If you want to catch river bass, study the current. In river situations, the current will often tell you where the bass are. It will dictate which way the fish face and, combined with rocks and stumps that break up the flow, it will dictate where bass locate. Learn how bass relate to current and tides, and you'll be on your way to loading the boat.
Current and Tides
Whether you fish for smallmouth or largemouth bass, current is your friend. Bass in a lake become active and feed when water is released from a dam. In rivers, bass almost always live with current. They sit on ambush points to snare bait that is swept past by current or tides. Tidal fish are predictable. They will repeatedly return to a spot at the same level of tide. A tide chart will help you determine when to be at your successful spots each day.
Fish With the Current
Retrieve your lure with the current. Bass face upstream into the flow of water, whether it is current or tide. In tidal water, they will switch positions and face upstream when the tide is going out, and face downstream when the tide is coming in. If you fish with the flow of the water, bass will see your lure coming toward them in a natural manner. If you fish against the current, you'll pull your lure past the fish before it sees your offering.
Try Topwaters
Fish in moving water spend significant time in shallow water. Pro angler Charles Stuart likes topwater lures in flowing streams. He advises casting upstream past a piece of cover, letting the lure float naturally in the current, and then twitching the lure just as it reaches the stump or rock. Make your lure look like an injured minnow trying to escape.
Backwaters
On large river systems like the Mississippi, head to the backwaters to find bass. Look for laydowns, grass or drop-offs in the oxbows that form along the edge of large rivers. That's where bass hold. If you enter these waters with a small boat, such as a canoe, HuntFishTv.com advises using a long rod with spinning gear and braided line. The long rod and non-stretch line will improve your hooksetting power since you lose leverage in the canoe.
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