In the first part of my Ultimate Spinnerbait Series, I outlined when and where I use different kinds of spinnerbaits. It’s one of the greatest categories of lures ever made, but if you don’t dial in the proper retrieve, having the right blade style, color and other components really doesn’t matter. The good news: with three basic retrieves, you can maximize your effectiveness. I tailor them to the different zones of the water column – top, middle and bottom – and by thinking of it that way, you can really improve your game. For the top of the water column, […]
If you’re a guide or an experienced tournament fisherman, you might have five, 10, 20 or even 30 fishing rods already. But what about those of you who are just getting started? Maybe you’re a kid or someone who just wants to make a few casts in a neighborhood pond. Or perhaps you’re on a limited budget. You don’t need to have that many, but you do need to make sure that whatever you get is versatile. Before I dive into adult options, let me discuss rods for kids. This is really easy. For younger children, get a spinning or […]
Last time we reviewed blade baits by looking at the lure in detail. Now we’re going to talk about what tackle to use and how to fish them. For starters let’s review the holes and clips on the back of the lure. It doesn’t make much difference whether you use a clip, a split ring or a swivel on a blade bait. They’ll all work. I like clips and snaps because you can change holes on the fly easy. Split rings are a little harder to take off and put back where you want them, especially with cold fingers. The […]
Here we go: This is the last of my three-part series on heavy metal baits for wintertime fishing. It’s going to cover the venerable spoon. It’s a lure that’s been around for hundreds of years but it still catches bass. We’re not talking about just any spoon, though. It’s winter. The water is cold. I’m talking specifically about a flutter spoon. It’s the perfect imitation of a big dying baitfish. The one I like the best — it’s elongated, cupped and for the most part already tricked out — is the Molix Mike Iaconelli Lover Spoon. It comes in a […]
OK, so the water’s cold and the air is even colder. I don’t care. I want to go fishing. And, I want to catch some bass so I’m going to break out my jerkbait box. They’re one of my go-to baits for right now. But, I don’t carry just one size, shape or type. No, I carry a whole collection of them. The differences between them might be subtle, but they’re important. Let me say it again: Subtle differences are important in cold water. Don’t forget that! I carry at least three different ones for three different sets of conditions. […]
It won’t be long and the water will start to cool. That means early in the cycle the bass will have a tendency to suspend. Later on it’ll get really cold. A lot of anglers struggle under these conditions. But, that is not necessary. Success is all about fishing with the right lure combination and setting it up correctly. One of the best ever lure combinations for suspended bass and cold water conditions is the A-Rig. Nothing puts them in the boat like it. They look crazy when you first see them. There are wires and spinners everywhere. You’d think […]
Hot weather, deep water?? Go with a crankbait.
At this point it’s postspawn or early summer almost everywhere. That’s important because fish are totally controlled by their environment. They’re slow when the water’s cold and they’re active when it’s warm. The water’s warm right now, and that means they’re active. They need to eat. When they’re active and feeding heavily there are lots of ways to catch them. One of the best — big fish and explosive action — is on top. And, there’s not a better pair of topwater plugs to do that with than a buzzbait or a walkin’ stick. The reason I picked these two […]
After some street fishing in Paris late this summer, we moved on to Spain. We — Becky, myself and the youngest kids — spent a couple of days in Madrid before I fished the Soner Euro Cup on Lake Cigara near Madrid. My partner and I won it! How cool is that? The Euro Cup was a really exciting experience for me. There were something like 125-130 boats with two man teams in them. As best I can remember there were something like 25 or 30 countries represented, some of them from thousands of miles away. And, as you might […]
A bait that’s really started to shine over the past few years is the squarebill crankbait. Their shine is well deserved, too. They catch bass in heavy cover when they’re shallow, and there are always a few good ones shallow regardless of the season or the weather. Squarebills will create a true reaction bite and often catch bass when other lures won’t. My favorite is a Rapala Balsa Xtreme BX Brat Squarebill. It’s made from balsa, and that’s a good thing. It floats high and has that unique vibration that only balsa can produce. But because it’s covered with a […]
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