Author: Mike Iaconelli

The VMC Skirted Neko

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The VMC Skirted Neko

The Neko rig has pretty much taken bass fishing by storm, and for good reason. It gives plastic baits a different, more natural look as they fall and as they move along the bottom. I am the biggest ever fan of the Neko rig. I’ve caught bass with it all over the country. But, like everything else in bass fishing I knew it could be made better. And so, with my partners at VMC, we developed a skirted weight that’ll add a different look to your lure, regardless of which one you choose to rig with this bad boy. We […]

The Absence of Color

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The Absence of Color

Have you ever wondered why so many bass fall for a black or black and blue jig? I have, and I think I know why. Black, along with black and blue, is really the absence of color. It’s nothing more than a shape or a silhouette to the fish that’s looking at it. They really don’t see much of anything when it comes to color. At the same time, though, they see everything. The silhouette gives them what they need to aim and to time their attack. I also think that a part of the attraction is that almost every […]

It’s Buzzbait Time

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It’s Buzzbait Time

From now until winter, buzzbaits will prove to be some of the most effective lures you can throw. They are good in a wide variety of cover situations, or when there’s no cover at all, and they’re easy to fish. This is the way I see it… My preference in buzzbaits is the Molix Lover Buzz and the Lover Buzz SS. They’re a little different from any of the others that are around. Instead of having a sharp bend down with a wire back to the shaft it has a short bend down and the wire drops right into the […]

Where’s Ike? Hello, Orange, Texas

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Where’s Ike? Hello, Orange, Texas

Hello, Orange, Texas. As some of you have probably already picked up on thanks to my social media, I’m glad to be reporting to you from the Texas/Louisiana border, and a little piece of water known as the Sabine River. Yep! I’m heeeeere! It’s taken some creative scheduling, a little awkward travel, and a helluva lot of luck, but I’m happy to confirm that I’ll be fishing this week in the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine. And I have to be straight-up honest: as of two weeks ago, I was totally out of this tournament! Let me explain […]

The Shallow Shad Rap

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The Shallow Shad Rap

We all know about the Rapala Shad Rap. It’s one of the all-time great lures, one of the best ones ever made to be blunt about it. But, you don’t hear so much about the shallow version of this bait. You should, and you should have a handful of them in your boat at all times. We’ll deal with “all times” first. Too often this lure is thought of as only a shallow, clear water lure. I’ve caught bass on them in muddy water and in water that’s 20 feet deep when the bass are suspended or when they come […]

River Smallies

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River Smallies

Going Ike! shot some film recently with Fletcher Shryock on the Upper Susquehanna River. It should be up right now. We were chasing smallmouth, and did we ever catch them. In just five hours we caught 110 bass. That is getting on them. Our approach was pretty simple and straight forward. When we were casting into the current and bringing our lures back with it, we fished a homemade Ned rig. When we were casting with the current and bringing our lures back against it, we fished jerkbaits. I made my Ned rigs with a VMC Finesse Half Moon Jig […]

Fish Wake Baits This Spring

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Fish Wake Baits This Spring

Wake baits are seriously underfished. I really don’t know why because they are super good in the early spring and the late fall. The forage is up in the water column. That means the bass are up, too. Wake baits are an obvious choice. My idea of a wake bait is any lure that runs right under the surface on down to about a foot or thereabouts. Hundreds of lures fall into that category, but my favorites are the Rapala DT Fat Crankbait, the Rapala BX Balsa Waking Minnow and the Storm Waking Crank. All three baits give you a […]

The Umbrella Rig

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The Umbrella Rig

If you’re even half-serious about bass fishing you should learn to fish the umbrella rig. It’s somewhat controversial but in the end it’s a real fish catcher, controversy or not. However, let me give you a warning before we go any further. Some tournaments allow it, some don’t. And, the number of hooks that you’re allowed to have on one rig or rod varies widely from one state to the next. Make sure you know the rules before you start throwing it. Another thing: Right now, on Going Ike! I’m fishing one with Britt Myers. Check it out if you […]

Jiggin’ Spoons

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Jiggin’ Spoons

I’ve been out in San Diego, California, doing some saltwater fishing for my new TV show. We’ve been using jigging spoons, but in two ways besides just letting them fall to the bottom and then jerking them up or snapping them at a predetermined depth. So, for this blog the term jigging spoon is a little misleading. Early in the morning when the baitfish are up on top we’ve been casting them out and holding the rod tip real high as we cranked them back with an occasional twitch of the rod tip. They work really well for that kind […]

I Fish the Neko Rig

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I Fish the Neko Rig

Last week at the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods I fished the Neko rig. I didn’t finish all that high but I did catch several bass that I wouldn’t have caught any other way. So, I thought it was worth sharing. The Neko rig is a super successful technique because it mimics the real thing. When it’s fished right it kind of pecks along the bottom. That’s exactly what real baitfish do when they’re feeding. They put their tails up and then they just peck, peck, peck as they move across the bottom eating whatever they […]