Bass Fishing Changes

When I was young, more than 50 years ago, bass fishing was a much different sport from the one that exists today. In those dear, departed days of yesteryear, bass fishing around here was mainly a live-bait proposition, with hellgrammites and soft-shelled crabs (crayfish) being most favored.

A few more progressive (not in the political sense) bass fishermen tossed various lures to catch bass, mainly plugs, which are now referred to as crankbaits. Old Lake Raystown was not the huge impoundment it is today, and the tactics used there were mainly extensions of the traditional bait and lure tactics. It was a pleasant, almost laid-back form of fishing.

Things changed gradually for a while, with worm rigs and spinner baits replacing many of the traditional lures and baits. Bass fishermen began to make nice catches on these more modern lures, and catch-and-release fishing replaced much of the fishing for table food.

As more lakes similar to Lake Raystown were developed, a new fishing organization, Bass Anglers Sportsmen Society (BASS), was formed. It became a popular organization, with hundreds of chapters springing up nationwide. Perhaps the major activity of BASS was its establishment of competitive bass-fishing tournaments. No longer was it enough to fish for and catch smallmouths and largemouths as a sporting venture. Intense tournament enthusiasts began to fish to win prizes, including large cash prizes. Some competitive fishermen became household names. Several, such as Jimmy Houston and Roland Martin, filmed their efforts and developed weekly television bass-fishing programs. Today, you can find bass-fishing shows on various television stations, especially cable channels.

Modern tournament bass fishermen often own boats that cost more than my Ford Ranger did when I bought it. They zoom across lakes to reach special spots ahead of their competitors. They are equipped with multiple fishing rods for multiple situations. I doubt that they often use live baits.

Non-competitive bass fishermen have adopted many of their fishing strategies.

River bass fishermen have changed some of their tactics, too. Many have adopted jelly-like lures in their quests to catch river smallmouths. They use "sticks" and other soft, scented lures to attract wily river smallmouths. Some kinds of crankbaits remain popular for this fishing, and late-summer top-water lures are among the most popular. River fishermen sometimes still wade-fish when bass fishing, but many have bought and now fish from modern-age kayaks in their efforts to cover lots of water.

With bass season officially beginning on Saturday (June 12), these are some of the things that are different about it from the way it once was.