7 Quick Tips to a quick bag!

1 Location - Bass Fishing is not rocket science, yet some days on the water you couldn't convince me it isn't. Fish are finicky, and they relate to their moods. Knowing why a bass is in a certain location is a whole lot more important than many anglers think. Sometimes we just fish spots because we have caught fish in that area before in similar situations and we try again. The kick is when we come up empty and think, "No Fish Here". I have watched pro anglers toss a bait to the same spot 75 times before moving on! Have you done that lately. Anglers fan cast areas and move, tournament bass fishing motivates fast fishing. So with so little time we need to know why the fish are where they are. The slightest variation to a pressure system can push fish off a shallow area to the first break and tight to cover. Be aware of these changes and move back too, so you can concentrate on the high percentage areas.

2 Forage - What's in the water? What are the fish eating to sustain themselves. This is key to making a good catch great. If the fish are on shad, a crank will do the job, craws...what about a jig tipped with a chunk that matches the pinchers? Flip the jig in the water and see how the colors mix with the water clarity. If you see craw, make a note of the color as seen in the water. Shad? how much do they reflect the stained water, is the sun out to increase reflection? Also important is the size of the hatch, we see sizes of worms, cranks, jigs and spinnerbaits for a reason. If one size fits all, we all would throw a 1/2 oz everything and call it a day.

3 Water Clarity - Green or clear, muddy or stained...Important factors when choosing a bait and the respective color of your lure. Will you use a rattle, or crackle in a tube? Will the blades be willow or Colorado, single or tandem? I like chartreuse for a spinnerbait, but in clear water? I tend to think rocket science may be easier as the variables are probably more concise. When choosing a lunker killer bait, water clarity has to be factored

4 Presentation - What are we going to catch these fish with, and by presentation I mean everything. Rod, Reel, Line and lure all play a vital part in presentation. No sport has more combinations than that of catching a Largemouth. A subtle clear water tube presentation on a spawning bed can not be accomplished with a calcutta and 50lb spiderwire. Just as a 1 oz jig in milfoil cannot be done on a 6 foot spinning rod and 8 lb vanish. These examples should get you thinking...presentation is key. We want to be part of the environment as much as possible. Take into account all variables before casting. Does the approach get to the fish without disrupting the environment.

5 Structure - Time of year, and how the fish relate. What type of lake is it? Early of course we push shallow, late fall we push shallow again and fish with everything. Structure has to be one of the most important keys to pro fisherman getting better each year. We are beginning to understand lakes and areas that produce and keep forage better than years past. We can see structure with our cameras and now know that a rock flat has a depression in the middle with weeds that hold fish year round. Seeking out high percentage areas with good transition areas and sufficient forage are good areas to work hard. I read tons of articles and have seen everything said about every kind of water, yet I seem to always be back at the high percentage areas, tournament after tournament.

6 Patience - This one can not be taught, but it is definitely learned! I have walked away from tournaments saying "If I had just slowed down, or...If I had just fished through a little faster!" All sweet spots of lakes usually hold some nice tournament fish. Anxious anglers seems to fish all too fast and not get to the fish. Slowing down and relating to existing conditions will pay off tons when parlaying a nice stringer. When weather conditions change mid-morning, react Some fish turn on, others clam up. Know the difference.

7 Proven Tactics - Go with what you know and can fish best. If you toss a spinnerbait in spring and catch tons of fish, Do that! If you throw finesse to transition fish in spring, hone your skills Cranks in the summer, jigs in the morning. Know your deadly approaches and make them skillful and use them to get your fish quick and then react to changing variable. Getting off to a quick start and the first fish in the boat gets the blood flowing and the mind working with the tournament. Use what you know, and fall back on what works for you!