I have fished salt water my hole life but now I live by lake livingston and I would like to learn how to bass fish.
I have a 14 foot john boat with a 20hp motor I have a trolling motor on the front were I built a fishing platform
I put a hummingbird 787 on it to. I'm so green to bass I don't even know were to start so if someone could point me in the right way and help me with the basics such as were to find them and what to use in that area. I would love to catch a few and see what all the buzz is about.
James

Well your getting into at the right time of year, that's for sure.

I am not sure what the temps on Livingston are, but I am sure it's hovering around 60 or so, and over the next week or so, the temps are going to start rising and the fish will move up to spawn.

You should be able to work on soft plastic type baits and get the feel on how they work, especially on the points that lead into cove or creek channel, they will stage out on the points and other places around the mouth of the coves waiting on the water temps and the stars and moon, and jupiter and the milky way all align together.. LOL...

Good luck,

Rick

Lake Livingston this time of year is really easy to catch some fish. Get ya a 3/8 or 1/2 oz black/blue flipping jig and a black/blue trailer and get in the backs of creeks and coves. Put in at kickapoo creek boat ramp and go up the creek and pull into any backwater or cove you see and look for flooded bushes, pad stems or reeds in 8 in. to 2 ft of water and start flipping. Also a good search bait on that lake is a white spinnerbait or a sexy shad crs from academy. You shouldn't need but 3 or 4 rods right now out there. I'd have the jig, a black/blue flake senko, spinnerbait and rattle trap. Good luck and be prepared to have one expensive habit!

When you say soft plastics are you talking about any kind of like swim bait or is it more like a warm. I have tons of salt water stuff from shad to eels would any of that work. So right up close to the back is were to look for them this time of the year. I'm going to head out in the next few days and try my best to catch some.
James

Yes look for water from 62-65 degrees. Stick with something like a senko, craw or lizard. You can catch them on the swimbaits, but livingston's water is a little dirtier than I like to throw swimbaits in, but this would be a good time to give them a try.

How do I rig for using a lizard? I have watch bass fishing on tv and they talk about drop shots carolina rigs but they don't show you how to do it
sorry for all the questions but like I said I'm real green.

www.youtube.com :texas rig, carolina rig, dropshot etc.. basically anything you would want to know more about or how to do it youtube will show you anything, SOMEONE TAKE THIS GUY FISHIN!!! i would if i had a boat

You have just entered the most addictive and expensive species to persue. The Texas rig you put a worm sinker on your line then usually an offset worm hook. Thread the lizzard or whatever plastic onto the hook about a 1/4" bring the point out of the bottom of the plastic rotate your hook 180 degrees and slide the plastic up onto the eye of the hook. Straighten out your plastic along the side of the barb of the hook and imagine where the shank would penetrate the bait. Push the bait towards the eyelet of the hook until that part of the plastic is at the point, insert the point into the plastic at that area and pull it back onto the hook until the plastic is straight. A carolina rig the bait is rigged on the hook in the same manner. The only difference is the weight does not come in contact with the bait. Your bait flows through the water in a more natural manner. You put a weight on your line (some use worm or bullet weights, egg sinkers, elongated egg sinkers or mojo weights, etc.,then a bead (for noise and to protect the knot from the weight banging against it, then tye on a barrel swivel, then tye on whatever length of leader you want (usually anywhere from 6" to 3') some people go more than that. I prefer about an 18" leader, then tye on your hook and the plastic of preference. On the Carolina rig you have to either do a loop cast or sling it like catfishing or the sinker will slide up the line. I'd start out with a Texas Rig or T-rig first. I'm sure someone will post some pics of rigs for you. I don't have a way of taking pics. I'd take you out if I lived down there. Good luck with your new addiction.

first question do you eat fish???

I do eat fish but I catch lots of trout when I go down south. I know some people say bass isn't that good to eat and some just get mad when you keep them but I put enough fish in the ice box not to need to keep and eat many bass. Thanks for all the help guys I can't wait to go out and try it
James

on no you caught a very bad disease everyone pray for him lol

Its alot like fishing for redfish in the bays if you do that much, they arent quite as big or strong but kinda the same in presentations, gear, etc...

Go to academy and get some bullet weights 1/4 oz. Then get some 2/0 offset worm hooks and some power worms. Slide weight on line tie on hook and the weight should slide around on the line. Throw it out reel it in. Texas rig. Try it with lizards too.

If you like more fast paced stuff then get some cranks.

Learn from experimenting. Check out some books also they can help alot.