Fishing is a popular activity in almost all the regions around the world. Nothing beats the thrill of pulling in a fish or even getting a bite after a weeklong office works. One of the most popular games for fishing is bass. But why is bass fishing so popular?
Bass is one of the most versatile species of game fishes. There is a range of species, and one is available in almost every region. Bass fishing requires a minimal setup and skill.
Thus, it is suitable for almost anyone capable of handling a pole. Different species of bass have slightly different tastes and moods. Hence there is a species and fishing technique ideal for almost anyone.
Fishing is a fun pastime in general. People of all ages around the globe enjoy fishing more or less. The majority of the fish species are fished and harvested for food or fun.
However, not every species is seen and handled in the same manner. One of the reasons being, not every fish species is known or available everywhere. Bass is among the few that are.
Here are some of the reasons why bass fishing is so popular worldwide.
Availability Everywhere
Bass is one of the few species available everywhere around the world where there is a living condition for bass. There are freshwater, as well as saltwater species that reside in ponds, lakes, or rivers, and deep or shallow sea, respectively.
Hence, regardless of if you live by a river, seashore, or deep inland, you are more likely to have a species of bass than not. In North America, you can find an abundance of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass in inland lakes and rivers.
If you prefer to fish in the sea, You’ll have striped bass, Black sea bass, Rock bass, and a handful of other bass species available.
In other words, the bass is one of the universal game fishes that will not let you down regardless of wherever you are in the world, as long as you are in the world. And no, there is no mars bass yet. Ask Elon musk to do something about it.
Sustainable Growth And Reproduction
Bass, as a species, grows fast and has a much more successful reproduction system than many other game fish. In the ideal environment, a female bass can reach maturity after one year and start spawning. However, the game fishes are much larger than that. It takes about 4-5 years for a bass to achieve the “trophy fish” tag.
This sounds like a long time, but compared to other game fishes, it is like “rush mode.” Other than that, the bass is not particularly picky about their spawning zone. Basses do spawn in hatcheries and reservoirs quite comfortably, making it very easy to repopulate a water body exhausted due to overfishing.
When you combine the two, it is reason enough on its own to make the fish a popular choice for tournaments and occasional fishing. Even if you take out the last fish from a pond, it can be restored with new fingerlings without much effort.
Diversity To Please Everyone
Bass is found at every corner of the world where the environment meets the living condition of bass. There are plenty of species of both inland and offshore bass. Regardless of where you are from, you can get your hand on one.
If you prefer to fish inland, if you like a fish that puts up a fight, you have the famous largemouth bass. If you prefer a fish that’s decent but not really a warrior class, there is the smallmouth bass. If you would rather catch them peacefully, go for the spotted bass or white bass.
If you like to fish in the sea more than the lakes, then you have the behemoth Striped bass, white seabass. Again, prefer a peaceful scenario? There is the black sea bass for you.
There is something for the absolute beginners as well. Yellow bass, White bass, and peacock bass are small, kind-of-peaceful bass species that do not put up quite the fight. They are also light and easy to pull up. Hence, the bass is a great choice to train up the kids and the newcomers in general.
Easy To Get Into
As well diverse as the bass, as a species is, there are plenty of differences between them. Their habitat varies, and so does their food choices and behavior. Still, all the subspecies have more or less a similar overall attitude and preferences.
Once you know the basics of hunting one species, you can jump between a close relative of it handily. Speaking of knowing the basics, it is very easy to learn and master bass fishing.
Bass, as a species, is not the brightest fish. Despite what the die-hard fans say, it does not take a whole lot of convincing to make bass bite a lure. And yes, they do bite the same type of lure twice.
While we are on the topic of lures, you can get a bite from a bass on a wide variety of lures as well. They are not particularly picky. Whether mistaking a lure as food or simply out of curiosity, they do bite on a range of lures. Starting from the fancy ned-rig, plastic worms lures to live bait that you dug up, everything works.
As for the newcomers, Bass fishing is probably one of the easiest ways to get into the hobby. A generic fishing rod setup and a box of live bait are all it takes, along with plenty of time and patience.
Simplistic Processing And Taste
Even though fishing is often done just for the fun of it, people often keep the catch for the purpose of eating it. Bass is quite known for its taste as well. Most of the bass species are small to medium in size among the game fishes. Hence processing the bass after catching them is not a tedious process at all.
Bass is not strictly carnivorous like muskie or other game fishes. They also consume plant matter besides meat. This reduces the amount of toxicity in them. They have relatively thin bones and skin, making them easy to cut and make pallets out of them. Smaller fishes can be baked in one piece as well.
Final Words
With the perks and variety that bass have, it is easy to understand why it is so well known in the fishing community. Bass fishing does not require a particular or specific setup, which is just perfect for the occasional or weekend anglers.
Because of the simplistic and successful nature of reproduction, the bass is not at the risk of extinction even though it is mass harvested around the world.
This puts the bass at a safe spot and makes it a great candidate for tournaments. And tournaments are an occasion that makes more and more people interested in the sport.
And guess what they get the most interested in? Catching the fish that amazed them. In this case, it is a bass. All the things combined make bass as popular as it is.
If you want to play catch-n-release then Bass is the perfect candidate. You will understand it if you know how long can Bass live out of water?
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