Fishing is something that people have been enjoying around the world since before there was civilization. People fish as a means to get something to eat, but there has always been something deeply satisfying about catching fish.
In modern times, people fish for sport and fun a lot more than they did in the past. Bass fishing has become incredibly popular, and you could say that bass fishing is the most popular type of fishing in many areas.
Why is bass fishing so popular, though? Well, there might be many different reasons why fishing for bass can be so appealing to so many people.
Keep reading to learn about several reasons why bass fishing has become incredibly popular over time. It should help you to gain an appreciation for why bass fishing is so beloved.
1 – They’re Not That Difficult to Catch
When you compare bass to other fish of the same size, you’ll find that bass are not all that hard to catch. The fact that you can catch bass without it being a herculean task is going to appeal to people who are new to fishing.
It’s not that bass are the easiest fish to catch in the world, though. It’s still going to take skill and some effort to reel in a big bass, but bass fishing is very approachable even for newcomers.
You’re going to be able to understand the basics of bass fishing without learning advanced techniques. It might still be hard for someone who is new to bass fishing to reel in a huge bass that is fighting hard, but it’s still going to be a lot of fun.
Unlike some other types of fishing, bass fishing isn’t going to require you to buy special poles. You don’t have to spend money on fancy lures to get good results when you go out bass fishing either.
You’ll just need to possess average fishing skills to be able to have a good chance of catching a standard bass. So long as you understand the basics, you’re going to do just fine with bass fishing and you’ll be able to keep getting better as you gain experience.
When compared to other types of fishing, it’s going to be a lot easier to understand for those who are fishing for the first time. The only time that you’ll need to do anything special for bass fishing is if you decide to go fishing for deep sea bass.
Going out fishing for deep sea bass will require deep-sea fishing charters, but this isn’t anything that beginners need to concern themselves with. You’ll be able to find plenty of standard bass in many bodies of water that are easily accessible.
2 – Bass Can Be Found Almost Everywhere
Another big reason why bass have become so popular is that they can be found almost everywhere. They’re a truly common fish in many areas, and this means that you don’t need to travel to exotic locations to seek them out.
For example, in the southeastern United States, you’re going to find bass in most bodies of water that you’d go to for fishing. It makes it easy to plan a fishing trip without feeling as if you have to travel a long distance to catch interesting fish.
In America, you can find bass in all of the lower 48 states. This means that the vast majority of Americans are going to live very close to a spot where they can go bass fishing.
It’s also notable that there are certain parts of Canada that are very good for bass fishing. With so many convenient spots to go bass fishing, it’s helped the popularity of bass fishing to rise to the top.
To add to the easy and fun feeling of bass fishing, you’re going to love how easy it is to attract bass using standard lures. Artificial lures, worms, and various types of bait will work nicely to get bass on your fishing hook.
With how ubiquitous bass are in America, it’s easy to see why bass fishing is so popular. These fish can be found in many places, and you don’t have to prepare special strategies just to fish them out of the water.
3 – They’re Quite Big
Another reason why bass fishing is so popular that can’t be ignored is that bass can get pretty big. People love fishing for large fish, and being able to pull a large bass out of the water is undeniably satisfying.
When people go out on a fishing trip, they’re going to want to be able to create great memories. Even if you’re not an expert angler, it’s going to be possible to have a good shot at catching a big bass.
There are actually quite a few different sizes of bass that you can encounter. The most common types of bass that people focus on are largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.
A largemouth bass is typically going to be around 15 to 16 inches long. People have caught largemouth bass that are as long as 38 inches, though, and this means that there are some real whoppers out there for people to seek out.
Smallmouth bass average size is around 12 to 16 inches, but they can sometimes get a little bigger. You’re less likely to encounter very large smallmouth bass than you are largemouth bass, but it has been reported that someone in America once caught a 27-inch smallmouth bass.
The adventure of trying to catch a very large bass is something that pulls many people in. You might find it very appealing to be able to go after fish that can get so large, but you’re going to catch more average-sized bass than you will gigantic ones.
4 – The Aggressive Nature of Bass
The aggressive nature of bass helps to make them more popular to catch, too. You see, bass are so aggressive that they’re going to go after more types of bait than many other fish.
This means that it’s actually a lot easier to catch bass and more fun for beginners. There are some behavioral differences between smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, but they’re both considered to be quite aggressive.
Bass have a tendency to strike at things that they think might be alive. This is why it’s so easy to get bass to bite even when you’re not using the fanciest or most expensive lures.
It might be easy to get the bass to bite, but this doesn’t mean that it’s always going to be easy to reel them in. Bass are fighters and you’re going to have to work to get them on your boat.
That really just winds up adding to the overall fun of the experience, though. You’re going to have a good time trying to reel in the bass even when it’s giving you a really big fight.
Newcomers to fishing have a fighting chance of reeling in a big bass, but it’s going to take skill and technique to be able to do so regularly. There are all sorts of techniques that you can master to make bass fishing easier.
It’s a type of fishing that’s easy to get into for beginners while also being difficult enough to master to keep it exciting. This is all thanks to the aggressive nature of the bass and just how fun they are to fish for.
5 – You Don’t Need to Be Rich to Fish for Bass
When you’re trying to fish for many other popular types of fish, it’s going to be necessary to spend a lot of money. Some fish require you to buy fancy fishing rods, and many will need expensive types of bait or costly lures to have a fighting chance.
Bass fishing is different because you can fish for bass without spending much money at all. You’re going to have a good shot at reeling in a bass with a standard $20 fishing rod, and the bass will bite even when you’re using very basic types of bait.
This allows people who don’t have a lot of money to get into bass fishing even though they won’t have the best tools. You’ll be able to have fun fishing and might even have good success with fishing bass.
As mentioned earlier, bass are fighters, and it isn’t necessarily going to be easy to catch them all the time. Even so, you don’t need to be an experienced angler with hundreds of dollars worth of equipment to go bass fishing.
The low cost barrier makes it so that newcomers will give bass fishing a try. It’s more likely that someone will be willing to spend a few bucks for basic fishing equipment than it is that they will pour hundreds of dollars into fishing for more difficult types of fish.
6 – Tournaments
Bass fishing competitions are often held in North America, and this has contributed to the overall popularity of bass fishing. There are many big tournaments that are held in various locations throughout the year, and many people look forward to competing with other anglers to catch the biggest bass possible.
Hearing about these tournaments will inevitably help people to become more aware of bass fishing. This is going to have an impact, and you’ll see more people getting interested in bass fishing because of seeing how passionate everyone else is.
The competitive nature of bass fishing is going to drive some anglers to want to focus on getting better. Many people love competing in friendly tournaments with other fishing enthusiasts.
Of course, you could say that bass fishing tournaments are so prevalent because of the popularity of bass fishing. But it’s easy to see that there’s a bit of a cyclical relationship where the tournaments also help the popularity of bass fishing to stay high.
7 – The Social Aspect
The social aspect of bass fishing is something that makes it that much more fun. You know that bass fishing is one of the most approachable types of fishing out there, and this makes it easier to find people to go fishing with you.
You can teach your sons and daughters how to fish for bass and they can have a good time. Your neighbor who doesn’t have any fishing experience might be able to have a good time if you can give them the basic information that they need.
Being able to go out fishing with friends and family members has the potential to make bass fishing that much more fun. The approachable nature of bass fishing brings more people into the fold, and it makes it more likely that you’ll be able to enjoy the social aspect of bass fishing.
It can be nice to just get out and spend some quality time with good people in your life. The focus might be on the bass fishing, but it’s also about enjoying your time with others.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many different reasons why bass fishing has become so popular. Over time, bass fishing has become the most popular type of fishing in America.
There are certainly other types of fishing that appeal to people in America, but bass fishing is many times more popular than the closest competition. It’s an easy type of fishing to get into even when you don’t have a lot of money, and it’s also not that hard to learn how to go bass fishing.
People can have a good time with bass fishing when they’re completely new to fishing. They can catch fish and have a blast because of how aggressive bass naturally are.
It’s still complex enough to be challenging, though, and becoming a master angler who can reel in the largest bass will take some effort. If you think that bass fishing sounds like a good time, then it’s going to be good to try to get into it yourself.
In all likelihood, bass fishing will be very popular for many years to come. The popularity of bass fishing doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and you can choose to embrace it if you’d like to start having a good time.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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