Tag: wide gap hook

How to Tie a Non-Leadered Punch Shot (AKA, The Jika Rig)

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How to Tie a Non-Leadered Punch Shot (AKA, The Jika Rig)

One of the coolest soft plastic rigs out there is known as the “Jika” Rig, but what it really consists of is a non-leadered punch shot. They’re the same thing, but no matter what you call it, it falls somewhere in between a traditional Texas Rig and a Tokyo Rig – and there are times when it outshines them both. The great news about this rig is that you can make one at home without any hard-to-find components. In fact, you can build one in the time it takes to read this column. Start with your hook: You need one […]

How to Pack a Tackle Bag

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How to Pack a Tackle Bag

Starting out as an angler can often seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Part of my goal in creating this series is to make the learning process easier for beginners. In order to be efficient on the water, you have to learn to pack a tackle bag. It doesn’t matter if you’ll be fishing off the bank, from a kayak, in a jon boat or in a bigger boat – that bag is your tool box for a day on the water. Keep it simple by remembering that there are three main categories of gear: Terminal […]

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 […]

Modify Your Soft Jerkbait for More Bites

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Modify Your Soft Jerkbait for More Bites

I know it’s the middle of December and that means winter in much of the country. Nevertheless, the bass might not know that. They might be in their fall feeding patterns, especially where it stays relatively warm through the winter. And, if they are, one of the best ways to catch them is with a soft jerkbait. Here’s how I modify and rig my soft jerkbaits in the fall for maximum effect… It’s important to start with the right soft jerkbait. For me that is a Berkley Powerbait Jerk Shad. Size is simply a matter of matching the hatch. If […]

Side Rig Your Gilly

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Side Rig Your Gilly

The hottest new bait on the market is the Berkley Powerbait Gilly Swimbait. We won Best of Show at this year’s ICAST with it, and for good reason. This bait is unbelievable. It has it all — natural colors and a swimming action second to none. I’m telling you, you can’t tell the Gilly from a real baitfish when you see it in the water. Not only does the Gilly look and act like the real thing, it’s the right size, too. It’ll come in a 90 mm, 110 mm and a whopping 130 mm size for those of you […]

A Different Plastic Bait: Gilly

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A Different Plastic Bait: Gilly

We all know that there are hundreds — thousands — of plastic swimbaits available to bass anglers. Some of them are a little better than others but very few of them are really different, fundamentally different. But, this year at ICAST we’re introducing one that really is fundamentally different. It’s the Berkley Powerbait Gilly. I’m calling it a swimbait, but that doesn’t really do it justice. Most swimbaits are made to look like long and slender forage. They have a tail that faces down and up instead of being vertical like a real fish. And, maybe most important of all, […]

Bass Fishing with the VMC Spinshot Hook

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Bass Fishing with the VMC Spinshot Hook

I love to drop shot but I don’t love line twist, and that’s one of the biggest problems with drop shotting. That’s too bad because on tough days a drop shot is one of the most effective ways to put one in your livewell. With that in mind, I set out to solve that problem. That shouldn’t come as any surprise to those of you who know me or who have followed my career. I tinker with everything and, thanks to some first-class professional sponsors, some of my modifications actually make it to fruition. The VMC Spinshot Hooks are in […]

Subtle Topwater Fishing for Postspawn Bass

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Subtle Topwater Fishing for Postspawn Bass

It’s the postspawn all around the country and with that comes a topwater bite. The thing is, though, sometimes a noisy, splashy topwater plug runs them off rather than fills the livewell. When that happens I go subtle. That means I reach for a Berkley HAVOC Subwoofer. It’s a unique bait in that it has a short (4 inches), fat body with a classic cut tail that’ll move a lot of water when you crank it fast. And, you can do that with this lure because of the way the body is designed. It not only has a fat, shad-like […]