President’s Corner

May

There are a multitude of variables that go into making a successful bass angler.  A successful bass angler must be capable of locating bass on any body of water during any season of the year and under any weather conditions.  In order to do that consistently an angler must have knowledge of bass as a species.  An angler must understand how bass are designed to operate as a species and how outside variables affect bass behavior.  One of the first things that an angler will learn is that environment determines bass behavior.  While it may be true physiologically that a bass is a bass is a bass, it is certainly not true behaviorally.  Bass behave differently in different environments.  In fact, every bass is unique to its environment.  Still it is necessary to understand the biological needs of bass and how they operate physiologically to be a successful bass angler. 

Since it is a fact that environment determines bass behavior, an understanding of the various water body types and the habitat found in each is mandatory.  The closer a particular environment is to another, the closer the behavior of the bass that inhabit those waters will be.  This means that if an angler thoroughly understands one particular environment and its habitats he will fare better fishing other environments and habitats that most closely resemble that environment.  Anglers schooled on northern bass will find southern bass non responsive to northern techniques and presentations.  Why is this true?  It is true because southern bass live in an entirely different environment than northern bass.  That environment requires that southern bass adapt to feeding on different prey species.

Although the senses of bass may operate in the same manner for all bass, how the bass use those senses varies from one environment to another.  Bass are the most adaptable predator of all freshwater fish species, but like all predators bass need food to exist.  It is the prey that will determine the location of bass on any water body.  The only exception to this fact is during the spawn.  Bass do not require prey during the spawn because instinct forces bass to reproduce.  Survival of the species always outweighs survival of the individual during the spawn.  Spawning areas will almost always contain prey even though bass are not actively feeding then.  Since bass are nesters and nesters require sunlight for eggs to hatch, spawning will generally take place in relatively shallow water.  The spawn period is the one time of the year that the presence of prey will not be a factor governing bass location.

Different environments have different habitats which in turn support different prey species.  Anglers must understand the different environments and different habitats well enough to know which prey species will flourish in each.  Bass location will always be dictated by prey location except during the spawn.  An angler needs to know what the prevalent prey is and where it is.  That is where the bass must be as well.  The precise position of the bass at that location will always be determined by the current activity level of the bass.  Active bass will position at one depth, neutral bass at another depth and inactive bass at yet another.  Structure and cover factors can also impact the exact position of bass.  Inactive bass often drop to the base of cover or structure while active bass often hunt above cover or structure.  The precise position of the bass will always be the final determinant of the proper lure and the correct presentation for that time and place.

It is a fact that precise position can only be determined by catching bass.  There can be no question that it is the activity level of the bass that determines position.  However suspected activity level can provide clues as to precisely where to fish and how to fish.  One thing is certain.  No single lure or presentation method or technique will ever be capable of fishing all potential bass positions while at the same time accounting for all possible bass activity levels.  The variables are just too many in number and too diverse.  Every particular location and position is unique to the habitat and the prevailing weather and water conditions.

Angler versatility and adaptability are mandatory.  No angler could ever hope to adjust to every environment and every habitat without employing adaptability and versatility.  In addition an angler must pay attention to every detail because every detail is reflective of the existing conditions.  Habitat governs the amount and type of prey that will be available.  Knowledgeable anglers will use the habitat as a guide to the appropriate lure to match that prevalent prey. 

There can be no doubt that angling experience builds success.  The more practical experience an angler has on a particular body of water the better he understands the habitat, the prey and the bass.  The more opportunities he has had to experiment with lure presentations, the better his odds of success.  The more success he has, the more his self confidence grows.  The more self confidence he builds, the better decisions he will make.  The better his decision making, the more success he will have.  It becomes a cycle for success.  As long as the angler remains versatile and adaptable, he will succeed.  The minute he fails to adjust, he will fail. 

To succeed an angler must have a game plan that is based on a theory of bass behavior that allows the angler to predict bass location at any time, under any conditions and on any water.  Once that theory is established as reliable through on the water experience, angling success is only a matter of adapting to existing conditions.  However, the key is to always allow the existing conditions to dictate the location and the presentation.  Since conditions are constantly changing, the characteristics of the correct presentation will constantly change as well.  For bass, it is simple.  Adapt or perish.  The same is true for bass anglers. 

Be adaptable!