My System for Finding Bass

I just got back from an outing on my kayak and I want to share my system for finding fish, particularly bass. I realized that I’m at a point where I can usually find fish, even when conditions are tough. Even on a really tough day, I can usually find one or two. I want to give you my system, and I hope it’ll be useful.

A few things I look for when I get on a body of water are the sun, the wind, and the water clarity. Those three things will clue me in on where I need to be to find fish. For the sun, I look at where it is and where it’s casting shade. Fish are like us, they like shade, especially on hot sunny days. For example, if it’s around 4 or 5 o’clock, the sun will be in the west at about the 9 o’clock position, and if there are trees on the west bank, they’ll cast shade over the water. That’s a place where fish could be taking cover.

I also look at the wind. The wind tells me where fish might be positioned, especially in hot conditions. Wind stirs up the water, generates oxygen, and pushes baitfish. For example, if the wind is coming from the west, the east side of the lake will usually hold oxygenated water, baitfish, and likely bass.

Lastly, I look at the water clarity. If the water is clear, I’ll tie on plastics and lures in natural colors like green pumpkin. If the water is murky and dark, I’ll use darker colors like black and blue, which I throw about 90 percent of the time. Occasionally, I’ll tie on a junebug or morning dawn, but black and blue works really well because the silhouette stands out distinctly in stained water. In clear water, natural colors make the bait look more realistic.

When you put all that together, say the water is murky, it’s 5 p.m., the sun is on the west side casting shade, and the wind is coming from the west hitting the east bank. I know I should use dark lures, but now there’s a decision. The east side has direct sun but also wind and oxygenated water. The west side has shade. Do you hit the west side where there’s cover, or the east side where there’s oxygenated water? These are the kinds of decisions you’ll face as an angler.

For me, I usually fish clockwise. If I launch from the south, I’ll go to the west side first. That’s mostly because I’m right-handed, and casting to the left is easier from a kayak. I’ll work the west side quickly because I value the wind side more. I think fish are more likely to be where there’s fresh water. Still, I never ignore shade, especially when it’s hot and sunny. Fish want shade. So I’ll fish the west side quickly, and unless the bite is hot, I’ll move to the east side where I hope the fish are stacked up.

Of course, I also look for vegetation, but that’s a whole subject of its own. When the wind and current are hitting vegetation, especially emergent vegetation like lily pads and reeds, or submerged vegetation like milfoil that grows to the surface, I pay attention. Any vegetation forming visible shapes with pockets or channels gets my focus. Bass bury themselves under pads or in milfoil, waiting for baitfish to be carried by current while fresh oxygenated water flows through. If they’re in a feeding mood, they’re in a perfect ambush position. If they’re not, you can still bug them into biting or make it so easy they decide to eat.

I’ll work the edges of that vegetation where the wind and current are hitting. I’ll throw my lure right up to the edge or a foot or two into it. I’ll fish that area thoroughly, hoping to trigger a bite. I’ll also throw something loud that creates vibration and water displacement, like a chatterbait, crankbait, or spinnerbait. Sometimes I’ll even throw a swim jig if I need something a little more subtle. I’ll work those moving baits parallel to the weedlines, hoping a bass buried in the cover will chase. After that, I’ll work something slower like a jig or senko right in front of the weeds. This approach usually finds fish. You won’t always catch them all, because sometimes they just aren’t feeding. You’re never guaranteed to catch fish.

So that’s my system. Look at the sun and where it’s casting shade. Look at the wind, the current, and how they affect vegetation. Look at water clarity to know what color to throw. Always work vegetation edges because that’s where bass will be hiding. Always have one slow bait and one moving bait as your one-two punch. Using this system, you’ll be able to find bass.

Hopefully this was useful. Thanks for reading.