| 3 Lures You Must Have | | | | attraction that bass can hear at considerable |
| Do you know what the top 3 lures for catching Bass | | | | distances. |
| are? Though there aren't any specific statistics, a | | | | Clear water - Cut down the size of the worm, line, |
| survey was conducted amongst the pro bass | | | | and sinker so that bass will have a harder time seeing |
| fishermen and it was found that plastic worms won | | | | the lure. |
| by a large margin. Second and third place were the | | | | Big vibe worms - Use a worm with a curly tail design |
| spinnerbait and then the crank bait. | | | | that gives off extremely strong vibrations. Try these |
| Did you know that the Evening Secret ( is THE most | | | | worms when your straight worms fail to score. |
| effective technique for swarming fish to your fishing | | | | Skipping - This is the only method to get under |
| spot? We use it all the time with EXCELLENT and | | | | overhanging branches. You need a spin casting or |
| CONSISTANT results. | | | | spinning rig because a level wind reel just doesn't |
| Picking one of these 3 is not enough, however. You | | | | ski8p well. Make a flat hard cast onto the water's |
| must take into account the lake you are fishing on | | | | surface so that it will make a low skip. This will reach |
| before you select your lure. Especially you must | | | | bass hangouts impossible to attain in any other way. |
| consider if it is better to cover a smaller segment of | | | | Ripping - This will surprise reluctant bass to strike a |
| water thoroughly or skim across a larger expanse as | | | | worm. Let the worm settle to the bottom and lie |
| quickly as possible to find fish. Using a worm is | | | | there for about 20 seconds. Reel slack out of the line |
| slower, but extremely effective and is very | | | | and pick up the worm with a long, sharp upsweep of |
| seductive to Bass. They do best when the fish are | | | | the rod tip. Let it settle to the bottom under tension |
| schooled over a particular structure. | | | | as you slowly lower the rod tip. Repeat for three or |
| Spinnerbait can be moved more quickly across the | | | | four rips. Strikes will come. |
| surface and can be bounced on the bottom, sent | | | | Drift trolling - move to the head of a deep hole and |
| against a tree limb and moved in many different | | | | let the wind carry you quietly across the lake while |
| ways in order to stimulate strikes. It is a great | | | | your worm crawls across bottom cover. Raise and |
| probing lure for the shoreline because of its | | | | lower the worm as it contacts bottom. Pickups |
| tangle-free construction. | | | | usually happen as the worm is being pulled off the |
| Crankbaits cover a lot of water in a hurry. Using | | | | cover. |
| them, you can check out a spot without wasting too | | | | Flyrodding - Fill a single action flyreel with backing and |
| much time. You can use them for locating fish that | | | | about 50 yards of 10-pound monofilament. Rig a |
| may be scattered. | | | | six-inch worm weedless and add a small split-shot |
| The bottom line is, whatever lure you select for the | | | | ahead of the hook so it will sink slowly. Either flip or |
| particular lake that you are fishing on, you need to | | | | flat-cast the worm into every pocket you see and |
| make it as easy for the Bass to get at it as possible. | | | | feed it line as it slowly settles to bottom. Keep the |
| Drop that lure right in front of them. Scientists have | | | | flyrod tip low so that you can make a long, sweeping |
| proven that Bass calculate the amount of energy it | | | | strike when you feel a bass inhale the worm. This is |
| will take them to go after the prey vs. the return. | | | | practical in ponds, lakes or streams. |
| Learn to fish all 3 of these lures effectively, and you | | | | Worm rig |
| will catch more than your share of big game Bass! | | | | One of the biggest problems with fishing a worm is |
| When to fish for bass | | | | the inability to sense strikes. Usually the inability to |
| Dawn and dusk are definitely when the biggest bass | | | | sense them is due to a sinker that is too heavy and |
| can be brought in. First, remember that bass love | | | | a line that is too thick. |
| ambush spots offering lots of cover from the | | | | Use a variable buoyancy worm using lead strip |
| baitfish. They like to hid, and pounce on their prey. | | | | sinkers. Here are some advantages: |
| These bait fish are most active in the early morning | | | | - No moving lead on the line to dampen the feel of a |
| or evening. When they feed, bass follow because the | | | | gentle pickup |
| baitfish are less aware of threats when they feed. | | | | - You can apply the precise amount of lead to deliver |
| Go out fishing during these times for the best | | | | the worm action needed |
| success - additionally you will have the water to | | | | - It makes it easier for a bass to inhale the worm |
| yourself as most anglers don't fish during these times. | | | | - It aids in hook setting |
| The first excellent lure to use is a plug that looks like | | | | - It's easier to shake loose from snags |
| a mouse - very productive. Also use a big spent-wing | | | | - You can cause the worm to hang virtually |
| moth made out of deer hair. Body and wings should | | | | suspended over the bottom when fishing shallow |
| be about the size of your forefinger. The idea is to | | | | water. |
| twitch it along as if it is injured and trying to get in | | | | To tell how much lead strip is needed, wrap one strip |
| the air. Other surface plugs that chug, waddle, or | | | | around the hook and bury the barb in the worm. |
| have spinners are usually productive as well as | | | | Ease it into the water and watch it sink, it should |
| buzzing lures that squeak. The most effective is a | | | | barely settle toward the bottom. If it sinks to fast, |
| slim-minnow lure (a floating diving type). It resembles | | | | take some off, etc. A slow decent is the ticket here. |
| an elongated minnow at rest on the surface, and the | | | | Make sure to use no heavier than 8-pound mono line |
| lure will dive quickly when twitched, and then pop | | | | - preferably 6 pound. |
| back up as if injured. | | | | Weather Matters |
| When retrieving an underwater lure in poor light, | | | | In the early spring and fall bass will smash top water |
| keep it coming at a steady pace once it is set in | | | | lures such as floating propeller types and poppers. |
| motion. This will make it easier for bass to locate and | | | | They are also likely to take surface lures when found |
| grab it. | | | | in shallow water, such as along shorelines near |
| The last thing is, don't bother going out in the dawn | | | | overhanging trees. |
| dusk when water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. | | | | As the temperature rises and the bass are in the |
| This temperature wipes out certain aquatics and | | | | cooler, deeper holes, change your technique. You |
| terrestrials, which nullifies the food chain feeding. | | | | need something to dredge the bottom. The plastic |
| Water Quality Considerations | | | | worm is ideal for this, even the most sluggish bass |
| You need to fish bass differently in different kinds of | | | | will respond when you drag one slowly past its nose. |
| water quality. Follow the general guidelines below to | | | | Crank baits |
| get better results. | | | | When fishing a tidal river for bass, cast crank baits |
| Muddy Water: In low-visibility water, a bass finds | | | | near the mouths of tiny feeder streams on the falling |
| food using its sonar senses. You must use lures with | | | | tide. Bass hang out where the water depth drops |
| the best vibration and noise. You can tell if a lure has | | | | off, waiting for crayfish, crabs and minnows to be |
| a high vibration by feeling the shaking of your rod as | | | | washed out. |
| you bring in the lure. Use your heaviest vibrators and | | | | Bait |
| keep them coming at a steady pace so that bass | | | | One of the best baits for small mouth bass in rivers |
| can detect it. | | | | is the hellgrammite, the larva of the Dobson fly. |
| Clear Water: Bass are overly cautious in clear water | | | | Gather these from beneath rocks in shallow riffles |
| with high visibility. Their survival instincts kick in, and | | | | with a mesh net or seine. Fish them on No. 4 or 6 |
| they are wary of anything out of the ordinary. Use | | | | fine-wire hooks, drifting them naturally through pools |
| lighter lines that are less visible. Also, use longer casts | | | | and runs below rapids. |
| and lures that resemble bass food in the area. | | | | A Trick Most Bass Fishermen Don't Know |
| Spinners usually work in clear water, but if they are | | | | First and foremost, most bass fishermen are not |
| not working try a black spinner blade to reduce the | | | | aware of The Evening Secret which is a special |
| flash. | | | | device that will bring feeding fish swarming to your |
| Normal Water: This water has normal algae and | | | | location on the water. It works like a charm. |
| plankton that filters out sunlight. It is ideal for all | | | | Cast a worm over a limber branch and reel it back so |
| types of lures, as the bass are not timid. Use the | | | | that its tail just touches the water. Then jiggle the |
| shotgun approach here and set up 3 outfits, one | | | | rod tip, making the worm squirm and wriggle just |
| using a surface lure, one using a deep diver, and the | | | | above the surface. Bass will often leap right out of |
| last using a plastic worm. Do about 10 casts with | | | | the water to snatch it. |
| each, and then switch them up to different variations. | | | | Night Fishing |
| This is a great way to find out what is working. | | | | Many anglers have the idea that bass do not see well |
| Fishing a Plastic Worm | | | | at night and won't strike. Although it is true that bass |
| Here are some techniques that you should consider | | | | cannot see well at night, but they have an amazing |
| for fishing plastic worms for bass in different | | | | ability to pick up disturbances on the water and hone |
| situations: | | | | in on unsuspecting bait. Given this, lures that vibrate |
| Turbid water - bass are sight and sound feeders, and | | | | will cause the most underwater disturbance and are |
| it is important to add turbulence to the plastic worm. | | | | most effective. You can also drill a small hole in balsa |
| Add a No. 3 Hildebrandt gold spinner just ahead of | | | | or plastic lures to place small BB's in them to make |
| the hook. This sets up a flashing, hissing, throbbing | | | | some noise. |