What are some good tips for catching bass in a river?

Question

Any tips? thanks

Answer 1

I love bass fishing. Usually you will find bass in ponds, lakes and reservoirs. But if the river has bass, I suggest fishing in corners and turns in the river.

Use a soft curly tail Mr twister, or rapala. If weeds, try a hula popper. I used them in Georgia when I was a kid, good for when bass are feeding off the top or among lily pads.

Answer 2

The best time to catch bass in the river is in July when it is the hottest part of the year. Wade through the river and through any type of top water plugs such as: Poppers, devil horse, and my favorite a hula popper. Last year I caught 20 bass in 25 minutes and some were 7 and 8 pounds.

Answer 3

Fishing in a river system is rather easy,(esp for Bass).
In a pond or small lake if the Bass just aren't "biting",( and you've used every kind of tactic you can think of), you usually just have to be "skunked" that day and go home. I have fished tournaments in FLA lakes where the winning weight was 2 LB's! Lake Bass can be the "pickiest" eater's and have their OWN set of guide-lines as to where, when, how, and what they will "pursue". (It's very rare that B.A.S.S. tourneys are held in smallish "closed-lake" environments. The reason is "space" & "fishability".)

On the other hand, "River Bass" can "generally" be targeted because they ALL love 2 thing's: "current" and "structure".

If you can find an area that has abundant "current", "woody" structure, and "slow" current areas,(or "breaks" for the fish to hide and ambush), you WILL find fish. It's as simple as that. (Whereas, "Lake Bass" may want craw-dad colored cranks at 8 AM in 4-5 ft of water , if the wind is NW at 8 mph and the sky is cloudy, but it's not raining, and your retrieve is stop/go/go/stop/go/stop; "picky ,picky"! LOL)

Look for depth too. And also a "flat" area adjacent to the current-woody, rule.

In regards to "vegetation", try to fish area's where 1 type of vegetation MEETS another,IE: Lily's meets Hydrilla or Spartina Grass meets Eel-grass. You don't have to be a scientist and know the names of the water plants, you just need to distinguish the different types and what they represent, CHANGE.

Try to throw your lure UP-CURRENT and let it drift back WITH the current. Most river-fish are oriented facing INTO the current so they can ambush something that swims past them.

Good lures for river bass are as follows:

1. 1/8-1/2 OZ spinnerbaits are excellent. You can fish them quickly and cover lotsa water easily. Once you "hit" a fish, SLOW DOWN and fish the area with lure #2.

2. Senko or weightless 6 inch worm. When I find a concentration of fish, I usually slow down and start fishing a Berkely Power Worm,(esp in the spring). If they want something larger,(summer time), I'll hit them with a Senko or Fluke.

3. A suspending Rapala or 1/4 OZ Rattle Trap. Depending on the structure, location, and time of year, a suspending Rapala or Rattle Trap can be an excellent "search" and "catch" bait,(the fall), for river Bass.

If you have just these lures I've described, you should be able to catch all the river Bass you want. Just remember, Lure "colorwise", "if the water is light, don't go bright. If the water is dark, brighten it up!". (this is a "general" guidline and doesn't always work.

If you stick with gold,redshad,black,bubblegum,electric-chicken,chartruese in "dark, murky, water" you will do alright.

"Gin" colored water you should stick with "natural" colors such as pumpkin,motor oil,green pumpkin,green,silver-blackback,silver,clear, etc.)

Good luck & catch a 10 LBer for me!

Answer 4

I went fishing for bass in a river about 2 weeks ago and I had luck using a shad colored crankbait running about 6 feet deep in 8 ft water. The best place to cast is in cover along the shore and be sure to cast to your side when you cast because what you don't want is casting in front of you because the fish won't fight the river for the bait. I used one of these-http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=44337&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults in the # 66 wich is the front photo, I caught a 3lb smallmouth, 2 1lb largemouth, a few sunfish, and almost about a 6-8 lb and a 4+lb largemouth, but thanks to my fishing line (Triline MAXX) and its poor hook sets and sesitivity I lost them. I only knew I had the 6-8lb fish because it jumped 1 foot out of the air and shook loose, and when I caught the smallmouth I thought it was some desbrie at first but I once agin figured out I had the fish when it jumped out of the water but this one stayed hooked. Any way don't make the fish fight the current and if you have spinnerbaits use those first. And don't buy Triline MAXX!!

Answer 5

use a heavier jighead that wont flow much with the current and put a mister twister on it

ive caught largemouth, smallmouth, white bass, sauger, and walleyes on those

also, if you arent catching anything in one part of the river, go to a different spot its probably just a bad area - dont waste your time there

Answer 6

Natural Bait

Answer 7

A great way is through the use of live worms rigged on gang hooks. You simply bounce the offering off the bottom, as it flows through the current.......http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp

Answer 8

When fishin' river bass it be for "Smalleys" (Smallmouth) and use strictly Panter Martin spinners...

Answer 9

Location ..time..and weather...
Tackle..bait and species...
typically .. cool cloudy windy day on dusk or dawn
Use rubber shad ..