Bass fishing technology continues to advance, with lighter, stronger rods, smoother reels, and enhanced line that is extremely tough yet nearly invisible. Even lures, which used to be wood, metal, or plastic, are becoming wonders of 21st-century engineering.
While you can debate the effectiveness and importance of certain fishing technologies (after all, a worm and a hook still catch fish), you can’t argue with the importance of a digital fish finder.
Bass fishing is one of the most popular sports in the country, so if you want to reel in more fish, win tournaments, and be a better bass angler, you need to have a fish finder, and you need to know how to use it.
Use Simple, Consistent Settings
Today’s fish finders come with dozens, if not hundreds, of settings, applications, and tools. With so many combinations and a seemingly-infinite stream of information, they can be overwhelming. The best practice, at least when starting out, is to keep your fish finder to the most basic settings. Master how to judge depth, spot fish, locate weeds and structure, and find drop-offs. Then you can start trying the advanced settings.
Tune the Sensitivity
While you want to keep things simple, you should adjust the sensitivity of the fish finder so it hits on fish, but doesn’t go off on every small spec in the water. For a typical fish finder, you’ll need to turn off automatic mode, then manually increase the sensitivity to 100%. Next, slowly dial it down until you get distinct arches from fish along with detailed information on the bottom.
Find the Changes and Irregularities
If you use your fish finder to spot changes, irregularities, and structure, you’ll be on the right track. Areas that have points, turns, and changes in the bottom terrain are often loaded with bass, and these spots are not always located near the shoreline.
You can also use it to find artificial fish cribs, which are essentially man-made underwater structure, like sunken pallets or logs structures designed to give bait fish a spawning area. Predators like bass love to hang out in these locations.
As You Move Away From Shore, Look for Steep Drop-Offs
Steep drop-offs or ledges are areas that will hold numerous fish. To find these locations, move slowly away from shore, paying attention to the depth and bottom structure as you go. If you see the bottom sloping down, fish the area by casting deep-diving crank baits or heavy spinners that will swim along the ledge.
If Your Fish Finder Gives Water Temperature, Use It
Water temperature is a major factor in the behavior of fish, so if your fish finder is equipped with this feature, as most modern products are, pay attention. This will be especially useful in the spring, when bass often congregate in warm waters, usually near shallow areas.
Pro Fishing Apparel is Waiting For You
Another important part of bass fishing is the right apparel. Visit the online store from Huk and you can find pro fishing apparel that will keep you dry and comfortable all day. You’ll not only find high-quality fishing shirts, but you’ll also find headwear, shorts, and more.