What to do when you catch nothing?

Bass fishing can be tricky. There is a ton of information out there on how to catch them. You load up and go out there. The problem is often that you don’t catch anything. Bass live in a lot of different places and in a lot of different depths. Well, what do you do now?

Where do bass live?

Largemouth bass live in lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds, and more. They live from Mexico to Canada and many other places around the world. Other species of bass lives in many places as well. They adapt to a very wide range of water temperatures.

The real question is where do they live in each body of water. Bass are a predatory feeder. They like to hide and ambush their prey. They will use anything to “hide” against in order to try to grab their food. Bass love shade for cover so always look for shade or objects that make shade. If no shade is available, look for whatever is just different.

How do you catch them?

Bass lures can all be broken down into 3 groups. Top, middle, and bottom are the groups. Some lures stay on top and bass often love to feed on those. Some lures stay in the middle of the water column and are very effective. The rest sink to the bottom and imitate something that bass like to feed on there.

Top lures are a way to go make bass come out of cover and feed. Topwater lures need to be in every angler’s tackle box. Topwater baits make some sort of action or splashing that triggers a bass into striking it.

Middle baits are ones that go through the middle of the water column that get more in the bass’ face or home territory, so they do not have to travel as far to eat. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and jerk baits are all examples. Taking these type baits and hitting the cover that the bass might be hiding around can be the ticket to getting bites.

Bottom lures are a standard and can be a standby for any bass angler. Texas rigs, drop shots, and Carolina rigs are all examples of these lures. Some of these lures draw strikes by the lure making contact with the bottom. Some draw strikes when pulled up off the bottom like a crawfish trying to get away. Either way, they are tried and true bass fishing catchers.

As you go after those prized bass, be sure to remember where they live and the 3 different ways to catch them. Try to keep it simple. Try to keep it fun. It can be tough on most any angler to even catch a bass at times. I promise that if you are persistent and remember these tips, you will catch more bass.