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