Many bass fisherman do not care to fish for bass using live baits, but to be honest that is good for you because that means there is very little fishing pressure. You do not need to have a boat to fish for bass using live bait many large bass have been caught from the bank using this method probably because there is very little fishing pressure. You can fish for bass using live bait in ponds lakes or rivers. Using live baits to catch largemouth bass is probably one the least used methods to catch bass, but if you learn what baits work best you can catch some very large bass using the following two methods I am going to talk about in my article today.
Fish live striped shiners and bluegills for bass.
Shiners make great live baits for bass and I recommend using the following two types, and they are the golden and striped shiners. These shiners both are similar in size ranging fro 3 to 6 inches. Some larger shiners can reach 12 inches in length but don’t use them for bait. Concentrate on using 3 to 6″ shiners. You can purchase both types of these shiners at your local bait shop, but if you can catch your own shiners that are local to the area they work much better.
The golden shiner’s main habitat is in the Eastern States but they have been introduced throughout the United States as bait fish. Their normal size is 3 to 6 inches and they have a deep body with back being a dark green or olive color. The larger golden shiners develop a golden color. To identify them count the dorsal fin they will have 8 rays.
The striped shiner is similar in size to golden shiner but they have silvery sides with a darker color back. The also have distinguishing stripes that form a v behind the dorsal fin. They are native to the north but can be found throughout the Eastern States also.
The bluegill, bream or sunfish can be found all over the US and Southern Canada and they are very easy to catch. You want to catch small ones ranging in size from 3 to 4 inches. It has been my experience that the smaller gills are the best live bait for largemouth bass. Make sure you check with your states department of natural resources to make sure it is legal to fish with bluegills because some states will not allow it.
How to set up your live bait rigs for bass using golden and stripped shiners:
1.0 Using the right bass rod and reel combo.
I recommend you pick a heavy duty bass outfit for when you fish live baits for largemouth bass. You can use lighter rigs but it’s easier to fish heavy duty rigs in thick vegetation. I personally use a open face spin cast set up with a reel spooled with 15 lb firewire and a heavy duty spin cast rod 7 ft in length. These rigs are great if you are casting from the bank.
2.0 Here is the setup method for a live bait slip bobber rig for largemouth bass fishing.
Before we get started you will need to obtain the following fishing tackle. You will need a 4″ slip bobber, a bead and bobber stop, a three way ball bearing swivel, Cut pieces of fire line 12″ and 14 inches, a 4 / 0 5/ 0 circle hook, and a ¼ oz bass sinker. Pickup the slip bobber about 4″ in length and push the end of the line from your rod and reel combo through the slip bobber. Next slide the bead up the line then the bobber stop. Next tie on the three way swivel to the line using the top eyelet. Then pick up the 14 inch piece of fireline you cut and tie one end to the bottom eyelet of the three way ball bearing swivel. Next pick up the 12 inch piece of fireline you cut and tie either a 4/ 0 or 5 / 0 circle hook to one end. Then tie the other end to the open eyelet on the three way swivel. Then the last thing you want to do is tie on the ¼ oz bass sinker to the bottom of the 14″ fireline you cut. The bass sinker should The bass sinker should be at the very bottom of your live bait bass rig when you are finished.
3.0 Here is how you hook you live shiners, and bluegills correctly to your bass live bait rig.
It is very important how you hook you live bass bait because the bait needs to swim freely to attract the bass. Largemouth bass do not normally hit a dead bait so you need to check your baits frequently. To hook your shiners slide the 4 / 0 circle hook either through the eye socket on larger baits or right behind the dorsal fin on smaller baits. To hook your bluegills either hook them through the lips or right behind the dorsal fin. Make sure that either the shiners or bluegills can swim freely after you cast.
Well folks that concludes my article on catch bass with live bait,catch bass with live shiners,catch bass with bluegills,live bait fishing for bass,using live bait to catch largemouth bass,using bluegills to catch largemouth bass,using shiners to catch largemouth bass,golden shiner,striped shiners. May your next fishing trip be a success!