Fishing in general is a fun and exciting sport that people around the world can enjoy, but when it comes to extreme popularity, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing in the United States has taken hold on the hobby. It’s an extremely popular sport that is welcoming to anglers both young and old, experienced or brand new.
With bass fish, you don’t need to invest large amounts of money into the perfect tackle, and can even start to catch bass right in your own backyard. Once you get a largemouth bass on your hook, you will soon learn just how fun these game fish can be to reel in and may soon realize just why is bass fishing so popular.
Why is Bass Fishing so Popular? 12 Reasons
1: Year-round fishing
Bass fish can be active all year round, and at most times throughout the day and night. This gives anglers a huge range of options when it comes to setting up the perfect fishing trip with friends or family. Whether you are looking to catch some largemouth bass just after the spawning season or are wanting to try your hand at ice fishing, bass can definitely be your target fish during any season.
2: Many suitable fishing spots
In addition to being active year round, bass fish are found almost everywhere in the United States and into southern Canada. They are extremely common in lakes and ponds, but can also be found in rivers, creeks, estuaries, and the ocean.
With so many fishing spots available, you won’t have to travel far to go on your next bass fishing trip which makes these fun fish extremely accessible for everyone. This accessibility has made bass fishing very popular, especially among beginners just starting their angling journey.
3: Suitable for beginners
Bass fishing is a very beginner friendly sport. Not only are largemouth bass eager to take most types of artificial and live bait, but they are not picky about the quality of your fishing gear either. You can toss a cheap rubber worm into the water and start catching bass.
Additionally, beginners won’t need to have an advanced knowledge of fishing techniques or weather patterns in order to catch fish like bass. In fact, as long as you know how to hold a rod and bait a hook, you’re able to catch this popular fish.
4: There are lots of TV programs on bass fishing
Whether you are looking for fun fishing highlights or full tournament coverage, there are a wide range of programs on television that are dedicated to bass fishing and the anglers that love to catch bass. Many local news channels will even feature bass fishing tournaments and other fun fishing events that may be happening in your neighborhood, and ESPN as well as other major broadcasting channels cover bass fishing tournaments too.
5: A chance to become a pro
People love bass fishing because it’s a very friendly sport with plenty of room for newcomers to join in. And, with so many freshwater anglers having dedicated their lives to this fish species, you can easily find mentors that can help give you tips and information.
Once you have a grasp on the basics, head out on the water or enter into your first novice tournament. You may just spark the flame of a lifelong passion for bass fishing that can even turn into a professional career.
6: Healthy fish population
Bass numbers are not hurting which makes them a very stable and widespread fish. This is due in part to many conservation departments putting limits on the times you can fish for bass, as well as many bass fisheries being protected.
7: Bass fishing tackle accessibility
Finding the right tackle for bass fishing is almost as easy as walking into any department store that has fishing equipment. In fact, you won’t need anything special or fancy to start catching bass and can even have plenty of success when using the cheapest fishing equipment.
Bass are not picky about what goes in their mouth, so you can catch a monster sized bass on a rainbow glitter rubber worm if you want. You can go out on the water with a $25 fishing rod and still manage to haul in some aggressive fish on artificial lures that are fun to fight on the line.
Since bass fishing has such a low cost when it comes to getting started, it has become the gateway fish for new anglers to get started on to learn the ropes before moving into other species that may be a bit more demanding.
8: Enjoying a meal
While most anglers practice catch and release with bass, there is nothing wrong with keeping a few of your fish for a delicious meal. Bass are very easy to process straight out of the water, and can be a great fish to practice gutting and cutting.
After that, you can prepare them in pretty much any way including grilling, deep fried, pan frying, baking or even stewing. Whatever your preference in a fish meal, bass can meet those demands.
9: Range of styles – lure, fly and bait
Whether you are trying to find the style of fishing that you are most comfortable with, or simply want to catch something with the one and only method you use, bass are not picky. You can catch them with almost any lure or bait on the market, including flies and other top skippers.
If children want to go fishing, but won’t use anything but the neon orange rubber worm, that’s fine. Bass won’t care and will usually take anything into their mouth if they are hungry enough.
10: Convenience and availability
Bass are extremely common in all lower 48 US states, as well as parts of Alaska and Canada. This means you won’t have to plan months in advance for your next big fishing trip. You can simply grab a rod, grab your tackle box, and take a short drive down to the lake.
In addition to their locations being so common, their numbers are also extremely healthy. Very few areas are seeing a drop in bass populations, due in part to their popularity among anglers and the realization that protecting bass habitats also helps many other animals thrive too.
11: It is fun and exciting
Bass are fun to fight once you have them on the hook, and they can give you a burst of adrenaline when you are trying to haul them in without breaking your line. If that wasn’t enough excitement, there are also bass tournaments held around the country several times a year, many of which have beginner-friendly contests too.
Whether you are an old pro or someone brand new to the hobby, entering a bass fishing tournament can be one of the most exciting parts of the entire bass fishing hobby. And if you win? Well the prize money can help pay for your new addiction to fishing.
12: They are a wonderful fish
Bass are large and very active fish. They can be super aggressive and will put up a good fight on the line. They’re impressive looking and can slam into your lure like a torpedo if they want to. All these things combined make bass a wonderful fish to enjoy when fishing for a weekend hobby, or as a profession.
FAQs on Bass Fishing
When did Bass Fishing Become so Popular?
Bass fishing has always been a common pastime for many people, mostly as a way of life since bass were easy to catch and good to eat. But the sport fishing of bass came much more popular in the late 18th century after fishing rods, reels and tackle became available on a commercial basis.
This opened the doors for many people who had never fished before to give it a try as both a fun sport, and a way to feed their families. Over time, more and more companies started offering bass fishing supplies and as a result, more people started picking up rods and heading to the water to try their hand at bass fishing.
How Many Bass Fishermen are there in the USA?
The exact number is hard to pinpoint, but many estimates have claimed there are around 30 million individuals in the United States that fish for bass as a common hobby or profession. Bass is one of the most popular freshwater game fish in North America, and it also carries a multi billion dollar industry along with it.
Fishing clubs are easy to find in almost every state, and tourism to several bass heavy areas helps bring in money for small communities. There are also fishing tournaments held around the country which bring in many new fishermen each year.
Who is the Most Famous Bass Fisherman of All Time?
While there are many individuals who could be named when it comes to representing the bass fishing world, one of the most well known and respected names in the hobby is probably Ray Scott. This gentleman is the father of modern bass tournaments, and is said to be directly responsible for getting bass fishing recognized at the level it is today.
Additionally, Mr. Scott put a focus on fish conservation, as well as their habitat protection, and encouraged anglers of all skill levels to practice responsible fishing. He also strives to encourage fishing safety and a general feeling of community when it comes to bass fishing.
How Do You Become a Pro Bass Fisherman?
The first step is to head out onto the water with a rod and a lure and start catching some fish. Pay attention to their habits and actions and see what works for you, and what may not work.
After you have the basics down, start competing in local clubs with other anglers. Pay attention to their tactics and see how it compares to yours. From there, you can fine tune your technique and start reeling in the monster fish.
Once you have made it past that, start looking towards the big tournaments. Get yourself recognized for the fish you catch or the methods you use, and start getting your name out there. You certainly won’t go from nobody to a pro overnight, but if you dedicate a good bit of time to the sport you can certainly stand out over time.
How Much Money do Professional Bass Anglers Make?
There is no exact answer to this question as there are many variations. Most professional bass anglers are sponsored by well known manufacturers or brands in the hobby. They are usually provided their rods, reels and all gear for free as long as they speak highly of the brand they are sponsoring.
From there, these professional anglers will enter into some of the largest and most prestigious fishing competitions. Depending on the exact tournament, the total prize money can total $1 million dollars or more, with the winner able to take home a few hundred thousand dollars themself.
What is the Biggest Bass Fishing Tournament?
While there are hundreds of small and large bass fishing tournaments around the country on an annual basis, the biggest and most well known is the Bassmaster Classic. This three-day tournament has been running yearly since 1971, and has helped create many new professionals, as well as getting some brand new beginners hooked on the largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing hobby.
Final Thoughts on Bass Fishing’s Popularity
There are many reasons why bass fishing is popular in the United States as well as abroad. It’s an extremely common fish that is easy to catch and fun to reel in. There is a very healthy community of like minded anglers that are welcoming and willing to help newcomers to the hobby.
There is no high cost barrier for beginners, which makes bass fishing very easy to get started with. You won’t need to invest hundreds of dollars into the perfect set of gear and tackle just to catch your first fish.
While bass fishing is easy to get started with, it can also be very difficult to master which keeps many anglers coming back to their favorite fishing spots year after year to catch that next trophy fish.
