(1) Never Block the Escape Route
I was surprised by how closely the fish let me approach underwater, especially the male bass guarding beds. As I dove among them, I noticed that surface shadows and motion disturbed the larger females somewhat. But they went into panic mode quickly when I, or the boat above, cut off either the male's or the female's escape route from the shallow bed to deep water. Every time I intentionally cut off this exit path, the bass left the area, even when I was several feet away. If I approached from the side, I could swim to within arm's reach.

The lesson: Block the escape route and your chances of hookup decrease exponentially.