Basic bass fishing rules and regulations in Michigan for example are a 14″ minimum length for small and large mouth bass. For most areas of the state, the season is from Saturday before Memorial Day through December 31. White bass season is open all year around with a bag limit of 25 per day and no size limit.

Basic bass fishing rules and regulations in Wisconsin are regulated with bass management zones. The northern zone allows for catch and release only from May 1 to June 18, and June 19 to March 6, 14″ minimum length and a bag limit of five per day. In the southern zone, open season May 1 to March 6, 14″ minimum length and a bag limit of five per day.

Basic bass fishing rules and regulation in Montana are divided into three districts, Western, Eastern and Central. All have a daily bag limit and in possession limit of five.

Black Bass and True Bass are the two main categories of bass fish. The Black Bass is the more commonly known freshwater species and is in reality a type of Sunfish. The Black Bass does includes the subspecies of largemouth, smallmouth, Guadalupe and Spotted Bass. The large and smallmouth Bass can be found everywhere in the US and Canada. These types of Bass can get quite large, with some up to twenty pounds. The Guadalupe is found in parts of Texas, while the Spotted Bass is found in in the southern parts of the US and can easily be found in the Mississippi river basin. Rivers, lakes and small streams of all kinds are all good places to find these types Bass fish.

True Bass include the Temperate Bass and the Sea Bass, with subspecies most living in the oceans, with the exception of the White and Yellow Bass subspecies. The Striped Bass, another subspecies, is common to the southern Atlantic regions. The Giant Sea Bass is native to the Pacific Ocean, and can reach the enormous size of up to 8 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds! However, because of over fishing, the Giant Sea Bass are currently protected as an endangered species.

A man by the name of Onesimus Ustonson began the first documented development in the history of bass fishing. He was the first bass fisherman to invent a multiplying fishing reel. Soon after the release of his invention, another inventor introduced a reel called the Shannon Twin Spinner. The latter is the basis for the spinner bait reels we have today.

The next progression in the history of bass fishing began with Roosevelt’s New Deal. Because so many dams were created during this period of time in an effort to harness electricity, quite a few recreational lakes were produced. These then became science experiments focused on culturing a variety of different bass fish. This was a major break-through for the sport.

After a newly invented nylon net was released in 1937, fishermen realized this material was also ideal for creating reinforced fishing line. Because so many new fishing products were being released, it sport fishing for bass became an incredibly addicting and much less frustrating past-time. The height of the history of bass fishing was defined by this influx of modern fishing equipment.

The history of bass fishing culminated in the early 90’s after people realized that the sport could also become a profitable endeavor. Since then, its popularity has risen considerably.

Now, here are some of my favorite TOP-WATER “Big Bass” baits that I strongly recommend to try.

1. A “full size” Zara Spook

2. A Buzz Bait

3. A “Soft” jerk bait

4. A Torpedo (Prop-Bait)

5. A large 6″ Gitzit (or tube bait)

These baits have caught more larger bass for me and my students and charter clients than most top water baits on today’s market.

These other baits would be SUB-SURFACE “Big Bass” baits that I would use should be worked under the waters surface:

1. A Jig & Pig combo (a jig can be used with several different types of trailers) my personal favorite trailers would be either a plastic pork chunk or a 4″ twin tailed Hula Grub.

2. A Carolina Rig (rigging this rig properly is just as important as what type of bait you would use with it.) My 2 favorite baits I usually use with this rig would be a 6 inch Lizard and a 4″ Gitzit (or tube bait)

3. A Texas Rigged twin tailed Hula Grub or a 4″ plastic Crawl.

I have personally used all of these baits at one point in my fishing life time and will admit I have caught Bass with all of them and will not ever go anywhere with out all of these in my tackle box. Good Fishing!