When anglers think about fishing a tube they usually think about dragging one along the bottom while looking for smallies or, in some situations, flipping and pitching them into heavy cover for largemouth holding tight. But when I think about fishing a tube — at least some of the time — I think about snapping it. It’s a super efficient technique when you want to target deep bass that have seen every crankbait and every jig that’s ever been made. […]
I’m frequently asked about using spinning or casting tackle. Anglers want to know what they should be using when they go fishing. The answer, of course, is that there is no answer. You can catch bass with either type so you should always use what you feel comfortable with given the way you fish and your level of experience. I will, however, tell you what I use — when and why. If my lure weighs less than 1/4 ounce I […]
When I’m talking about big worms I’m talking about ones anywhere from 8 to 12 inches long. And, in my case I even have some custom ones that are around 15 inches. All my worms, other than the custom jobs, are made by Berkley. I have used their Powerbait Power Worms exclusively for years. The reason is that most big worms are round. Power Worms have a flat side on them that’s about a quarter of their circumference. That’s just […]
In many waters, summertime bass fishing means deep bass fishing, and deep often means 20 feet down or more. Getting bass to bite at that depth isn’t so much of a problem. We can do that. I mean, they still have to eat. The real problem is getting something down to them that looks realistic, something they’ll bite. I do that with the Molix Mike Iaconelli Lover Spoon. Over the last few years — maybe six or eight — structure […]
Tackle storage isn’t the sexiest topic we can talk about. Nevertheless, it’s important. Knowing what you have with you and where it’s at can mean the difference between catching bass and not catching them. I’ve been frustrated with ordinary storage boxes for a number of years. They work OK for some things but little things can be a problem. The dividers slip up and terminal tackle like small hooks, split rings, snaps, swivels and nail weights get mixed up and […]
I love to drop shot but I don’t love line twist, and that’s one of the biggest problems with drop shotting. That’s too bad because on tough days a drop shot is one of the most effective ways to put one in your livewell. With that in mind, I set out to solve that problem. That shouldn’t come as any surprise to those of you who know me or who have followed my career. I tinker with everything and, thanks […]
It’s the postspawn all around the country and with that comes a topwater bite. The thing is, though, sometimes a noisy, splashy topwater plug runs them off rather than fills the livewell. When that happens I go subtle. That means I reach for a Berkley HAVOC Subwoofer. It’s a unique bait in that it has a short (4 inches), fat body with a classic cut tail that’ll move a lot of water when you crank it fast. And, you can […]
I have to make a confession here. I hadn’t thought about Rapala’s Original Floater in forever — until recently. I had them, for sure. I’d just been using other baits. But then something happened that reminded me of why I should put a handful of them in my boat. I was fishing with another pro angler who was wearing me out with a floating jerkbait. His was made by another company. Nevertheless, watching him I was reminded of my Original […]
You don’t hear much about them anymore. I really don’t understand that because they’ve been a staple in my fishing since 1998. It’s true that there are new plastic designs coming out every day, if not every hour. But that doesn’t make any difference to me. I never leave home without a few sacks in my truck or in my boat. I’m talking about a simple, old-fashioned 6-inch lizard. There’s a good reason for that. They catch fish. Some guys […]
We don’t hear much about monofilament line anymore. That’s understandable in some ways, I suppose. Fluorocarbon and the new braids are taking over. However, the real story is much more complicated. Monofilament still has a place in serious bass fishing, even if it’s a somewhat limited one. The reason it still has a place in our sport is because it has some qualities that, when put together, no other line can duplicate. For openers, it’s buoyant. It floats. Another thing […]