Braid is hot. We get it. Thin diameter, low stretch, low casting friction, maximum sensitivity on tight line, sure hook-sets. Heck, you can even get it in a color to match your truck!

But ease of handling with braid compared to the same situations with nylon or straight fluoro–with spinning gear–also does you a big favor. Braid use literally precludes reel damage caused by inadvertent loops of the razor-like “monos.”

And what I’ve found with a switch to braid is I’ve now been able to bring older reels back into service– (more…)

If I hear this one again, “How can someone get sponsorships?” I think I’ll take up sand painting. Don’t try and figure out how to get a sponsor. Instead, try and build an image, try to be the person the companies want to sponsor–which means, you have to be on their radar.

Every time I check in (more…)

Everybody who follows tournaments these days wants the results up before the winners get their trophies. But for those who want to reach a higher level competitively, they should really be much more interested in how the pros practice, not just what they caught on game-day.

No one has had a more lengthy and successful pro career than Quantum pro Gary Klein since he left Oroville to seek his fortune chasing bass. When he discusses “practice” or pre-tournament, on-the-water preparation, he says, “We have two types of anglers (more…)

Bass rods can cost a lot of money. And when we spend a lot, we expect a lot. But even when we don’t pay a premium price we still want a rod to last. Earlier today I made the drive to Bass Pro Shops to find a crankbait rod. Maybe I could have appealed to some manufacturer, but frankly, I’m going fishing tomorrow, so I couldn’t wait.

What I found were some nice-looking BPS Crankin’ Sticks so I went through the models to find something I could use with a range of medium baits. But as I was checking them out, (more…)

TRY DARK GREEN IN CLEAR GREEN WATER

Despite the research, my readings on the science of bass vision rarely hold up out on the water. I’m almost certain that water clarity (and the tints it assumes from a number of factors) plus the actual longitude and latitude of the waterway (and thus the relative influence of sunlight) all contribute to how the fish perceive the color of your lure.

Still,  in order to make quick angling decisions, it has always helped to have a working “rule of thumb” to count on. Lately, though, I’ve found that the old, Dark waters fish dark colors; clear water fish light colors isn’t enough. (more…)

Hey, there’s plenty of stuff I’d like to see adjusted in bass fishing. As for complaints, I could make a long list from slow launching to careless driving in the parking lot and from hole-jumping to GPS tagging out on the water.

But sometimes, nobody’s really sure what the consensus might be on larger subjects until we ask. So I’m asking. (more…)

The reason Yamamoto Custom can charge what they charge for 10 baits is the essence of capitalism. Guys want ‘em so they pay the price.

But when the bass are shallow, I see the fish far less discriminating, as long as that “cigar” tumbles in their front window. Whether fished with a longer shank, Texas-style Sproat or wacky rigged with a short shank hook, the biggest difference between the original, heavy salt offering and most of the others (even homemade) is rate of fall. (more…)

He wasn’t doing it just few seasons back, but Brent Ehrler, fresh from yet another nice payday, has actually made some changes in his finesse game and it’s making a big difference in performance. (Can you tell what it is from the photo?)

Whether he’s going with the drop-shot, shaky head or wacky jig, the secret is not the worm color or some other little wrinkle, but rather an upgraded tackle approach that allows him to incorporate longer casts, better sensitivity and abrasion resistance all in one. (more…)

How do you know when to leave a spot?

We hear it asked all the time and it’s usually by those who are looking for certainties in the game. Unfortunately, there really aren’t very many of those.

I can say with pretty good assurance that I know in my mind when it’s time to move. But trying to translate why I feel that way is tough. I can say this, though. How long I stay is based on my own expectations. (more…)

Like any topic, there is a long and a short version. Because new people continue to want information, I asked three-time U.S. Open winner Mike Folkestad to talk in the most basic terms about drop-shotting, a staple in the finesse fishing game.

It wasn’t easy, but I got him to condense the method into three key points. Interestingly, he says, those are: “Knowing what’s down there, positioning for control and developing your feel.” (more…)