It might seem strange to single out this bass from all the other bass that I have caught. Although this largemouth bass represents one of many I’ve caught from Lake Mead and a small specimen at that, there are a few significant factors that makes this one stand out. Firstly, this was the first largemouth I caught while live-lining baitfish. Secondly, this was my first winter bass caught. And this is where I need to explain.
South Africa offers some good fishing, but in some ways, it
is not accessible to everyone. Import tax greatly inflates the cost of fishing gear.
Almost all bodies of water have an entrance fee, with some being club members
only. Thus, it can be really expensive to fish locations that offer both summer
and winter fish with some areas getting stocked occasionally. Most people fish in the more accessible waters that offer a small selection of fish species.
The brutal truth is that crime and safety often make you
think twice about spending hours next to the public fishing waters. This all
means that most South Africans don’t fish during the winter months. Carp,
catfish, and bass all get lethargic and move into deeper water making fishing
slow and cold. Except for trout fishing and coastal fishing, I have not done
much winter fishing. That is why this little fish has a blog about him.
It was still early winter, November, with some shad still
hugging the shoreline. After using the bait net and getting a handful of shad,
I live-lined them (one at a time) on a bobber. I believe that these large
schools of baitfish are what is missing in South African waters. This lack of
baitfish, the natural pre-winter food source for the bass, is what makes the difference
in the fishes’ behavior. These are some of the hidden, often overlooked,
factors when introducing new species to different non-native waters. Their
presence in the new waters does not equate to their behavior being comparable.
That being said, I was pleased to get my first winter bass.
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