I'm not sure if he's going to grow his website into one where he provides guiding services, or something else, but he's just starting out, and I wanted to give him some publicity.
Some of his links and pics have red X's. All that means is he needs to re-download them, or work on the code. Please bear with him as he's a new website owner.
In the communication I had with him, he seemed sincere and knowledgable. Whatever direction he takes his site in, I will try to help him and wish him luck simply because it appears to me he initially put his site up to genuinely help the newcomers.
I thought that was pretty admirable, and hope he can fill us in on developments and new things as he grows his site.
This website was first published in March of 2009 by Bass Fishing for beginners founder Ricky Acred. Ricky enjoys bass fishing and has done extensive research to bring the beginner bass fisherman valid and up to date information about his or her favorite past time.
The user of this site must keep in mind that bass fishing can be as simple or as complicated as one wishes. It can also be as cheap or as expensive as one wishes. This site gives information on the basis of getting someone who is not very familiar with fishing to the fishing hole and catching fish as soon as possible. Therefore, you may not find more advanced techniques on this site. However, you will find all the information you will need to give you the confidence to make that plunge into bass fishing.
Walk into any sporting goods or department store and the beginner can be immediately intimidated by the vast selection of rods, reels, or rod and reel combos. The next few paragraphs can ease some of that anxiety and the give the beginner the necessary information to choose that first rod and reel.
Rods
First consider the rod. Rods come in various lengths, stiffnesses, actions, and types. Information about the rod is normally found on the rod itself, near where the reel is attached.
When the rod information refers to a length, it is quite simple stating the rod's length usually in feet and inches. Bass are usually caught on lengths from 5'5 to 7'. A shorter adult may choose the lower of the range and a taller person may choose from the higher of the range. Also, a shorter rod casts shorter generally but gets into tighter spaces. A longer rod will generally cast farther, but is hard to get into tighter spots (such as around tree limbs.) Don't make this decision a hill to die on. If you just can't be sure about which length you need, get a 6'6 rod, which is the most common.
When you see information regarding stiffness, this simply refers to how stiff the rod is ranging from ultra light to heavy. I am sure there are rods above and below this range, but the average bass fisherman will choose a rod in this range. As for the beginner, choose a medium or medium heavy stiff rod. There are arguably many advantages to a slightly less or more stiff rod. The most unarguable difference is you can put heavier test line on a heavier rod, which means less breaks. Again, if you just can't decide, you may have to just get a medium which is very plentiful.
When the rod information section refers to action, it is letting the user or buyer now where the rod tip flexes. A slower action bends more toward the reel and a faster action bends more toward the tip. This is no standard to measure action against, and the average bass fisherman uses a fast action rod, which is in high supply. There are also various advantages to certain actions, but that information will be reserved for a more advanced fisherman. For the beginner, like the average bass fisherman, choose a fast action rod.
Finally, when choosing a rod, you need to decide what type reel you will use. Basically, a spin casting, bait casting, and spinning reel each have their own type of rod.
Reels
That begs the question, what's the difference between the three common beginner bass fishing reels? Reels are much more complicated than rods and the information on this site will be limited to what the beginner would need to know. As a matter of fact, the information below will only detail spin casting and spinning reels as these are the most appropriate for the beginner fisherman.
First consider the spin caster. This is the reel you used when you were a kid (most likely). It has a closed face configuration (meaning you can't see the string spool.) It has a thumb button which releases the line and a rewind crank which locks (keeps it from going forward) and rewinds the line. This type of reel is great for a beginner, especially a child.
Another type of reel is a spinning reel. This reel showed up on the fishing scene around the 1950's and quickly became a favorite for bass fishermen. The spinning reel has a open face configuration. It has a half loop stiff wire called a bail that is lifted to release line and brought back down to lock and rewind the line. Also be aware that this reel is designed to operate from the opposite side (using your left hand to reel instead of your right) as you would normally operate a spincaster. This does take some getting used to but nothing extraordinary (my son picked it after about two casts.) This is the preferred reel type for the adolescent or adult beginner. For really small children (up to age 7) I would choose a spincaster. The reason I prefer a spinning reel is the more time you have your line in the water, the more fish you can catch. A spinning reel has an open face which allows you to correct backlashes much quicker. Also it's just plain fun to operate one.
Combos
Combos are rod and reels that are sold as one unit. You can still change the rod or reel of a combo, but the purpose is to provide a novice fisherman a decent rod and reel that work well together. This is definitely the best option for a beginner for a couple of reasons.
First of all, it takes some decision making out of the process. You can use the criteria for the rod and reel you want and most likely find it in a combo.
Secondly, it is usually much cheaper to buy a rod and reel this way. There are definitely some great things on expensive rods and expensive reels that you won't generally find on a combo. However for a beginner, a combo is a nice choice.
A Final Word About Rods and Reels
Keep in mind, that if you get hooked (pun intended) on bass fishing this will be only one of about 3 - 4 reels you might purchase in the next couple of years. With that in mind, don't fret too much over your first purchase, just buy something to get your hook in the water. Keep in mind when you purchase subsequent rods and reels or combos that a $40 - $60 combo will reel much more smoothly than a $15 - $30 combo. Also keep in mind that you can find great deals on combos right after fishing season in the fall and right before stores get their new fishing stuff in the spring.
It seems that getting into bass fishing is all about decisions and purchases. Well it is no different with the tackle you will need. While there are plenty of things a beginner will need, keep in mind that you won't need the amount of tackle that you have seen your buddy have who has been fishing for years. The tackle that is absolutely necessary includes a rod and reel, a tackle box, hooks, fishing line, lures, weights, and a few miscellaneous tools.
Tackle Boxes
Since there is already a section dedicated to rods and reels, we will first look at tackle boxes. Tackle boxes range from very small to very large and from very cheap to very expensive. While the two most popular types are a rigid container and the flexible container (as in the picture above), I recommend the beginner look only at a flexible container. Also I recommend getting one on the lower end and getting one on the smaller end. There are a few reasons for this suggestion. First, your first few fishing trips should not be so expensive that the price of the sport turns you away from it. Secondly, if you fall in love with the sport, you will want to upgrade your tackle and subsequently your tackle box, so your first one is basically a temporary solution that will last you 2 - 3 years until you need something larger and more durable. Finally, most likely you won't be starting with a boat, but will be fishing with friends on their boat or on the bank. A smaller bag will be much more appropriate for these situations. Remember that your friends that have $200 bags the size of a small house also have nice boats to store and carry them.
Hooks
Hooks are necessary if the lure you are using does not contain a hook. You will learn in the lure section that soft plastics (mostly plastic worms) are great for the beginner. In order to fish with these lures you will need various size hooks. It isn't complicated at all to choose a hook. For beginner fishing find an assortment of bass fishing hooks. This will give you a few sizes to try. If you feel you must acquire a certain amount of certain sizes, choose 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 hooks with a shank for the head of the worm. The number, which is referred to as "two ought, three ought, etc", is the size of the hook. There are also hooks sized 1, 2, 3 and so on. However to keep this simple we will stick to these larger hooks. 2/0 is the smaller of the hooks mentioned and 5/0 is the larger. Simply put, use smaller hooks for smaller lures (3 - 4 inches long) and larger hooks for the larger lures (6 - 8 inches long.)
Fishing Line
Of all the tackle, unbelievably fishing line is the most daunting decision. As you begin to become more of and advanced fisherman and fish more often, fishing line selection will be very important. There are many different kinds of line in different tests, which is how much force they can withstand, the larger the number, the more force it can withstand. Luckily for the beginner, however, I suggest just shooting for the cheap stuff, such as basic monofilament line in the 8 - 10 lbs test range. This will be tough enough to handle the fish that the beginner will be catching and will be durable enough to last until the beginner is a more advanced fisherman and will have more knowledge of line to upgrade.
Miscellaneous Tools
There are a few other items that you may want with you. The most important are some scissors, nail clippers, or line cutters to cut fishing line with. Also you will need various items such as various sized bullet weights, egg weights, and swivels. Finally I like to keep sunscreen and chap stick in my tackle box for extra precaution.
The most intimidating task for a beginner is choosing the right lure. Well the truth is, there is no magic wand to wave and decide the right lure. If there were, we would not have tackle boxes, but tackle pouches. Keeping in mind that this is a beginner website, I will give a few basic pointers to help you decide which lure to use. Having these three lures in your tackle box can get you fish on your line on most any occasion. Plastics (worms)
Since they showed up on the bass fishing scene about 60 years ago, worms have continued to gain the confidence of fishermen around the country. Worms can be used for just about any occasion. A Texas rigged worm is good for fishing near the shoreline and a Carolina rig is good for the deeper open water. Also worms come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Crank baits
Crank baits are basically a plug with lips or a bill. The lips or bill basically make the lure dive. These lures are very versatile and can be used all year around in either shallow or deep water. The main thing to consider when buying or using a crank bait is how deep you plan on fishing the lure. Most manufactures note the optimum depth on the front of the package. As a beginner, invest in only three or four of these as stocking up on every size and color can get very expensive very quickly.
Spinner baits Spinner baits are the most unusual lures. They are usually paperclip shaped, have dangly fringes, and a couple of spoons or round metal objects. They resemble virtually nothing natural to a bass. But with the right combination of color and spoon sound, the bass go crazy over these lures. These lures have been around for quite a long time and have evolved into a must have for most any fisherman. These lures are best around the shoreline or shallow water. The trick to fishing these lures is mastering the retrieve, or how you rewind the lure back to you. You always vary your technique and hardly ever just rewind it straight in. Instead you want to pull the lure in with your rod and rewind the slack.
A word about color
Choosing the proper color can be somewhat tricky. Experimenting is the only way to know exactly what color works best but there are a couple of rules of thumb. Bright colored lures work good on bright days while darker lures work best on not so bright days. Chartreuse and water melon seem to be good versatile colors. Blacks have been favorites for years. White is good in the winter. You will find many lures that have red on them. This is to simulate blood. This gives the bass the impression that the food is either injured or dead, therefore much easier to catch. One last and very important word of advice is to shop a privately owned bait shop close to your fishing hole (as pictured above). These owners see many fishermen a day and know exactly what color and lure is catching what. If you don't have a local bait shop, go to one of the big box sporting goods stores and look for the colors and lures that are low in stock. These are being bought most often, and there is a reason for it.
As a beginner, and even thereafter, you will do a great deal of worm fishing. The most popular and easiest way to set your line for worm fishing is using a Texas Rig. To learn to set up a Texas rig watch the video and follow the steps below.
Insert the bullet weight, sharp end first, onto the line.
Run the point of the hook into the head of the worm about a quarter of an inch, then push the point back out.
Run the worm head up the hook and onto the shank right under the eye of the hook.
Place the hook next to the worm and note where the lowest point of the hook lands on the worm.
Place the point of the hook into the worm at the location noted in the previous step.
Pull the worm down the point of the hook and the worm should then hang naturally with no kinks.
If the video does not work, you may have to check the information bar across the top of the webpage and accept pop-ups from this site. Also you can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipkN7dV5NCs
While the Texas Rig is more popular near the bank, the Carolina Rig is more useful in the open deeper waters.. The Carolina rig uses a leader and a heavier weight and is sometimes used with floating lures to give the lure more natural movement closer to the bottom of the lake or riverbed. To set up a Carolina Rig, reference the above picture and use the following instructions.
Insert a heavy bullet weight, sharp end first. This should be somewhere around one ounce.
Attach a small round bead between the bullet weight and the swivel. This helps preserve the swivel and make a certain noise as the weight slides up and down the line into a swivel.
Attach a swivel.
Attach a 18 inch - 36 inch leader to the other end of the swivel.
Add a bullet shaped float as in the picture above. This step is optional if you want your lure to float and it isn't a floating lure.
Attach a 4/0 or 5/0 hook to the end.
Attach a plastic lizard or other desired plastic to the hook.
Fishing Knots:
This is a skill that you will learn that will not change much as you become a more experienced fisherman. The two knots that will be referenced here are both very popular and appropriate for just about any lure or jig. Reference the video above or follow the steps below to use these popular fishing knots Palomar knot
The Palomar knot is a little hard to describe, but using these steps and the video, you should get the hang of it in no time.
Run the end of your line through the eye of the hook.
Take the end of the line and run it back through the eye on the side that you just exited, which should make a loop on one side and the line going to the reel and a loose line on the other side of the hook.
Tie the two sides in a simple knot, but do not tighten.
After running the loop side around the other side and before tightening, run the hook, lure, or swivel back through the loop.
Moisten the line around the area of the knot.
Pull the knot tight.
Clinch Knot
The clinch knot is a little simpler than the Palomar knot and is especially helpful on swivels. Using the video above and the steps below, you will be tying this knot on the first try.
Run the end of the line through the hook, lure, or swivel.
Pull the end of the line up so that you have plenty of slack to work with.
Twist the end item seven or eight times.
Run the end of the line through the loop between the bottom of the twisted line and the eye of the hook.
Pull tight.
If the video does not work, you may have to check the information bar across the top of the webpage and accept pop-ups from this site. Also you can watch it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1M0DPMDmI
Clicking on his site will help it rise through the rankings, so if you enjoyed the informative lessons he laid out for us all, why not click on the link to show him some support.
Better yet, if you are going fishin in his area in the South, why not e-mail him and ask him for some advice?
Thanks for sharing these informative lessons with us, Rick! If ya ever visit any of the Northeast states, be sure to let me know and I'll take ya out surf fishin for striped bass!
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Choosing a Rod and Reel