick up some topwater frogs from basspro and was wondering what is a fantastic frog ive read good and bad reviews about alot of frogs saying they arent durable or they dont float correctly or whatever but i was just wondering what good frogs you have had luck with thanks
TU to GMB.
I'd just like to say that the Spro Bronzeye is my favorite among that list.
I also have one to add: reelgoodguide.com/product-bas…
They are a sponsor of a fishing forum I frequent. I bought a few of them and am amazed at how realistic they are in the water. If I was a fish, I'd eat it. lol
fishstanley.com/ribbit.html
Ribbit frogs! they sell them at Wal Marts and Bass Pros, just about anywhere.
One of the best I've ever used.
I've place 12 bass on the same ribbit frog before needing a new one.
Thumbs up to "GMB". Solid answer.
I also believe the Spro Frog to be one of the best pre-rigged Frog.
"GMB" gets my vote for BA.
the River2Sea Larry Dahlberg Diver Frog is friking incredible looking. you have no thought till you see that thing in action.
Go with the spro bronzeye it cant be fished incorrect
And it reads MEMBER B.A.S.S,so but how do i put it on a shirt? it has a plastic film of plastic on the back of the patch,so i thought it was a sticker,it's not.I'm not excellent at sewing and my friend said it may be an iron on patch,i have no clue,i really want to put this on my fishing shirt,so any suggestions would be greatly apreciated,thank you and have a safe and great day,bye?
It does sound like an iron on patch, and the best way to apply one is to place it on your shirt where you want it to go and place a cloth over the patch and iron with a medium heat, not too hot and that should fix the patch in place. if you don't feel too confident with it just being ironed on a couple of small tacking stitches in a couple of strategic places will keep it there.
I have lived here in florida for most of my life. so for me fishing is a part of life. my job may relocate to kansas city or around that area. Major question? how is the fishing? I am used to great bass fishing in lake O and saltwater fishing all the time. Being its in the middle of the state is the fishing good? if i go there had better be fishing lol
every body says this aint kansas,hell your there looks like fresh water fishing only your a brave man I could not live without saltwater fishing good luck tight lines
the pond i use is very small and about 18 feet at the deepest. it is full of bass, catfish and brem. any info on bait/lures, and times of day would be great. the pond has a circumference of 866 yards if that gives excellent size details and is shaped like a horseshoe.
minnows and medium suckers, both with tails trimmed so they do not swim well, either suspended under a bobber, in the water column for both cats and bass, or on the bottom for both. you can use plastics and artificial lures for bass. real worms would work for all, also.
Dynamite works well.