An Introduction to Bass Fishing

While most would assume that the sport of bass fishing involves catching any bass at all, it actually exclusively refers to fishing for “black bass,” which are found exclusively in North America. Other types of bass actually don't look anything like the black bass – and aren't ever fished for in competitions.

In bass fishing competitions, as many as 50 sport fishermen set out to catch as many pounds of fish as possible in a given timeframe. Often, they will employ special bait, lures, and rods. Additionally, all sport fishermen have some form of fish finder, which helps them locate bass nests and schools.

At the end of bass fishing competitions, all sport fishermen meet in an area to weigh the fish. Generally, they will arrive with the fish in tanks or coolers; however, they are almost always required to keep them alive and healthy. Upon arrival, the fish are put into pool of water, weighed, checked for scale damage and coating deficiencies – and are then released into the water. If any fish are dead or unhealthy, the sport fishermen are usually penalized.

Whoever brings in the most fish in terms of weight wins the competition and generally some type of prize. For the largest competition in North America – the Bassmaster Challenge – the prize has been as much as $200,000 some years.

In addition to competitive or sport fishing, bass fishing is often done for leisure, too. Millions of bass fishermen head off to rivers, streams, and the ocean several times each year in an attempt to catch (and maybe bring home some black bass). While many simply catch bass and then throw them back, others catch them specifically because they enjoy fresh bass.

Between competitive fishing and sport fishing, bass fishing has become a multi-billion dollar industry, spawning the creation of specialized fish finders, lures, bait, rods, and even boats.