Thursday, July 21, 2016

Sportsman Alliance of Maine Newsletter July/August - Black Bass

 As water temperatures begin to slowly rise, bass become increasingly active. This leads to great fishing, with activity remaining steady up to the end of the summer. The combination of abundant forage and jacked metabolisms, make bass exceedingly voracious and they attack lures with contempt and struggle against lines with every ounce of their being. Angling excitement runs high, as aggressive strikes create watery explosions and hooked fish fly high into the air, in displays of astounding acrobatics.

While a certain contingent of anglers believe strongly in a strict policy of catch and release that does not match my ideals. Fishing without keeping a few of these delectable trophies to me is a lot like chewing and not being allowed to swallow . . . there is simply an enjoyable component of the fishing experience that is inherently missing. If planning to try hauling in a few hogs for the deep fat fryer, the perfect size bass is in the 2-3 pound range. This size makes for a good-sized filet for the exerted effort and also provides a younger fish less likely to be loaded with copious amounts of mercury. Though many will brag about their award winning frying batters, I prefer an easy to prepare whole milk, egg, flour dip. Simply put each of the three ingredients in separate bowls and dip the filets into each bowl, completely covering them with each of the ingredients. Once the pieces are completely covered with batter they can be lightly dropped into the deep fat fryer where they sputter in the hot oil till they reach a golden brown color. Once removed pat dry with a paper towel, salt heavily and drop on a plate with a side of garlic smashed potatoes and a couple ears of corn on the cob, lightly sprinkled with chili powder. DELICIOUS!

Fishing for bass is all about location, find underwater structure and the bass will be there. While many waters may be fished from shore with success, reaching the best fishing spots requires breaking free from the crowded boat launches and accessing areas that see limited fishing pressure. All manner of large and small watercraft can be used to bass fish effectively, as long as care is taken to respect the anticipated weather conditions. Maine lakes are notoriously fickle and a beautiful day on the water can quickly turn life threatening. Depth maps and fish finders help anglers study bottom structure and locate fish but nothing quite compares to general firsthand knowledge of a lake or pond. Bright sunshine, calm water and polarized sunglasses, greatly facilitate the process of finding areas containing ambush cover for hungry bass. Locating beaver lodges, underwater weed beds, sunken logs and stumps, rocks, shoals, ledges, drop offs and submerged islands, will put you leaps ahead of other fishermen. Mark these areas with a GPS or write down locations and you will be served for years to come with fishing hotspots.

Fishing with friends, vastly increases the chance of finding that magic color and lure combination and allows the opportunity to locate bass faster by effectively covering more area with more lines in the water. Using a variety of different lures can assist anglers in finding combinations that strike gold so never be afraid to experiment and try something new. For the bass fisherman looking for a unique experience, try using live red fin shiners (3-4 inches), 2/0 hooks and large bobbers. This set-up is effective on both small and large mouth bass. For many, pitching a bobber and staring at it all day long is not going to prove to be the most exciting of fishing endeavors. For the search and destroy crowd, who like to cast, sluggos, blue foxes and terminator spin baits are all capable of eliciting brutal early spring reaction strikes. Fishing two poles, one for bobbing and one for casting, greatly maximizes your presentation by keeping two baits in the water at all times. This set-up allows you to fish live bait while a second line is cast and used to locate fish. This system is very effective anytime during the fishing season.

*Please note that you are not allowed to keep bass in the state of Maine caught on live bait until after July 1st. Also until July 1, you are only allowed to catch and keep one bass, over 10 inches. One way to stay updated on the latest bass fishing action is to check out: http://www.themainebladerunners.net. This local bass fishing club was establishedwith the goal of improving the sport of bass fishing through such endeavors as introducing more youth to bass fishing, promoting catch and release and helping to improve the quality of fishing in Maine. Club members enjoy promoting the sport, answering questions and assisting other anglers in finding that magic selection of lures, time and habitat that will lead to a successful day on the water!

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