Have you ever wondered if there is a “best bait” when it comes to bass fishing? In this article I’m going to list some of the more popular and effective baits used for bass fishing. These baits all catch bass and which one is best depends largely on personal preference.

I will also provide some bass fishing tips that will help you be more effective when using these bass baits. I know, I know, bass fishing tips are much like bellybuttons. Every body seems to have one, but with any luck some of the bass fishing tips in this article will work for you.

What do you say we get down to business and list these effective bass baits?

1. Jitterbugs – One of the most popular top water bass lures of all time is the Jitterbug. The manufacturer of these wonderful top water bass baits also makes a jointed variety, which is also quite effective. The key to fishing a jitterbug, whether jointed or traditional, is to fish it very slowly in water that’s as flat as possible. When retrieving these bass baits you want to hear the melodic “gurgle” that these baits emit from the lip on the front.
2. Live Bait – Live bait has always been considered a great bass fishing bait. Large shiners or shad are quite effective when fished under a float. I personally live to use slip bobbers as a float when fishing live shiners or shad for bass. Large baitfish (the size of your hand or a bit smaller) should be hooked right below the dorsal fin with a circle hook. Smaller baitfish should be hooked through the lips using a set of gang hooks. Both of these methods seem to be the best at keeping your live bait alive.
3. Synthetic Worms/Grubs – Plastic worms have long been known as a great bait for bass, but the introduction of synthetic worms and grubs has changed the game a bit. Synthetic worms such as Berkley’s Gulp and Power Worms are extremely effective bass baits. This might be one of the best bass fishing tips that you get today. These bass baits have been impregnated with fish attracting scents, so ditch your soft plastics for their synthetic cousins.

Realistic Shad Imitations – One of a basses favorite meals is a shad, so realistic shad imitations are a very effective bass bait. The key when using shad imitations is that they are as realistic as possible. You want your lure to look as much like a real shad as possible. I realize that this sounds obvious, but it nonetheless needs to be mentioned. All too often bass anglers try to save a few bucks on their bass lures and compromise realism without realizing it. Don’t skimp, especially when it comes to shad imitations.

These bass baits are among the most effective that you will find. Are they the only options? Certainly not, but one of them might just become your best bass bait and catch you a trophy.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

Realistic Shad Imitations – http://www.jrwfishing.com/ktm.html

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by John Thompson

This is one of the best spinning reels you will be able to find for under $100. Expect the same smoothness and and quality from this reel that you would expect from any other reel made by Abu Garcia. It is tough to beat this company.

ALB stands for Aluminum Body. Made from Aluminum, this reel is very light, hardly noticeable after a long day on the water. It weighs about 9 and 1/2 ounces. Unlike most “lightweight” things, this reel is strong and durable. I am a bass tournament fisherman. I mostly use baitcasting reels for Spinnerbaits and crankbaits but for light lures and lures that need a little more finesse, I use spinning reels. Baitcasters are very tough to use on windy days. A strong gust of wind can cause a backlash in a baitcaster that resembles a rats nest. It is next to impossible to get a rats nest in a spinning reel. They are very simple to use.

Ball Bearings: Just about anything manufactured that goes round and round has ball bearings. Your vehicle has wheel bearings, a drive shaft has bearings. It’s pretty simple with fishing reels, “The more bearings it has, the better it’s going to be”. Also runs true is, “The more bearings it has, the more its going to cost”. I wouldn’t use or own a spinning reel with less than 6 ball bearings. This one has 10. You can tell the smoothness and quality of this reel with it’s 10 ball bearings without even taking it out on the water. Just take it out of the box and give it a spin a couple of times and let the handle go. If it keeps on spinning very smoothly like this one does then it is a quality reel. How many times it spins is also indicative of quality. Count the turns, any less then 15 rotations, then don’t buy it.

Instant Anti-Reverse: This feature is great and comes standard on just about every quality fishing reel including this one. When I was younger, the first reels I used didn’t have this feature. The reel had one or two internal stopping points that would stop the reel after it went back far enough. Line would loosen from the spool and cause twists. In order to set the hook on a fish you would have to reach this stopping point to apply pressure to the hook point. But with instant anti-reverse, when you stop going forward with the reel or take your hand off of it, the spool and reel will not turn backwards, it stops! This allows the fisherman to make one handed hook sets and very quick hook sets.

The Gear Ratio of this Reel is 5.1 to 1. This means that for every rotation you make with the handle, the spool will make 5.1 rotations. Without these gears you might as well just wind up the line around a stick. The higher the gear ratio, the faster that fish or lure is coming back to you, and the easier it is to reel both of them.

Abu Garcia makes three different Cardinal 500ALB series reels. The 503 model is the biggest, weighing in at 9.9 oz. It will hold 180 yards of 8 lb test line. The 502 model is the mid-sized reel, weighing 9.7 ounces and able to hold 175 yards of 6lb test line. The 501 model is the smallest weighing in at 7.6 oz and able to hold 110 yards of 6 lb test line. I use the 503 series for my bass fishing. When I use 10 lb test I think I can get about 175 yards of line on the spool, about 50 of which I ever use. My 501 series I use for trout fishing with 6lb test. It is a very small reel. Every model in this series has 10 bearings and a 5.1 to 1 ratio. Abu Garcia gives the purchaser an extra spool with the reel which is nice because you can put two different size lines on a spool and change accordingly without having to strip a spool.

Very nice reel for the money!

For more information on Abu Garcia fishing reel reviews, visit us HERE.

About the Author

Author, blogger and established Internet Marketer

So, you, like myself and many others, get lost in the bombardment of selections in the fishing section. So many choices, so much money, where do I start, what color works best, how do I catch more fish. Trust me, I ask myself the same questions over and over again. This is why I took up Ultralight Fishing. You just catch more fish, period. In this article, I will show you 5 baits that are proven fish catchers, some classics in here!

The first, is an all time favorite, and definate classic by any definition. Brought around in 1949 by Mr. Nick Creme, the plastic worm has been catching fish longer than many of us have been around. You can’t go wrong with a 4″ plastic worm with a curly tail, in either green pumpkin, or junebug. Guaranteed fish catcher. If you aren’t getting bit, change your presentation.

Second up is the Rapala Floating Minnow. The jointed version of this lure acts like a topwater spook type bait, but when you reel faster it acts like a shallow diving crankbait. Either way, when the fish are active, this is one of my go-to baits. One thing I do like about the floating minnow is the ability to dead stick it. I have caught more fish, taking a break and talking, then moving it again, than any other presentation. The F4 size in silver with black back is a perfect color in just about any water.

The next one is the classic grub. The good old plastic 2″ grub. It doesn’t look like much, a little round body with a curly tail, on a jig head. To a fish though, it is exactly what they want. A slow moving, chunk of food. You can fish it deep to shallow, fast or slow. Try burning the tail across the top of the water like a buzzbait in the morning or evenings. I use green pumpkin with a chartreuse tail, or even black. Black jig heads on both.

Fourth on the list, is the Booyah Pond Magic 3/16 ounce spinnerbait. We all know that spinnerbaits catch fish. Swim them along the bottom, just fast enough to let the blades flutter, jig it, burn it on top, or wake it just below the surface. These things catch fish, plain and simple. I like the firetiger color for muddy water, and the white with copper blades for stained water. I don’t fish much clear water, but if you do, try White/Silver/Chartreuse mix, with silver blades.

Last, but not the least, is the skirted jig. Even on ultralight fishing gear, these things are proven “big” fish catchers. You catch a grip of fish on ultralight gear, but the skirt jig weeds out the smaller fish. I rarely catch a fish under 1lb using a skirted jig and trailer fishing in ponds.

This article has been provided to you as a service from The Ultralight Fishing Blog. If you find it informative, feel free to stop by and take a look at our other featured posts! New content streaming in all the time!

For the full post: 5 Best Ultralight Fishing Lures

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When it comes to fishing for largemouth bass it seems as if everyone has their favorite “largemouth bass bait“. There are literally thousands and thousands of choices when it comes to bait for largemouth bass, and many times the sheer number of choices available makes you want to give up on fishing forever.

The truth is that there are some bass fishing lures that are better than others, and in this article I will list 3 of the most effective bass fishing lures, as well as some tips for using them. If any of these lures aren’t in your tackle box and you’re a largemouth bass angler you should add them sooner, rather than later.

• Buck Tail Jigs – Buck tail jigs are an extremely effective (and often forgotten) largemouth bass bait. The “action” that the buck tail provides underwater is unmatched by any synthetic material. Working one of these jigs through heavy cover is an extremely effective way to fool bass. Some anglers like to add a chunk of pork rind to the hook of the jig for added attraction.
• Soft Plastic Jerk Baits – Soft plastic jerk baits, such as the Slug-o, are very effective bass lures. These baits are fished without any weight, on or near the top of the water. Fishing soft plastic jerk baits over a weed bed is a great way to catch hungry largemouth bass. These baits imitate a wounded bait fish in an extremely effective way. When retrieving these bass baits, make sure you “jerk” your rod tip, rather than a constant reeling motion.
• The KickTail Minnow – The KickTail Minnow is the most realistic looking bass fishing lure on the market today and a great lure for bass. This bait looks as much like a live shad as I think an artificial bait can. The KickTail minnow is an extremely effective bass bait, and should be a part of every bass fisherman’s repertoire.

These three bass fishing lures are among the most effective largemouth bass baits. Are they the most effective? That’s impossible to say, but they are certainly among the top ten. As I said earlier, if any of these bass baits aren’t in your tackle bag, they should be added sooner rather than later.

Never forget. There is no “magic formula” or “magic bait” that will help you catch more bass. The key to catching bass is to use quality lures and baits, and to spend as much time as possible on the water using those lures. With practice you will become a much more proficient and successful bass angler.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!

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Pond bass fishing can be an exciting and rewarding venture. More big bass are harvested from ponds than from any other water type in Kansas.

The bass is probably one of the easiest fish to catch, which explains why overharvest of bass in ponds is so prevalent. One angler can overharvest the bass in an acre pond in a single successful fishing trip if bass are actively feeding.

Small bass will bite just about anything tied on the end of a fishing line. Artificial baits such a spinners, jigs, beetle spins, plastic worms, and surface lures are deadly. Yellow, purple, and black are the preferred colors. Natural baits such as minnows, worms, frogs, crayfish, and grasshoppers will also catch bass. Big bass will also hit any of the above baits but not as readily as smaller fish. Technique is important if the angler wants to catch big bass.

Techniques vary according to the season. Spring time in a pond means cold water and relatively inactive bass. They will move to the shallows during the day as the sunshine warms the water but are difficult to catch there. Slow moving spinners or small jigs should be fished near habitat structures or along steep drop-offs at this time of the year. Bass may also be caught in deep water along the edges of vegetation.

As summer approaches, bass move to the shallows to spawn and can be caught fairly easily. Plastic worms and fast moving lures such as spinner baits work well. Minnows and crawfish fished around shoreline habitat will produce bass in the May-June period.

Hot summer days mean warm water temperatures, probably pond stratification, and vegetation growth. This drives bass to shady areas around shallow habitat. Bass are aggressive at this time, and surface lures, popping bugs and floating plastic worms excite them. Grasshoppers and frogs make excellent summer baits, either fished on the surface or hung 12-18 inches under a bobber. Many times, bass will come out of the water to hit a bait in the summer. Nighttime fishing may increase success even further.

Fall weather cools the water and bass feed actively, fattening up for the winter. Surface baits become less effective as the water cools so the angler should again use spinners, beetle spins or plastic worms. Minnows are a good fall bait. The angler should fish around any existing habitat (brushpiles, vegetation, or fallen trees).

During the winter bass are slow, sluggish, and finicky, but they can be caught through the ice on small minnows or jigs smaller than 1/16th ounce. Deep brushpiles, habitat structures, or areas near deeper parts of the pond should be fished in the winter.

Interesting facts about Fishing lures
by xyour925job

Recreational fishing relies most on the use of fishing lures. They consist of objects hung at the end of the line and they are manufactured so as to imitate the regular prey of the fish the angler is after. The methods of attracting the fish consists of such aspects as color, shape, movement and vibration. If there were no lures attached to the lines, the bait could pass unnoticed by the fish. All fishing lures have a hook on the end for the attaching of the bait. This hook also has the purpose of impaling the fish when it attacks the bait.

With the help lures, hiding fish are also attracted out of their hidings becoming an easier prey. This is done by casting and retrieving the lures progressively, and such movements make the lures appear to be swimming. The movement of the lure will also make light reflect and thus attract the attention of the fish.

Several categories describe fishing lures according to the design and the purpose they serve. A first type is the jig, a a sharp lead hook onto which we attach the natural or artificial bait. The bait is shaped in a such a way so as to imitate a worm, a craw-fish or a minnow. Another category consists of the surface fishing lures that got their names because they are lighter than the jigs and therefore meant to float on the water and look like surface prey. Last but not least, the spawn fishing lures have been created for surface fishing; their shiny thin surface attracts the attention of the fish that mistake them for spawn.

Another category is that of plugs or crank-baits; these fishing lures allow rapid back and forth motion like that of small fish prey. In the popular group of artificial baits, bass worms and flies are extensively used.

As for popularity, fishing lures have been with human beings since the beginnings of history. What has changed about them is that today they have become artificial; they are made of plastic, wood, metal, rubber or cork. In a way, the decreased use of smaller fish species as baits poses no longer a threat for the survival of such small-sized specimens; consequently, the food chain will remain unaltered if regular living baits are not used extensively.

Last but not least, with recreational fishing, caught and released fish have better chances of survival if artificial fishing lures are used. The hooks that todayâ€^TMs fishing lures are provided with are no longer that dangerous for the fish and do not harm the mouth as deep as the old type hook varieties used to. Therefore, more and more fish live after being released by recreation interested fishermen.

About the Author

Pete is an avid fisherman and owns two sites about fishing one is a fishing social network Fishing life today and his blog Game Sport Fishing more articles like this at Article Hop

Penn International has been in the fishing industry for over seventy-five years now. It has established a world-class standard in saltwater fishing. From the time Penn Fishing Tackle Company was founded by Otto Henze, fishing has never been the same without using Penn International products. From the design and production of Penn fishing gear, millions of anglers have shown great satisfaction and faith in using them. The evolution of modern bass fishing greatly contributed billions of dollars in the fishing industry today. The fishing sports become so popular such that manufacturing of fishing equipment have also become competitive among the many manufacturers worldwide. Penn International made sure that they answer to the needs of every angler, which is why they have been continuously designing and improving their products.

What Is a Fishing Reel?

Penn International reels are among the products of Penn Fishing Tackle Company. The equipment used in organizing the retrieval of a fishing line is called the fishing reel. The line is retrieved with the use of the spool of the Penn reels that are mounted on its axle. Penn International reels have been widely accepted in the popular sport of angling. Penn International rods and reels are commonly used in combination with each other. Although, nowadays, Penn International have developed Penn reels that are directly mounted into boats or transoms. Fishing reels date back to AD 1195 as shown in some Chinese paintings and illustrations. Then, as early as the 1700s, fishing reels were being offered in some shops in London. But history points to an American George Snyder as the inventor of the very first fishing reel, which became the design popular to American anglers. Today, there are a number of fishing reels noted, such as:

• Centrepin Reel Bait Casting Reel Spinning Reel Spin Cast Reel Underspin Reel

What’s in Store with Penn International Reels?

Penn International employs in their internal structure components that have gone through rigorous testing and experimenting. This is to make sure that Penn reels are only made up of the best components that would give the consumers satisfaction. Even the frames and side plates are made up of strong but light aluminum alloy material to make sure that catching fish is worth the experience of every fishing hobbyist and even newbies. Comparing Penn International products with that from other manufacturers would put the competitor in an embarrassing situation–because Penn reels have even met the NASA grade standards. Penn International made their products with bullet proof material making it durable, and they made sure that the long term performance of each of their equipment are their primary consideration.

For more Penn International product display, check out the Sea Isle Tackle website. You can choose from their series of Penn International reels that guarantee you the convenience of shopping your fishing equipment. Penn International also offers a one-year warranty of their product, and fishing enthusiasts can avail them upon purchase at Sea Isle Tackle.

About the Author

Penn International: Finest range of fishing products available only at http://www.seaisletackle.com/

Penn International: The Penn Reels Series
by Stacy Carolin

Although fishing has been existent since the early centuries, it has developed a new form in the modern times. Today, fishing has become one of the most challenging and exciting recreations. For some, it could be a fun activity for the family. For others, just thinking of the challenge makes it qualified to be a sport.

No matter how different the concept for fishing has become, one thing remained: fishing can be successful with the right gear and devices used. And this is applicable to whatever type of sports fishing there is, whether it is angling, fly fishing, or bass fishing.

The Famous Penn International Reels

One of the most popular names in the fishing world is the Penn International. Most anglers have recognized the brand for fishing reels. The fishing reels are devices for angling wherein it is used for deploying and retrieving the fishing line. It comes in different models and series, each having particular features and characteristics suitable for a particular fishing condition. Below are the list of Penn International reels series and their features for better understanding of how each can be used.

1. Penn International VSX Extreme Two Speed Series. This is suitable for anglers that need super braids in their fishing activity. It is used for optimal drag performance, but its drag lever has a smooth curve.
2. Penn International V Two Speed Series. It has a quick shift features for anglers who want to experience fast shift of gears. Also, it has optimal drag setting with its featured Dura Drag. Unlike the VSX series which has super braids, the V Two Speed is only braid ready. It comes in a metal cast in aluminum side plates.
3. Pen International V Single Speed Series. This comes in four ball bearings for easy maneuver of Penn reels. This is especially suitable for fishing in saltwater. It can endure long periods of trolling due to the levers that are ratcheted. In effect, drag creeps are prevented. The V Singe Speed comes in high-quality stainless steel material with smooth finish.
4. Penn International Baitcast. If you think a powerful drag is not necessary, this series is just the right one. The Baitcast is used particularly for light tackles. This is machined in stainless and pinion gears.
5. Penn International Torque Lever Drag. This is the ultimate Penn reel in the Penn International collection. Its performance is that of quality and remarkable leer drag while its features are like that of Start Drag.
6. Penn International Torque Start Drag. Ts appearance is unique compared to other Penn International series. It comes in side plates that are integrated.

With the features of the different Penn reels collection, anglers can choose which among these suits their fishing needs. It could be that the fishing is in saltwater or freshwater. Or it could be on waters with plenty or little fish. Each angler has a particular need, and they are all met by the Penn International reels series.

Penn International can be found in Sea Isle Tackle, which is an online store. It provides the different series of the Penn reels so that anglers can get what they need most. With Sea Isle Tackle, anglers can get the needed reels with just a click of a mouse and have them delivered and shipped at their most convenient addresses.

About the Author

Penn International: the complete range of its products available at http://www.seaisletackle.com/

The sport and art of angling has many different subsidiary styles depending upon which fish you’re fishing for. But few styles of angling can be more fun or as thrilling as bass fishing. Fishing for bass is widely popularized by professional tournaments and specialty television shows, and thus, bass fishing equipment is produced and endorsed the same as Nike or Wilson. It’s the thrill of catching that ten pound bass that makes this style of angling especially fun.

Professional Bass fishing has, over the recent years, become multi-billion dollar industry. Tournaments are held each year, endorsed by every angler or wilderness related company you can think of. Because of this, bass fishing equipment has a range of items that makes the beginning anglers’ head spin. To make things even worse, each company’s line of lures, lines or other equipment say that theirs is the best. How do you know what to look for in a rod, reel, line, and lure? Usually the answer is trial and error, but there are a few key pieces of advice to lend when choosing the right bass fishing equipment for you or your loved one.

Fishing for bass can be, at times, filled with intense moments of excitement, especially when you’re reeling in that huge big mouth bass. To make sure that it doesn’t get away, you’re going to need the right equipment. Bass fishing rods are usually made of composite materials like fiberglass to ensure their flexibility without taking from its sturdiness. Also, the eyeholes that line the rod usually are a bit bigger, allowing for the line to have fewer complications when the wielder reels the game in. Most professional bass anglers use an open-faced reel for it’s smooth reeling and it’s lower rate of line tangle and other complications.

Arguably the most important piece of fishing equipment is the fishing line that you choose. Most fishing lines today consist of a combination of nylon and other composite plastics. Since bass have a tendency to become very heavy fish, it’s important to make sure your line has a test that is at least ten pounds or more. Also, the lure is almost as important as the line. Bass fishing lures come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, but usually replicate a small fish, such as a minnow. Depending upon the size of the lip, the piece of plastic shaped like a spoon at the nose of the lure, the lure can either trill deep or shallow.

There are all sorts of factors that can affect the effectiveness of your angling, it’s best to research products in detail before you buy them. Taking out the trial and error process can save you tons of money on bass fishing equipment, and eliminate the frustration of missing the catch. With the right tools and the right skill, bass fishing can be an addictive sport that can bring years of fulfillment.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-articles/bass-fishing-equipmentchasing-
the-whopper-151188.html

About the Author:

For more information on all aspects of bass fishing, and to download a free guide, visit The Fishermans Guide

Until about the eighteenth century sunglasses did not undergo any further changes until James Ayscough, while apprenticed to an optician named James Mann, looked at ways to improve glasses. He experimented with tinted glass and glass polarized. From there, sunglasses underwent changes leading to what we call sunglasses today. Sam Foster introduced them to America in 1929 designed to protect people’s eyes from the sun. In 1936 Edwin Land discovered that lenses can be polarized. He patented his process of making sunglasses with polarized optics and called it a Polaroid filter. From this original process polarized sunglasses have continued to evolve and become more refined.

When the sun shines on snow, water or any other reflective surfaces, the reflected light becomes polarized. This means that most, although not all, of the reflected light waves move in one single plane. Normal light moves in many planes but polarized lenses allow only light in one plane to pass through the lens to your eye. This eliminates much of the glare.

Although light from the sun is not polarized, when it is reflected by the surface of a standing body of water it is separated into two polarized components that are reflected and transmitted in different amounts. In most cases more of the horizontal component will be reflected than the vertical component. This reflected light is said to be partially polarizing. A lens that is vertically polarized can then be used to help eliminate the glare. There are a number of variables that can affect the degree of polarization and the effectiveness of polarized sunglasses such as the height of the sun. However, polarized sunglasses will not eliminate all reflected light. They can only eliminate some of the reflected light that helps reduce the glare.

Fishermen that wear sunglasses that have polarized filters to help block the light reflected by the waters surface can see under the water’s surface to where the fish are hiding.

Certain relatively flat surfaces, such as water, reflect a lot of light resulting in bright spots and glare that can be quite distracting and even hide underwater objects (such as fish). A good pair of polarized sunglasses can almost completely eliminate this kind of glare. Polarization can occur either naturally or artificially. Natural polarization can be seen any time you look at a large body of water like a lake or river. The glare off of the surface of the water is the light that doesn’t get absorbed by the water but is reflected. This is the reason you often cannot see anything below the surface, even if the water is clear, without polarized sunglasses.

Horizontally polarized light results when light strikes the surface of the water. That is why you can’t see anything but the glare on the water. Polarized lenses in sunglasses are designed in a way that only allows vertically polarized light to enter and eliminates the horizontal light component. Polarized sunglasses allow an angler to see into the water spotting fish and structure where fish can hide.

There is a difference between polarized sunglasses and normal sunglasses. Basically, normal sunglasses decrease the intensity of all light that passes through the lenses. While polarized sunglasses decrease the same light, they also do it selectively by eliminating the reflection from the light coming from the water’s surface. This becomes critical in deciding how to choose a pair of sunglasses.

For more great information about vision care and how to protect your eyes, be sure to visit www.sunglasspolarized.com
About the Author

Steve writes about items of interest to both you and myself.

Let us continue the discussion about fish locators. We will discuss the interpretation of the images you are seeing on your screen and how to utilize these images to catch fish.

Most newer fish locators are operated much like a computer. You have a MENU button through which you can control the various features available on your locator. If you just press the ON button, your locator will start functioning in the AUTO mode. The sensitivity, surface clutter, fish icons and other factory pre-settings are already programmed into your unit. Read your owners manual to determine what all of the pre-set settings are for your unit. By doing and familiarizing yourself with these settings, you can turn off the AUTO mode and customize your locator.

Turn off the AUTO mode and turn off the FISH ID. They look good but chances are they are only confusing the real picture especially if you are a new user.

Let us discuss the transducer. Resolution is the name of the game. The greater the resolution the better the true picture of what is down there will be. In AUTO mode the resolution might be 6 inches between fish where, with the MANUAL mode you can get resolution of ¼ to ½ inch between fish. A rule of thumb mathematic formula is depth divided by vertical pixel unit equals resolution. Example: 50 foot of depth divided by 240 pixels = ¼ or separation of ¼ inch. As you can see, this type of resolution will allow you to see much more detail.

As a general rule, you probably will not be fishing for bass, crappie, bream or catfish over 30 to 35 feet deep. Go to MANUAL mode and set the upper limit to 0 and the lower limit to 30 feet. Turn the sensitivity up to a level that does not pick up too much surface clutter or distortion. Remember that the smaller the window, the better the resolution. Another feature to turn on is the GRAYLINE or GRAYSCALE. This feature measures the density of objects and the bottom being scanned. The more pronounced the bottom line appears, the harder the bottom surface. This feature is especially helpful when looking for particular bottom composition.

In the spring and early summer, most species are going to be relatively shallow thus your locator is not going to be used as much. A typical post spawn situation develops in the summer when the fish move out to deeper water and underwater structure. This is when the locator plays a major role in locating the underwater structure to fish. A typical summer scenario: You are fishing points and looking for underwater brush piles. When I am looking for brush piles I am going to concentrate my search in depths close to the thermocline. The thermocline shows on the locator to be a faint gray line usually between 18 and 24 feet deep. This water will be a little richer in oxygen and cooler than the water above it thus more comfortable for the fish.

TIP: Make a mental note or write a reminder to yourself at what depth the thermocline is on this particular lake at this time of the year. Will pay off by less searching next year.

A brush pile will show up on a locator as a 3 to 6 foot lump on the bottom with a black line on the exterior and a fairly solid gray filling for dense brush piles like cedar or pin oak piles. Many times you will see small black specs, marks, squidlies above the brush pile. These may be crappie, bream or baitfish. If the brush pile is old, it will show up as less gray filling and more like a blob on the bottom.

TIP: When you find a brush pile be sure and mark the location on your lake map. Put as much information as you have on the notation. If you have a GPS, note the coordinates.

Brush piles are not created equal. Some brush piles will hold fish consistently while others will not. To determine which piles are holding fish, you will have to fish them. The ones that are not holding fish can be omitted from your notes because they have degraded or for some other reason, just do not hold fish.

As the year wears on and you get into late fall, most fish leave the brush piles and begin to follow schools of bait fish. Here you will use your locator a bit differently. Turn your FISH ID on and look for large gray haystacks of baitfish. With your FISH ID on, you will see the baitfish and the bass, crappie, stripers or perch as well.

If the bait fish appear as a large gray haystack, chances are these are inactive and not worth a lot of effort. If you find your screen filled with scattered and broken up baitfish, you have probably found feeding fish. Concentrate your fishing efforts around these schools of baitfish. Bass will appear as medium sized marks usually in random patterns, crappie or perch will appear as small marks usually in a vertical formation. Stripers appear as the largest and deepest marks on the screen and will generally leave quickly.

As you become more experienced with finding and observing these baitfish balls, you will be able to predict when the baitfish are being driven to the surface or if they are returning to the lower depths. Most of this activity will happen about halfway into a pocket off the main lake in water 10 to 18 feet deep. As fall progresses, the baitfish will move further back into the pockets. As winter arrives, the baitfish will move back out to the main lake and deeper water.

I hope this article has been helpful and hope you keep a tight line.

About the Author

Carlton “Doc” Holliday and his wife, Darlene “Dee” Holliday only tournament fished together for 5 years. In late 1992, Carlton had a heart attack thus the early retirement ended along with the professional fishing career.

All told, both individually and as a team, Doc and Dee won over 30 bass tournaments and placed in the top 5 in over 70 bass tournaments.

Carlton “Doc” Holliday and his wife, Darlene “Dee” Holli

As you are probably aware, the device we are talking about is not a fish locator but, rather, a depth locator. Most fisherman use a fish locator but most fisherman do not use it properly and can not interpret what they are seeing on the screen.

Most bass boats utilize two fish locators: One mounted in the dash, usually a flasher unit, and another mounted on the trolling motor. The majority of us fishermen utilize the flasher when running new water or low water conditions on a known lake. If this sounds familiar, well you are missing out on a lot of information. I did not learn this trick until a few years ago. If you turn your flasher unit on while you are running to your favorite fishing hole, you may be in for a surprise. If you are comfortable setting the sensitivity on your unit, you can get a real time view of the bottom, find humps and submerged moss beds you did not know existed. If you have a high speed flasher unit and get the sensitivity adjusted right, you can also see what depth the majority of the fish are located. This little trick has allowed me to find several humps I had not known existed on Lake Ouachita and give me more possible places to fish.

TIP: If you find a new hump, you can, if you are financially challenged and can not afford a GPS Plotter, take a hand-held GPS unit and get the coordinates and record the coordinates on your lake map. This way you can take the hand-held unit and find the hump any time.It all starts with proper installation of your unit(s). If you have an in-dash flasher unit, it was probably installed by the boat manufacturer or the boat dealer. That installation should be OK. If you bought a LCD unit to install on your trolling motor, that is the unit we will discuss.

Let us start with a quick check-up of your existing unit. If you have an in-dash unit installed, the first thing to check is the installation. Where is your transducer located? Is it in the bilge area and shooting through the hull? Is it mounted on the transom? Check the transducer to see if the mounting is still tight and your cable is still in good shape. No nicks, scrapes or rubbing on any metal which could fray or sever the wire over a period of time. Is the transducer still tightly glued to the floor of the boat for thru hull installations? For a transducer on the outside of the boat on the transom, check the mount for loose screws, missing screws, is it perpendicular to the hull. It is very important to have the transducer perfectly straight up and down or your signals will not be accurate. The preference for this type of installation is a puck type transducer for thru-hull units and a bullet style transducer for transom mounts.

TIP: If the transducer mounted on the transom is a gimble type mount, after each trip check the transducer to make sure it is pointed straight up and down. These type of mounts are designed to “kick up” if you hit or run something.

A puck style transducer is the most used for trolling motor applications. It has a slim size and is easily mounted with a large hose clamp. The advantage to this transducer is the small size puts the transducer behind the skag on the trolling motor thus protecting it from contact with underwater objects. The most important thing in mounting this transducer is to make sure it is perpendicular to the centerline of the trolling motor body. Once you have the transducer mounted, it is simple to take some wire ties and attach the cable to the steering cable encasement into the boat. This prevents the transducer cable from being entangled in vegetation or ripped loose by limbs or stumps. Try to mount your locator and cable hook-ups as far away from trolling motor battery wires or outboard engine wires as possible to minimize electronic/electrical interference with the locator. Some interference is inevitable but in a good setup it is minimized. In-line fuses will also minimize interference.

TIP: Remember to add the distance from the surface to the transducer to your locator readings to have accurate depth readings.

When you have installed your locators, the first thing you need to do is READ the instruction manual. This will familiarize you with the various features and buttons on the locator. Pay particular attention to the sensitivity, menu, auto, and zoom buttons. Learn how to adjust and turn these features on and off. Become familiar with the examples shown in the instruction manual. Once you have become familiar with the features and operation of your locator, it is time to try it out.

In Part 2 of this article, we will discuss the settings of the locator to properly interpret what you are seeing on the screen.

About the Author

Carlton “Doc” Holliday and his wife, Darlene “Dee” Holliday only tournament fished together for 5 years. In late 1992, Carlton had a heart attack thus the early retirement ended along with the professional fishing career.

All told, both individually and as a team, Doc and Dee won over 30 bass tournaments and placed in the top 5 in over 70 bass tournaments.

Carlton “Doc” Holliday and his wife, Darlene “Dee” Holli

The thrill of any fishing adventure begins with finding the right place to wet your line. Fishfinders allow anglers to quickly identify key targets and structure, as well as fish. A Fish Finder is a subset of a group of instruments called sonars. A Sonar consists of a transmitter, transducer, receiver and display.

In the simplest terms, an electrical impulse from a transmitter is converted into a sound wave by the transducer and sent into the water. When this wave strikes an object, it rebounds. This echo strikes the transducer, which converts it back into an electric signal, which is amplified by the receiver and sent to the display. Since the speed of sound in water is constant (approximately 4800 feet per second), the time lapse between the transmitted signal and the received echo can be measured and the distance to the object determined. This process repeats itself many times per second.

Display:
The display shows a history of the received echoes. The user can make a number of adjustments to tailor the display to his or her preference, such as senitivity, the depth range and chart speed. Displays use a variety of technologies, provide different resolutions and number of shades of gray or color. Each display is made up of a number of pixels, which are little square blocks that make up the images. The more pixels and shades of gray or color the better resolution and image clarity.

Fish Targets:
Echoes from fish within the beam will be shown on the display by illuminated pixels. What image appears on the display depends on a number of factors: the sensitivity setting on the fishfinder, the cone angle of the transducer, the speed of the boat, and the size, depth, speed and direction of the fish. A fish that is swimming directly beneath the boat, it will create a consistent echo that will cause a continuous line to appear on the display. A stationary fish caught in a narrow beam transducer appears as a single point on the screen as the boat passes above it, whereas under the same conditions the fish appears as an arch if a wide beam transducer is used.

To read more of How Fish Finders Work, or select a Fish Finder that right for you, please visit our site at: www.bystore.org. Almost anyone can now afford to own a unit that will assist in a better fishing.