When it comes to sports fishing, one of the most popular fish to go for is bass. Whether you're looking to catch largemouth or smallmouth bass, you have to be fully prepared for the trip. Remember that bass don't have teeth, so you need to choose your bait carefully to increase your chances of catching something. Live bait is popular for bass fishing. While you can choose most any live bait that the bass can get their mouth around, there are a few things that you'll want to think about when you're buying bait for your next trip.

Consider The Bait Size Carefully

When it comes to live bait for bass fishing, you can choose from a variety of sizes of bait. In most cases, bass will go after any bait that will fit in their mouth. However, you still need to choose your bait carefully. In many cases, bass fish will examine a specific prey, or bait in this case, to determine if it's really worth going after.

Anything too small isn't going to be worth the effort required to get it, which will leave you struggling to catch anything. Anything too large is going to discourage the fish from even trying to eat it. Consider mid-sized baits for the best chance of success. Remember as well that bass will go for larger bait when it's getting closer to winter. In addition, they'll be more likely to go for smaller bait during the winter months because they move slower in the cold weather.

Evaluate How Easy The Bait Is To Cast

Every type of bait behaves differently on the hook, and some will stay put better than others. It's not going to do you any good if you choose a bait that can't stay in place because bait that falls off the hook when you cast is bait that's not going to catch a fish. Make sure you consider the weight and structure of your bait when you're making the choice. In addition, remember to be gentle with your cast when you use live bait; otherwise, you're likely to lose it off the hook.

Think About The Water Temperature

You'll also want to think about the water temperature when you're choosing bait for bass fishing. Cold water means using different bait than warmer water temperatures. You can use most anything when the water is warmer, but when it's cold, you need to be more selective. Grubs and worms are usually the best choices when you're going to be cold water fishing because they behave best in colder temperatures. In addition, they'll draw the fish out easier, which is important since bass can get sluggish in cold water temperatures.

Understand How Your Bait Moves

One of the biggest reasons to opt for live bait is because the movement is natural; therefore, it's more attractive to bass. Keep this in mind when you're choosing your bait, and find something that will work well with the hook that you use, because you don't want a hook that impedes the bait's movement. Your hook should be large enough to be reliable for setting in the fish, but not so large that the bait can't move the way that it should. Whenever possible, opt for a thin hook. That way, you have more bait than hook when the fish spots it.

With these tips, you can fish for bass with live bait successfully. The more you understand about live bait selection and use, the greater your chances are of actually catching a fish when you head out there. Talk with a local bait shop or a sport fishing company like Panama Nautical Club for more tips as you start planning your next trip out.