Bass Fishing Tips – Top 3 Plus a Little Extra

There are probably a million bass fishing tips out there, but I want to launch this series with a universal tip which is the “little extra” part. This not exclusively a bass fishing tip, it is a boating tip.

We all have the legally required personal safety equipment on our boats or else we would not be on the water. The people that have the safety equipment are rarely the people that need it, it is the ones that don’t. Even if you carry a few of those stupid Styrofoam swimming pool float noodles in your storage compartment you can make a serious difference when the time comes.

Ok, here we go with our top 3 Bass fishing tips:

Lets start with the Boat.

This is going to sound so simple and stupid (and it is) I am surprised to see how many people do this.

Do not go on your boat with a key ring that would make a Janitor jealous. Most people do have a key ring with every key from the house to the safe deposit box and everything in between (including the boat) but it is unnecessary and not a good move.

Tip: Have another set of keys that is ONLY the boat ignition and your vehicle door key if it is different than the ignition. Lock your big keys in the glove box or throw them under the seat.

Tip: Most boats have a lock box built in to the frame or structure. Put an extra boat ignition key and vehicle door key in the lock box and keep it locked with a combination lock, not a key lock.

I am definitely not speaking from experience so don’t even think like that. You do not want to be way out on the other side of Bartlett Lake and somehow lose your ignition key and need someone to tow you back to the launch. Then try to find a coat hanger in the middle of the desert while waiting for the State Patrol to maybe come by. It can happen.

Location and conditions.

Now lets get to the bass fishing part of bass fishing tips. You really need to know the underwater conditions of the waterway you are fishing, but that is not what we are talking about here. This bass fishing tip is to know the “conditions” of the location you are fishing in.

Here is the clearest example I can give, but this specific condition exists almost everywhere in America.

Phoenix Arizona has 9 absolutely incredible bass fishing lakes within literally a 1 hour drive from almost anywhere in the city. Eight of these trophy producing bass fishing lakes are to the N.E. of the city and one lake stands alone to the extreme N.W.

This lake, Lake Pleasant has a mind of its own. One minute it will be smooth as glass and within 15 minutes, the flap of a humming bird wing will cause 30 MPH winds to rip across the lake. A relaxing day of bass fishing can turn into very serious safety situation and a race to get to back to the launch. Boats have swamped and sank on this lake.

Tip: Know how a quick change in the weather will affect your bass fishing experience and be prepared for it.

Expect to lose anything you take on the water.

This is one of my favorite bass fishing tips because it happens to everyone without even thinking about it. You will think about it when you catch your next fish, but that is because I brought it up here.

Most people call this thing “Buck Fever” but it is really Bass Fever. This is the small window of time between when that big bass hits and you land that monster. I didn’t realize this myself until we were shooting a video one day, but time stands still for that period and nothing else matters to anyone on board.

Everyone is focused on getting their line in or grabbing the net or both.

This is when the tackle box gets kicked over or even over board, you could “lose” the keys to the boat or your fishing partner can’t seem to find his rod and reel after the excitement ends.

All humor aside, this is also the prime time when people get seriously hurt. If you are out bass fishing with your child, make sure they always wear a life vest period and you should set the example. You do not want to lose something really important.

Tip: When out bass fishing be aware of bass fever and think safety.