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Be a Bass Master
Looking to take your largemouth fishing to the next level? We’ve got the places to go, tactics to try, lures to fish and new technology to learn that will leave bass pros quaking in their boats.
Dream Boats
George Perry no doubt would be flabbergasted by the rigs that bass pros use nowadays. These sweet fishing machines are equipped with speedy outboards, electric trolling motors and electronic gadgetry galore. Go ahead and feast your eyes on the 2010 NITRO Z-9 bass boat—the rig Kevin Van Dam used to win the Bassmaster Classic.
The Mad Dash: Loaded with multifunction gauges, a tinted windscreen and tilt steering, the Z-9 console is more ’Vette than boat. Among the features are an in-dash Lowrance HDS-7 fish finder with GPS chart plotter.
Room With a View: In all, the Z-9 measures 20 feet 9 inches long and a full 8 feet wide—and comes with a custom-matched trailer.
Stowaways: Huge auto-illuminated storage areas include under-lid lure holders and organizers. When closed, the lids become casting decks that are bigger than most New York apartments.
Power Play: The Mercury 250 Pro XS OptiMax will get you to a hot spot before the other guys have even left the boat ramp, with a top-end speed of more than 70 mph. WARNING: Do not wear your fishing hat when the motor’s running.
Bring ’Em Back Alive: Advanced livewell systems mean nothing is lost at weigh-in. The Z-9 features two 20-gallon livewells.
A Look Aside
At its most basic level, fishing for a big bass is all about rigging and using the right lure, presenting it in the right manner and fishing it in the right place. Of course, it’s that last part—knowing where there are bass to be caught—that baffles most of us. You can’t see underwater…or can you? With the new side-scanning sonar technology available, it’s possible to survey all water within casting distance and pinpoint the location of any bass that you want to go after.
Being able to look underwater to either side of your boat is a huge advantage. That’s what side-scanning sonar will do for you. It’s a real time-saver, especially when you team it with downward-scanning sonar. And, of course, the top-end units have GPS, so you can mark any potential fishing holes for future reference.
It’s possible to locate literally all the bucketmouths within casting distance of your boat. Just as important, it also shows you where not to fish. Here are a few places to put this amazing new technology to good use.
» Isolated pieces of cover along a shoreline, or around underwater humps and ledges
» Junctures where two types of cover meet and overlap, such as fallen trees within weed beds
» Gaps or openings in weed lines or places where the weed line tapers down to an underwater point
» Brush piles that accumulate at the upriver ends of submerged islands, or in front of and under docks
» Riprap banks where the rock extends into the water in uneven deposits The latest side-scan units made by Humminbird and Lowrance provide detailed coverage of everything to either side of a boat and, in the case of Lowrance’s new DownScan feature, even under a boat. Compared with conventional downward-scanning sonar, side-scan is expensive. Humminbird’s largest Side Imaging model, the 1197c (10.4-inch screen), retails for about $3,000 (humminbird.com). The 997c (8-inch screen) sells for about $2,100, and the 798ci (5-inch screen) sells for about $1,100. Lowrance’s receiver module (LSS-1, about $600; lowrance.com) incorporates both SideScan and DownScan modes and ranges from about $600 to $2,000.
Pictured Top:
Humminbird 1197c
Pictured Bottom:
Lowrance LSS-1
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