I know we live in the big bait era, and I really want to get in on it more. But unlike those fellows who are building up a career of fishing preeminence, I still get a lot of satisfaction in just getting bit. And along the way, when I get bit enough, sprinkled in are a surprising number of decent, if not quality fish in the mix.

Only I’m really not sure why, since a lot of the baits I rely on are pretty small: 4 inch worms and grubs and, of course, I give them a pretty good dose of plain old Road Runners. (more…)

THE PROS think 'big picture' in practice

Due to technology, we live in the great era of the waypoint. Just like the vacuum cleaner salesman who has your GPS coordinates, he also has access to your home address–but that doesn’t mean he’ll make his sales quota.

In a similar fashion, I see this great memory and mapping device, which clearly reduces “return time,” is creating some fallout. Where you’d think having such a tool would encourage the expansion of an angler’s scope, it seems to have the reverse effect. (more…)

Spinnerbaits are not all one thing, regardless of what anybody says. In addition to flash and vibration characteristics, things to consider include color (natural, opaque, fluorescent), wireform diameter and material, along with friction involving such things as blade size and cup, upright balance/head weight.

Yet, we have no real means to measure their relative value, so basically we’re stuck trying associate bites or fish caught with color, blade configuration, retrieve speed or something we feel is constant.

In clear water, the rules for success include (more…)

'SLOW FALL' IS IMPRECISE TERM

They sound the same, and some could argue, they mean the same. But when you’re talking lure presentation, there seems a difference between “sink rate” and those descriptions of a lure’s “fall rate.”

I don’t mean to split hairs. Bill Siemantel (Big Bass Zone, p 217) speaks of “fall rate” in discussing swimbaits that drop the through the water column more slowly, and as he puts it, “The longer it takes (more…)

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…)