| One of the most effective ways to catch huge | | | | slight pumping action of the rod as you reel, keeping |
| prespawn bass in lakes and rivers are lipless | | | | contact with the bait. If it hits a rock, weeds, or other |
| crankbaits. These baits are especially effective when | | | | structure, hesitate a second, and then rip it off quickly, |
| the water temperature is between forty-nine and | | | | and reel it in with a steady retrieve. You can also |
| fifty-eight degrees, especially in stained or muddy | | | | yo-yo the bait similar to a spoon or spinnerbait in |
| water in lakes and ponds, but it also works well in the | | | | deeper water near points and drop-offs, which can be |
| rivers. Some of the techniques outlined below will help | | | | extremely effective in colder water or on inactive fish |
| you catch bigger bass all over the country in the early | | | | that are suspended. Most of the time in water below |
| spring starting in March, and peaking in April"TYPES | | | | fifty-eight degrees they hit very mushy, like grass or |
| OF BAITSThere are are variety of lipless crankbaits | | | | leaves, or even like you are snagged on a small |
| on the market that catch bass, but in the spring, in | | | | branch, but most of the time it is a bass.As they get |
| most lakes and ponds, in the Northeast, the Rat-L-Trap | | | | close to the boat they will see you and make a dash |
| by Bill Lewis Lures, the Rattlin' Rapala, Lucky Craft, and | | | | for the trolling motor, and down to deeper water, |
| the Ambush Stealth Diver, are some of the best. All | | | | sometimes even breaking the surface to throw the |
| lipless crankbaits have a different sound. Some are | | | | lure. The bass have to played very carefully as lipless |
| much louder than others, and will produce bass when | | | | crankbaits come out of the bass's mouth much more |
| some other quieter baits won't. At other times, the | | | | easily than you might imagine. Most of the bass will be |
| more quiet rattling baits will produce better. You just | | | | in the shallower water off the flats, near deeper water, |
| have to experiment with several baits until you find the | | | | rip-raps, if available, or any place where there are |
| ones that are producing best in the particular body of | | | | baitfish and/or cover near the north shore or bay, |
| water you're fishing. Sometimes the same baits, in the | | | | close to food sources, near their traditional spawning |
| same size, by the same company, make slightly | | | | areas.EQUIPMENTI like to use spinning gear for the |
| different sounds that can be better than the other, and | | | | smaller 1/4 ounce baits, and I use baitcast gear for the |
| experimentation is the only way to find which bait | | | | larger 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounce baits. I use a 7 foot spinning |
| works the best. Some baits won't run as true at | | | | rod in medium action for the smaller baits, so as not to |
| different speeds, and they turn sideways a little more | | | | pull the bait from their mouths, usually a S- Glass rod, a |
| than others, so you just have to watch them in the | | | | G.Loomis Cranking Stick, or a "Kistler" rod. In the |
| water, and find the best ones. The hooks should | | | | baitcasters, I use a 7 foot, medium to med/heavy rod, |
| always be changed to a premium hook system such | | | | with a high speed reel, but many people prefer a good |
| as Daiichi or X-Point. There are many other great | | | | reel in a 5:0:1 or 5:3:1 gear ratio. I always use P-Line or |
| hooks, but I prefer these. Most of your lipless | | | | McCoy in ten to twelve pound test, but eight pound |
| crankbaits should be used in a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce size, | | | | test is preferred by many. Stren is also a good line for |
| but recently, bigger bass in the Northeast and in Florida | | | | this. Fan cast the baits in as many directions as |
| have hit the larger Salt Water Traps in the 3/4 to 1-1/2 | | | | possible in the prime areas such as the mouths of the |
| ounce sizes.COLORS OF BAITSThe best colors for | | | | back bays with creeks, where grasses and riprap are |
| the spring, especially if you have a lot of crawfish in | | | | on a harder bottom, and you will start picking up some |
| the lake, are red, red/orange, and other variations of | | | | of these monsters this spring. A good scent on the |
| these colors. Some have spots on them and these | | | | baits, such as "Megastrike" can't hurt either.This year |
| are very effective. The standard chrome, and chrome | | | | we have had a tremendous amount of success early |
| with a blue back, and chrome and red, have worked | | | | in the year with the new "Stealth Diver" by Ambush. |
| especially well for the larger bass. If the water is | | | | This is a very innovative design that funnels water |
| extremely stained to muddy, we forund that the red, | | | | over the face of the bait and into a hole and out the |
| and the chartreuse/brown combinations work well in | | | | back. It creates a look and sound that most bass have |
| this kind of situation. If you have a lot of bluegill in the | | | | not seen before. All these baits are available in the |
| area, and less crawfish or shad, then the Bluegill | | | | Delaware Tackle store in Wilmington, |
| Suncracker patterns work very well. The primary | | | | Delaware.Sponsored by: GYCB |
| forage in the lakes are the best patterns, unless you | | | | (Yamamoto),TTI-Blakemore, Okuma, and Ambush |
| know that many anglers are aware of this, and are | | | | Lures.Steve is the owner of S&K Guide Service, and |
| using these colors also. Then switching to | | | | Co-owner of Delaware Tackle in Wilmington, |
| unconventional patterns can fool some of the wary | | | | Delaware. He also is a tournament angler,radio show |
| bigger bass. Again, we switch only the front hook to a | | | | host and producer, and freelance outdoor writer. He |
| "Bleeding Bait Hook" by TTI-Blakemore, (Daiichi), and | | | | has over 40 years of fishing experience in the |
| then change the back hook to the same brand but in | | | | Northeast, 5 years exp. in California. He has fished |
| the traditional nickel color.TECHNIQUESMost people | | | | freshwater and saltwater since 1962, and has devoted |
| just cast the baits out and reel them straight in. While | | | | to freshwater only since 1989. He has fished |
| this will always catch some bass, there are more | | | | tournaments from 1990 to the present, and won the |
| specialized methods that trigger strikes from the bigger | | | | Delaware State Sportfishing Tournament multiple |
| bass. Cast the Rat-L-Traps out, and depending on the | | | | times, registered a Chain Pickerel in 2000, just a few |
| depth of the water, count them down to the level of | | | | ounces shy of the State Record and a Largemouth |
| the fish before starting the retrieve, and if it is a sandy | | | | Bass caught in 1999, that was registered in the |
| and/or gravel/rocky type of bottom, let them sink to | | | | Bassmaster Lunker Club at 10.16 pounds, just 5 ounces |
| the bottom, then slowly raise the tip of the rod till you | | | | shy of the Delaware State Record. It also appeared in |
| feel the lure vibrating, reeling the slack up slowly, then | | | | a feature article by the "News Journal" (Gannett |
| lower the rod tip, and do it again. Many times they will | | | | Publications), and in all of Bass Pro Shops Master |
| hit as it is on the bottom, and first starts to be lifted up. | | | | catalogs for 2003. Steve is also the 1998 Big Bass |
| If these techniques don't work in a few hours, use a | | | | World Champ/De and in the N.A.F.C. "Hall Of Fame". |