Best ways to stalk bass in shallow water

 

One of the most fun ways to catch bass is to sight-fish them as they move in and out of shallow water in low-light conditions during a feeding pattern.  You need clear water to spot them and being stealthy is paramount. Below are some tips that will help you catch more bass in shallow water.

 

Sound

 

Just as bass can hear a rattle in a jig and get attracted, they can hear intrusive noises that cause them to spook. If you have a radio in your boat resist the urge to turn it on when fishing skinny water.  ANY noise that is uncommon can alert a bass of interlopers. If you’re not using your locator for side imaging, shut her down.  Ever listen to your transducer?  It’s clicking is also a foreign noise that can make a bass bail.  If you have a Power Pole or Talon, deploy it (especially when bed fishing) instead of constantly running your trolling motor.

 

Sight

 

One of the reasons bass boats are low profile is because they help angler flip, skip, and pitch because their height off the water lends itself better for these types of techniques.  Another reason is because the angler doesn’t present as much of a silhouette when casting.  Some anglers will even wear lighter-colored shirts that don’t contrast as much with the sky. Polar Kraft’s Bass TX series for instance is the perfect shallow water boat for all the reasons above.

 

Casts

 

Long casts are key when fishing shallow.  Go with at least a seven, maybe even an eight foot rod with a fast taper so you can really snap the bait out.  Braid casts great, but make sure to add a fluorocarbon leader, so there’s less chance of a bass getting spooked.

 

Sure, some people might think the above tips are a bit overboard for shallow-water bass pursuit but give them a try and you’ll put more fish in the boat.