| With "Old Man Winter" releasing his icy grip, it's time | | | | quality ball bearing swivel. Lure weight and blade size |
| to break out the bass fishing gear and hit your | | | | varies with the water depth being fished (3/4 oz. |
| favorite big bass haunts! | | | | lures with larger blades for water deeper than 15 |
| How can you catch some of the biggest bass of the | | | | feet; 1/2 an 3/8 oz. with medium blades for 5 to 15 |
| year? | | | | foot depths; and 1/4 oz with a smaller blade |
| A great technique to help catch more of the hawgs | | | | (Vibra-Bug) for water < 5 feet deep). Typically, nickel |
| migrating from their winter-time, deep-water havens, | | | | white blades are used for clear water, gold for |
| is to slow roll a spinnerbait right across their nose... | | | | stained and fluorescent painted or copper blades for |
| Once the late winter/early spring Sun works its | | | | dirty water. Spinnerbait head and skirt colors vary |
| wonder and sends water temps toward the | | | | depending on water clarity and type of forage |
| mid-forties, sluggish bass begin their ascension up the | | | | present. |
| points and drop-offs to stage for the springtime | | | | - The Retrieve - Make long casts across structure |
| mating rituals. | | | | being fished letting the bait flutter to the bottom. |
| A skillful bass angler, equipped with the right tackle | | | | Once bottom contact is made, start a slow, steady |
| and knowledge can take advantage of this pattern | | | | retrieve such that the bait remains in contact with |
| by presenting a slow, thumping lure through cover | | | | the cover. It sometimes pays to experiment with the |
| and right into the strike zone of these very hungry | | | | retrieve so try either a yo-yo or stop and go |
| finny creatures. | | | | variation depending on the mood of the bass. |
| The Right Stuff - Nitty-Gritty Details of Slow Rolling | | | | - Structure and Cover - Obviously varies with the |
| for Bass | | | | body of water but look for deep water wintering |
| - Rod, Reel & Line Combo - The most common rod | | | | areas at the base of moderately sloped banks or |
| and reel combo set-up for slow rolling spinnerbaits | | | | points connecting with shallow spawning areas. Start |
| includes a 6.5-foot to 7-foot medium heavy action, | | | | working the deeper sections of the structure first |
| trigger stick (casting rod) with a quality baitcasting | | | | working towards the shallows until contact with bass |
| reel spooled with 12 to 20 lb. fluorocarbon line. The | | | | is made. |
| fluorocarbon line combines minimal stretch with great | | | | Taking the time to learn how to slow roll spinnerbaits |
| sensitivity and ultra-low visibility which can be | | | | through cover will allow you to literally drop your |
| important in the clearer waters of early spring. | | | | offering on the nose of some truly huge and very |
| - The Bait - Any spinnerbait is fine so long as it is a | | | | hungry bass looking to "power-up" before spawning |
| single spinnerbait attached to a light wire arm with a | | | | begins... |