Bass Fishing Magazine in South Africa

August 2023

SABASS Magazine is available at Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, C.N.A., Exclusive Books

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
3.41kg, Willem Rheeder, Albert Falls Dam, KZN
Image: Willem Rheeder

FEATURES
. Locating the baitfish
Why could I not catch anything and then experience twenty minutes of fishing madness that disappeared as quickly as it came?

. About your boat’s cover – Part 1
A boat can be a large investment, ensuring its protection with a high-quality cover will extend the life of the craft and provide many more years of boating pleasure

. The key to success
The successful angler is one who is able to brave the any conditions and adapt his versatility to suit every occasion.

. Finding the right pattern
Finding the right pattern on the day makes an average day a super day of fishing.

. Bassing advice for when times limited 
Catching bass is not easy all the time but repeating the same tactical procedures over and over when the clocks ticking won’t help your cause either.

. Lure characteristics that draw bass in 
The way a lure moves through the water is a big factor in drawing power when it comes to the successful characteristics of bass lures.

. About swim jigs
Using jigs can be very versatile, whether you’re dragging a deep drop-off, flipping trees, or flipping lily pads this bait can produce big bites.

. Die Heldesaal - James Heddon
In hierdie reeks gesels ons oor hengellegends uit die verlede. Ons gesels so ‘n bietjie oor die vader van die eerste kunsaas, James Heddon.

TOURNAMENT NEWS
. Cast-for-Cash Tournament Results

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Basics for beginners
. Op my houtbordjie
. Towing tip of the month
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa

September 2023

SABASS Magazine is available at Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, C.N.A., Exclusive Books

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
3.78kg, Francois Joubert, Lake Mteri, Zimbabwe
Image: Francois Joubert

FEATURES
. Early spring bassin’
The pre-spawn period depends on regionally variable climatic conditions and bass will alter their behaviour and go through a transition phase knowing as the staging period.

. Trailer hooks for spinnerbaits
Some strikes on spinnerbaits can be short and very frustrating. Here are two rigging methods to help you land those short strike fish.

. Topwater retrieval techniques
Let’s take a look at a selection of topwater lures and put their retrieval techniques into action.

. About your boat’s cover – Part 2
It is important that you prepare the boat and trailer for your journey. Common sense applications are necessary.

. The importance of checking tackle
Taking a moment to check out our tackle and equipment before we get caught up in the excitement seems like a wise decision we should all make.

. Spring flooding - The high water game plan for spring
To maximise our chances of locating any fish in this scenario a bass angler must have a game plan and knowing what the bass might be getting up to under these conditions seems a good place to start. 

. Why do we fish?
It’s a difficult question and one I can’t explain, yet somehow I feel that amongst us bass anglers we all don’t really know why we go fishing.

. Die Heldesaal – Johnny Morris
Ons kuier in Die Heldesaal by Johnny Morris, die stigter van die reuse buitelewe jag- en hengel winkelgroep.

. Die balansering van bewaring en swartbaars
In hierdie artikel kyk ons na die positiewe, en negatiewe gevolge van die verwydering van swartbaars van hulle neste gedurende hul kuitskiet tydperk.

. Bassin’ in South Korea
What started as a quest for change soon transformed into an unexpected passion – bass fishing.

. Dis lente
Een van die belangrikste dinge wat hengelaars moet onthou is dat die lente soms vier seisoene in een kan wees.


TOURNAMENT NEWS
. MLF Namibia Tournament news vol 4
. BASS Bulawayo’s 39th Winter Classic Held at Inyankuni Dam

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Gear Up - ICAST special
. Op my houtbordjie
. Basics for beginners
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa

May 2023

SABASS Magazine is available at Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, C.N.A., Exclusive Books

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
“4.200kg; Francois Joubert @ Rust de Winter Dam”
Image: Francois Joubert
 

FEATURES
. Albert Falls Dam in autumn
Some people like New York in June, some like Paris in the spring, but anyone with half an inkling on what is actually good for them will like Albert Falls in autumn.

. Tournament tactics
Tournament bass angling is a mental game and anglers must learn how to keep a high level of awareness during the day’s fishing. Don’t get distracted and don’t pay attention to other competitors landing fish next to you.

. Blotchy Bass Syndrome
Melanosis (aka Blotchy Bass Syndrome or BBS) is a condition characterized by black, ink-like spots, on the skin, fins and/or mouths of Micropterus species. The cause is unknown and a coordinated bio-surveillance network is needed to understand the geographical extent, seasonality, prevalence, and biological threat of this viral disease to black basses

. Changing seasons
As the seasons change and our habits change, so do those of the bass. Sometimes it is just a minor adjustment that will do the trick, but more often than not you will have to devise a whole new different plan to keep your dreams alive.

. Docks & jetties
Boat docks and jetties are some of the most overlooked places to find quality fish by the average bass fanatic

. When your game plan comes together
Everything we do and every aspect of our preparation is dependent on whether the bass will be doing what we need them to be doing

. The roaming bass  
Bass are social fish by nature and while you may encounter one lonely specimen here or there it’s actually a rare occasion. There are three areas of interest worth observing when it comes to understanding the roaming bass mentality.

. Edges and ledges
Gaining a deeper insight as to how bass behave around cover and drop-offs becomes quite important. Henceforth our focus is brought towards taking a closer look at the edges of the cover and the ledges of drop-offs.

. Terminal tackle
Fishing line represents the umbilical cord that connects us with our quarry and making the right choice of connection will ultimately determine our degree of success or failure.

. Muddy water bassin’
It’s important to know that muddy conditions due to rain often impact the waters more a longer period of time than windy conditions. None the less they both have the same impact.

DESTINATION
. Ezemvelo

TOURNAMENT NEWS
. Cast-for-Cash Tournament Results
. Cast-for-Cash Tournament Report
. MLF TBC Tournament Report

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Basics for beginners
. Op my houtbordjie
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa

July 2023

SABASS Magazine is available at Spar, Pick ‘n Pay, C.N.A., Exclusive Books

SA BASS has been the leading bass magazine since 2001 for everyone who loves bass fishing.

ON THE COVER
2.6kg, Robert Denny, Disaneng Dam, NW
Image: Hugo van der Walt

FEATURES
. Jig-worming
Whatever you want to call it, the lead head, jig head, or Shaky-Head has been there and done that and on many an occasion walked away with the T-shirt.

. When the fishing gets tough, you need to dig deep
Success comes with spending time on the water, making use of your charts, and most importantly paying attention when catching a fish.

. When good trips go bad

We rushed home to a concerned family and crying mother who already had the cops looking for us.

. Bass metabolism in winter
Having a basic understanding of the winter influences a bass’s body must endure will certainly translate directly to our entire approach as bass anglers who are out to catch them.

. Bass fishing speed spectrums
Knowing how to control and use speed to your advantage will have you avoiding those blank days in the worst conditions.

. Knock the cover
Why not pitch or flip into those laydowns? 

. Winterhengel vir baars
Min hengelaars besef dat winter net so ‘n lekker tyd van die jaar kan wees om baars te vang. Dit is egter net die tyd van die jaar wat ons meer geduld aan die dag moet lê, en waar jou kennis en geduld deeglik op die proef gestel word.

. Basic rigging for soft plastic baits
The rigging techniques we look at will cover all the conventional styles that you can use in everyday bass fishing with soft plastic lures.

. Jerkbaits for winter
Jerkbaits are certainly a great lure when it comes to searching for bass in winter, as they are a profound option for covering water quickly and they can turn a really dull fishing day into a fun-packed, action induced frenzy.

. Turnover water
The turnover period in an average dam is not that long. The larger the water body, the longer it can take but is hardly ever longer than a week.

. Winter bassing
Cold “winter water” is by no means “dead” water. Bassing in winter does slow down, however, bass can be patterned and caught.  

. Grass edges for winter bass
Largemouth bass will relate to the grass and use it for cover as colder weather approaches. These areas prime locations for targeting when fishing in winter. 

DESTINATION
. Loskopvallei - Die land van melk en heuning

TOURNAMENT NEWS
. Cast-for-Cash Tournament Results

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
. My Cast
. Readers-go-Bassing
. Basics for beginners
. Op my houtbordjie
. Towing tip of the month
. International Angling News
. Gear Up
. Water levels in South Africa