Understanding Bass: Part 2 by by Roger Lee Brown, ("The Bass Coach")

In my last article "Understanding Bass Part-1" I covered a bit of information about a few of the "key factors" that an angler should really know about the bass when it comes to becoming a more successful angler such as: Food, Oxygen, and Cover which a bass needs to survive, as well as water temperatures and how it effects bass, along with a few others to help you increase your knowledge in the field of Bass fishing.

In this article I will cover a few more key factors to give you a broader knowledge when it comes to understanding bass such as the senses of a bass. All of these elements and factors are extremely important to know if you wish to become a more successful angler. Just look at it this way, it’s like a jig-saw puzzle. The more pieces of the puzzle you put together, the more you will see the picture as a whole. "What’s that mean?" Putting it in simple terms, the more you understand the bass, why it does things when it does, where it goes during different seasons, how a bass reacts under certain circumstances, and areas where bass are more likely to be found on different bodies of water will definitely help you when it comes to saving precious fishing time as well as being a much more productive angler.

To start with we will cover just how important the senses of a bass really are and try to gain a better picture of why bass acts certain ways by the use of their senses.

SIGHT…..

A bass has a very acute sense of site (or vision) and can see very well in just about any water color condition as well as being able to see at night. How well can a bass see at night? For example, sometimes on a full moon when it really gets bright from the light of the moon to where you can almost read a newspaper outside, a bass can see that good in the darkest of pitch. How is this possible?

The eyes of a bass have rods and cones which naturally adjust under different light conditions (the cones and rods will retract and extend making a natural adjustment for their vision.) Another factor is that a bass doesn’t have any eyelids like you or I and because of a bass not having eyelids overlong exposure to the suns rays will cause a bass eventually to develop cataracts and go blind. (One reason why cover is so important to a bass during bright sunny days or (Bluebird Sky conditions!) A bass can see in most all water colors (clear, semi-stained, stained, murky, and even muddy colors) but when the vision of a bass is restricted the other senses will take over.

HEARING & FEELING.....

A bass’s hearing and feeling are synonymous with each other, in other words I guess you might say that they hear and feel at the same time. Unlike you or I where we may hold a conversation with another person understanding what is being said, a bass hears and feels the vibration from the different sounds and movements in the water. Now, different sounds will cause different pitches that send vibrations and a bass will get familiar with certain sounds such as pitches and vibrations made from natural living forage, as well being able to feel any displacement of water within a close proximity of a bass caused by even the slightest movement.

I’ll give you a example: Let’s take a "Carolina Rig" for instance. The Carolina Rig has several different purposes as far as pattern and technique goes but the most crucial part of this rig is the sound! (The TICKER!) that’s on the rig. We talked earlier in the prior article "Understanding Bass Part-1" about the most desired food of a bass being a Crawfish (Crawdad, Crayfish, etc.) When a Crawfish moves in the water it will cause a clicking sound (vibration) from the cartilage in it’s tail. This clicking sound sends a vibration through the water and alerts a bass that a natural food source is in the area, the bass moves closer to this sound, then if the presentation of the bait is just right you can probably catch the bass. A bass has a natural radar system built within it and can zero in on just about any movement or sound made within the water. Now, when you work a Carolina Rig in the water, the slightest movement of the ticker made by either: "Glass & Brass Beads", "B-B Chambers", "Two Glass Beads" Etc.... this sound is designed to replicate the movement (vibration) of a natural live Crawfish and will alert a bass that a natural forage bait is in it’s area.

As far as noise (or sound) baits go, like (Rat-L-Traps, Cordell Spots, Rattled Spinnerbaits, etc.) Sound travels further in the water than a displacement of water caused by a bait without any sound added to it. The reason noise baits work so well is that a bass can hear them at greater distances and can travel further to investigate the sounds made from these types of baits, then when close enough to the bait, the sight and taste senses will take precedence over the feeling or hearing senses.....

TASTE & SMELL.....

A bass has taste buds outside it’s mouth as well as inside of it. Now just think a minute!.... that means that a bass can taste an object before it even gets in it’s mouth. The taste and smell of a bass are once again synonymous with each other and that a bass smells and tastes at the same time. Now, how acute is a bass’s sense of taste and or smell?

A few years back a study was conducted of the taste and smell of a bass in a tank of 100 gallons of water. In this study the bass was found to be able to taste (or smell) 1-200th of a drop of a substance in the 100 gallon water tank (what an amazing sense of taste and smell.) Well, what does this have to do with bass? If you want to be a successful angler it means a great deal. Now let’s put this in anglers terms okay? If a bass can scent a bait that is not a pleasing or acceptable taste or smell, if it does put it in it’s mouth it will spit it right back out within 1 to 3 seconds (not much time to set a hook right?) but, if the bass accepts the taste or smell and puts it in it’s mouth it can hold it up to as long as 30 seconds before spitting it out (much more time to set the hook!)

To sum up the taste and smell segment, here are a few hints to help you understand why you may be getting those quick hits and not catching any fish:

1. Always wash your hands before you go fishing.....
2. Fill up your boat with gas and oil the night before you go fishing.....
3. Use natural forage formulas or a formula that has been tested and proven to work.....
4. Try to use a odor free soap or a scent neutralizer.....

Just these steps can make a world of difference when it comes to catching more bass. I have had many students at my bass fishing school that use these steps above and can’t believe the difference it can make.

source : www.bassfishin.com

Understanding Bass: Part 1 by Roger Lee Brown, ("The Bass Coach")

Bass fishing is a sport like many others, that when it comes to knowledge and the understanding of the opponent, it allows one to become more successful. You may look at it kind of like deer hunting...the more the hunter understands the scrapes, trails, food areas, water areas, runs, and habitats of the deer, the more successful the hunter will become at locating them.

The same is true with Bass fishing (Bass angling). The more you understand the Bass along with the many different circumstances and conditions you run across the more successful you will be at catching them. So let’s talk about a few key factors when it comes to a better understanding of the bass. The first one we will look at would be the survival of the bass.

SURVIVAL: A bass needs three elements to survive which are:

1. FOOD
2. OXYGEN
3. COVER

If any one of these three elements are not present in a body of water a bass could not survive, and just by knowing why these three elements are so important for a bass’ survival it will already start to make you a more successful angler.

The first element we will talk about is FOOD. Contrary to popular belief, shad is NOT! the primary 1st choice of a bass. Although shad is a very common food for the bass as well as other natural baits, the number one food choice of a bass is a crawfish (also known as crayfish, crawdads, etc.). A study was performed several years ago where 100 Crawfish and 100 shad were in a tank of water with all species of bass (Smallmouth, Spotted, and Largemouth), and to much surprise the crawfish were eaten 8 to 2 over the shad. There are several reasons for this, but the most important one is that a crawfish is an easy prey for a bass to catch, and they are fairly easy for a bass to find. And once again contrary to popular belief, studies show that there are actually more crawfish found in vegetation areas than around rocky areas (or as some may know as Rip-Rap.)

A bass will eat just about anything at any given time such as: Rats, Mice, Ducklings, Frogs, Snakes, Salamanders, Worms, Lizards, Grubs, Baitfish, Insects, Leeches, etc. (Is it any wonder why all the many different tackle manufacturing companies have so many different shapes and types of artificial baits on the market today?) but, there are certain types of artificial baits that bass will usually prefer over the others, and a lot of these I cover at my 3-day Bass Fishing School.

The next element of the three is OXYGEN. Oxygen is an element that any living creature needs to survive. The main reason an angler should pay attention to oxygen is that a bass requires it to survive. By knowing water oxygen content in various areas an angler will develop a better understanding why a bass acts the way it does under the many different conditions. When a bass has a limited supply of oxygen, it tends to get more disoriented and much slower or lethargic. The "Key" in understanding the rules of oxygenic water is that the cooler the water, the more oxygen content and on the other side of the coin the warmer the water the less oxygen content. The more oxygen a bass can get usually during the warmer months the more active it will be. Usually during the summer when the water temperature hits the 80 degree mark or higher, the oxygen in the water will start to diminish.

How does this relate to bass fishing?.... well, a bass will usually do one of two things in a condition such as this. A bass will drop down (usually under the thermocline mark) to water that is cooler for a larger supply of oxygen, or a bass will usually head for vegetation areas because of the constant producing of oxygen that aquatic plants provide. This is mostly the case during Spring, Summer, and early Fall.

Here are some areas where ample supplies of oxygen can be found during these seasons:

1. Rivers - because of the constant flowing of the water.
2. Mouths of Creeks - again, because of the constant in-flow of fresh water.
3. Deep water areas - remember, the deeper the cooler water a better supply of oxygen.
4. Vegetation areas - constant oxygen producing aquatic plants.
5. Around Trees, Stump, & Log areas - because of the porous wood that will hold oxygen.
6. Power Plants - because of the constant discharge of oxygenic water.
7. Wind Blown Banks - a constant oxygen source.
and there are many others........

The third element we will talk about is COVER. Cover is an extremely important element when it comes to a bass for many reasons, and I would like to cover some of the most important ones.

One of these reasons would be for protection. A bass, being known mostly as a "Ambush Fish" will use cover such as vegetation, rocks, stumps, trees, fall-downs, docks, structures, holes, etc.... to dart out after it’s prey. A bass really is a lazy-by-nature type of fish and will extend the least amount of energy for the greatest amount of benefit. Bass are also known as a territorial fish and will not travel a great amount of distance.

Another reason a bass needs cover is because of it’s eyes. A bass does not have eye lids like you or I and prolonged exposure to the Sun’s rays, a bass will eventually go blind. This is one of God’s way of protecting their site. Take notice next time you see a bass fishing show on television, you will usually see bass being caught in shaded areas, and in and around cover areas, these are some of the reasons why.

source : www.bassfishin.com

MEMBUAT UMPAN AMIS

sumber : Iftfishing.com

Saat memasuki musim kemarau. para mania mancing harus jeli menentukan pilihan ramuan umpan yang digunakan ketika akan memancing. biasanya saat kondisi kemarau, banyak air di kolam-kolam pemancingan kekurangan suplai air sehingga diperlukan aroma yang lebih menyengat untuk menarik perhatian ikan yang ada didalamnya.

Karena biasanya pada air kondisi ini, warna dan aroma cukup pekat sehingga umpan yang digunakan paling tidak harus bisa mengalahkan aroma yang ada di dalam kolam. Berikut adalah umpan amis pertama.

Bahan-bahannya :
1. Telur bebek 6 butir
2. Kroto 2 ons
3. Wisman secukupnya
4. Keju secukupnya
5. Ikan bandeng 1 ekor
6. Ubi 1 buah

Cara Membuat :

Ambil telur bebek dan pilih bagian putih telurnya saja dan campurkan dengan kroto, lalu kukus selama 1/2 jam. Ikan bandenga dibersihkan sisiknya dan diambil bagian tulangnya, lalu kukus dengan ubi setengah matang. Jika kedua kukusan tadi sudah siap, campurkan keduanya dan aduk hingga rata. Berikutnya masukkan wisman dan keju lalu aduk kembali hingga rata. Jika hasilnya dirasa masih terlalu lembek. campurkan pengeras (kinoy/katulampa) secukupnya. Telur bebek (5 butir campur dan 3 butir kuningnya saja.) diaduk dengan mixer. Umpan siap digunakan.

Semarak Mancing Popping di Tanah Air

Belakangan ini banyak mania mancing yang menggemari mancing popping. Kesemarakkan popping di kalangan mania mancing inilah yang menjadi laporan utama edisi Mancing Mania (MM) kali ini.

Sebelum mancing popping ini mulai dikenal di Indonesia sebenarnya negeri kinta ini sudah familiar dengan beragam teknik mancing baik secara tradisional maupun modern. Mulai teknik mancing dengan laying-layang, dengan umpan bulu, mancing dasar, mancing koncer, sampai dengan teknik mancing tonda (trolling).

Untuk menyusuri kapan teknik popping ini mulai digemari di tanah air.dan persoalan popping, MM menemui Adhek Amerta dari Bali, Jhon Hambali dan Adrianus dari Jakarta. Ketiga orang itulah yang banyak disebut sebagai mania penggemar mancing popping.

Arti Popping

Sebelum mengulas lebih jauh mengenai mancing popping, ada sebuah pertanyaan yang mendasar yaitu apa sih arti popping? Ketika kami sedang kebingungan mencari jawaban, Adrianus Bratanata memberikan jawaban. “Konon ceritanya sebutan popping itu, terjadi karena efed dari popper yang ditarik oleh manis mancing bunyinya pop…, pop…, pop. Karena bunyi seperti itu maka mania mancing menyebut dengan istilah popping,” kata Adrianus kepada MM.

Lebih lanjut Adrianus menjelaskan arti popping itu mancing menggunakan umpan popper. Popper adalah umpan buatan yang bahan dasarnya dari kayu. Cara memancingnya dengan teknik kasting yaitu melempar umpan popper kemudian menariknya,” kata Adrianus. Menurut Adrianus bentuk popper itu menyerupai umpan trolling misalnya konahead. “Kalau kita perhatikan bentuk popper itu seperti umpan trolling namun kalau popper kegunaannya untuk mancing kasting,” tambah Adrianus.

Sejarah Popping

Mengenai sejarah sejak kapan mancing popping masuk ke Indonesia tidak ada yang tahu persis. Meski banyak mania yang tidak tahu asal usul popping mulai merebak di Indonesia sejumlah mania yang ditemui oleh MM menunjukkan bahwa ada tiga orang pionir popping di Indonesia.

“Pionir popping di Indonesia sepengetahuan saya ada tiga orang yaitu Adhek Amerta Bali, Jhon Hambali baru Munadi,” ungkap Adrianus. Lebih lanjut Adrianus menceritakan bahwa ketiga orang itu telah menekuni mancing popping bertahun-tahun sebelum para mania lain mengerti mancing popping.

Berkat informasi keberadaan pionir mancing popping itulah, MM menghubungi Adhek Amerta dari Bali. “Awal popping itu sendiri berasal dari Australia, dari negeri asalnya tidak berkembang justru yang merebak teknik popping di negara Jepang. Dari negeri Jepang inilah mulai berkembang berbagai teknik popping dengan alat-alat yang mendukung.

Merebaknya popping di Jepang tidak serta merta merebak di tanah air. Namun lantaran banyak mania mancing negeri matahari terbit yang mancing di Indonesia, mancing popping pun mulai di kenal orang Indonesia. “Saya mulai mancing popping sejak 12 tahun yang lalu. Perkenalan saya dengan popping karena sering memandu mancing orang Jepang di Bali,” ungkap Adhek Amerta.

Dari interaksi seringnya mancing bersama orang-orang Jepang itulah membuat Adhek Amerta semakin mencintai mancing popping. Kecintaannya terhadap mancing popping itulah membuat Adhek Amerta berkreasi untuk menciptakan umpan-umpan popper dan sekarang ini umpan poppernya merebak di berbagai Negara.

Meski Adhek Amerta sudah menekuni mancing selama 12 tahun namun kenyataannya mancing popping tidak berkembang pesat di tanah air. Baru sekitar tahun 2001-2003 mania mancing yang bergabung dalam mailinglist mancing I di internet mulai mendiskusikan mancing popping. “Orang-orang ribut mengenai mancing popping mungkin sekitar tahun 2003 lalu. Selanjutnya pada tahun itu juga kami melakukan trip bersama pemancing Thailand untuk popping di pulau Komodo. Dari trip itu kami baru tahu sesungguhnya mancing popping, “ungkap Adrianus Bratanata.

Setelah trip mancing popping di pulau Komodo bersama pemancing luar negeri, akhirnya mania mancing yang sering ngobrol di internet itu, setahun kemudian yaitu pada bulan April 2004 lalu membuat trip mancing ke Pulau Komodo. “Trip ke Komodo tahun 2004 itulah yang memang terdiri dari tujuh pemancing Indonesia. Dari trip barulah terbuka wawasan para mania mancing bahwa mancing popping menarik dan penuh unsure olahraganya,” ungkap Adrianus kepada MM.

Cerita keberhasilan dan serunya mancing popping membuat para mania mancing lainnya pun mulai tertarik untuk berpopping ria. Mulai merebaknya popping ternyata membawa berkah kepada toko-toko pancing yang menjual piranti mancing seperti joran, kenur, popper, dan ril popping mulai menghiasi toko-toko pancing ibukota.

Kondisi perkembangan mancing popping semakin hari semakin banyak. Banyak pemancing Jakarta mulai mencoba-coba mancing popping. Banyak trip mancing ke Binuangeun sekarang ini sering dijadikan uji coba para mania Jakarta untuk berpopping ria.

Cerita keberhasilan mania menaklukkan kuwe gerong (giant trevally) aau dikalang mania disebut GT mulai merebak di mana-mana. Dan akhirnya mulai banyak mania yang mencoba mencari “korban popping” ikan lain selain GT seperti ikan tuna. Cerita mancing tuna dengan teknik popping pun sama-sama menarik hampir selalu menghiasi cerita keberhasilan mania mancing.

Barangkali cerita puncaknya teknik mancing popping menjadi pusat perhatian mania mancing ketika terjadi turnamen Berkah III yang berlangsung pada tanggal 19-20 Maret 2005 lalu. Mengapa turnamen itu menjadi terkait dengan popping ria? Karena pada saat turnamen itu banyak tim yang mancing dasar dan trolling namun tidak mendapat banyak ikan-ikan besar.

Justru sebaliknya ketika tim fishyforum.com dan tim Mata Elang dimana pada saat turnamen Berkah III, khusus mancing menggunakan teknil popping hasilnya luarbiasa. Ikan-ikan kuwe gerong berukuran besar banyak yang terpancing.

Tim fishyforum.com lewat Joss Utoro yang mendapat ikan kuwe gerong (GT) seberat 21,65 kg berhasil menjadi juara pertama. Sementara itu tim Mata Elang dengan tim pemancing Wing mendapat ikan kuwe gerong sebesar 21,25 kg.

Dari hasil turnamen Berkah III itulah, mancing popping di kalangan mania semakin banyak dikenal. Dan mulai saat itu pula popping semakin marak di kalangan para mania mancing.

Tumbuhnya mancing popping paling tidak menghapus pandangan minus terhadap mania mancing bahwa kegiatan mancing ikan hanya kegiatan malas. Justru sebaliknya bahwa mancing popping adalah mancing yang sarat dengan unsure olahraga. Den/rambe/mrk