Bass Fishing

Bass Pro Gary Klein explains and demonstrates how to use a small worm for big bass.

White bass surely have a little Rodney Dangerfield in them. Few fish species get less of the respect they deserve as their angry, suicidal tendencies are second to none. Whites do draw crowds, but only during spring, when they run up rivers to spawn.

One sure cure for cabin fever is to soak a few baits as soon as you can in the spring. The early season offers one of your best chances of the year to catch a true trophy-caliber bass; locating fish, however, is often the biggest challenge.

When Virginia pro angler John Crews sees a bass in shallow water, he reads its body language to determine if the fish will eat a lure. By watching how it reacts to the boat or a lure, he knows if it is worth a few casts.

NAFC Life Member Bill Siemantel was still on a high from being inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame at the 2009 fishing industry trade show when I handed him a map and asked him to help with this article.

It's no secret that fall offers some of the year's finest fishing for smallies and largemouths.

Noted professional anglers like Gerald Swindle often cope with the same challenge that many weekend fishermen face—largemouth bass that have grown lure-shy due to heavy fishing pressure. Savvy fishermen often rely on finesse tactics and small baits to coax bites from temperamental fish and are typically satisfied with catching average-size bass.

The pro angler was on his home water, and although he was seeing numbers of bass, walleyes and pike-both his eyes and electronics-concentrated along deep weedlines, he simply could not get them to bite.

Will Pappa and Austin Felix sacked an impressive 16.98-pound, 5-largemouth limit to win top honors and $10,000 in cash at the Cabela’s North American Bass Circuit’s second 2012 qualifier against 98 anglers from six states competing on the Madison Chain.

World-class bass fishing and hefty paychecks await when the Cabela’s North American Bass Circuit continues its 2012 season on Wisconsin’s bass-rich Madison Chain.