Bass are predator fish and they follow schools of baitfish to prey on. So, if you can find the schools of baitfish, chances are pretty good that the bass are close by. But how do you locate the baitfish?
How to locate the baitfish and intern the big bass
- Easiest to spot are the small minnows jumping out of the water and if your lucky swirls of bigger fish swimming close behind. If you see these tiny jumping fish, there is a school of baitfish swimming around just under them.
- Loons also love baitfish. They feed on them regularly. The benefit of seeing loons feeding on fish is that they are easier to spot from a distance than jumping minnows. Follow the loons to the baitfish and the baitfish to the bass.
- Gulls also prey on fish. You’ll often see them circling in one spot. This is a good place to head out and fish.
- Herons are another bird species that prey on fish and are easy to spot in the air or on the shore.
- If you see small dimples on the surface of the water chances are there is a school of shad near the surface. These dimples might look like little raindrops falling over a small are of water.
- Use a depthfinder. On a depthfinder, a school of fish will look like a ball of solid mass.
- And finally, when you see a group of boats fishing in one area, it’s probably a good spot to fish. Man also likes to prey on fish and they are very easy to spot in their boats with fishing poles.
So now you found the baitfish, what do you do?
Tips to use the baitfish to your advantage
- For your lure or bait selection, try to match the size and shape of the baitfish swimming around.
- Vary your depth to find the feeding fish (largemouth bass but also crappie, walleye, muskie, hybrids, white bass, striped bass)
- Get as close to the food source as possible to increase your odds of catching the fish you set out to catch.
