Thousands of anglers head to the water every year in search of bass. As one of the most popular species of game fish, bass are found in lakes and rivers across the United States. Fighting the current of the river is a challenge for river bass fishing. To be successful while river bass fishing, you will need to use specialized techniques and specific bait.
Spinnerbaits
Use spinnerbaits with the water flow. Professional angler Charles Stuart recommends using spinnerbaits to catch bass on rivers. To provide a realistic presentation of the bait to a nearby bass, allow the lure to float naturally down the river in the direction of the current. Do not present the bait against the current as the natural bait is unable to fight the current. In rivers, bass will wait for food to float by as they face upstream in cover or other areas of reduced current speed. As your lure floats downstream, give it a jig or slight tug to attract a bass to bite the bait.
Colorful Baits
Utilize colorful baits that are visible. Most rivers will have murky water, making it difficult for bass to see certain colors of bait. If bass can't see your bait, they won't bite your line. Dan Eggertsen, fishing researcher, says to use highly visible baits while fishing for bass in rivers. He says that the best colors include white, chartreuse or other florescent light colors.
Topwater Lures
Fish with a topwater lure. Many anglers may not use a topwater lure while river bass fishing, but Stuart prefers this method while fishing in stained water or during periods of cloud cover. He utilizes the topwater lure by casting the bait upstream and twitching it periodically as it floats downstream. The twitching gathers the attention of surrounding bass resulting in a bite. Allow the topwater bait to float over a potential bass location such as rocks or other structure.
Watch Your Surroundings
Be aware of your surroundings. The Bass Resource website recommends paying attention to your surroundings to locate potential river bass hideouts. Animals such as raccoons or cranes will be attracted to an area as they look for food. The river bass will also use these areas for a food source. Watch for raccoons on the bank digging for crawfish, frogs or grasshoppers or cranes looking for baitfish.
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