Tag: spinning reel

Micro Jigs for Big Winter Bass

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Micro Jigs for Big Winter Bass

The jig has been a staple of bass fishing since before I was born, but there’s one category of jigs that I’ve become extremely fond of in the past half dozen or so years that doesn’t get a lot of love. They’re called “micro jigs” and while we’ve long had compact versions of flipping jigs and casting jigs, these aren’t just downscaled versions of those staples. They’re a category all their own, and while I carry them in my boat all year long they’re especially valuable in the winter. That’s because they excel in tough conditions, including cold water. They […]

The Beginner’s Guide to Rod Selection

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The Beginner’s Guide to Rod Selection

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 […]

The Best Rig for Spawning Bass

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The Best Rig for Spawning Bass

No matter where in the country you live, at some point during the spring the bass are going to be on the beds. Spawning bass can be really challenging to catch and I know that frustrates some of you, but I’ve got a system and technique that works just about everywhere. It drives them nuts. They’ve got to have it. I’m telling you, if you think that you suck at sight fishing, this is one bait you’ve got to try. There’s already been a lot of chatter about this lure, the soft plastic Berkley Gilly, a dead-on imitation of a […]

Blade Baits: Tackle and Techniques

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Blade Baits: Tackle and Techniques

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 […]

My World, with Marina Alex

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My World, with Marina Alex

In this week’s show I golfed and fished with Marina Alex, one of the best female golfers in the world. Actually, she might be the very best, or at least it looked that way to me. We golfed the first day so we’ll start with that. My first two swings were ugly. I missed the ball both times. Marina was helpful and on my third try I actually hit it and it went a ways. Most importantly, Marina didn’t laugh to my face. What may have happened back in the clubhouse might be another matter, though. After some instruction and […]

My World, with Jim Miller

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My World, with Jim Miller

The show this week was with UFC fighter Jim Miller. He’s a tough dude. I’ve been a fan of his for a while now, but I really didn’t have any idea of what it was all about, how technical mixed martial arts is when it’s practiced correctly. When he’s actually fighting, he looks completely disorganized. It’s like it’s just a bunch of arms and legs flopping around. In reality, though, it’s a number of carefully choreographed moves that he practices over and over so that when he needs one he’s ready to do it right, and his record shows he […]

My World, with Keyshawn Whitehorse

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My World, with Keyshawn Whitehorse

I worked with professional bull rider, Keyshawn Whitehorse, in the episode this week. It was interesting and might have been the most difficult physical activity I’ve ever tried. Staying on a bull is not for the weak or the timid. Keyshawn is currently ranked fourth in the country and 11th in the world. He’s a man of faith and a man who hasn’t forgotten his Navajo roots. He is someone we should all admire before we even consider his professional accomplishments. He describes riding a bull as a dance. He points out that they’re bigger, stronger and faster than we […]

My World, with Kyle Troup

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My World, with Kyle Troup

Last Monday My World aired with the show where I went fishing and bowling with PBA Players Championship winner, Kyle Troup. That title earned him prestige in his sport and $250,000. Bowling has come a ways since I bowled as a teenager drinking cheap, warm beer and eating cold pizza. I’ll tell you that. Anyway, we started off the first day at the Jersey Shore fishing for four species of fish — a flounder/fluke, a striped bass, a tautog and a sheepshead. We launched from Bay Front Marina in North Wildwood, New Jersey. We call it the Jersey Shore. Conditions […]

Tight line ‘em

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Tight line ‘em

This time we’re going to talk a little about tight lining an aspirin head jig. It’s a great way to use your electronics in cold weather to catch huge numbers of bass. Here’s how I do it: Cold water bass tend to suspend, and there’s no tougher bite than that. So what I do is move around likely spots watching my SONAR until I find a school of suspended bass. When I find them I drop a VMC Neon Moon Eye jig straight down off the bow of the boat. With quality electronics you can actually watch it drop down […]

Backwater Buzzbaits

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Backwater Buzzbaits

I had another experience fishing the Upper Mississippi River that I want to talk to everyone about. It was late summer when it happened but I think it’ll be pretty much universal as long as there are bass back in really skinny water. There were some places in the backwaters and sloughs that were super shallow — I’m talking less than 2 feet of water — that were holding a good number of keeper bass. The thing was, though, that they were so choked with thin, slimy vegetation and drift that had washed into the water that it was hard […]