Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: Beginners Guide to Bass, Simms x Grateful Dead, and Spinnerbaits for Bass

From an all-inclusive beginners guide to bass fishing, a new line of Simms apparel with Grateful Dead graphics, to choosing the best spinnerbait, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week.

From an all-inclusive beginners guide to bass fishing, a new line of Simms apparel with Grateful Dead graphics, to choosing the best spinnerbait, these stories captured our Sports Illustrated fishing reader’s attention on Fishing on SI this past week. | Justin Hoffman | Simms

1.) How To Catch Largemouth Bass: A Fishing Guide For Beginners

Catching largemouth bass can be relatively simple once you know where they live and what lures to use. This fishing guide for beginner's gives you all of the information needed for a fun first day on the water. | Justin Hoffman

This fishing guide for beginner's details how to catch largemouth bass, by first identifying the species, learning where bass live and their behavior, choosing the right rod, reel, line, and lures to use, and knowing how to work baits correctly.

The largemouth bass is a freshwater species of fish commonly found in throughout the United States, southeastern Canada as well as northern Mexico. Due to its thrilling fight skills and ability to attain significant size, it is rated as the most popular sportfish anglers target in North America.

Easily identifiable by its extra-large mouth and greenish-gray body with dark colored irregular blotches, the largemouth bass shouldn't be hard to differentiate from its cousin, the smallmouth bass, which has a much smaller mouth and is more brown in color…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

---

2.) A Great Match, or Too Much? Simms-Grateful Dead Fly Fishing Gear.

Flying your colors. | Photo provided by Simms

I'm seeing it more and more. Fly gear inspired by the NFL, MLB, college football, music, and musicians. Is this a good thing, or pure capitalism in bad taste?

I'm guilty of it. I'm a University of Washington Alum. The "UDub" colors are purple and gold. I have a purple Loop fly reel and a purple pocket knife, and I'll soon be the owner of a purple Yeti coffee mug. It's college football season, and you can bet I'll be sportin' them on the river.

Simms has come out with Grateful Dead-themed gear. The concept isn't new. Abel fly reels have Johnny Cash, AC/DC, and Drake fly reels; The Johnny Cash Abel reel is one I'd be happy to own. Ross Reels collaborated with Coors Light. And now Simms is tuning into the Grateful Dead vibe and blending the Dead's iconic logos onto Simms gear.…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

---

3.) How To Choose The Best Spinnerbait For Bass Fishing

Learn the best spinnerbait to choose for the conditions you face to help catch more bass. | Justin Hoffman

Classified as a 'chuck and wind' lure, the spinnerbait is simple to use and consistently catches bass. Comprised of a lead or Tungsten head, wire body, living rubber or silicone skirt, single hook, and a single or double metal blade, this bass lure offers fish both flash and vibration - two key components for triggering strikes.

But not all spinnerbaits are created equal, with blade styles, weight and skirt options dictating when and where these lures should be fished. Let this fishing guide take the guess work out of choosing the best spinnerbait so you can catch more and bigger bass…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.