John Neporadny - 101 Bass Fishing Tips: Twenty-First Century Bassing Tactics and Techniques from All the Top Pros

W hen insurance salesman Ray Scott held the First All-American Invitational Bass Tournament June 68, 1967, on Beaver Lake in Arkansas, he changed the world of bass fishing.

Before those 106 anglers gathered at Beaver Lake to fish the first ever cash-prize tournament, bass fishing was a leisurely weekend pursuit enjoyed by a smattering of anglers mostly from the South. In the last four decades, the increasing popularity of bass tournaments has turned the sport into a multibillion dollar industry enjoyed by millions of anglers throughout the United States and in a handful of foreign countries around the world.

During the early days of Scotts Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS), only a small group of guides and serious competitive anglers fished professionally. Today most of the contestants on the Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour circuits are full-time professionals who help educate the bass fishing public through seminars, videos, podcasts, and magazine and newspaper articles.

The influence of competitive bass fishing on the angling industry is comparable to NASCARs impact on the automobile industry. The same technology used to create lighter, faster race cars is being copied by the auto industry to improve fuel efficiency and increase safety features in the vehicles we drive every day. The pros on the tournament circuits have also proven to be invaluable test pilots for tackle manufacturers and boat builders, as these competitive anglers spend countless hours fishing in the sun, rain, wind, cold, or heat, navigating in high waves or making long runs at full speed to reach remote hotspots. Their exploits in all sorts of weather and water conditions have helped fishing companies create more durable, dependable tackle and boat manufacturers build safer and stronger bass boats.

Every major fishing tackle company and bass boat manufacturer have filled their pro staff teams with the best anglers from the national circuits, because these companies know the time the touring pros spend on the water gives them the expertise required to help a company research and develop products. So these companies rely heavily on the pro staffs for advice on creating new lures, rods, reels, and boats. Even the creation of the simplest gear, such as a pair of fishing pliers, has been influenced by the on-the-water trials of the bass pros.

Since they must make their living casting for cash, the bass pros also are adept at finding the right lure and targeting the best structure and cover to consistently catch enough bass to finish in the money. Weekend anglers might spend some time working the same cover or structure with their confidence lures and a few new ones they think will work. They might catch a few fish, but they usually miss out on the mother lode sitting on that spot.

On the other hand, the tournament pros know how to quickly sort through their myriad of lure boxes and pick the one or two best options that will boat a quick limit. By analyzing the season, weather, water clarity, and available forage, the pros can pinpoint the best presentation for every type of cover and structure without wasting time mulling through their vast array of tackle.

Their expertise and influence on the sport make the touring bass pros the logical choices as my sources for this book. The tips they share in the ensuing chapters should help you find largemouth bass quicker and trigger more strikes whether you are a competitive or recreational angler.