We all want to fish like the Pros. What makes them so good? Why is Kevin Van Dam considered the greatest of all time? We all want to catch fish as the bass pros do….but HOW???
Fish Offshore!!
Don’t get me wrong there are certain times where the bank is what you want to target. However, too many anglers focus on beating the banks.
Except for the spawn, 90% of the fish are offshore. Take notice the next time you watch a fishing show or tournament on tv. You will see anglers casting out in the middle of the lake. They are targeting schools of fish or structure that is offshore. Things like shell beds, timber, ditches, stump flats, brush piles, depth changes, boulders, and rock piles are all popular choices.
Look at this picture below. You cannot see land anywhere in sight. You have to put your time in and look for stuff offshore. This brings me to my next point!!
Don’t go fishing-Go Looking!!
Go out on your lake and leave the fishing poles at home.
WHAT????!!!!
Yes I know that sounds like Chinese water torture. But if you want to fish like the pro’s then you have to copy what they do. When professional anglers are getting ready for a tournament they have practice days. Mots of them will use their electronics and look for schools of fish and structure.
They will mark their spots and not make a single cast the whole day. If you commit to a day of this you will be amazed at the spots you will find.
Investing in good electronics is key to being able to find fish offshore. Those are your eyes underneath the water.
Whenever you are seeing pro bass anglers catching fish after fish after fish that is usually because they have found a huge school of fish offshore. If you want that kind of action you have to be willing to do some scouting and looking around.
Do Your Research!!
Whether you are fishing your lake or going to a new lake you need to do research.
When I am targeting a new lake I use youtube. I search for the lake and the time of year I am going. So for instance, if I am going to Lake. St. Clair in June I will search for Lake St. Clair fishing June.
I will also look at local guides. I will see if they have social media accounts. Some even post fishing reports. Look for those guides on youtube also. These guys spend over 200 days a year fishing the lakes that you are targeting.
Another way you can research is to look at the major tournaments that have come to the lake that you are targeting. You can usually find out what those anglers were using and how they won the tournament.
The main key is to find out what people are using the time of year that you are going.
Chose the right gear!!
You do not have to spend tons of money to have the right fishing gear. When I am buying a new rod and reel combo I typically spend $100 on the rod and $100 on the reel.
Choosing the Right Gear for the Presentation is Key.
If I am using a shaky head or a drop shot then I want a spinning reel with a 7-foot medium action rod. With the light line, I will be using if I use something heavier I will snap my line when setting the hook. Enigma has a great line of reels to choose from.
If I am using a crankbait I want to have a glass rod so the fish can load up on the bait and I can make longer casts. So I want a rod that is no shorter than 7 ft 4 inches. Again I believe that Enigma has the best cranking rod on the market. I will want a reel that has a 7:3:1 gear ratio so I can reel faster and get that crankbait in the strike zone faster.
These subtle differences drastically improve your hook up ratio and your catch ratio.
Again do your research on the pros and their crankbait setups for example. See what each pro says and make your decision based on that. If an angler like Kevin Van Dam puts his name on a crankbait rod that is probably a great place to start.
Try New Baits
We all have our favorite baits and lures that we like to throw. When we are watching Major League Fishing, Bass Nation, or FLW I assure you that you will see anglers using things that you rarely use (if ever).
If you see the pros using a particular bait then give it a try. Do your research on the best setups and how to work the bait. Force yourself to keep that rod in your hand until you figure it out. Once you have it figured out that is another weapon in your arsenal to help you catch bass like the pros do.
I usually commit to learning one new technique or new lure every year.
Local knowledge is the best knowledge
If I was going to go to a new lake and I could learn from a pro that has not fished the lake before or a local that fishes it frequently, I would take the local. I want the knowledge from someone that fishes the lake consistently.
The way I find out what the locals are doing is by using Facebook groups. Almost every lake has a Facebook group for anglers that are fishing that lake. The pro’s use this also. Get on there and see who is consistently posting. Reach out to them and ask them for advice. The worst that can happen is they ignore you.
Instagram is another great way to look up info on your lake. I like to search hashtags for the lake I am fishing and reach out to those people also.
I am a believer in good karma. If someone helps you out make sure to offer help to someone in need when it is your turn.
Time on the water!!
You can read every book and blog about fishing. But nothing beats time on the water. However, if you are going to a new lake and want a road map to tell you everything you need to know about that lake and how to catch fish than check out my book the Top 10 Bass Fishing Trips.
The title says it all.
Back to my point. Nothing beats time on the water. If you want to fish like a pro then you have to fish a lot. Not just when the fishing weather is ideal. Fish on the cold days, the rainy days, the windy days, and the nice days.
The more you fish, the more you learn. The more you learn on the water the better decisions you will make when conditions change.
My friend keeps a logbook of all of his catches on our home lake. He writes down the time of year, lure, and water temp. This helps him to better identify what he needs to be doing. He can look back at what he did the last year and have a good guide of what he had success within similar conditions.
It’s their job!!
At the end of the day, we have to remember that this is their full-time job. All of their time and efforts go into catching bass. They have the latest and greatest of everything. That is why they are called professional Bass fisherman.
However, I like to study what the pro anglers use and how they use it. Whether it is fish finders, baits, rods, and reels I try and emulate what they do. Youtube is a valuable resource to study and see what the pro anglers are doing.
When these guys get ready for tournaments they have 3-4 days of practice to figure out the lake. However, you will notice the professional anglers that are local to the lake will almost always be in the top ten at the end of the tournament.
Jacob Wheeler consistently places high or wins at Lake Chickamauga.
Kevin Van Dam in Michigan especially in the Major League Fishing format is dangerous.
Even the pro’s benefit greatly from having local knowledge.
In Conclusion
If you want to fish like the Bass Pro’s do start with your home lake. Learn it and become an expert on that lake. It is better to start close to home. It’s so much fun knowing that when you go out any time of the year (on your home lake) you know where to go and what to throw to catch them.
I did this on my home lake of Lake Lanier. I made myself get off the banks and I spent time using my electronics. I did the research online and I reached out to other anglers. I also went out on a couple of guide trips.
I can now confidently say I am an expert on this lake. And YOU can be an expert on your lake. Educate yourself, try new things, and get out on the water.
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