Every sport has its own language and bass fishermen are no exception. They to speak in their own strange tongue. If you want to be accepted and become one of the boys or girls when entering this wonderful sport of bass fishing then here are a few slang words and terms with their meanings (as I understand them to mean) to help you on your way.
Lures, Plugs And Plastics
- Chugger - this is a plug used for fishing on the surface. It has a concave hollowed out head that when pulled sharply squirts out a splash of water, attracting the fish.
- Slush bait - A top water plug that has either a flat or pointed head
- Grub - A stubby plastic worm threaded on to a leaded jig hook
- Loose Action - A plug or lure that when moving from side to side does so with slow wide movements
- Tight- Action - Opposite to the loose action lure where this one moves in quick, fast side to side movements
- Wormin - Refers to the act of fishing with worms, crawfish, lizards or plastic worms etc.
- Crank Bait - A lipped lure that dives under the water surface when reeling it in.
- Lipless Crank Baits - Lipless lures that look like minnows that are skinny and sink to the bottom
Tackle
- Flipping Stick - This is a 7ft to 8ft heavy action fishing rod specially designed for catching bass.
- Mono - Monofilament fishing line
- Terminal Tackle - Fishing equipment such as hooks, swivels, beads, snaps and anything else attached to the end of a fishing line but not including artificial baits.
Casting
- Dabbling - You are said to be dabbling when working a lure many times beside a bush or tree.
- Fan Casting - This is casting in such a manner that you end up after a series of casts roughly covering a semi-circle either from left to right or the other way round.
More
- Coontail - An aquatic plant usually found submerged in hard water. It has stiff forked leaves and is of the hornwort family
- Pocket - If a bass fisherman tells you he was fishing in a pocket he is referring to an indentation of the shoreline.
- Riprap - No this is not a bass dance but refers to the rocks or any hard-core placed along the shoreline of a man-made dam to help prevent erosion.
- Hard Bottom - Any lake or river that has a floor of hard sand, rock, clay or any other material so long as it will support you weight
- Laydown -If a fisherman says that the fish are biting at a laydown he is referring to a tree that has fallen in the water
Bass Fish
- Presentation - This word describes the total requirements necessary to land a fish. This includes the type and colour lure used, how it is cast and retrieved, and all the rest of the how, where, what and when. Like a business meeting that are at times rather long-winded
- Short Strike - A fish hits the lure but is not hooked
- Nubbins, Pop corns. Babies, Dinks and Slicks - these refer to bass less than 14 inches long as required by tournament standards
- Lunker or Hawg - A big bass weighing more than 4 pounds
My Favourite Is
- Honey Hole - This is the hot spot where it is all happening, big bass and keepers on the bite at a fast and furious pace
If the high expectation of locating a honey hole each time we go fishing was not there, we would probably be partaking in another sport.
