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Berkley PowerBait Fresh Water Fishing Bait (All PowerBait Styles); Booyah Pond Magic; Yamamoto Senko Bait; Yamamoto 9-10-361 Senko Worm, 5' 10pk, Watermelon Red Magic; Senko Worm, 5', 10pk, Dark Pumpkin with Purple/Black/Emerald Flake.
DRAG A CREATUREIn many areas, largemouth bass are just starting to come out of their winter doldrums. Generally, their metabolism starts to increase and their diet changes from deep-water bait-fish balls to things like crawdads in shallower water.Depending on weather patterns and water temps, expect fish to move up and down in the water column, but also to start moving greater distances for baits. In short, they become aggressive.Now's the time to take advantage by creeping football head jigs, creature baits and worms across the bottom. Cast shallow to the bank and begin dragging the bait out to the boat. Keep your rod tip down.
Sweep it sideways, ever so slowly, staying in contact with rocks and other habitat. Assume the offering is being studied. Give them a chance to eat it. Don't pull it away too fast. Stop at about 15 feet and re-cast.Once you get bit, target that depth zone. I prefer custom jigs in March, with the heads painted brown and orange.
I use Reaction Innovations Smallie Beavers in natural colors for a trailer, and always split the tail at the seam.If I'm having trouble getting bit due to weather or targeting smaller fish, I'll fish just the Beaver on a brown football head jig, and fish it on a spinning rod with 8-pound fluorocarbon. Whether I'm bait-casting or spin-fishing, I'm tip-dragging a few inches at a time and sweeping the rod the same direction on hook-sets.
Submerged creek bottoms or drains in 10 or 15 feet are great areas to target, especially if the banks are flat directly above and the channel is only a few feet deep.When the crayfish imitator falls off the submerged bank and into the channel, the strike will typically occur. You might only get one chance at an early-spring bass, depending on water temperature and how things are trending in your area.2. DEAD-STICK WORMSThe water is mostly clear now, without major storms to muddy things up. Bass like to sun themselves and feed on shallow flats and points, but are typically spooky.Try making long casts to these sunny spots, and let your bait fall vertically on slack line. Watch your line until it quits falling and your bait stops.
Let it sit for a while before slowly reeling the slack out. Once the line is tight, gently lift it — not to move it, merely to see if a fish it holding it. If there's any doubt, set the hook. Click Here:If not, move the bait a foot and dead-stick it again.
Grab a sandwich from your lunch box. Retie your shoes. When you pick back up, there she often is. I like Texas-rigged Roboworms for this technique or Senkos in natural colors.
I use a spinning rod for both.I look for long tapering points, flats near deep water and 45-degree banks on the south-facing sides of lakes or creek arms. I'm just fishing for bass that want to be shallow. That's a small percentage this month, but they usually mean business when they slide up.Set the hook as soon as you bring the line tight. Keep a hook-remover handy.
This technique can hook a fish deep.Pro Adrian Avena: Big Bass on Big Worms3. DEEP-WATER REACTIONNot all of the fish are moving shallow to scavenge. Most are moving up and down with the sun and weather each day and still keying on large bait balls or stocked trout in open water. It takes certain conditions, proper baits and techniques to get these fish to fire, but execution can reap heavy rewards.Wind, mudlines or deep-water cover can increase your odds of cashing in on suspended fish. Use spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, cranks or Alabama rigs.Sometimes bass can get too good of a look at these gaudy baits in clear water.
But wind can mitigate that, disturbing the surface and creating the illusion of baitfish that are about to get away.Wind can turn on a bite like nothing else, even in winter. I landed three big fish in a winter tournament last season on an umbrella rig, mixing it in only when the breeze was sufficient. My co-angler hooked a nice fish in the wind at the same moment on a small swimbait. The fish were revved up. Click Here:The mudlines created by wind and waves or even boat traffic provide buffet-like conditions and new ambush cover for these predators. Slow-roll white or chartreuse blades through a mudline and into the clear water and, boom, there it is!
Sometimes fish relating to the horizontal limbs of submerged trees or snags can be coaxed out by running a motion bait slowly by.Suspending rip baits are a great choice this time of year, as well. Designed to dive and suspend at key depths, the right rip (or jerk) bait can be stopped in front of schooling bass long enough for them to stare. The next twitch of the rod tip might stop it cold with a hard-fighting bass.Find the right cadence.
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It might be jerk, jerk, pause or three jerks and a long pause, or just reeling down to depth and making an occasional twitch. Once you find what they want, give it to them again and reproduce that presentation in other likely areas of the water body.If your lake gets stocked with trout, don't overlook trout-style swimbaits or glide baits. Some bass will still be keyed in on that food source this month. It's normally the eye-popping big girls.4. DROP-SHOTDrop-shot rigs are a pain to tie if you're not familiar, but easy to fish. Any kid can drop one over the side of the boat and land bass.
And what started out as a deep, clear-water technique to target lethargic, suspending winter bass, has evolved into an ultra-versatile application.Typically, anglers use their fish finders to locate schools of fish and drop into them. An 18- to 24-inch leader (or drop) is tied below a small specialty hook and anchored by a pencil or tear drop weight.
Any aggressive fish in the school will hit the bait as it passes through or follow it down and bite.Sometimes you have to hold the line tight and motionless for several seconds or shake the bait in place to get bit. Setting the hook requires simply pulling up and reeling. Click Here:Experienced drop-shot anglers sometimes shorten their drop to 6 inches and actually cast toward shore and work the bait back.
The risk for hang-ups increases with this technique, particularly if there are submerged trees with horizontal limbs or large rocks. But it's a good way to get the bait down instantly and cover water in search of aggressive fish.Fishing through grass is easier and popular. You can even fish through heavy pads with the right setup. This form of 'power-shotting' has become popular in fisheries with big largemouth. Anglers use heavier line, a heavier (sometimes 1/2-ounce) drop-shot weight, and short lead.
The idea is just to punch through the grass vertically, tighten the line and then shake it a time or two.I had a co-angler catch a 6-pound largemouth on a drop-shot and Roboworm combo last season. It's not always about big baits. As my fishing buddy likes to say, 'Keep it simple.' Enjoy the madness!
At each Bassmaster Elite, Open and Classic we compile the best baits used by the top competitors. Here is a look at the locations and times of year that these baits worked best for them.
If you are planning on fishing a lake on this list, this is a great start to see what worked for the pros. Note: Some lakes border two states — we have generally chosen the state where the event was held for this list.Alabama. Lake Guntersville in late June should be a classic ledge fest, but the Elite Series pros had to adapt when it turned out it wasn't the case. Rising and falling water, post-frontal conditions, and postspawn largemouth and spotted bass. This tournament had it all and it took a mixed bag to win. Lures covering the entire water column from top to bottom were the difference makers.
Power-generated current and spotted bass have a symbiotic relationship during summertime. The bite goes hot during generation periods and turns cold during slack water.
Learn what lures worked best under both conditions. Periodic rains and warm water runoff inundated the lake to create ideal conditions for a prespawn largemouth bite.
These baits scored big for the top finishers as the bass moved in from deeper water. The offshore spotted bass bite was on as those fish were feeding on roaming schools of Blueback herring.
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There was a viable largemouth bite also in play. Top lures covered the gamut from shallow to deep coverage baits.Arkansas. Late spawning and mostly postspawn largemouth in a funk proved no easy ticket to winning.
No sight fishing. No ledge fishing.
Mostly junk fishing. Just grinding it out on a muddy, fluctuating Arkansas River. This double-header was all about spawning bass. During the first round the water temperature hovered in the high 50s, and then shot up into the low 70s by the final round.
Enhancing the spawning conditions was a full moon.Florida. A prespawn matchup showcased the trophy bass potential of this vibrant fishery. Wave upon wave of big females staged on transition areas in the main river, while more aggressive fish had advanced into the spawning areas. Cold front challenged? Nowhere else are those conditions any tougher than during winter on Florida impoundments. All it takes is a north wind to shut down the bite which happened at this event.
Anglers adjusted with numerous baits as reaction lures and slowly fished soft plastics dominated. A full moon and prespawn bass were a no-brainer for success on this trophy lake. Punch baits and finesse tactics proved the best mix for this matchup. The lake was in its seasonal prime with all spawning phases underway during the tournament. The lineup not surprisingly is dominated by heavy tackle and lures designed for fishing in heavy cover.
All phases of the spawn. An unseasonably sunny, warm mid-January in central Florida.
It all set up for remarkable fishing and the lake did not disappoint. Going to combat in heavy cover took the tackle and lures required to get the job done without fail.Georgia. Prespawn conditions for largemouth and especially spotted bass dictated choosing copycat baits mimicking the abundant baitfish in the lake, including Blueback herring and shad. Top lures were soft plastics fished on dropshot rigs and small swimbaits used to coax bass staging in deep water. Hunting big largemouth on the shoreline or going offshore for spotted bass gorging on Blueback herring. This fall matchup showcased topwaters, swimbaits, wacky rigs and dropshot rigs.Louisiana. A tough river bite during the dog days of summer proved the ultimate challenge during this tournament.
It took a lure lineup spanning the water column to gain success. From topwaters and crankbaits to soft plastics and spinnerbaits, all in play on the Red River.
The tournament played out in a river, along with hundreds of miles of coastal and tidal-influenced water. Junk fishing and patience paid off with myriad textbook summertime lures doing the trick. Need to sort through myriad options and dial into winter time bass on Toledo Bend?
This lure lineup shows you how. Guerilla bass fishing in the marsh summed up the top lures chosen by the anglers to coax fish from heavy cover.
From frogs and spinnerbaits to square billed crankbaits and worms, what worked in these coastal waters can work anywhere during summer. A lunar phase nearing the full moon.
Big bass staging on textbook transition areas between deep water and the spawning areas. Some fish already in spawning mode. When bass are on the move in spring making wise lure choices is a must. Punching mats with heavy tackle and baits to match the mission are a must in this swampy fishery. Think outside the box with these lures that dominated a fall tournament on a tidal fishery.
Crankbaits and jigs capable of penetrating heavy cover proved the best choices in this post-flood event. The winner used an ultra-deep crankbait and the runner-up a pair of topwater lures. From shallow to deep and in between the fish fell to lures capable of working the entire water column.Maryland.
You could nearly fill a tacklebox with different types of lures used in this summertime contest on a tidal fishery. High tide, low tide and in between required versatility to keep a pattern alive. When the going gets tough on a tough tidal fishery it takes changing to conditions. And going junk fishing. Find out how to match lures with this run-and-gun tactic that proved most productive.Michigan. A simple old school tube jig was the winner’s choice, but topwaters and swimbaits worked too in this smallmouth whack fest on one of the nation’s top fisheries.Minnesota. Need ideas about which drop shot lures work best in fall?
Look no further than in this gallery. The deep water rigs were the top choice of the winner and best finishers. Drop shots, jerkbaits and crankbaits. They all caught smallmouth, from shallow to deep in this early fall smallmouth fest.Missouri. Fall transition was the buzz word of the week. The fall transition was in full swing, and that made intercepting bass movements the name of the game. See what lures were used to home in on the moving fish.
The winner had success fishing in water up to 50 feet and throwing a finesse swimbait to bass holding in standing timber over 25 feet of water. Find what choices worked best in this textbook scenario for a highland lake.Mississippi. Unseasonably warm weather, rain, cold fronts and a full moon. That all happened in this textbook prespawn event with the bass on the move. Find out what lures worked best to intercept them in this early spring lure lineup. Shallow patterns ruled the week on this lowland reservoir. From buzzbaits and spinnerbaits to frogs and plastics, use these lures to dial into bass in all spawning phases.New York.
Largemouth and smallmouth. You could choose one or both to weigh-in at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake. Check out the choices and rig up for summer. Another smallmouth whack fest unfolded at Bassmaster Magazine’s Top Bass Lake for 2019. Take a closer look at the Top 10's lures from this exciting Elite event. Drop shot rigs ruled at this summertime event when the big smallmouth were tightly school on offshore structure, seeking baitfish swept past by the current.
Check out the choices and rig up for summer. Offshore smallmouth staged on current breaks was the setup for this contest. Drop shots worked best and you can tell by the lures chosen by the top finishers. Topwaters early, drop shot rigs later in the day. Both worked for smallmouth out deep and largemouth up shallow in a derby that showcased how lure choices can be matched to the conditions for both bass species. Smallmouth in feeding mode on offshore humps where the baitfish spawned and schooled, making them prime for getting ambushed by hungry predators. Jerkbaits dominated and you can see why in this show-all lure gallery.
Sight fishing or staying offshore and focusing on luring bass from grassy shoals. Both patterns were in play in this summertime event that showcased the best lures for smallmouth in such conditions. “I had about 20 rods on the deck.” You heard that a lot in this summertime derby that took a lot of lures and patterns to get the job done right. Find out the narrowed-down choices that can work for you in the summer.North Carolina. Spinnerbaits and topwaters filled in where drop shots did not at this postspawn tournament on an urban fishery that receives lots of pressure.Oklahoma. What began as a prespawn bite for staging bass ended as a shoreline slugfest for spawners. No secret baits ruled the week, just a textbook lineup of springtime favorites chosen by the top finishers.
Prespawn bass moved inshore each day on this river that is known for its productive backwater areas and main river channel ledges and flats. Reaction baits ruled the week and you can see the choices that can help you be successful. Largemouth in the fall transition dictated the lure choice match their mood. That was feeding on roaming baitfish from shallow to deep. The tournament was dominated by anglers flipping an abundance of flooded vegetation, but there were other tactics in play. Most notably the anglers choosing to find alternatives to the flipping bite. See what their choices were and add those to your summertime arsenal.
The fish were in a late-summer funk when 75 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers headed to Tenkiller. Find out how the top finishers approached the finiky bass who were shallow, deep and all points in between.South Carolina. Stay close and fish backwater areas in a river or make a 100-mile run to nutrient-rich waters in a brackish fishery.
Find out which approach worked the best and the lures used to emerge most successful. A weeklong wacky rig fest for spawning largemouth. Not surprisingly the top lures were dominated by finesse tactics. See which rigs worked the best and use them for spawning conditions on your favorite lake.
Rods piled up on front decks of anglers boats provides a clue on what it took to be successful in this spawn matchup. Not surprisingly junk fishing was a popular pattern, and so was using lures to match the tactic. Vibrating jigs were the ticket for the Top 3 finishers. From there it was a wide variety of springtime lures used to be successful on this tidal bass fishery. Sight fishing and a Blueback herring spawn were in play in this springtime spawning matchup.
Drop shot rigs and swimbaits ruled as a result.South Dakota. Drop shot rigs and swimbaits ruled the week in this summertime tournament when the fish were schooled in deep and shallow water.Tennessee. Rising and falling water. Warming, stained and clearing water. Lots of rain and post frontal conditions. All were in play during a prespawn tournament held under challenging conditions. Choosing lures to match the changing conditions proved most beneficial to the top anglers.
Choose the lake or venture far up into the headwaters. You could do both but choosing the right baits to match the water conditions was a must at this early fall tournament.
Prespawn, postspawn and even shad spawn. All were in play as the lake’s famous ledges were cold and the shoreline action was hot. The cooler, current- and nutrient-rich waters of the barely navigable upper lake was the ticket for the winner and top finishers.
Reaction and finesse lures were the top producers. Sight fishing and spinning tackle.
Add that pattern and tackle together for the sum of how the anglers fished in this tournament underway during the spawn. High-definition screens with high tech features made this event a “video game” fishing kind of tournament. Find the fish, dial into them with the right bottom coverage baits.
That sums up this wintertime tournament.Texas. A shad spawn early, tracking down postspawn bass later in the day. That meant topwaters and reaction baits to catch the biggest bass swimming in this trophy impoundment. One hundred bass days. Largemouth caught from inches of water to 40 feet deep. You could do it all in this tournament held during the spawn. Postspawn largemouth on the move with the fish circulated throughout the water column.
What to use when the bite is so wide open? Find out the top choices and use them on your favorite lake. All phases of the spawn, plus a shad spawn and rising temperatures provided plenty of options for the tournament week.Vermont. Wacky rigs and drop shots proved their versatility in this tournament held when the bass were schooled on offshore structure.Virginia. A sluggish bite during the dog days of summer on a tidal fishery. If you are faced with such challenging conditions get a primer on where to start with these lures chosen by the top finishers.Wisconsin. Bass fishing went to the frogs in a tournament held during high water that flooded backwater areas and had the fish scattered throughout.
Post-front conditions following heavy rain made this matchup a challenge. Current played a role in the patterns and lure choices of the top finishers.
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