How one Canuck angler got to the world championship of bass fishing—the Bassmaster Classic

#3: Become Versatile

Throughout most of Canada’s bass country, anglers are blessed with outstanding opportunities for both largemouth and smallmouth fishing. Sim suggests anglers should become proficient at both. “Try to learn everything you can about both species, and practise a variety of techniques based on the different seasonal patterns you’ll encounter,” he says. “You need to be versatile to adapt to any situation you may come across. Then, as you spend more time on the water, you’ll start to develop personal preferences and go-to baits.”

For largemouth, Sim says he loves flipping Jackall Sasuteki Craws because they’re so versatile, allowing him to catch fish efficiently in one to 10 feet of water. “I’m always ready for that little tick when the bait gets sucked up,” he says. “When you feel that, you have to rear back and set hard, because you never know what’s on the end of the line.”

When Sim fishes smallmouth, on the other hand, he throws a jerkbait more than anything else. “It allows me to cover lots of water quickly and effectively, and those big shallow-water smallies just crush it.” His other go-to smallie rig is the drop-shot. “It puts the bait right in the fish’s face and they can’t stand it,” he says. “On top of that, it’s usually fished on really light line, so it’s great for our clear-water conditions. And the fight can be just awesome.”