blade bait – Ike's Fishing Blog

Top Four Baits for December

December 1, 2023December 1, 2023Mike Iaconelli 0

It’s December and I know that a lot of you are already looking forward to Christmas, but don’t overlook the fact that this time of year features some big fish if you know what to use. I’m going to give you four options – two for the north and two for the south, but realistically all four will work wherever you live. The first choice is especially effective up north as temperatures drop into the 50s, the 40s or even the high 30s. That’s when you’re chasing a true winter pattern. The fish are getting deeper, they’re keyed in on […]

Picking the Right Metal for Cold Water Bass

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023Mike Iaconelli 0

If you’re a hard core bass angler, you probably don’t stop fishing just because the water is cold, and you know that one of the best wintertime categories of lures is typically referred to as “metal.” That describes them perfectly, because all of them are simply a hunk of metal shaped to resemble a baitfish. They are the deal when the water is cold, and start to become a player when the water is mid-50s or lower. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t have at least one tied on under the right conditions, but it’s also critical to […]

Blade Baits: The Lure

February 4, 2022February 7, 2022Mike Iaconelli 0

From some time in the late fall through the early prespawn, a blade bait is one of the most effective lures you can throw. There isn’t much to them, just a chunk of metal and a couple of hooks. But don’t let that fool you. They do get the attention of the bass. My first introduction to them was back when I was a kid. We all had a Silver Buddy or two that we fished with, sometimes from shore but sometimes from a small boat. Back in those days we called it metal fishing. A Silver Buddy was a […]

Heavy Metal Blade Baits In The Winter

January 1, 2021January 1, 2021Mike Iaconelli 0

OK fish-heads, it’s getting cold and that means water temperatures in the 40s. When that happens I grab my box of metal blade baits before I head out to the water. They give me exactly what’s needed to generate reaction bites from lethargic winter bass — vibration, flash, finish, size and depth control. My favorite is the Molix Trago Vib Blade Bait. It has a flat nose which keeps it level on the fall but with a little bit of wiggle, and it has three line tie holes on its back so it’s really easy to change the action of […]

Another Look at Blade Baits

September 22, 2017September 22, 2017Mike Iaconelli 0

We’ve talked about blade baits in the past but I think we should take another look at them, especially now that we’re heading into fall. A lot of guys fish blade baits only one way. They throw them out, let them sink to the bottom, rip ‘em up as hard as they can and then let them fall back down on a slack line. You can catch a few that way. There’s no doubt about that, but there are other ways that’ll catch more than a few. I go with three basic techniques when I’m fishing a blade bait. The […]