The Sport of Bassing Swamp Holes
Day 5: Advantages of Swamp Fishing for Bass
Editor’s Note: You may think the South is the only section of the United States with swamps, but particularly after the flooding of 2011, many-new oxbows and swamp holes have been created. Although most bass lakes and rivers are crowded across the country, when you fish swamp holes for bass, you’ll rarely see other fishermen, and the bass often will top 8 pounds. These unnoticed waters can be found most anywhere.
 Once you learn to apply these swamp-hole tactics for bass, you’ll find that there are several advantages to this type of bassing. You rarely will run into another angler when you’re bass fishing deep in the woods. The eerie sight of Spanish moss shrouding giant cypress trees sometimes deters anglers.  Many won’t fish a swamp hole, because to them the very word swamp conjures up visions of leg-sized water moccasins and rattlesnakes. If you fish enough backwoods sloughs, you’ll see snakes, but you’ll seldom, if ever, have a fang-to-eyeball confrontation with one. The other advantage is that if the bass aren’t biting, you usually can have fun catching grinnels (bowfin), crappie or bream. Take plenty of light line and small spinners. You should be able to load-up on 1-1/2- to 2-pound bass, crappie and bream using lighter tackle. Finding a swamp hole usually is easier than most fishermen believe. Most conservation officers know if landowners have a pothole or an oxbow off the main river in their area. And, landowners usually are agreeable to allowing anglers to go in on a day-permit basis.
Three things you should do before swamp-hole fishing for bass:
 1) Always get permission from the landowner on the day you plan to fish. Tell him when you want to start fishing as well as when you expect to leave.
2) Check-out with the landowner before you leave to let him know you’re safe and off the property. If you fish swamp holes on state management areas or national forests, be sure to check in and out with conservation officers and forest rangers.
3) Carry a first-aid kit as well as water and some fruit juice or sports drinks. Breezes are slight on these backwater ponds, and heat can be intense. Be prepared.
 Using these secrets to fishing swamp holes can open-up new waters and fishing excitement for you. One footrace for swamp-hole bass or one lunker boated while flipping from your canoe, will hook you for good on this sport.
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