Copyright 2006 Karin Manning

There are 44 million people in the United States of America fishing today.

In the last 25 years the sport of bass fishing has grown into a billion dollar industry which shows no signs of slowing down. One of the main reasons for its popularity is that bass fishing is a challenge, a thrill, a catch worth getting. It is the ultimate adrenalin rush for pro bass fishermen.

It's a fact that once you've landed your first largemouth bass you'll be hooked for life.

There are a few professional bass fishing secrets that amateur anglers have now learnt to take their bass fishing sport one step further'and now they enjoy extra income by actually offering bass fishing help to other largemouth fishermen.

There are a few things a bass fisherman can do to become a better bass fisherman today and have more successful bass fishing trips. Let's go through them now.

Once you've learned a little more about the mindset of largemouth bass you're ready to ask the question:

Where do I catch bass?

The secret to finding potential bass fishing hot spots is easy as largemouth bass prefer a specific living environment, though they can survive quite well in a variety of conditions as they've learned to adapt over the years.

The most sought after largemouth species are known as Micropterus salmoides salmoides and the Micropterus salmoides floridanus.

Initially largemouth bass were found mainly on the east side of the Rockies in the U.S., some parts of Canada, and north eastern Mexico however now they occupy nearly all of Mexico and some parts of South and Central America.

Largemouth bass prefer to live in water about 10 feet or less. Most of their prey such as crayfish and minnows live in these warm waters. However, shallow waters do make largemouth bass a little edgy as bass do like being under cover.

If you find know where schools of smaller fish like to lurk you will also find some largemouth bass waiting to strike.

Professional bass fishermen can find bass quite fast.

Beginner bass fishermen should start at the banks. However you will not be successful by just casting and retrieving time and time again. To be a successful bank fisherman you need to experiment with a variety of lures and retrieves until you find out exactly what the bass want.

Another area that many bass anglers tend to forget is bass ponds. These areas can, however, have the biggest largemouth bass and be the most populated.

These bass ponds tend to be in the middle of nowhere - they are prevalent throughout North America - and they house very aggressive bass who will strike a larger variety of colours and lures. They also provide very little cover and protection so chances are you will find the most dominant 'alpha male' bass there waiting to strike.

The best way to find bass ponds is by getting a topographical or aerial map of your favourite fishing spots and just exploring.

Once you've put into practice these bass fishing tips and techniques you'll be on your way to bagging trophy bass nearly every time you cast!