How to Operate a Bass Fishing Boat

Operating a bass fishing boat is difficult for beginners, but it gets easier with time and some good instruction. Bass fishing boats tend to be faster and more low-slung than regular freshwater fishing boats, so here's a few tricks to remember when launching and steering them. Read on.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Safety equipment
• Fishing equipment
• Bass fishing boat

Launching the Boat

1. Find a ramp in a traffic-free area. You'll launch the boat from there.

2. Tilt the boat engine to give you enough clearance to get down the ramp. If the ramp is steep, keep the bow rope attached until the boat is close to the water.

3. Make sure you have good visibility before launching, and check again that the area is free of traffic.

4. Slowly back the boat down the ramp. Have someone stand nearby to tell you immediately if another boat or person gets in the way.

5. Continue to back the boat down the ramp until the stern begins to float. Have your assistant push the boat off the trailer. Remove the bow rope if it is still attached.

6. When the whole boat is afloat, move your car to the parking area and move the boat to a docking area or safe stretch of shoreline. If you're doing this alone, secure your boat with a line before you move your car; otherwise, have a friend stay with the boat.

7. Get your equipment and anyone else who's accompanying you on board.

Using Your Boat to Align With Structures

1. Position your boat directly over structures that are deep and fully submerged, and then fish vertically.

2. Position the boat so you can slice-cast toward the bank if it's flat, or at an angle of up to 45 degrees.

3. Position the boat for parallel fishing off structures that are steep or vertical.

4. In heavy currents, use both the front and rear anchors to hold the boat in the area you want to fish. Cast your line upstream and let the bait and lures flow with the current.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice backing your boat and trailer in and out of your driveway-this will give you a feel for how sharply you need to turn the wheel and how the trailer will respond.

• Bass tend to congregate in or near underwater structures such as depressions, sandbars and ledges. These fish are predators, so you often find them waiting for their prey.

• Take a boating safety course to make sure you're prepared for anything that might go wrong while you're fishing. In most states you need a license to operate a boat, so taking a course is a good way to get both things done at once.

• Make sure your safety equipment, including life jackets, is on board before you head out.