As a first step in planning this book, the professional bass-fishing world was surveyed to determine the newest and best techniques to feature. Then, the pro bass ranks were examined to see who could best explain and demonstrate the techniques to readers.

Many top-name pros were chosen to demonstrate the particular technique with which they're most closely associated. For instance, Ken Cook, a former BASS Masters Classic champion, is widely known for his spinnerbait expertise, so he was selected for "Spinnerbaiting the Wood." His technique, like all of the others, was carefully dissected to give you the kind of detail left out of most other books and magazine articles. It is this detail that separates the real professionals from the want-to-bes.

Once a pro was selected, the staff traveled to a site of his choosing to witness the technique first-hand. The pro explained all of the technique's intricacies, and we photographed every aspect of it in step-by-step detail.

This book is organized into four main chapters according to lure type, including soft plastics, jigs, plugs, and spinnerbaits. Every chapter includes three to four sections outlining different techniques. Besides providing detailed information on tackle and presentation, each gives you when-and-where recommendations, and a collection of the pros' personal tips - the little things they do to get an edge on the competition.

Another chapter is devoted entirely to tournament fishing. We walk you through the procedures you need to follow to become a successful tournament angler, from pretournament research, to prefishing tactics to tournament-day strategies, which vary greatly depending on the type of tournament you enter. As an added bonus, this chapter includes the personal tournament-fishing philosophies of some of the country's top pros.

Scattered throughout the book are sidebars that present information only marginally related to the technique, but of great interest to many anglers. In the section, "Football Jigs: Magic for Pre-spawn Bass," for example, we'll show you how to de-gas bass brought up from deep water, greatly increasing the survival rate of those you release.

Despite the book's high level of detail and focus on professional bass-fishing tactics, it is a valuable resource for all bass anglers. By looking beyond the basics, a novice can learn quickley and develop a feel for what's necessary to consistently outwit bass.