Bass Fishing and Shiners! The Only Way to Fish!
Shiners are a type of fish known for their shiny silver scales. They are often associated with minnows and are known as great baits for bass. The right fishing techniques using shiners as live bait would certainly get you a trophy-worthy bass. One of the main reasons why bass is attracted to shiners is the fact that it is one of their natural prey. Just as ballyhoo and squid are used for trolling deep-sea fish, shiners would undoubtedly go a great job at luring in the bass.
Shiner fishing is one of the oldest techniques to fool big bass, and over the centuries there have been many complex approaches to presenting a live bait fishing for sportfish. But when done professionally with the knowledge it’s not worst then fishing with a rubber worm. People that love it are fans of simplicity, and fishing with wild or domestic shiners doesn’t need to be complicated.
Starting with getting Shiners
To start bass fishing with shiners, of course, you would need to get some of it. It is recommended to choose live wild shiners, as much as possible. Buying them at the last minute can be difficult as they are in high demand. If it is not available, you can opt for domestic shiners but before using them, make sure that they are well-aerated first.
Rigging your Shiners
The next step is to rig your shiner by using a circle hook. Always put in mind that you are not fishing bass with artificial bait, so be cautious in hooking them. To ensure that they will leave longer, hook them through the lip, below the dorsal fin, over the anal fin, or through the tail. Do not use bobbers, if possible, as they can distract the bass but should you insist on using them, make use of the smaller ones.
When it comes to rigging the shiner, there are several hooks on the market which are considered a simple live bait hook. Still today a great style for fishing with smaller shiners for perch, crappie, small bass, peacock bass, and other smaller sport fish. Now, if you’re using larger shiners (4″ or bigger) we suggest using a Kahle Hook when shiner fishing. Both of these style hooks can produce well when catching big bass and using bigger shiners. Other hooks would have to include the circle hook, it rarely gut-hooks bass. When setting the hook, circle hooks are a great way for4 women and children to land giant bass.
But as a warning, the circle hooks with shiner do have a profoundly less landing ratio. As with choosing a weight, or a bobber, choosing the correct hook size has to do with the size of the shiner. Also how you’re going to allow the shiner to swim naturally, with a slightly injured look to it. The bigger the shiner, the bigger the hook, but again, if the shiner can’t swim without doing so in a nose-down fashion, then it is probably too big.
Techniques
Once you’ve cast your line, be patient, and allow the bait to work by luring the bass to bite. Stop casting and reeling in repeatedly, otherwise, the fish will die faster. Allow the bait room for flexibility so that it moves in the water as a natural swimming shiner would. To get the bass to bite, you can use different techniques like trolling and drifting.
There may be Bass fishing purists who would not claim as trophy-worthy any live bait catch. This, however, does not take away the fact that shiner fishing for bass is great fun! If you have not tried it before, try it soon. Just make sure that your bait is properly rigged onto your hook. You would not want to lose your chance at hooking a trophy-winning bass because of poorly rigged baits!
