Bass fishing
Bass fishing is the recreational fishing activity, typically via rod-based angling, for various North American freshwater game fishes known collectively as black bass. There are numerous black bass species targeted in North America, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass or Kentucky bass, and Guadalupe bass. All black bass species are members of the sunfish family Centrarchidae.
Modern bass fishing has evolved into a multibillion-dollar industry. The sport has changed drastically since its beginnings in the late 19th century. From humble beginnings, the black bass has become the most specifically sought-after sport fish in the United States. The sport has driven the development of all manner of fishing gear in the market, including rods, reels, lines, lures, electronic depth and fish-finding instruments, drift boats, float tubes, kayaks and also motor boats made specifically for bass fishing.
Black bass
All black bass are fished recreationally and are well known as strong fighters when hooked. Depending upon species and various other factors such as water quality and availability of food, black bass may be found in lakes, reservoirs, ponds, rivers, streams, creeks, and even roadside ditches. Largemouth are known for their greater overall size and tolerance of urban environments, and also tend to jump more than other black bass and fight aggressively near the surface. However, smallmouth bass tend to fight even more aggressively when hooked, favoring extremely powerful runs to underwater structures such as submerged logs, weed beds, and rock piles. The All-Tackle world record Black Bass was a largemouth that was caught at Montgomery Lake, GA by George Perry, weighing in at 22 lbs. 4 oz. Perry's record fish, which some consider the "Holy Grail" of all freshwater sport fishing records, was finally challenged by Japanese angler Manabu Kurita on July 22, 2009. Kurita's catch was officially certified by the IGFA, weighing 22 lbs. 4 oz, the same weight as Perry's legendary catch. There are also several stories of fish that may have exceeded this record weight, but only these two were officially certified. Perry and Kurita have shared the All-Take world record since 2009.All black bass rely heavily on scent to forage, so care should be taken when fishing to ensure no foreign scents such as outdoor chemicals like sun block and bug spray, or any personal chemicals like tobacco, can deter the black bass. It is also important to wash hands frequently when handling fishing line, reels, rods, artificial baits, and particularly soft plastics. The flesh of smaller specimens is often white and flaky, with a mild, more pleasant taste when cooked.
Background
Bass fishing in the United States largely evolved on its own, and was not influenced by angling developments in Europe or other parts of the world. Indeed, modern British sea bass fishermen look to the United States freshwater bass techniques for inspiration for lure fishing and to the US, Japan and China for tackle. During the early-to-mid-19th century, wealthy sport anglers in the United States largely confined themselves to trout and salmon fishing using fly rods. While smallmouth bass were sought by some fly fishermen, most bass fishing was done by sustenance anglers using poles and live bait. The working-class heritage of bass fishing strongly influenced the sport and is manifested even today in its terminology, hobbyist literature, and media coverage. Many people who began fishing for bass a long time ago simply used a long stick, with some sort of line, tied to a hook, and normally used live bait.In the mid-19th century, the first artificial lure used for bass was developed in the form of an artificial fly. At first, these artificial fly patterns were largely derivations of existing trout and salmon flies. As time went on, new fly patterns were specifically developed to fish for bass, as well as heavier spinner/fly lures that could be cast by the baitcasting and fixed-spool casting reels and rods available at the time. Floating wooden lures or poppers of lightweight cork or balsa were introduced around 1900, sometimes combined with hooks dressed with artificial fur or feathers. Production of the plastic worm began in 1949, but it was not until the 1960s that its use became popular. The plastic worm revolutionized the sport of bass fishing.
In the United States, the sport of bass fishing was greatly advanced by the stocking of largemouth and smallmouth bass outside their native ranges in the latter portion of the 19th century. As the nation's railroad system expanded, large numbers of 'tank' ponds were built by damming various small creeks that intersected the tracks to provide water for steam engines; later, new towns often sprang up alongside these water stops. Shippers found that black bass were a hardy species that could be transported in buckets or barrels via the railroad, sometimes using the spigot from the railroad water tank to aerate the fingerlings.
Image:Angler largemouth.jpg|thumb|left|M. salmoides caught by an angler in Connecticut
Largemouth bass were often stocked in tank ponds and warmer lakes, while smallmouth bass were distributed to lakes and rivers throughout the northern and western United States, as far west as California. Smallmouth were transplanted east of the Appalachians just before the Civil War, and afterwards introduced into New England.
Largemouth bass populations boomed after the U.S. Department of Agriculture began to advise and assist farmers in constructing and stocking farm ponds with largemouth bass, even offering advice on managing various fish species. Soon, those who had stocked largemouth bass on their farm ponds began to pursue them on a burgeoning number of new reservoirs and impoundments built in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. These impoundments coincided with a postwar fishing boom, additional funds from sales of fishing licenses for the first large-scale attempts at bass fisheries management. This was especially true in the southern United States, where the largemouth bass thrived in waters too warm or turbid for other types of gamefish.
With increased industrialization and development, many of the nation's eastern trout rivers were dammed, polluted, or allowed to silt up, raising water temperatures and killing off the native brook trout. Smallmouth bass were often introduced to northern rivers now too warm for native trout, and slowly became a popular gamefish with many anglers. Equally adaptable to large, cool-water impoundments and reservoirs, the smallmouth also spread far beyond its original native range. Later, smallmouth populations also began to decline after years of damage caused by overdevelopment and industrial and agricultural pollution, as well as a loss of river habitat caused by damming many formerly wild rivers to form lakes or reservoirs. In recent years, a renewed emphasis on preserving water quality and riparian habitat in the nation's rivers and lakes, together with stricter management practices, eventually benefited smallmouth populations and has caused a resurgence in their popularity with anglers.
Rise of modern bass fishing
By the early 20th century, bass fishing had been well established as a sport with its own following. Though the use of artificial lures for bass had begun with the artificial fly and fly fishing tackle, the bait casting rod and reel soon came to dominate the sport. Although fixed-spool reels were introduced in use in the United States as early as the 1870s, spinning reels and rods did not gain wide acceptance as an angling tool until the 1950s. Since that time, most bass anglers have used bait casting or spinning tackle, using either artificial lures or live bait.During the 1950s and 1960s, the development of specific angling tools for bass significantly increased angler bass catches and helped stimulate the development of the sport. Some of these innovations include the invention of monofilament nylon fishing lines, the fiberglass fishing rod, the electric trolling motor, the fish finder/depth locator, and new artificial lures and baits made of various plastics. Recently, advanced electronics that mimic the sounds of schooling bait fish have been introduced, and a controversy has arisen over the proper use of these devices in bass tournament fishing.
Since the early 1990s, fly fishing for bass, particularly smallmouth bass, has again become popular, using fly patterns, rods, and fly lines suited for bass. The Largemouth Bass is the most common sport fish in America. Many people are unaware that fly fishing is a growing source of bass catching, specifically in places where trophy bass are available such as Southern California and San Diego. Here prime Florida largemouth are some of the largest in the world and some of the toughest to catch. Several well known bass fishermen have been attracting attention to the fishery. Local fly shops offer services to pursue the fish which can be challenging. There are several very well known bass lakes here including; Lake Dixon, Lake Jennings, Miramar Reservoir, and Lake Murray.
Fishermen, conservation groups, and governmental wildlife departments have introduced black bass of various species across the world for the sport of fishing. Outside North America, Japan and South Africa have active programs.
Bass fishing as a sport was helped along by the chase for the standing world record which has held for over 75 years. Though surrounded by controversy it is widely accepted that in 1932 a 22-pound 4 ounce bass was caught by George Perry in Montgomery Lake, Georgia. It is one of the longest standing records in the sport of fishing. This record was tied on July 2, 2009 when Aichi Japan resident Manabu Kurita caught a 22-pound 4 ounce largemouth bass in Lake Biwa.
Black bass management is complex and involves various survey techniques to collect data. This date is then anaylzed to determine the best regultions to maintain healthy bass population.
Since its inception in the 1970's, the catch-and-release ethic has become the standard for most black bass anglers. It has been so widely accepted that harvest rates for black bass in most Alabama reservoirs are less than 5%. However, traditional black bass tournaments are an exception. They typically require competitors to retain their catch for a live weigh-in at the conclusion of the event. These bass are usually released following the event, often with live release rates approaching 100%. Most competitors and tournament organizers make a valiant effort to ensure that these bass remain healthy while in their care. Unfortunately, an exhaustive list of scientific studies has shown that this does not adequately address the long-term mortality caused by the stress of confinement, handling, livewell agitation, excessive water temperatures, poor water quality, and disease transmission. Even with excellent fish care protocols, mortality in the days following an event can range from 30% - 80%, depending on the predominant species and water temperature. Because the largest fish are being targeted, the size-structure of the population is often affected. With that in mind competitive bass fishing tournaments should utilize catch-weigh-release or catch-measure-release formats to minimize unnecessary mortality associated with competitve angling events. These formats are currently being used successfully by kayak anglers and other conservation-minded bass clubs. There are a number of manufacturers of scales, measuring boards, and software, that are designed specifically for CWR or CMR.
Black bass management is complex and involves various survey techniques to collect data. This date is then anaylzed to determine the best regultions to maintain healthy bass population.
Since its inception in the 1970's, the catch-and-release ethic has become the standard for most black bass anglers. It has been so widely accepted that harvest rates for black bass in most Alabama reservoirs are less than 5%. However, traditional black bass tournaments are an exception. They typically require competitors to retain their catch for a live weigh-in at the conclusion of the event. These bass are usually released following the event, often with live release rates approaching 100%. Most competitors and tournament organizers make a valiant effort to ensure that these bass remain healthy while in their care. Unfortunately, an exhaustive list of scientific studies has shown that this does not adequately address the long-term mortality caused by the stress of confinement, handling, livewell agitation, excessive water temperatures, poor water quality, and disease transmission. Even with excellent fish care protocols, mortality in the days following an event can range from 30% - 80%, depending on the predominant species and water temperature. Because the largest fish are being targeted, the size-structure of the population is often affected. With that in mind competitive bass fishing tournaments should utilize catch-weigh-release or catch-measure-release formats to minimize unnecessary mortality associated with competitve angling events. These formats are currently being used successfully by kayak anglers and other conservation-minded bass clubs. There are a number of manufacturers of scales, measuring boards, and software, that are designed specifically for CWR or CMR.