Bass Fishing - Havalon Knives

Bass Fishing
Insanely Simple & Effective
Ways to Catch More Bass
Author, Darl Black
Editor - Steve Sorensen
Managing Editor - Robyn Rex Reed
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bass Fishing Is Not About Luck
Pg. 3
Have You Tried “Shaky Head” Bass Fishing?
Pg. 9
What Kind of Fishing Line to Use
Pg. 14
How to Catch Spring to Summer Smallmouth
Pg. 19
Lake Erie Smallmouth
Pg. 22
Green Bay Area Smallmouth
Pg. 25
Fishing Smallmouth River Bass
Pg. 28
Here are My Lure Choices…
Pg. 30
Bass Stew Recipe
Pg. 34
Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Bass Fishing Is Not About Luck
If you’re making these mistakes, you’re depending
on luck to fill your livewell.
I’ve been wetting lines since I was old enough to hold a fishin’ pole. At about age
seven I caught my first big bass while fishing for bluegills. Using a dried-up piece of
nightcrawler on a rusty hook tied to kinky monofilament line on a clunky push-button
reel taped to a beat-up spinning rod, a 20-inch largemouth swam by and pulled my
bobber under. I jerked on the rod, the reel jammed, and I grabbed the line to pull the
bass onto the bank. I can’t imagine being so lucky today if I attempted to repeat
those same circumstances. Nothing but the fortunes of a young boy allowed that fish
to be landed.
With over 50 years of hands-on angling under my belt, I’ve likely made every possible
mistake – but learned to be a better bass angler in the process. That’s why I can say
with confidence that reducing these errors will boost your catch-rate substantially.
Here’s how to avoid seven of the most common pitfalls in bass angling.
Be sure to use a properly balanced
rod action/power and pound-test
line for a particular lure. You don’t
need a 10 rod arsenal as this bass
angler carries, but mismatching
rod, line and lure will result in
missed bass. Use lures suited to
your rod and line combination.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
1. Dull Hooks
Dull or bent hook points may be the angler’s
number one equipment error. Certain
hook manufactures love the pitch that their
trebles and soft plastic rigging hooks don’t
need sharpening. True, some of the latest hightech hooks don’t need sharpened right out of
the package – but they cost more. Rather than
pay dearly for those top end hooks, you may
decide to use quality standard wire hooks –
which definitely require sharpening.
Greatly reduce the number
of missed strikes and lost
fish by being sure your
hooks are sharp.
Either way, even the sharpest point becomes dull or bent after scraping rocks,
hanging snags and catching fish. Inspect hook points frequently (including new ones
right from the package) and either sharpen or replace any that seem questionable.
Here’s how to test sharpness: First check hook points visually. If its sharpness is in
doubt, then lightly press it against the side of a finger. If the point doesn’t prick or
stick to the skin, it isn’t sharp enough. Using a quality fine-tooth hook file, evenly
stroke the edges on cutting point hooks. Or, use a grooved sharpening stone to bring
a needle point hook to full sharpness.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
2. Mismatched Lure-Line-Reel-Rod
Since lures for bass fishing range
from as small as 1/16-ounce to more
than 1 ounce, one of the most
common equipment mistakes is
mismatched
lure
and
rod
combinations. Rods are designed to
be used with specific range of poundtest lines and lure weights, with the
information imprinted on the blank.
Varying too far beyond these
parameters can impede efficient
casting or even hook-setting ability.
For example, attempting to fish a
lightweight balsa minnow for creek
smallmouth with a medium-heavy
action casting rod spooled with 20pound test will yield very short casts
and possibly a line backlash on the
reel.
On the other hand, if an angler ties a
3/4-ounce flipping jig with stout hook
on a light-action spinning rod with 8pound test (a balanced combo for
that lightweight balsa), the result will
be ineffective hooksets or perhaps a
broken line.
Don’t fill your spinning reel spool to the
brink with line. Doing so is an invitation to
line spilling off the spool leading to tangles
and loops.
A properly filled spool should have at least
1/8″ clearance. When spooling fluorocarbon,
it’s best to leave 1/4″ clearance on spool lip.
3. Kinky, Improperly Spooled Line
It’s an easy mistake to make when spooling on line on a spinning reel. You fill the
spool with line right up to the very edge, thinking it will allow you to cast farther.
Instead, the too-full spool creates problems with line looping and tangling. To avoid
this, keep the line between 1/8 and 1/4 inch below the spool lip.
Monofilament and fluorocarbon will gradually deteriorate when exposed to sun over
time, so replace it annually. Also, line should be replaced anytime it shows signs of
taking on a “set” or becomes severely twisted due to certain lure presentations.
Superlines (braid & gel spun lines) have a longer life on the spool than mono or
fluorocarbon, but will eventually require replacement, too.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Dull hooks, mismatched equipment, and worn-out line might be obvious mistakes.
You might be less likely to think about the following four mistakes, but they’re not
less likely to be made.
4. “Cross His Eyes” Hook Sets
The old adage of “cross their eyes” with a powerful hookset is responsible for many
missed bass. Utilizing a flipping jig on heavy line for thick cover is one instance where
a power-set may be the best hookset. But fishing relatively open water with lighter
line and smaller hooks requires an appropriate reduction in force; attempting to
“cross their eyes” may snap the line.
Furthermore, certain presentations like drop-shotting or constant-motion baits like
crankbaits are best served with a slow sweep rather than a snap-set. Adjust your
hookset to the situation and you’ll connect with more bass.
5. Improper Use of a Landing Net
I have witnessed numerous bass lost beside the boat because of poor netting
technique. First, for reasons of safety, I elect to net any bass with multi-hook bait
hanging from its mouth. It’s a matter of respecting those trebles – it only takes one
head shake from a bass or slip of the hand as you attempt to grab it from the water to
ruin your day.
I use a rubber mesh landing net which eliminates hook entanglement as well as
reduces the chance of injury to fish which may occur when using abrasive knotted
nylon bag nets. Granted, rubber mesh nets are slow-moving in the water, but that
does not matter because the first two rules of netting are: (1) don’t chase the bass
with a net; (2) don’t jab and swoop.
Many bass are lost at side of
boat due to improper netting
procedure. Never chase a fish
with the net or jab at it; lead
the fish into the net head first.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Proper netting involves first gaining
control of the bass on the line beside
the boat. Have your boat partner
position the landing net at a 45-degree
angle with about three-quarters of the
bag below the surface. Guide the bass
into the net, head first, and then your
partner lifts the net.
6. Being Oblivious to
Your Surroundings
Failure to recognize what is going on
around you can cost you fish. Often, it’s
noticing the little things which will steer
you to active feeding fish. Everyone’s
head turns when they hear a big splash,
imagining it’s a bass jumping; but the
odds favor a carp breaking the surface.
On the other hand, a minnow skipping
on the surface with a barely noticeable
wake following is an indication of a
predator – cast several feet in front of
the wake. Watch for gulls hovering and
diving into the water; this is a sign
baitfish have been forced to the surface
– perhaps by a wolf pack of bass.
Also, tune in to minor weather changes,
such as a pause in wind from one
direction with the breeze shifting to a
new direction. If bass have been closed
mouth up to this point, a wind shift is
not the time to quit. Rather, it may be
time to head to one of your prime bassholding locations because the change
could trigger bass into feeding.
Small, lightweight lures can
be very effective, but they
must be fished on lighter
tackle. You can’t fish a 4″
Slider Worm on the same
outfit you fish a 3/4-ounce
Carolina rig.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
7. Letting Technology Control You
Technology has overrun the simple sport of fishing. There are products ranging from
high-definition imaging sonar scans and underwater cameras to electronic feeding
simulators installed on high-speed bass boats, along with this or that piece of
electronics for a tech-crazed society. Granted, these items may be useful products,
but they are not required to catch bass. As a kayak-fishing buddy reminds me
constantly, “You can’t catch a bass going 50 mph down the lake.”
I recommend obtaining moderately-priced quality fishing equipment to fill your basic
needs, thereby enabling you to fish and have a great time without incurring a huge
debt. Your biggest asset to successful angling rests on top of your shoulders – use it.
Don’t let machines be the sole decision makers as to where and when you cast a lure.
Instead, rely more on your gut and less on the gizmos.
If you’re wondering what you can do differently, I hope you’ve found some answers. I
can tell you from experience, when you avoid these seven mistakes you’ll put more
bass in your boat.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Have You Tried “Shaky Head” Bass Fishing?
Why Shaky Head Fishing Has
Pro Bass Anglers All Shook-Up!
In today’s high-tech angling, one newly popular presentation is uncomplicated –
shaky head fishing. Rig a soft plastic worm on a lightweight jighead, cast it out, let it
settle to the bottom and begin shaking your rod tip.
Well, that’s the Cliff Notes version. The complete story of shaky head fishing is much
richer and full-bodied with plot twists not covered in the quick summary.
Shaky Head History
Largemouth bass are a
frequent target of shaky
head anglers.
While the present day shaky head technique hit its
stride within the last few years, the back story can
be traced to the 1970s and 1980s as similar small
worm techniques developed in various geographic
areas. In Tennessee, southern gentleman Charlie
Brewer was promoting his Sliderheads and 4-inch
Slider Worms with a light-line technique he called
“polishing the rock.” He’d slowly drag the
jighead/worm along the bottom, and crawl it over
each object. In the upper Mid-West, bass anglers
were using a small worm on a lightweight
mushroom jighead to feel where hard bottom
meets the deep weed edge on natural lakes.
Meanwhile, light-line West Coast bass anglers
were using small worms on darter jigheads in a
bottom dancing presentation they call California
shaking.
The melding of these regional approaches occurred on the national level during
B.A.S.S. and FLW tournaments as pro anglers sometimes struggled to find techniques
to catch pressured bass in “used water” under less than ideal fishing conditions. It
was back-seat competitors (i.e. riders) who most often made headlines with the small
worm/jighead shaking-dragging technique.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
The Technique Evolves
When fishing offshore water, the back-seat tournament angler doesn’t have the
luxury of viewing possible lake bottom targets on the sonar like the front seat guy
does. However, dragging a worm on the bottom allows them to independently locate
isolated targets, and tease a bass into striking. Soon the pros also realized the
effectiveness of shaky head fishing, and that’s when specifically designed worms and
leadheads began showing up.
Today, manufacturers who offer soft plastic all have shaky worms in their lineup, and
jig manufacturers have their own particular styles of shaky head jigs. I’ve witnessed
shaky head fishing while accompanying pro bass anglers and regional experts around
the country. Everyone does it a slightly different way, and the technique continues to
evolve.
Shaky Head Designs
Shaky heads come in various shapes – round, football and wedge. But the specific
design of these heads has the line tie coming off the nose or forward part of the
leadhead at roughly a 45-degree angle, as opposed to the top center of a traditional
leadhead. The design creates a pivot point allowing the jig to rotate forward when it
encounters a small object on the bottom of the lake. That pivoting of the leadhead
causes the soft plastic trailer to stand nearly erect while pressure is maintained on
the jig.
Examples of Shaky
Head lures, including
samples of rigged baits
and individual shaky
head jigheads.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Typical head weights range from 1/8-ounce to 1/4-ounce on 6- to 8-pound line, but
heavier heads are now being used on deep structure. Head design may include a
spike or coil to provide for weed-free rigging of the shaky bait, or anglers may rig with
hook point exposed.
Shaky Head Examples
• Jewel Bait Squirrel Heads
• Gambler Giggy Heads
• Yum Pumkin’Ed Jighead
• Booyah “Big Show” Shaky Head Jigs
• Strike King KVD Premier Jighead
• Rapala/VMC Dominator Shakey Head Jig
Offshore smallmouth bass fall for
the same shaky head presentation.
Shaky Bait Designs
Shaky baits typically are flexible, thin-body worms usually 5- to 6-inches in length.
With the technique evolving however, some anglers are now using much longer
worms for extremely deepwater jigging. And the trailer is no longer limited to worms.
Anglers are shaking ’craws, creatures and shad-shape soft plastic lures. The shaking
presentation mimics either shad or minnows feeding on the bottom with head down
and tail up, or the defensive position of a crayfish – take your pick.
Shaky Bait Examples:
• Gene Larew 5″ Salt Head Shaky Worm
• Gambler Giggy Stick and Shakey Shad
• Yum Shakalicious Worm
• Strike King KVD Finesse Worm
• Lunker City Ribster Worm
• Berkley Power Shaky Worm
• Skippy Fish 4″ Shad
You should now understand where the concept of shaky head bass fishing came from,
how it evolved, and why it’s so successful. Now, here’s how to put it into practice.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Aspects of Location
Guidelines on where to fish a shaky head are fairly broad but the focus is mainly on
relatively clean bottom areas – at depths from four feet to as deep as you care to go.
Possible locations include:
•inside weedlines
•outside weedlines
•docks, ramps and marina basins
•mid-lake humps
•gentle contour breaklines
The shaky head approach is particularly effective on sections of shoreline or deeper
flats which appear to lack bottom cover – some fishermen refer to these as “nothing
banks.” In reality, these areas are likely to host some inactive bass which are holding
tight to isolated cover such as large rock, outcropping of gravel, a sunken tire, a halfburied log, etc. The shaky head presentation helps you find those bottom features
and entice a strike.
Shaky head fishing is a favorite summer technique for angler Bryan Stuyvesant.
Note he keeps his rod low as he slowly retrieves a shaky head along the bottom
attempting to intercept a piece of cover – then the shaking begins.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Elements of Presentation
Whether you’re fishing shallow of deep, and regardless the soft plastic trailer choice,
the retrieve is pretty much the same. It should involve these six elements:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Cast out and allow the shaky head jig to find bottom.
Engage line – take up slack line as you lower the rod tip in the direction of the jig.
Begin slowly reeling the bait, maintaining contact with the bottom at all times.
When the jig encounters resistance from a bottom object such as a single large
rock, small area of cobble or gravel, a small ledge, a alog, branch or whatever –
stop reeling but maintain light pressure on the jig.
5. With the shaky head/bait pinned against an unknown object, begin to lightly
shake your rod tip. At this point you don’t want the jig to dislodge from the
object, so don’t shake too violently. The goal is to maintain the lure’s position
while having the soft plastic worm or creature bait dance with its tail in an
upward position.
6. After a brief period of shaking, pause and then shake again. If a fish does not pick
it up, gently lift the shaky head over the object and continue the bottom crawl
until it encounters the next object, and repeat the process.
Two Ways to Respond to Pick-Ups
When shaky head fishing, you have to be ready to set the hook, but not every strike
will be the same. You’ll need to get a feel for how to respond.
• Sometimes strikes may be a detected with that distinct tick of an aggressive bass,
which generally requires a quick snap hookset before the bass spits the lure.
• At other times the bite may be so light that it goes undetected except for unusual
pressure on the line or sideways movement of the line as the bass moves off with
the bait. These pressure bites are best handled with a less aggressive hookset –
simply reel quickly and forcefully pull upward.
Once you start having success at shaky head fishing, you’ll start catching bass others
can’t, filling your livewell more often, and shaking your own head in amazement.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
What Kind of Fishing Line to Use
– Solving the Line Puzzle
Simplify your fishing line decision….
monofilament, fluorocarbon or braid?
Empty spools being mounted on a commercial
line-winding machine.
You’ve likely heard the expression “during simpler times,” referring to an earlier
period when life was less complicated and we had fewer choices. Well, fishing line
choice certainly was simpler in the 1960s and 1970s when nylon monofilament was
the only type of line seriously considered by anglers. Today, in addition to nylon
monofilament, two entirely new line materials have come into play: fluorocarbon and
braided/fused superline.
Dale Black*, president of Black Knight Industries of Oil City, Pennsylvania, is an
entrepreneur in today’s fishing line market. Black Knight Industries owns Gamma
Fishing Line, offering all three products: copolymer monofilament, fluorocarbon and
braid (i.e. superline). Having knowledge about all three types of line, Dale’s expertise
will help you figure out today’s line puzzle.
*No relation to author Darl Black.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Unlocking the Puzzle
“These unique line products enable anglers to address lure presentations better than
ever before,” says Black. “Although all are fishing line, each product is made from
different material with particular properties. Anglers need to understand the pros and
cons of each material in order to make an informed decision.”
For most topwater
baits, nylon
monofilament line
is recommended.
The original monofilament everyone is familiar with is an extruded nylon product.
Dale is quick to point out that today’s copolymer line is simply a “kissing cousin” to
nylon monofilament. Copolymer line is a formulation of multiple resins to create a
new and improved nylon line, with a slicker finish, slightly more abrasion resistance,
and a little less memory.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
While technically a single strand line,
fluorocarbon is made from polyvinylidene
fluoride rather than nylon resins. Developed
during the 1970s in Japan, fluorocarbon did
not rise to prominence as a fishing line in
the US until the 1990s.
Superlines are made of gel spun
Dyneema® or Spectra® fibers, either braided
or fused together creating a line that is far
different
from
nylon-copolymer
or
fluorocarbon.
Black stresses no single type of line is
satisfactory for all lure and live bait
presentations. Here is his description of the
pros and cons of the three types of line:
Superline – “The popularity of superline
rests with very low stretch (about 3%),
extremely supple for long casts, no
memory, durability, sensitivity and an
incredibly high break strength for its
diameter. A superline testing 20 pounds has
a diameter similar to that of 6 or 8 pound
monofilament,” details Black. “The
drawbacks are: highly visible in clear water,
difficulty with wind knots and backlashes,
and impossible to slingshot-loose from
snags due to lack of elasticity in the line.
Until recently, all superlines would float;
however some manufacturers are now
weaving the braid around a dense material
thereby making it sink. The desirability of
sinking or floating depends on the intended
presentation.”
For bottom bumping
baits, fast-sinking
fluorocarbon is preferred
by most anglers.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Fluorocarbon – “Fluorocarbon, on the other hand, is very dense so it sinks quickly
and is virtually invisible in water because its refractive index is close to that of
water,” continues Black. “Fluorocarbon is more sensitive than nylon resin lines, but
less sensitive than superlines. Many first time users of fluorocarbon encounter line
management problems because fluorocarbon is stiffer than monofilament – if a
spinning reel spool is filled too close to the lip, fluorocarbon will jump off creating
line tangles.”
Nylon monofilament and copolymer – “Nylon monofilament and copolymer lines
have the greatest amount of stretch and the least amount of sensitivity. But nylon
line is regarded as ‘angler friendly’ compared to the handling properties of
fluorocarbon and superline. Nylon based lines sink slowly compared to quick-sink
fluorocarbon. The elasticity of nylon monofilament and copolymer lines can be
viewed as negative or positive depending on the intended use. If you are employing
a crankbait, you may desire that delay in a hookset with nylon line, to allow a fish to
take the bait better.”
Superline (braid) is the perfect
line for fishing floating frog
lures in vegetation.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Ya Gotta Know When To Use ‘Em
“In certain presentations there is a clear choice as to which fishing line to use. In
other situations, it may not be as clear,” says Black. “To compensate for the high
visibility of a superline, the trend is to tie a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader of
three to six feet on the end of the superline, and attaching the bait to the leader.”
To make your choice easy, here’s a handy reference chart linking types of
presentation with the type of line that will be effective:
Presentation
Suggested Line
Most Topwater Baits
Monofilament/copolymer, or fine diameter superline with a
leader.
Weedless Frog Baits
Superlines float and slice through vegetation when fish is hooked;
vegetation camouflages the highly visible superline. No Leader.
Buzzbaits
Superlines enable long cast with no-stretch power when setting
hooks; no leader used.
Flipping/pitching
Flexibility in choice; some anglers like copolymer or flourocarbon
when flipping wood cover, but prefer a superline without leader
for fishing strictly vegetation.
Drop-shot, jigs, worms
For lure presentations which involve bottom-bumping, slack-line
presentations, fluorocarbon is the hands down favorite because
the line sinks quickly and is sensitive. But there is a trend to using
a sinking superline with fluorocarbon leader in many of these
presentations; getting unsnagged is a problem due to lack of
stretch in superlines.
Dead-drift soft plastic
Superline with monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.
Crankbaits/spinnerbaits
Because successful hook-ups with constant tension motion baits
require some delay in the hookset, the stretch of
monofilament/copolymer is a big advantage.
Suspending jerkbait
Copolymer or superline with leader.
Live bait
Personal choice based on the cover or depth you are fishing,
keeping in mind that a fluorocarbon leader is invisible
underwater.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
How to Catch Spring to Summer Smallmouth
Surefire Smallmouth Tactics
Come along on a tour of three great places to fish for smallmouth bass
while revealing expert techniques and tricks worth trying in your favorite
smallmouth waters.
Throw topwater plugs past cover in late spring - early summer to
catch smallmouth like this bass.
Center Hill Lake, TN
“Over there… wanna bet there’s a smallmouth guarding fry around that submerged
bush?” queries Jim Duckworth while making a gesture of his rod towards a fishy
looking spot in the back of a pocket on the lower end of Center Hill Lake.
“Jim, you’re the guide and this is your lake. I’m not going to make that sucker bet,” I
respond with a smile.
“Bet? That was a rhetorical question, not a bet,” explains Jim. “I don’t want to take
your money on a sure thing!”
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Jim fires his surface plug beyond the bush
and works the bait up to the cover. When the
plug edges around the right side of the bush
without incident, I’m beginning to think I
should have made the bet. But then, about
two feet past the cover, a large swirl appears
on the surface and the prop bait disappears
as if being flushed down a toilet. Jim rears
back on his rod, and the water explodes as a
brown fish rockets skyward.
“Got him! I got him!” shouts an elated
Duckworth as if this was his first smallmouth
ever, even though he has taken thousands of
smallies from Center Hill – including one over
8 pounds.
Bass Fishing Tip: Late Spring into Early
Summer Means Topwater Action
I first met Jim Duckworth during a trip to
Dale Hollow Lake near Tennessee’s border
with Kentucky about a decade ago. He
invited me down to fish smallmouth on
Center Hill, a little farther south, the
following spring and we caught brown bass
on Bandit crankbaits until our wrists hurt.
I’ve been back several times, always enjoying
the smallmouth experience.
This most recent trip to central Tennessee
included the opportunity to test Jim’s new
handcrafted topwater baits – the Splashing
Pup prop bait and the Duck’s Dawg walking
bait.
The water level in the reservoir was higher
than normal due to an unusually rainy spring.
The first wave of smallmouth had already
spawned, eggs had hatched and males were
guarding bunches of fry.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
“This is the ideal situation for a prop bait,” explains Jim. “When smallmouths are
guarding their offspring in shallow water before fry dispersal, they are nervously
aggressive. If you go with too large or too loud of a lure presentation, fish will spook.
A finesse topwater presentation is the answer. The single rear propeller along with
the Bleeding Red treble hooks on my Splash Pup are key triggers. Unlike similar
molded plastic topwater baits, my wood bait will cast a long distance and dance
perfectly on the surface with a slight twitch. It’s just the right combination for shallow
smallmouth. My clients absolutely love fishing topwater all day long at this time of
year!”
Pack These Lures for Center Hill Lake, Tennessee
Early Spring
•Road Runner Pro 2.0 in Firetiger (www.roadrunnerlures.com)
•Rapala Husky Jerk in Clown (www.rapala.com)
•Bandit 300 in Rootbeer with Storm SuspenStrips (www.banditlures.com)
Post Spawn
•Splashing Pup topwater (www.jimduckworth.com)
Summer
•Duck’s Dawg topwater (www.jimduckworth.com)
•Bandit 200 in Chartreuse Blue Splatterback (www.banditlures.com)
•Bandit Ledge in Chartreuse Black (www.banditlures.com)
•Berkley Havoc Tube in Watermelon (www.purefishing.com)
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Lake Erie Smallmouth
When conditions are right in May or June – a sun-filled day during a multiple-day
warming trend with a south or west breeze of between 8 mph and 12 mph – I head
for Lake Erie’s Eastern Basin for smallmouth. If I’m accompanied by a new friend on
his first Erie smallmouth outing, I’ll begin humming theme music from the movie
“Jaws” as we work lures on a known big bass area waiting for that first solid thump.
Newbies may wonder what the deal is… until confronted with the biggest smallmouth
bass they have ever seen on the end of their line.
Likened to the line from Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars, “All of Gaul is divided into three
parts…” – only in this case, Lake Erie is divided into three basins: Western, Central and
Eastern. The Eastern Basin covers the portion of the lake from Pennsylvania’s Presque
Isle Peninsula eastward to Buffalo.
Today, this is the basin where “the Big Bass” grow – lots of 5- to 7-pound smallmouth.
The back story on these oversized smallies involves zebra mussels, gobies and global
warming, but it’s too involved to detail here. Suffice to say if you are interested in
catching multiple big smallmouths, you need to make the trip to the Eastern Basin
during the spring or early summer.
Want to catch husky
bass like this? Fish the
eastern basin of Lake
Erie for smallmouth.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Hot Fishing Tips for Late Spring into Early Summer
The earliest shallow-water movement
of smallmouth occurs at Pennsylvania’s
Presque Isle Bay, which is the natural
harbor for the city of Erie. Smallies
typically move onto the flats in early
May to begin their spawning routine.
Meanwhile, things are just starting to
warm up farther east on the Lake near
Buffalo. Waves of smallmouth move in
and out of spawning habitat up and
down the southern shoreline of Erie
during May and June.
Make sure you have a tube
jig; it's killer bait on Lake Erie.
In the main lake, spawning generally occurs deeper than the protected bays, harbors
and inlet areas along the shoreline. Out in the Lake, I’ve witnessed smallmouth on
beds in 20 feet of water as late as early July. Yes, some years the water is clear
enough to see bass in 20 feet, but sandy silt stirred by storms and algae growth often
reduce visibility.
I’ve never endorsed targeting bass on beds. Ample pre-spawn and post-spawn
smallmouths roam the Erie waters throughout this period, making that unnecessary.
My Favorite Patterns for Pre- and Post-Spawn Bass, and How to Use Them:
(1) Pre-Spawn Deepwater: Call me old fashioned, but my early season vote goes to
a 4″ tube jig or 5″ swimming grub for bass in 18 to 30 feet of water. Run a few passes
over a deep flat or extended point to spot check, but don’t be upset if you don’t
actually see bass on the screen. Many times they hug the bottom so tightly beside
rocks that you miss them. Either drop visible structure markers or GPS icons at
interesting sites, then set up a drift that allows you to fish by these icons or markers.
Use a sufficiently heavy jig head to occasionally bump bottom on the drift, and
remember to deploy a drift sock if breezy.
(2) Immediate Pre-Spawn: As water temps warm and waves of smallmouth begin
moving toward shallower water (less than 18 feet), suspending jerkbaits often reign
supreme. Be sure to carry both normal models (dives to 3 to 5 feet) and deep
suspending models (dives to 6 feet or deeper). Fish your favorite colors, but be sure
to bring Clown.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
(3) Shallow Roamers During Pre- and Post-Spawn: Only need two baits for shallow
smallies – a Green Pumpkin sinking worm rigged wacky style and a Hot Pink soft
jerkbait. Wow, what a fun time to fish!
(4) Post-Spawn Moderate and Deep Smallies: Very often in bays, harbors and
inlets, smallmouth will hold on offshore humps to feed before actually migrating out
to the main lake. This is crankbait time, thereby allowing you to fish fast and check a
lot of territory. You want baits that have a sharp dive plane and reach 10 to 12 feet.
(5) Post-Spawn/Summer Deepwater: This is the best time for the increasingly
popular drop-shot method. Gobies are very active by now and smallmouths are
feeding heavily on them. Rig a goby-like fish shape, tube or 4-inch worm on a drop
shot rig and probe rock piles, sharp drop-offs and odd rocky bottom structures at
depths from 15 to 30 feet.
Lake Erie at a Glance
• Where the fish are: Roughly 100 miles of nearshore waters to fish between Erie,
PA and Buffalo, NY. Vital depth for bass in spring and early summer ranges from
shallows to about 40 feet.
• Season: The Lake Erie spring smallmouth season is geared to catch & release with
minimal harvest. PA: 1 bass, 20-inches from mid-April to mid-June; NY: 1 bass, 20inch minimum from early May to late June. Regulations are subject to change, so
check before you fish.
• Safety: Lake Erie can quickly become a very dangerous place when winds shift or
increase in velocity. Be sure your boat is big-water seaworthy with all required
safety equipment including Coast Guard Approved Signaling Devices for Great
Lakes.
• Launching: Safe harbor launch sites are limited, but adequate. In Pennsylvania,
launch sites include several in Presque Isle Bay at city of Erie, Shades Beach Park
(small boats only) and North East Marina near town of North East. In New York,
safe harbor launch sites include Barcelona, Dunkirk, Angola and Buffalo Small Boat
Harbor.
• Lodging: Variety of lodging near the lake. Contact www.visiterie.com for PA
info;www.tourchautauqua.com and www.visitbuffaloniagara.com for NY info.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Green Bay Area Smallmouth
Sturgeon Bay, Little Sturgeon, Sister Bay, Sand Bay, Fish Creek, Egg Harbor, Eagle Bay,
and others were simply names on a map. Well, actually names I had read over the
years in articles about smallmouth bass fishing in Wisconsin’s Green Bay area.
That’s why I was so excited about heading to Green Bay for the first time last June. I
didn’t even take time to study a map in order to understand the lay of the land – or
should I say lay of the water. That was a rookie mistake. I was confused for three days
as to where I was and where I was going. Fortunately, I was with a group of hardcore
anglers under the guidance of one of Wisconsin’s most reliable fishing hosts – Matt
Bichanich. Matt knew exactly which of the many bays and inlets we should be fishing
and what we should be using.
Wisconsin's Green Bay
holds a great population
of smallmouth bass.
Being a Lake Erie bass angler, I am accustomed to clear water and windy conditions –
that was good because both were in ample supply on this trip to the Green Bay area.
High winds and waves battered us on day one, keeping us penned in where we did
not want to be.
I also learned that the passage between the northern tip of Door County peninsula
and Washington Island has a treacherous history of wrecking ships. (No, I didn’t learn
that by firsthand experience!) So many ships went down in this strait that early
explorers named it “Death’s Door” – a name that doesn’t encourage tourism!
Fortunately, when the wind died, we found the smallmouth to be sassy and the
scenery of Door County to be picture perfect.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
The #1 Bass Presentation for Green Bay
Wisconsin's Green Bay is famous for cheeseheads as well as
fast and furious smallmouth bass fishing.
One lure has claimed the top spot among Green Bay smallmouth fanatics for years
during the spring and early summer period – the curl-tail swimming grub. Actually,
one brand name dominates all tackle sales in the area: Kalin’s Lunker Grub. Cast it
out on a jighead, let it find bottom and then slowly swim it back – “slow rolling,” we
like to call it. Head weight will range from 1/16-ounce to 1/4-ounce depending on
depth and wave conditions. And don’t forget to include 3/16-oz size in the mix – it’s
my favorite all-around jig weight.
Swimming grubs is one of my favorite tactics at this time of year, so I was very
comfortable with it. This technique produces smallmouth moving up towards
spawning flats as well as smallmouth moving away from beds, covering depths from 4
to 20 feet. Every angler has his go-to color, but I like to experiment with an array of
natural-like preyfish hues to let the smallmouth pick the one they want on any
particular day. But be sure to always have never-fail Smoke with you!
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Additional Presentations for
Green Bay Smallmouth
You'll enjoy great
smallmouth bass fishing
and a few beautiful
sunsets like this over
Green Bay.
• With the water slow to warm in the
more northern inlets on the west side
and all the inlets on the east side of the
Door County peninsula, smallmouths
generally do not begin bedding until
June. Although not my cup of tea, bed
fishing appears popular with many area
anglers. An effective clear water
presentation is to pinpoint a clean
swept nesting site, toss out a white or
chartreuse tube jig and drag it over
the bed.
• As bass finish up spawning chores, Matt Bichanich begins slinging a baitfish colored
swim jig to isolated rocks and weed clumps on the flats.
• Once bass have moved to offshore deeper water structure towards in the later part
of June, Bichanich switches to a drop shot rig with a minnow-imitating small worm.
Door County at a Glance
• Location: The northeastern peninsula of Wisconsin extending into Lake Michigan
and creating Green Bay.
• Where to Fish: Spring and early summer smallmouth fishing takes place in
relatively shallow, somewhat protected bays and inlets primarily on the west side of
the peninsula.
• What to Expect: Extraordinary options for fishing in both inlet bays and on the
shallow shelf of Green Bay proper. We found incredible numbers of 2- to 4-pound
smallmouth; however, beasties over 5½ pounds were not to be found.
• Smallmouth Season: Green Bay is open to smallmouth fishing from early May to
March of the following year; check the specific dates each year.
• Lodging: An extremely popular tourist destination, Door County offers a wide
variety of places to stay including small hotels, quaint inns, bed & breakfast lodging,
waterfront condos, rental homes or cottages, and campgrounds.
Visit www.doorcounty.com for more information.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Fishing Smallmouth River Bass
Summer Bite on a Smallmouth River
“You get a line and I’ll get a pole, we’ll
go fishin’ in the crawdad hole, honey,
baby mine.”
Every time I hear that line from the
Crawdad Song, my mind immediately
visualizes my favorite summer pastime.
Although smallmouth bass never comes
up in the song, just the mere mention of
an olive-colored crustacean stimulates an
auto response in this Yankee that goes
like this: Crayfish + Rod + Summer = River
Smallmouth Bass Fishing. Ironically, river
smallmouths rarely inhabit the type of
muddy creek hole described in the song.
Instead, bronzebacks in the summer are
found primarily in relatively shallow,
relatively strong current sections of a
river or large creek. The bottom
substrate will be comprised of rock,
gravel and sand rather than mud. It’s also
the same environment that northern
crayfish species inhabit.
These smallmouths were
stuffed with crawdads.
While crayfish certainly comprise a portion of a river smallmouth’s diet, there are
additional prey species which must also be considered. Without question, insect larvae
of stoneflies and mayflies as well as winged adults are consumed by smallies. One
particular bottom critter which smallmouths love to gulp down is the hellgrammite, the
3″ to 4″ leathery larvae of a dobsonfly.
In any river or major creek, there are a wide assortment of minnows, dace, darters,
shiners, chubs and madtoms (stone cats) that are critically important. Depending on
the bait species, they may be found along the shallow rocky bottom, suspended in
current seams or milling around eddies just off the faster moving water. With the
exception of shiner species, most river preyfish species are darker in color than the
typical silver patterns most fishermen imagine for baitfish.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Throw in frogs or even the occasional small mammal that falls into the river and you
have a good insight into a river smallmouth’s diet during the summer. As you can see,
it is rather extensive – far beyond simple crayfish.
Now, don’t fret. To consistently catch summertime smallmouth’s does not require a
specific, detailed lure to imitate each different prey. Unlike our fly-fishing friends who
believe they must have precise bug representations of 50 or more insect species in
order to catch trout, flowing-water smallmouths are not so discriminating.
Bronzebacks see food, and if hungry, they eat it. Sure, a lure must give the illusion of
familiar prey in terms of size, action and perhaps color – but it does not need to be an
exact replica. Heck, there are times when non-feeding smallmouth strikes the odd
lure simply because they find it irritating.
How many readers remember the “Name That Tune” game show on television? Well,
in my version of that game, I’ll state that: “I can catch summertime riverine
smallmouth with only six lures.”
These three anglers
cast crankbaits to the
flooded shoreline
during a high water
period during the
summer.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Here are My Lure Choices Plus Where and When to Fish Them
The author has sufficient confidence in these six
lures to catch creek & river smallmouth all
summer long.
Tube Jig – The ultimate universal river bait is a 3″ to 4″ tube lure on an insert head. A
dark colored tube with its multiple-strand tentacle tail represents a wide variety of
bottom-dwelling creepy-crawlers and baitfish. Keep in mind there are more darkcolored preyfish in a river smallmouth’s world than shad-colored bait.
Whereas an external jighead is likely to lodge in a rocky crevice on every other cast,
by inserting a teardrop jighead into the body cavity, the thick, soft plastic head of the
tube greatly reduces hang-ups. Select a jig weight (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 or 1/4 oz) that
allows the bait to trickle along the bottom rather than becoming anchored.
Hop and drag a tube on hard substrate, swim it slowly like a minnow, or in certain
instances streak a tube just under the surface – it is truly the most versatile lure in
your river arsenal that can be fished in current seams, pocket eddies, tail-outs of
pools, riffles and dredge holes.
In a river or creek, I fish tubes on 6 or 8lb. test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line and
6.5′ to 7′ fast action spinning rod.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Stick worm – Touring bass pros sometimes refer to this bait as a heavy worm or
sinking worm – but to me, this blunt-end worm is more appropriately named a stick
worm. For river fishing, I use a weightless stick worm as drift-bait, relying on the
lure’s own slow-sink design to meander to the bottom in the downstream flow.
Darl Black happily lifts a
smallmouth taken on a
stick worm.
In strong current situations, smallmouth
typically set up an ambush point in a
slackwater pocket waiting for a dislodged
crayfish, hellgrammite or disoriented
minnow to drift by. It’s the best way to
secure a meal while conserving energy. I
rig a 4″ Dinger (my favorite of the many
stick worms on the market) Texposed on
a 2/0 Mustad Mega Lite Hook.
I fish a stick worm on a spinning outfit spooled with 10 lb. Power Pro Braid and a 3′
leader of 8 or 10 lb. fluorocarbon. The braid helps to float the worm while also acting
as a visible bite indicator, even when slack forms during the drift – i.e. a bobber built
into the line!
Soft Jerkbait – These slow-sink 4″ to 6″ soft plastic lures feature a representative
baitfish profile. This bait delivers the best return on rivers when fished in areas with
current.
Soft jerks can be fished both aggressively and passively on the same retrieve.
Following a cast, apply a series of sharp rod snaps to make the bait dart just under
the surface. This gets the attention of nearby smallmouth. Then incorporate a long
pause in the retrieve as the bait drifts freely, acting like an injured baitfish.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Using a rod and reel with braid helps insure long casts and positive hook-ups. In
stained water, I typically go with 15 lb. braid on a baitcasting outfit and tie direct to 5″
soft jerk rigged Texposed on a 3/0 Mustad Mega Lite Hook.
But for low, clear water more typical of summer fishing, I use spinning gear with 10
lb. braid and a 3′ fluorocarbon leader. In this instance, I tie on a #1 VMC drop-shot
hook and nose hook a 3″ to 5″ soft jerkbait.
Hard Minnow Bait – I would feel incomplete in my flowing-water tackle selection if I
did not have the Original Floating Rapala. I caught my first river smallmouth on this
bait as a youngster, and I’ve continued to count on it over the next five decades. In
particular, it is my go-to choice for the smaller waters – a smallmouth “creek” versus
a “river”. I can twitch the Rapala to make it dance on the surface in place of a
topwater bait along a quiet water bank; fish it more aggressively with long pulls and
pauses in faster moving riffle water; or use a steady retrieve. Forget all the fancy new
colors – just use the original silver or gold pattern. A moderate action spinning rod
with 6 lb. co-polymer line (rather than fluorocarbon) is the proper outfit for this bait.
Buzzbait – I’m willing to bet that few river anglers fish a buzzbait in the manner that I
learned from Kevin Turner, famed Upper Mississippi River smallmouth angler and
owner of River Pro jet boats. After one trip with Kevin, I became a believer.
Select a ⅜ or ½ oz. buzzbait, such as Booyah
Buzz with the extra ‘clacker’ blade. Strip off the
silicone skirt and substitute a 3″ or 4″ soft
jerkbait or simply a piece of plastic worm.
(Substituting soft plastic body for the skirt
increases casting distance considerably.) Tie
direct to 30 lb. Power Pro Braid on an outfit
with a high-speed casting reel.
Marilyn Black lands
a smallmouth near
a bridge while
wading.
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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Select a river section featuring extremely fast
flow with lots of current breaks (created by
rocks, sunken logs, etc.) for smallmouth to hold.
Make long casts to the shore and return bait
with a steady retrieve at 90 degrees to water
flow. Oh yes – hold on tight! Executed properly
in fast flows and your catch rate for smallmouth
will climb dramatically.
Crankbait – When the level rises and a normally
clear-water river becomes dirty from heavy
summer rains, established patterns will change.
Most of the above baits become less effective.
Fortunately, feeding bass tend to move shallow
with the rising water and spread out more along
somewhat slack water areas. It’s cranking time!
In the dingy water, the vibration and bolder
colors of a crankbait will draw vicious strikes
from bronzebacks that normally would find such
a presentation unappealing. You should be
targeting shorelines with slower moving water
but with some type of cover – large rocks, logs,
grass beds or eddies formed by inflowing
tributary water.
Crankbait
Success!
In most instances I’ll select a crankbait which
dives to no more than 4′, preferably with a
square lip to deflect off submerged cover.
However, if confronted with a particularly steep
bank where water depth may be 6′ to 10′, a
crank that dives into the 6′ plus depth is desired.
Fish it on 10 lb. test co-polymer or fluorocarbon
line.
I typically go with a crayfish pattern – something
dark brown, black, red or with strong chartreuse
in it. Bomber Model A, Cordell Big O, or Bandit
Series are among my picks. Cast and retrieve,
and keep moving to find the scattered bass.
Now Go Fish!
33
Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass
Bass Stew
Here’s a recipe from long-time fishing buddy Worth Hammond, who is no longer with
us. Normally, I would not keep bass to eat, but on this occasion we were on a fishing
trip to the Ottawa River near Pembroke. Our menu called for fresh walleye each day
for a week, but walleye were less than cooperative. So we found it necessary to
substitute the plentiful 12″ to 14″ smallmouth from the river. When Worth and I went
on an extended fishing trip, we packed all necessary ingredients to prepare meals
from scratch.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2 pounds skinned and boned fish fillets cut into chunks
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of crushed basil
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
Salt and pepper
1 carrot, sliced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 potatoes, diced
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 quart water
1 cup tomato puree
1 ounce Cajun-style hot sauce
Cover the bottom of a 4 quart pot with cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add fish
chunks. Stir and break fish into smaller pieces as it cooks. Remove any remaining
bones. Add onion and garlic, stir for one minute, then add bay leaf, basil, parsley and
2 cups water. Simmer 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients, using only enough water to make a soupy-stew
thickness. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until vegetables are all tender.
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About the Author
Darl Black is a lifelong freshwater angler and
veteran writer and photographer. Darl tackles
a wide variety of fishing related stories for
print publications and websites. Of all fishing,
angling for smallmouth bass is his favorite
pastime. He may be reached for assignment
at [email protected].
© Havalon Knives, 2013
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