When I first started getting into bass fishing, I often felt overwhelmed as a beginner. There were so many techniques, baits, tackle, tactics and things I needed to learn.
At the time I wish I had some that could have helped me on my bass fishing journey. For that reason, I’ve put together these bass fishing tips that will help you get started.
The more you can learn and prepare as a bass fishing beginner or experienced angler, the more fish you’ll catch and the more fun you’ll have out on the water.
These bass fishing tips for beginner’s will help you increase your catch rate and will make for more successful days out on the water.
Here are 25 bass fishing tips that will help you catch more fish as a beginner.
Make sure to check out My Recommended Bass Fishing Gear and Tackle Guide to ensure you have the right gear for your next fishing adventure.
Top 25 Bass Fishing Tips for Beginners
Find the Cover and You’ll Find the Bass
One of the most important factors that will contribute to your fishing success is being able to put your bait where the bass are.
Bass are very structure and cover oriented. They love to hang out around cover that attracts baitfish, insects and other types of bass forage. These areas also provide good hiding spots for them so they can easily ambush their prey.
Cover can come in many different forms depending on the body of water you are fishing. It can be rock, wood, boat docks, grass, trees, lily pads among many others.
If you can find the cover where the bass are holding to you’ll have a lot of successful fishing days. Just always remember to find the cover and you’ll find the bass.
Understand How Weather Conditions Effect Bass
Getting to know how bass behavior changes based on different weather conditions is vital. The effectiveness of your lures and techniques can vary depending on weather conditions.
For example, it’s a good idea to use moving baits like topwater, spinnerbaits, crankbaits on overcast days or in low light conditions to catch these more active fish.
On the other hand, when you are faced with bright blue skies bass tend to hold tight to cover and shaded areas where they are just waiting for a meal to swim by. In these conditions bottom baits like jigs or a Texas rig soft plastic is going to be ideal.
Here are some articles I’ve put together that will help you tackle the different fishing conditions you may be faced with.
- Bass Fishing in the Rain – Complete Guide
- Best Windy Day Bass Fishing Lures
- How Do You Catch Bass When They Aren’t Biting?
Master Your Knots
One of the worst feelings in the world in bass fishing is losing a big fish because of a bad knot. Being able to tie a strong reliable knot quickly will pay huge dividends in the future.
To save precious fishing time and land more fish pick your favorite versatile knot and practice it over and over again until it becomes second nature.
Here are some video tutorials one how to tie some of the most popular bass fishing knots:
Try practicing these knots when you are stuck at home and find one or two that work best for you. That way when you do get out on the water you’ll be able breeze through it.
Do Your Research
Being prepared for the type of bass you are targeting and the body of water that you are fishing is extremely important.
Do yourself a favor and before you hit the water do some research and find out as much information as you can before you go fishing.
Here is a list of some great tools and resources to use that will help you be more prepared and have more success fishing for bass.
Google Earth – will allow you to scout out lakes, ponds, reservoirs ahead of time and it will even let you go back in time and look at low water years to help you identify key structure.
Navionics Web App – the Navionics web app is another great tool that shows you a ton of different lake maps with contour lines, helping you scout out some key spots ahead of time.
YouTube/Websites – there are a ton of different YouTube channels and bass fishing and websites that can provide you with a ton of different lake information that you can use to stay ahead of the game.
Match the Hatch
Matching the hatch is a theory used by anglers that means observing the type of forage in the body of water you are fishing and choosing baits and lures that closely mimic that forage, size, species and color.
Whether it’s shad, small bait fish, crayfish etc. finding out what the bass are eating and focusing on will give you a huge advantage and you’ll end up having a lot more success if you can closely mimic it.
Here are some basic tips on matching the hatch: How to Properly Match the Hatch to Catch More Bass.
Choose the Right Colors
The color of your bait and lure may seem like a minor detail but it can make a huge difference in your overall fishing success.
In general, when fishing in clear water select baits and lures that have natural colors such as green pumpkin, brown, white or anything that closely resembles bass forage.
When fishing in muddy or stained water dark and bright colors such as black and blue, red, junebug and chartreuse are going to be the most effective.
For more information and selecting the right color of baits and lures check out this complete bass fishing color guide: How to Choose the Right Bass Fishing Colors
Keep It Simple
In bass fishing we as anglers tend to over complicate things. There are so many lures, baits, colors, rods & reels, techniques, rigs, and theory’s that it can be over whelming when you are a beginner.
Do yourself a favor and keep things simple. You don’t need 20 rods or to spend hundreds of dollars on tackle to go out have some fun and catch some bass.
When you are just starting out select a few baits and techniques and try and master those before moving on to the next one.
Learn from Other Anglers
If you haven’t already noticed all bass fishing anglers have different strengths, weaknesses preferences and approaches when it comes to the way they fish.
That’s one of the things that is so great about fishing is that there are so many different ways and areas where you can catch bass.
That’s why getting out and fishing with other bass fishing anglers is so critical. You can learn so much by fishing with and observing other anglers especially the ones that have a lot of experience.
Gear Up
Just like any job having the right tools for the task at hand is extremely important. The right bass fishing gear will keep you safe and allow you to be a more productive angler.
By no means am I saying you need to go out and buy the most expensive fishing setup out there, but it is important to get some quality gear that will allow you to be successful.
For more information about all of the things you’ll need to start bass fishing check out this article: The Gear Every New Bass Fisherman Needs.
Wind & Current are Key
Wind can both be a blessing and a curse. I’ll be honest, when the wind gets up to 15 miles per hour or over it can be challenging to cast and navigate your kayak or boat.
However, it also brings a lot of positives and can really turn on the bite. Bass become more aggressive, lures are harder for them to see because of the low light penetration and it can present you with some great fishing opportunities.
Another important factor to look for when bass fishing is current. Current can cool the water temperature, add oxygen and bring in new forage for the bass to eat.
If you can find areas with good current and structure, there will likely be plenty of bass to catch.
Understand Seasonal Bass Behavior
Understanding the different seasonal patterns and behaviors bass go through is extremely important and is something every bass fishing angler needs to know.
Watch this video where you will learn how to fish any body of water using seasonal fishing techniques.
Spend Time on the Water
Now days there are a ton of bass fishing resources available that will help get you started and keep you learning, but there is no substitute for experience and time on the water.
You can read all of the bass fishing articles, watch all the YouTube videos from professional anglers, but nothing can compare to going out and applying and practicing your skill.
Mix Up Your Retrieval
Using a steady lure retrieval will catch fish, but if you really want to trigger more bass into biting, than mixing up your retrieval speed and cadence is key.
Bass are opportunistic predators meaning they take advantage of easy pray and small changes to your retrieval like a pause, increase in speed or deflection off cover are fantastic ways to trigger their predatory response.
Cover Water
A common mistake that I see bass fishing beginners make is that they spend way too much time fishing in one spot.
If you haven’t caught anything in an area and it’s been over 15-30 minutes, it’s time to move on and try a new spot.
When I first started fishing especially at a place I’ve never been before I’ll be in “search mode” where I’m covering a lot of water and trying different spots until I get a few bites.
The last thing you want to do is waste time fishing in unproductive areas. Once you get a few bites that’s when you can slow down and be more thorough.
Make Long Casts
Casting distance can play a major role in your overall bass fishing success. Long casts will allow your lure to be in the strike zone longer making it more likely for a bass to come up and eat your bait.
Long casts are especially important when fishing in clear water. You’ll be less likely to spook the fish and can increase your catch rate substantially.
Here are some basic tips that will help you make longer casts.
Use Scent
Adding scents to your lures and baits can be a great way to get more bites and can increase your hook up ratio.
Scents not only draw bass attention by leaving an attractive trail, but they also do a great job at masking repelling odors that get on your hands and baits like sunscreen and gasoline.
The other advantage of adding sent is that when the bass do bite your bait they tend to hold onto it longer, giving you more time to react and set the hook.
Here are some popular bass scents that you should consider trying:
- Pro Cure Scent
- Smelly Jelly
- Bang
Success Is in The Details
I’ve been bass fishing for a long time and over the years I’ve realized how import paying attention to the small details can be.
There are so many missed opportunities that anglers could have taken advantage of if they were only paying attention.
Paying close attention to the subtle details is what really separates good anglers from great ones. Developing an ability to notice and take advantage of these little things will give you a huge advantage.
To help you understand more about these key factors here are 6 Important Bass Fishing Details You Shouldn’t Overlook
Learn to Be Versatile
A common mistake that many bass fishing anglers make is being too one dimensional. You never want to be in a position where you live and die by one technique.
The best way to be a well-rounded angler is to fish at new places and continue to learn and practices throwing new baits and techniques.
If you are used to fishing in muddy water throwing spinnerbaits and jigs, try going to a clear body of water and throw finesse techniques.
On the other hand, if you only fish with a spinning setup, force yourself to learn how to use a baitcaster until you feel comfortable using one.
Don’t be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone, you’ll become a much more versatile and effective angler.
Be Persistent
Bass fishing can be a challenging sport which is part of the reason why it’s so much fun. As you navigate through all of these things you need to learn be persistent in your efforts.
Every angler runs into challenges, obstacles, good days and bad days. The key is to be persistent and never stop learning and fishing.
Master Your Casts
As I mentioned before making long casts can give you a huge advantage in bass fishing. Just as equally important is being able to make accurate casts to key targets with a soft landing.
Bass are structure oriented and can be found in trees, under docks, in grass and around heavy cover. Because of this being able to accurately put your bait where the bass live without getting hung up is critical.
Here are some bass casting techniques that will help you master your casts.
Rig It Right
A common mistake that many bass fishing beginner’s make is not rigging their baits correctly. Whether it’s putting on a jig trailer wrong or not understanding how to properly rig a Texas rig.
This often happens because they don’t understand how to rig their technique right or they are in a hurry and become lazy.
Take the time to learn how to rig your soft plastic baist and other fishing techniques the right way. You’ll catch a ton more fish.
Watch Out for Water Temperature
Depending on the time of year and location, water temperatures can vary drastically. Which can greatly affect the activity and feeding level of the bass.
Bass are cold blooded meaning that their body temperature is always the same as the water they swim in. So in warm water they will be more active and in cold water they will be more lethargic.
A good general rule of thumb to go by is to throw slower moving baits in cooler water temperatures and faster more aggressive baits in warmer water.
Along with that if you are fishing in the winter & early spring try and find areas that have warmer water.
Conversely when fishing in the summer look for parts of the lake that have cooler water temperatures. This will help you find a ton of productive areas.
Adapt & Change
Adapting and changing on the water from day to day and even hour to hour is something every bass fishing beginner must learn.
The baits, techniques and areas that worked in the morning or on the previous day won’t necessary work tomorrow or even later on in the day.
Bass are constantly on the move and their behavior changes based on season, weather conditions, water temperature and light penetration among other things.
That’s why being able to adapt and change your approach, baits and techniques is extremely important.
Be Patient
Just like mastering any sport it takes time and dedication to become really good. Be patient with yourself and don’t get frustrated when things don’t go your way or when you aren’t having any luck.
I’ve learned some of the most important bass fishing lessons on days where I wasn’t catching anything. Use each fishing trip, whether it’s good or bad as a learning opportunity.
Have Fun
One of the most important tips that all bass fishing beginners need to remember is to always have fun regardless of what happens while fishing.
Be patient, always learn and most of all have fun out there because that’s what it’s all about.
Final Thoughts
Bass fishing can be both a challenging and rewarding sport but starting out as a beginner is never easy.
However, with these 25 bass fishing tips for beginners you’ll be well on your way to becoming a bass fishing expect in no time.
I hope you have found these tips to be insightful and that they help you catch more bass.
Best of luck out there.
