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Welcome to one of the greatest sports in the world! Here are a few tips for you to consider as you get started...

1. Read! Join FLW Outdoors and you will get a subscription to FLW Outdoors Magazine, and you might also want to subscribe to others like BASS and In Fisherman as well. The more you read about the sport to more you will learn. Get on your computer and check out message boards and fishing web sites every chance you get. You will learn a great deal and will meet some truly interesting people.

2. Ask questions. If you know somebody who bass fishes, ask to go with them and ask questions until you can't talk anymore.

3. Fish as much as you can. There is no substitute for time on the water. You don't need a boat either. There are lots of bass to catch from shore.

4. Try to stick with learning one basic technique a year, and become an expert at it. Start off learning how to fish with simple baits such as spinnerbaits or topwater lures. After that you can switch to pig n' jigs, plastic worms, crank baits, etc. Plastic baits come in all shapes and sizes, each is fished a little differently. Buy good hooks and line, it is the best link between you and the fish. Don't try to buy all the lures in the store. Ask some guys who fish what baits in their tackle boxes really work and get a few like those. The longer I fish, the less baits that I find I really need.

5. Join a bass club, all our clubs are listed on our web site. (For Kid, some clubs have a Junior division.) Go to the meetings and talk fishing with the guys who are there. The next best thing to actually fishing is talking about it. Start out as a non-boater in the club, even if you have a boat. The time fishing with the most experienced anglers will be worth it!

6. Relax when you fish. Use all of your senses to try to get a feel for what is going on in the fishes world. Pay attention to the temperature of the air AND the water, which way the wind is blowing, where the sun is making shadows, which way the current is running. Always have a good topographical map of the water you are fishing. In nature, everything has an impact on everything else. Look for the signs of that impact. Look for patterns!

7. As you improve, get better gear. You don't have to buy the most expensive rods and reels, but good equipment is just plain fun to fish with. Bad (cheap) stuff can ruin the day, and the sport. You will quickly find out that bass fishing isn't cheap. Take care of your equipment. And trust experienced anglers opinions on which gear to buy, not necessarily the salesman's.

8. Obey the rules. The laws, regulations, ordinances, etc. that are in place are there to protect the sport. Read tournament rules carefully, every group runs things a little differently. It may seem like there are a whole bunch of rules, but you must remember that they perform the function of speaking on behalf of a creature that can't speak for itself. Get comfortable with the concept of catch and release too. There are lots of fish out there for new anglers to catch partly because the old guys put them back in the water. Safety first & Play fair.

9. Get your family involved in fishing too, it won't seem like the sport is taking you away from them. Husband and wife teams often are some of the best competitors. Even if they aren't interested in competing- still bring the wife and kids along to the tournaments if they want. Weigh-ins can be exciting to watch, and help find tourist things to do before you take the trip. You might even be able to take them out pre-fishing with you the day before the tournament.

10. As you start fishing tournaments, don't get in over your head right away. Don't plan too many, you will need time to pre-fish. When you are ready to start fishing open tournaments, stick with a few lakes you know really well. Don't be discouraged if you don't win a lot at first, everyone has to put in their dues. And don't become egotistical when you do win, you will find others will quickly stop assisting your life-long learning process.

11. As you become more experienced and leap forward in the bass fishing world, don't forget to reach back and help other new anglers get started too. Teach them the importance of good sportsmanship, catch and release, and preserving the environment. Remember the person who taught you the most, and try to be like them.

12. Never forget that this sport is supposed to be fun! When it gets to feeling like work, you might as well just stay home and fix things around the house.