Some food for thought, or thoughts about food (the bass').

Unlike many species of fish, bass are seldom focused on 'one' type of prey.

They are truly 'opportunistic predators'.

Shad, sunfish, crawfish, other fish (including other bass), snakes, frogs, water dogs (larval stage of the salamander), birds, mice, plus a variety of insect (I'm sure there are others that I've forgotten or not seen yet) are all part of the bass' diet.

On any given day, ONE bass may consume several different foods. Individual bass have been caught with five or six DIFFERENT prey in their stomachs (AND, they took the lure, too.).

That's why you can throw a plastic worm (or jig, or something that doesn't look anything like a shad) into the middle of a bunch of bass busting shad and catch fish.

A bass that is happily munching crawfish will gladly eat a bluegill if the opportunity presents. A bass that has just gorged himself on shad will still eat a small snake swimming accross the surface.

It's also why 'matching the hatch' is not critical in bass fishing. If it looks like 'food' and it's presented properly, you will likey catch bass with it.

Good Luck!

Buddy