Every book and magazine seems to be the same ole thing over and over again, i still like reading them though because afterall it is about bass fishing but Knowing bass seems like it could be a welcome change for me.

My question is does it really apply to fishing or is it about how fast a bass' heart beats and topics that won't help much?

I've read knowing bass: a scientific approach, by Keith Jones.  I borrowed it from the library, read it, and promptly bought a copy.

If you are curious about the bass' world, and how bass perceive their

world, it's a great book.

It about the science, and written by a scientist; albeit one who works for a large tackle manufacturer. He appears to take the spirit of science appropriately, not dismissing the industry but not distorting information either. His writing is not entertaining.

I'm not convinced this book will help anglers add fish to their livewells directly, but may help us make better decisions on the water; at least in helping dispel some misunderstandings about how bass operate, what their limitations are, and some things might influence a bass' decision to take.

A good example is the section on scent: There are a whole lot of things out there touted as attractants that fish simply can't smell -they lack the receptors for these substances. We probably catch a lot of bass in spite of ourselves.

Always dissappointing is the fact that science moves at a tedious snails' pace -just chipping away at the world making us realize we'll be long dead before they really figure it all out. So, the experiments described offer a bit of insight each, and beg for whole lot more.

I'm reading it right now and am enjoying it. Basically it breaks down Bass and their systems scientifically. IMO it should be a must have for anyone who is serious about learning to catch bass. I think learning how a bass thinks and why they make the decisions they do are just as important if not more important than having the right rod, reel, lure etc.

Excellent.

If you are a serious bass fisherman and want to understand your enemy this is a must book to have.

Dr. Jones explains a lot of stuff that helps you understand the animal and its habits, etc.

I strongly suggest you make the investment, read it, and use a yellow highlight to highlight those items you believe are important to know.

Well i know its not extremely informative but Fishing on the Edge by Michael Iconelli was a really good book. Theres parts where he takes a break from his biography and talks about some fishing tactics but overall it was a good read for any avid bass fisherman who really follows the elite series.

I bought this book last year. I have to admit that there were some parts that got more into the science than I have the patience for, but I don't regret for one second buying this book.

I agree with Paul that the section on scent was very illuminating. For one who is really serious about his bass fishing, the information in this book is something he'd want to know.

Although Dr. Jones works for Pure Fishing, his ethics as a scientist shone through and I think he's pretty objective.

Hey Marty,

I'm originally from the Rochester area. The rest of my clan are all there. I cut my teeth so to speak, for bass anyway, at Mendon Ponds.

Extremely bias & opinionated research done mostly in a controlled environment; many of his beliefs have been disproved by biological studies done in a natural environment.

I'll take biological studies over controlled environment studies any time  

Interesting.

It is a must read if you want to be a serious bass angler!!!

I got the book yesterday and i'm about 1/2 way through it.  So far I must say it is a great book.   Knowing how and why bass do what the do and how and why they react to their environment...................do i really need to say more?  If you have the time i would highly recommend it.

I borrowed the book from a buddy. I thought the book offered alot of knowledge but it read like a textbook. I got bored, my attention span needs more pictures.

Extremely bias & opinionated research done mostly in a controlled environment; many of his beliefs have been disproved by biological studies done in a natural environment.

I'll take biological studies over controlled environment studies any time

I couldn't agree more. The book is mostlly filled with highly opinionated observations of captive bass in tanks. That said, the book does have some valuable information about the way bass smell and perceive color.