{"id":1676,"date":"2022-06-14T04:07:26","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T04:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/?p=1676"},"modified":"2022-06-14T18:14:41","modified_gmt":"2022-06-14T18:14:41","slug":"what-do-bass-like-to-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/what-do-bass-like-to-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Bass Like to Eat? 7 Best Live Baits"},"content":{"rendered":"
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  1. Shads<\/strong> – while shads are technically a saltwater baitfish, the word is used so often to mean any fish that is not an adult and not a minnow. So, the general term, “shad” refers to fresh or saltwater fish that are small but not yet adult fish. Juvenile and adult bass<\/a> eat shad including bluegill, perch, other bass, and salmon or trout shad.<\/li>\n
  2. Minnows<\/strong> – Minnows are fish that are not yet juvenile and are generally less than one year old. Minnows are hatched from eggs and then swim around until they begin to grow. Small bass, juvenile bass, and adults will eat minnows<\/a>, including bass minnows.<\/li>\n
  3. Crayfish<\/strong> – Adult and lager juvenile bass will take crayfish. Smaller bass may also take smaller crayfish.<\/li>\n
  4. Golden Shiner Shad and Minnows<\/strong> – Adults will take larger golden shiner as food and juveniles will feed on smaller shads and minnows.<\/li>\n
  5. Aquatic and Terrestrial Insects<\/strong> – Small bass and adults will feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects – larva, nymph, and adults.<\/li>\n
  6. Small Animals<\/strong> – Shrews, birds, bats, etc. – Adults will consume smaller animals including shrews, birds, duckings, etc.<\/li>\n
  7. Small Rodents<\/strong> – Small rodents are a staple of bass. They will eat mice, rats, and other small rodents that end up in the water<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Not all the food options on this list are available year-round.<\/p>\n

    There is very much a seasonal variation to bass diets.<\/p>\n

    Small fish, worms, and aquatic insects are almost always available.<\/p>\n

    That means regardless of when you fish a minnow or shad pattern fly or lure will likely be a good choice.<\/p>\n

    Seasonal foods may be available one season and not the next.<\/p>\n

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    A large portion of bass diets are insects.<\/p>\n

    It is important to realize that insects are always present, though not always in the form we recognize.<\/p>\n

    A good example of what this means to anglers is the difference between a dragonfly adult and a dragonfly naiad.<\/p>\n

    Dragonflies may live for three years, but only for a few months as an adult.<\/p>\n

    They spend most of their lives underwater as naiads.<\/p>\n

    Naiads are available year-round but adult dragonflies are only available in the summer and fall months.<\/p>\n

    They emerge, mate, lay eggs in water, and then die.<\/p>\n

    So, if you fish for bass, expect to change up your offerings for both lures and fly patterns throughout the year.<\/p>\n

    Contents<\/p>