I’m back with a topic that gets a lot of anglers fired up, and honestly, a little intimidated too. We’re talking BIG glide baits. Not your 5-inch, 6-inch, even 8-inch swimbaits. I’m talking magnum stuff…10 to 12 inches. Yeah, those giant baits that make you stop and say, “Man, that thing’s huge!” But here’s the deal, guys, there are times when that oversized glide bait will absolutely outfish the smaller ones. Not a little bit. I’m talking visibly, noticeably better. So don’t let the size scare you. Let’s break down when and why you want to go big. First thing […]
Let’s talk about one of the biggest debates in bass fishing, fluorocarbon versus monofilament fishing line. Which one is better? The truth is, you need both. Just like rods, reels, and baits, fishing line is a tool, and the key is knowing when to use each one. Certain situations call for fluorocarbon, and others call for monofilament. The goal is simple: pick the line that makes your bait work better and helps you catch more fish. Today I’m going to break it down into four scenarios that will help you decide when fluorocarbon wins and when mono takes the lead. […]
Today we’re talking about something that can absolutely help you catch more bass and that is how to pick the right style craw! Now listen, soft plastic crawfish baits are one of the most important shapes in bass fishing. Outside of stick baits and minnow-style baits, nothing has changed the game more than a craw. Why? Because bass LOVE to eat crawfish. It’s that simple. They live around them. They hunt them. They crush them! The other thing I love about a craw shape is versatility. You can Texas rig it, flip and pitch it, you can punch heavy mats, […]
I’m going to share with you a technique that flat-out catches fish when the water is cold! When most anglers think about a blade bait, they think deep water like 10, 20, even 40 feet down in the winter, and that absolutely works. But here’s something a lot of people overlook: that same metal blade bait can be just as deadly in shallow water when the water is cold. I’m talking 10 feet or less, and many times only 2 to 5 feet. The biggest reason this works so well is pressure. Almost nobody is throwing a blade bait shallow. […]
Listen, I’m gonna say something that might get me in trouble with the old guard of bass fishing. Are you ready? I’m giving up the goods on a technique, a method, that’s been hush-hush for way too long. This one’s been kept in the vault. I’m talking lock and key, man. One of those techniques that guys have been doing on the down-low, never wanting the cat to get out of the bag, but guess what? I’m cracking it wide open right now. We’re talking about skipping a buzzbait under stuff! Now listen, if you’ve ever fished a buzzbait before, […]
I am so pumped to be talking to you about this one today because it is timely, it’s the perfect time of year for this technique. We’re talking jerkbaits. Yep! One of the best lures out there for getting reaction bites. And today, I’m going to show you how to modify your jerkbait to catch more fish. Now let’s start with the basics. A jerkbait is one of those lures that just triggers fish. It’s that erratic side-to-side movement…boom boom boom…that gets those fish to follow. And the pause… oh man, that pause is where the magic happens. […]
Over the past few months, the Berkley Cull Shad soft swimbait has gotten a lot of buzz. Even before it was introduced, a lot of guys at the pro level were experiencing some big catches on it and the cat got out of the bag early. (Pre-order Now Available.) First, the basics. It comes in two sizes. There’s a 6-inch model for when bass are feeding on smaller forage like little shad, herring and juvenile perch. There’s also the Big Mama, an 8-incher for when they’re eating gizzard shad, big shiners, trout, hitch and other larger bait. Both […]
Most bass anglers know about fluke-style soft plastics. They can be deadly from coast to coast in a variety of circumstances. However, most of them rig it in a similar manner. What I want to tell you about today is a rigging method that’s new and which gives these already-effective lures a unique side-to-side action. It’s something that’s super easy to do, and you probably already have the components in your garage or your boat. Start with a simple soft plastic jerkbait in a reasonably large size—4-, 5- or even 6-inches. I like the Berkley Powerbait Jerk Shad, but there […]
In my last column, I outlined five of my favorite power fishing lures for winter bass. There are times when power fishing is the deal and you can use baitcasting gear to force the bass to react. However, as the weather gets frigid, and water temperatures drop into the 40s or even the upper 30s, bass often become tight-lipped and lethargic. When that happens a spinning rod and light line can really change your day. Here are five of my favorite finesse options for those conditions. This first one probably isn’t much of a surprise if you’ve followed me over […]
One of the coolest ways to catch bass is with an Alabama Rig, also known as the “A Rig.” If you’re a fan of it like I am, you already know why it’s so good. The term that I often use is that it mesmerizes them. It really does. Out of the water, that contraption looks bulky and complicated, but in the water, it comes alive. It’s one of the best baits ever made to mimic a school of baitfish. The one downfall of the traditional Alabama Rig is the limited number of places where you can fish it. With […]
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