What do bass eat?

[Mikeel1987]

I would like to know how to figure out what Bass eat specifically in each body of water? What's a good way to figure this out. I want to fish silver lake this weekend and want to know what the bass eat there, but also in each body of water after that. Also does their diet change for time of year or do they eat pretty much the same thing all year. I guess what I'm asking is how do I know what kind of forage is in a body of water and what do the bass prefer.

[Amx]

They eat everything,


except my lures.

[Mikeel1987]

You are telling me tom

[Amx]

Well, you have to figure out what food is in each lake, then which of those foods the bass will prefer, and what time of year, then what lure imitate those items best, and then how to fish those lures.

And beings that most every lake in this state has the same food, then you should be able to use the same lures in each lake, BUT, you'll also have to figure out which food is MORE prevalent in each lake, then use the appropriate lure. Minnow, crayfish, perch, sculpin, trout, baby bass imitations should work in every lake, some better than other lakes depending on what the bass prefer/what is most prevalent in 'that lake'.

Then you have to consider what color of that lure to use, such as: what color are the crayfish the time of year you are fishing, and then the size of those crayfish, minnows, perch, trout that time of year.

And of course the depth the crayfish, baitfish, perch, etc. are at the time of year you are on the water, and the time of day.

And then there is the speed of retrieving those lures that would depend on the time of year, time of day, and water temps.

So you'd have to study the prey, their habits over the course of a full year, as the bass will follow the prey.

[Mikeel1987]

I understand that. So how do I do all of that? How do I figure out what prey is most abundant and available? How to figure out size and color?

[Amx]

Guess.

[Amx]

Or go crayfish fishing and see. And get a net, or fish, for the minnows. But I don't think a net is legal.

[Mikeel1987]

Is there a better way then guessing? I want to focus on quantity of fish right now that aren't dinks.

[Larry3215]

If you watch the bass fishing shows its pretty clear that they eat any dam thing you throw in the water - as long as its the brand they are hawking today AND you are using the right pole, line, reel and sunglasses AND you are fishing from the right boat with the right motor and right sonar

Seriously, that is why people have ten tackle boxes and 854 lures in every size, shape and color you can imagine. No one can answer that question. If they could, they would be rich.

The only way to do it is to make your best guess, then if that doesnt work, try something else. You keep tossing things out there till you hit on something they like - right then.

Sometimes they change there mind between morning and afternoon or even from one hour to the next and almost for sure from one day to the next.

[herefishy]

I have had pretty good luck using Rapala countdown & floating lures. They really seem to like the perch ones. I don't really fish for bass seriously but sometimes when the trout aren't biting I like to plunk a lure just for fun. I have also them while not trying on a wedding ring tipped with worm when trolling close to short. I think the post by AMX has some good info. Like any other fish it figuring out what they like on that particular day. Sometimes you just need to try everything in the tackle box.

[dutchman2858]

Is there a better way then guessing? I want to focus on quantity of fish right now that aren't dinks.

Don't we all! Not many shortcuts in the bass game. It really helps when a fisherman gives you first hand info--"Hey, Joe, this morning I knocked 'em dead in 10' of water on Lake X with an orange craw crankbait!" That gives you a place to start....BUT tomorrow may be totally different.

Yesterday, for example, after fishing the shore for 2 hours and only catching one small bass, I noticed some "fry" dashing about the shallows. It was an "Ah Ha" moment. I broke out a Live Target Baitball jerkbait I've been wanting to try and caught 3 lmb in 25 minutes including an 18", 3lb personal best from that little lake.

Today they wouldn't touch it....

Last week it was buzzbaits and Whopper Ploppers (surface lures) that held the mojo. And what the Hell do they resemble? Not a dang thing!

As was posted earlier: Most of our lakes have perch, bluegills, rainbows, crawdads, frogs, etc. Have some of each in your tackle box and stock a good supply of plastic worms: Senkos, RoBo worms, etc. If you learn to fish worms--drop shot or weight less, you can catch bass under most circumstances.

There are thousands of lures in hundreds of colors, but most good fishermen I know have a half dozen or dozen confidence lures that they know will catch fish. They plan their day based on past success (log books--or a better memory than mine) and work those lures methodically.

And when you figure out how to consistently catch a "quantity of fish that aren't dinks" be sure to post your methods on here...we will all thank you!!

[Amx]

Minutes ago I was just reading about the Whopper Plopper in the B.A.S.S. Times. I just might have to get one.

[Larry3215]

Its called "fishing" instead of "catching" for a reason

[Amx]

Oh I catch all the time.


Weeds, rocks, docks, trees, bushes, logs, more trees. Even only water, but that's a catch too. (the lure gets wet) lol

[8theB8]

The favorite food of the bass is......variety! Learn and use as many techniques as you can! A bass is for the most part lazy and the easiest meal more often than not wins out. If you research a lake and find it has crawfish, perch and gets stocked with trout then you better show up with jigs, crank baits, jerk baits, swim baits and anything else you can think of that will resemble their forage. THEN understand that some bass will be in a position where they're more likely to see a crayfish and some bass will be following a school of perch while others may be suspended and willing to grab a trout if it happens by?

Be versatile in your approach and versatile in your techniques and bring a variety of offerings and the bass will often give you the rest of the pieces to the puzzle. Change colors and sizes, cadence and depths until something happens and go from there...

Be ready however, what they liked in the morning they may not like in the afternoon and what worked yesterday won't work today and where they were last week isn't where they are now. That's just part of the process. An understanding of where they "should be" and what they "should eat" helps tremendously but it is unpredictable and it's awesome, welcome to bass fishing

[meandermeadows]

I would consider looking into joining the HiLakers. It is a volunteer group that does biological surveys of alpine lakes, to determine food sources and whether or not the lake can support the stocking of trout. There are no bass in these lakes, but you would think that the knowledge gained would easily translate to lowland lakes as well.

[meandermeadows]

Also, I think it is safe to say that the bass here will not behave the same way that they would in, say, Alabama, where a bass show might be made, mainly due to the colder and longer winter. Also, we have a much larger discrepancy in the length of days between the winter and summer, so fish in a lake in the south will be active more days of the year and there will likely be more food available.

[YellowBear]

There is no quick way to learn a lake.
The best way to learn what a Bass eats, is to harvest a few from time to time. Gut them and take a good look at what's there.
One thing that has been constant over the years has been size. 3 in seems to be a preferred size of prey

[meandermeadows]

Hmmm, I never thought of that. Good idea!

[arniejl]

nm