UPDATES IN PROGRESS...
The knot you choose to tie is just as important. Go to the ‘knot’ portion of the page for more info on the right knot for your situation.
FLIPPING FOR BIG BASS
Bass fishermen often find themselves on a large body of water running from spot to spot looking for the most obvious structure to fish around, often over looking hundreds of yards tullies. Tullies can be prime big bass habitat.
Practice flipping a 1/2oz jig into a coffee can in your back yard before tossing your favorite jig away for good.
Once you can place a jig where you want it, start gently placing it into any small opening in the tullies it will fit. There will often be tullies matted up floating against the healthy tullies. These provide shade and cover for the bass to ambush their prey. Punch your jig through those mats and feed it line until you feel it hit the bottom.... shake it around a little bit, and if nothing, try the next little hole. Before you know it you'll be setting your jig onto the head of a monster, and WHAM! you're in for a fight!
SLOW DOWN
Whether it's slowing down your crank bait, or your retrieve on a plastic worm, be sure to slow down if the fishing gets tough. Play with different retrieves and you may just find the one the fish want!
SNAGGING SHAD
If you're snagging shad for bait, try using a larger hook if you're not already. A #2 or 1/0 trebel hook will work best. For added weight if needed, use a rubber core sinker. Remove the rubber, spread the weight open, and clamp it on the shank of the hook. Be sure to check your local fishing regulations, as in some areas it's illegal to snag shad.
Enjoy Life.
MATCH THE HATCH!
You may have heard it before, and here it is again.... "Match the hatch!"
This means if you catch a fish and it hacks up a bright red crawdad on the deck of your boat, chances are you should be fishing with a red crawdad...duh!
Bass and other species feed on different food through out the year, whether it's crawdads, or shad, or bluegill, pay attention to the simple things!
It’s important to pay close attention to the condition of your line, especially this time of the year when you may be fishing with lighter line. Feel the first six or seven feet of your line before you head out, and after you catch a fish for nicks in the line that could compromise its strength.
As the seasons change, so do the fish. Pay close attention to why, where, and what you are using in the next couple of weeks to catch fish. As the temperature drops, you may want to try switching to lighter line, slower falling baits, ect.
If you call yourself a catfisherman and you don’t use live bait, you need to reconsider what you call yourself.
Nothing works better for landing those big flatheads than live bait. To understand why live bait works so well, you need to understand what the diet of the flatheads consists of. They feed primarily of crawfish, bluegill, small carp and catfish, and other LIVE prey.
Goldfish work excellent for flathead bait. Hook them through the tail with a large circle hook and you’ll find out the advantages of using live bait.
One of the hardest things to do for many bass anglers is to slow down, and focus on your presentation. PRESENTATION PRESENTATION PRESENTATION. If there is one thing I've learned bass fishing that may give me the edge over the next angler, it is to focus on presenting your bait, regardless of shape and color, in a precise, delicate, and well thought out manner. Make repeated casts to heavy cover. Concentrate on making very little noise as your bait hits the water, and stay off of the trolling motor if you can. Some times fish are locked onto cover, and if you put your bait inches from there mouth WITHOUT spooking them, you should be able to trigger a reaction strike.
So bottom line is - Don't worry about the color, size, and shape of your baits so much. That extra little bit of 'purple flake' really didn't help you catch that last big one... the accurate presentation did.
Time of day makes a big difference as to what, when, and where the bass will be.
Pay attention to when you catch them, where you're doing so, and what they were eating. Many anglers even keep a log. Keep a note pad with information like time of day, date, bait used, conditions, ect.
By paying attention to these things, you can duplicate your success when you need to, and put more fish in your boat when it counts.
PEG YOUR SINKERS
Most people over look small items such as bobber stops in tackle shops, not knowing that they could be saving themselves a head ache in the future.
Bobber stops, or sinker stops are a simple way of 'PEGGING' your worm weights to your bait without stressing the line in any way.
They simply slide on your line before the weight and cinch down where needed.
The set up shown is a Berkley Chigger Craw combined with a 4/0 wide gap hook and a 1/2oz tungsten worm weight.
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