Fishing for river bass requires certain skills including the ability to cast a fishing rod while getting as close to the fish as possible and the ability to set a hook with bait or lures. Bass move from place to place for feeding, using river channels as a highway from deep water to shallow water. They tend to move upstream and gather in large quantities near the base of a dam. In a river, a bass faces upstream unless it is near an eddy. All fish expend energy when they are lying in a moving current. Instinct tells them to position themselves where the force of the water is stopped by an obstruction such as a large object or structure.
Positioning
Get as close to the fish as you can before casting your rod. Fish can see---bass have eyes like humans, which they use to seek prey. Approach the bass from behind to avoid being seen. Use the downstream flow of the river to push away your wake and the sound of your approach. If you are approaching the bass from the front, keep a low profile. Do not wave your fishing rod back and forth over the water because it will scare the fish away.
Casting
Do not make another cast until the end of the fishing line moves on the back cast or the forward cast. When the line starts moving, move your casting hand faster and then stop suddenly. The fishing line will move by itself in the same direction as the rod tip. To make casting easier, pay attention to the distance your fishing rod travels when you are casting backward and forward.
Bait and Lures
Some fishermen use live bait fish such as a large minnow with the hopes that bigger bait will land a bigger bass. If you use live bait, match the size of the minnow to the size of your hook. Hook the bait fish through the mouth so that it looks natural in the river current. If you don't have large bait fish you can still trick a bass with a small minnow if you use a light fishing line with a small bobber and a small hook to make the fish look natural.
Instead of live bait, some fishermen use colored or shiny lures to attract the attention of the bass. River current is a problem compared to fishing in a lake---you have to allow time for the bait to get to the eye level of the fish. A lure works best when it is moving upstream against the current because the fish can see the lure and grab it without using too much energy.
River Structures
River structures such as submerged piles of brush or rock beds are good places to find bass. Other structures are shoals, pockets, dips, underwater ridges and ledges. Every river has its own features, so check the shoreline for changes in the soil from mud to gravel or clay---this can indicate a fish holding area. Bass prefer transition zones in rivers so look for any changes in the terrain. Also look for objects along the bluffs of a river such as fallen timber or stumps that can hold fish. The best place to fish for bass near a bluff is the downstream edge of an underwater shoal on the other side of a river.
References
- "Fly-Fishing for Smallmouth in Rivers and Streams"; Bob Clouser; 2007
- "Bass Guide Tips: Tactics of Top Fishing Guides"; Larry Larsen; 1991
- "Practical Black Bass Fishing"; Mark Sosin and Bill Dance; 1974
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