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June 2010
Magazine
Susquehanna Fishing
FREE!!!
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Contents
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine, LLC
13 York Road
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
June 2010
Monthly Sections
Phone:
570-441-4606
5
Special Interest.........................John Oast
Cyber Angling
On the web:
http://susquehannafishing.com/
6
Special Interest....................C.P.R. Denny
Treasuring the Memory
Email:
[email protected]
7
Special Interest......................Hank Hewitt
Season of Celebration
Publisher: John King Oast, Jr.
8
Kayak Fishing......................Dan Hubbard
Kayak Fishing and Camping
Initial Issue Release: February, 2010
Coverage: Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania
(Susquehanna River Regions)
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine is a free print
publication distributed through local establishments, and funded by participating advertisers. It covers the entire Susquehanna River regions
of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and
helps to inform anglers about the most productive angling techniques, while promoting safety
and responsible stewardship of the river.
Feature Articles
10
Feature Article...............James F. Kirtland
Trout Streams and Trout Dreams
12
Feature Article......................Juan Veruete
What’s the Deal with Soft Stickbaits?
Cover: A Susquehanna smallmouth, taken
by Hank Hewitt from Anthracite Outfitters and
HCH3 Photography.
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine, LLC and its
contributors always recommend using caution
whenever around the water. Always wear a
personal floatation device, and practice
responsible behavior when on the water.
SFM content and submissions do not reflect
the opinion of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine,
LLC.
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
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Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
Special Interest...
Cyber Angling
Is your computer in your tackle box?
By John “Toast” Oast
Where do you get your fishing tips, and
up-to-date angling reports? Do you mainly rely
on friends or third-party information at your local
tackle shop? Obviously if you are reading this
article you either utilize print or internet medium
for such information. While tackle shop rumors,
ramp-side conversations, and media publications are outstanding sources of information
to expand your fishing skills and on-the-water
results, there are many other options available
at the click of a mouse.
I recall there once was an “internet yellow pages;” my college roommate had a copy. Yep, at the time pretty much everything on the
web could fit in a phonebook smaller than those
of many rural communities. Today there are so
many websites that it would be impossible to
count them all. Of these, many are specifically
designed for the angling community. These
sites may be marketing tools for members of the
recreational fishing industry, national club websites, or regional fishing reports, forums, and
bulletin boards.
Shortly after the dramatic growth of the
internet in the late 1990’s I began to lurk around
on various internet angling communities, trying
to find a place to call home. At the time I was
already an avid kayak angler, and there were
few sites covering that aspect of fishing at the
time, especially on the east coast. That was
when I decided to create Fishyaker.com, which
incorporated its own interactive forum for participants to communicate with one-another. I
also became active in other more broad groups,
such as Tidalfish.com. Today there are plenty of
these bulletin boards on the internet, a number
catering specifically to our own region, such as
Smallmouths.com and our very own SusquehannaFishing.com.
Today when someone asks me, “How did
you and ______ meet?” the usual answer is, “on
the internet.” It is a great testament to the power of the internet and these forums when I think
about my current group of friends, especially
those who I fish with. EVERYONE I currently
fish with, from the southeast to the northeast,
I met on one of the internet angling forums! In
addition, the internet is where I typically get
recent fishing reports, and “steal” angling techniques.
So, if you want a great way to find more
angling information and make new friends, try
the internet. More information than one could
ever absorb is only a click away… Don’t have
a computer? Check at your local library… and
nearly everything is totally free!
John “Toast” Oast is the publisher of Susquehanna Fishing Magazine and a member of the
Johnson Outdoors Pro Staff and Ocean Kayak
Fishing Team. His kayak rigging videos have
received thousands of views, and been linked to
websites around the world. For more information, visit http://fishyaker.com/ and his Youtube
page at http://www.youtube.com/fishyaker.
Visit susquehannafishing.com for free magazine
downloads and forums!
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
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Special Interest...
Treasuring the Memory of a Trophy Fish
Shouldn’t Mean Killing It
By C.P.R. (Catch, Picture, Release) Denny
Taking fish, especially trophy size breeders, can have a negative impact on not only the
numbers of fish, but the trophy size fighters that
we all covet. That being said, one of the most
recent developments in technology that has
aided fisherman in remembering a trophy catch
is the casting of replica mounts. This process
allows a fisherman to return the fish to the water
to fight another day, yet be able to receive a
replica of the trophy for future reference, enjoyment, or just plain bragging rights. The first consideration is a quality camera. This can be a confusing proposition, but I
will try to keep it simple and save the tech info
for another forum. Try to pick a camera with
zoom capabilities, decent megapixels (3 or
higher), and some form of storage like an SD
Card. A camera that has image stabilization
can be good, particularly on a boat, but it is not
necessary. I also learned the hard way last year
that a camera that can withstand some shock
and being waterproof can be pricy, yet pay off in
the long run!
When you land your lunker you will need
to be prepared with the following items ready
and at hand (remember seconds count when
your fish is out of the water): a camera and a
good tape measure. The “soft” plastic or cloth
style tape measures work better than a metal
builder’s tape measure that is less flexible. You
should begin by taking two measurements. (1)
Measure the fish’s girth or thickness, by wrapping the tape around the fish’s widest point. (2)
Measure the fish’s length, by closing the mouth,
pinching the tail fin together, and measuring
between the two points.
Take a photo of your fish to help record
any special features and its color variations. 6
The best photo can be taken by remembering to
do the following: (1) Keep the sun at the photographer’s back, (2) Focus and zoom on the fish, the
idea is to photograph the fish, not the fisherman. Take 2 to 3 quick photos and release the fish. Having a partner help you by recording the measurements and taking the photo can save valuable
time.
When you return home your next job is to
find someone who makes fish replicas. The internet is a good place to start. The most important
factors to consider in finding a business that is
going to produce a quality product for you are: (1)
Years of experience (2) A site that offers quality
painting – a good artist can really make or break
the authenticity and reproduction of the mount. Look for a site that offers pictures of sample fish
and comments from customers. (3) A 100% satisfaction money back guarantee as to the quality,
durability, and craftsmanship always helps (4)
A business that offers quick turnaround such as
within a few months.
When you are satisfied with a business,
contact them and send them your measurements
and photos. It is recommended that you have
extra copies of your photos, because some places
won’t send them back. Often you will receive your
trophy to treasure within 60 days, depending on
the business. Good luck catching those trophies
and remember: when you catch that trophy, thank
it by releasing it to fight another day! Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
Special Interest...
musical performances, all with the purpose of
highlighting the Susquehanna River and its importance. I eagerly await these two festivals.
By Hank Hewitt
Daniel Hubbard, my fellow pro-staffer for
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine and partner in
Anthracite Outfitters, and I will be participating
at these two river festivals, with a booth dedicated to informing the public about fishing on
the Susquehanna River, and the genre of kayak
fishing, as well as giving seminars pertinent to
aspects of fishing the river.
Season of “Celebration”
The month of June begins the summer
“Festival Season.” There is a particular type of
festival that happens this season that is not only
recreational and entertaining, but also information packed – the “River Festival.”
Susquehanna River Festival season is
one I look forward to every year. Two I enjoy attending are the Wyoming Valley Riverfest, which
takes place in Nesbitt and Riverfront parks in
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. June 18, 19, 20th, and “Celebrate Our River Day,” which takes place in Riverfront Park in Tunkhannock, Pa, on July 24th.
Both festivals feature hot food and soft
drinks, arts, crafts, a series of educational, all
ages seminars, and live, up-beat, multi-genre
I ask you to plan to attend any river festival you can, and these two in particular. They
are well-planned and enjoyable events. When
you go, make sure you keep an eye out for the
Anthracite Outfitters/Susquehanna Fishing Magazine booth and say HI! We can’t wait to meet
you!
Hank Hewitt is a guide for Anthracite Outfitters,
and owner of HCH3 Photographic Productions,
LLC.
Kayak Fishing...
Kayak Fishing & Camping:
The North Branch of the Susquehanna River
By Capt. Dan Hubbard
When you were a kid and read the stories
of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, did you imagine
yourself floating down a river, fishing and camping along the way? June 12 & 13th - Native American Powwow
June 19th - Chili Cook-off w/ live band Pepper Street
Well, we might not have the mighty
Miss here in the Northeast, but we do have the
Susquehanna River which starts at Lake Ostego
in New York and traverses 444 miles across
New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland culminating its journey at the mouth of the Chesapeake
Bay. The Susquehanna is an ancient river that
can provide the kayak angler with breathtaking
vistas and urban environs all rolled into one,
affording the angler a multitude of kayak fishing
and camping adventure possibilities.
Kayak fishing and kayak camping really
allow the angler to be at a different level with the
river and the wildlife that it sustains, including
bald eagles, osprey, hawks, great blue herons,
and countless other species. The kayak is the
most effective and efficient platform to fish and
camp this river. The angler can, with little effort,
plan and execute a great kayak fishing expedition on the Susquehanna River or their own river
at home following some of the brief guidelines
and tips that will be laid out in this article.
The North Branch of the Susquehanna
River is a major drainage basin for the region
of Northeastern Pennsylvania; consequently
throughout the length of this river there are large
islands that have been created and these islands have large hardwoods many years old as
well as softwoods and weed growth. These islands can provide the kayak camper with many
prime areas to set up camp at the end of a long
day of fishing.
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The kayak is by no means a raft, so
considerations need to be taken in regards to its
limitations when packing and preparing for such
an adventure. This is where the kayak angler
will separate himself from Huck Finn and Tom
Sawyer, not in the imaginative sense, but in the
equipment and provisions needed.
Kayak camping on a river like the
Susquehanna really adds that element of adventure to a weekend of fishing and with some
preplanning and the right gear it will make for a
comfortable weekend on any river. The basic
elements of water, food and shelter come into
play; the equipment that is needed is readily
available at most outdoor gear retail stores and
there is no need to break the bank to get the
right equipment for your river adventure.
Water is probably the most important
and the heaviest item you will take with you. An
angler should have at least one gallon of water
a day for drinking and the meals average about
eight to ten cups of water each for two anglers. Basically a gallon should provide enough water
for two meals. There are many backpacker water filtering systems on the market and they can
allow you to filter the river water, but this would
only be recommended for cooking water and it
should be boiled after it is filtered.
The campsite and cooking gear is basic. A lightweight two or three-man tent that weighs
less then six pounds is perfect and there are
many on the market that are very affordable. A
forty degree sleeping bag is more than enough
to sleep comfortably and again is not an expensive item. Cooking pots come in nested sets of
two pots and one frying pan and single-burner
backpacking stoves with sealed self-contained
fuel cells are the way to go in order to avoid any
fuel leaks in the kayak.
or red pepper, and one can of chicken heated in a
pot and then wrapped in tortillas is perfectly simple
and easy. Fresh fish, of course, can be prepared
with dry breading mix and oil in a pan as well. Prepackaged foods offer a great variety for menu
options at little cost, but need water to prepare. Food and menus are very subjective so that will be
left to the individual kayak angler.
For all the Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer fans,
a trip like this is fun and easy to do with good preplanning and preparation. We hope that this article will help you in your quest for a kayak fishing
and camping adventure and we will not even ask
you to paint our fence for the information. Tight
lines and safe paddling…
Capt. Dan Hubbard is a lifelong outdoorsman
and the owner of Anthracite Outtfitters, Northeast
Pennsylvania’s first kayak fishing guide service.
The menu for an overnight kayak fishing
and camping trip could have many variables,
but perishable foods are not recommended. Summer heat and various conditions can lead
to spoilage and an ice chest would just add unneeded weight to the kayak. A favorite riverside
lunch is chicken wraps; basic ingredients like
pre-cooked rice packs, fresh onion, fresh green
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
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Feature Article...
Trout streams and Trout dreams
By James F. Kirtland
I dreamed of a trout stream last night. I
was in a small upstate NY farm town where the
residents entered the church on the top of the
hill as the sun was rising and the April snows
melted. This town smelled of cow slurry, and the
farmhouses and polebarns needed painting. The
townfolk dressed plainly and laughed over coffee
and eggs at the family diner.
Their lawns weren’t manicured and the
dandelions grew wild. Kids played ballgames
in the streets while their cats and dogs roamed
free. I bet that everybody knew the mailman by
name, and the town clerk probably doubled as
the cook at the diner. There was a homespun
honesty about this place.
Truth is a beautiful thing!
At the very bottom of the valley lived the
most gorgeous trout stream. It ran parallel with
the main road, and zig-zagged underneath that
road at several points. This stream probably had
a name, but the locals referred to it as “the crick.”
My companions in the dream were a couple of old fishing buddies. Their names are Austin
and Matt. Unfortunately, we lost touch long ago.
Austin died behind the wheel in 2000, and Matt
met a southern bell and moved to the Carolinas.
We were the three amigos back in the day. I still
visit with them regularly.... in my dreams.
I was with them last night in that country
town. We noticed the skunk cabbage and early
spring tulips crawling gingerly up from the cold,
muddy earth. We felt the first warm rush of spring
air. We soaked up every bit of this natural splendor before we carefully approached the stream.
Just downstream from a whitewater run
laid two huge rainbows on a redd. Matt and
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Austin gave me the green light for first cast, but
I passed it back to them. I have little interest in
bragging rights these days, for I have long known
that it isn’t the trout that I am after. It is something much deeper than that.
I’ll leave the dream behind for just a moment to explain the depth of my love for fishing,
and the reasons that I need it so much.
I consider our planet as a living organism. The ocean is the heart. The rivers are the
arteries, and the streams the veins. Water is the
life’s blood of our existence, and we are naturally
inspired by it, and forever drawn to it. To be on
the water during the April thaw with my dear old
friends saturates my soul and my spirit. It recharges my batteries.
I need to escape to places like this small
town because I lose a lot of myself during the
work week. Those darned bills never get paid in
full, and my customers want everything yesterday. Sometimes I feel like the frenzied and fractured businessman in Rod Serling’s “A Stop at
Willoughby.” I want to jump off the speeding train
in search of the sunlight and serenity. The boss
screams, “push, push,push!!”
My home life offers a different set of challenges because my neighbors mow their lawns
every four days and seal their driveways with
topcoat each summer. I see the nannies and
cleaning ladies come and go, and trophy wives
drive the deluxe minivans with electric sliding
doors and DVD players. They always find time
for the tanning salon and pilates classes, while
the men groom the lawn on a shiny new CubCadet. Some of them actually wax their lawn tractors! It’s hard for me to compete. I can’t help but
wonder if these people have leveraged themselves to near bankruptcy in order to keep up
appearances. Is it all a facade? Am I being lied
to?
Each night, in my sleep, I need to escape
to those rural places where mangy farm dogs lick
my face, and that wonderful, nourishing slurry
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
wafts over the valley. I need to be “out there” as
often as I can, where my truck can get muddied,
and my clothes can be tattered. I’ll always find
Matt and Austin out there, donning their waders
and grins.
In last night’s dream Matt hooked the
bigger of the two rainbows on his spin rod with
four pound test. He lost it under a fallen log. I
reminded him that the colored water offers him
the chance to use stronger line, but he had no
patience for my advice. He mumbled, “That
bleeping four pound!” He sat on the bank to retie. I slowly walked away knowing that he’d soon
be of right mind. When I looked back, the dream
had ended. My alarm sounded and I was off to
work.
A long time has passed since I’ve been
fishing for results, such as a bent rod, or a full
stringer. These days I fish for the quality of the
experience. It’s for my friends, my waters, my
skunk cabbage, and to watch those laughing
people leaving the diner, or walking up the steps
of an old batten-board church. Sometimes my
dreams are as satisfying as the real thing. Fishing is one of the true, sacred pleasures in my
life.
I fish for the laughs, and for the cold coffee waiting back in the truck.
I fish to cleanse my hands in the pure,
ice-cold life’s blood of my world.
I fish because my churches exist near
trout streams.
I fish because I once witnessed Austin’s
first trip into the woods to take
an outdoor crap.
I fish to one day watch Matt return to NY
and land a brute on four pound test.
I fish, and I silently curse at convention,
and conformity.
I fish because there’s no dress code, or
tee time.
I fish to admire the brutal honesty of a
farmer tending to the fields that his father’s father plowed with an oxbow and blade.
didn’t see shiny cars, shiny tractors, or perfectly
tanned, pampered people. The diner served
a greasy, high calorie meal for cheap, and the
customers asked us if the fish were biting down
in the crick. They wished us luck as we paid the
tab. I think that they really meant it.
I'll dream about trout streams again tonight. Hopefully, Austin and Matt will join me.
Austin will probably forget to bring an essential
item, such as a reel. He did that a lot. He used
to call me throughout the winter to ask how the
trout were staging for the April run. His anticipation overwhelmed him. I'm sure that he also
dreamed of trout streams and fishing buddies.
In my next dream I might ask him about
the hereafter. I've meant to do that for some time.
He'd probably smile and walk upstream, carrying
that secret like the prized magic fly in his safely
guarded box. I bet that I'd wake up before he
answered. He would never answer that question.
I suppose that his insight might doom me, because that answer only comes at the end.
I need to be careful about what I ask for,
which is a discipline that is hard for me to accept.
I relentlessly search for truth and beauty while
awake, or in dreams.
I'll never stop searching, or asking life's
unpleasant, but necessary questions. I seem to
ask these questions most often when I am fishing, and when I am dreaming.
One day I will receive my answers. Until
that day, I can be certain of two things: my trout
streams have never lied to me, and my trout
dreams are always beautiful.
James Kirtland is the owner of RowJimmy Guide
Service ([email protected]), and president of
LOTAC (Lake Ontario Tributary Angler’s Council:
www.lotac.org).
In last night’s dreamy, rural town we
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
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Feature Article...
What’s the Deal with Soft Stickbaits?
By Juan Veruete (centralpafishing.com)
I'm a tough nut to crack when it comes to
new baits. Years ago I can remember seeing my
first soft stickworm. It was a Yamamato Senko.
I also remember thinking to myself, "what's the
big deal?" It was soon after that I began experimenting with the bait and catching fish. A lot of
fish! Well, years later stickworms are still catching fish for anglers across the country and we
can be rest assured that this bait is more than
a passing fad. It has become a mainstay for
many largemouth and smallmouth bass anglers. I know stickworms have certainly gained my
respect and a permanent place in my fishing
arsenal.
Like any bait, it does have some limitations. That being said, I’m always trying to
extend the use of a good bait by finding new
ways to rig and present it. The stickworm is no
exception. Most fisherman think of this bait as a
shallow, open water bait. Through some creative rigging and ingenuity, a stickworm can be
utilized across many different cover types and
depths. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Fishing shallow sparse cover or rock
When fishing shallow water or sparse
cover, your best rigging option is often an exposed hook. I prefer exposed hook rigging when
possible for two reasons. First, the exposed
hook helps increase your hook up ratio. Second, the hooks used in this rigging technique
are smaller and lighter and, therefore, will not
hinder the vertical slow fall that makes a soft
stickworm such a great bait for river smallmouth
bass. My two favorite rigging options for a stickworm in sparse cover are “Nose Hooking” and
“Wacky Rigging.”
Nose Hooking
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simple. Just as the name implies, you find the
nose of the bait and hook it. There are several
types of hooks you can use when nose hooking
a soft stickbait. A few of my favorites are circle
hooks, Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hooks and
Gamakatsu split shot/drop shot hook. For example, if I’m rigging a 3” soft stickbait I’ll most often
use a 1/0 Gamakatsu drop shot hook.
There are several advantages to nose
hooking a soft stickbait. I’ve already mentioned
that the exposed hook increases your hook up
ratio. A second important advantage is that you
have the hook in the place where the fish is most
likely to attack the bait. Smallmouth have an
uncanny ability to know where the “head” of an
artificial lure or natural prey is and hit it. If you’ve
ever observed a smallmouth attacking a soft
plastic bait in clear water, you know what I mean.
In a smallmouth’s world, the skinny part is the tail
and the fat part is the head of a bait.
Wacky Rig
I like “wacky rigging” a bait mainly because I think the name is funny. Of course you
know I’m kidding… right? Wacky rigging is one of
my mainstay rigging techniques in sparse cover
and around rocky areas. I will typically wacky rig
my soft stickbaits with a circle hook of some type
or even a size 1 or 2 Kamakatsu offset extra wide
gap worm hook. Circle hooks are great because
they can significantly reduce gut hooking and
take very little work to set the hook. Just reel up
on the line, sweep the rod, and you’re hooked
up!
To wacky rig, just find the center point of
the bait and stick the hook straight through. It’s
important that you find the center point at which
the bait balances on the hook evenly. The head
end of soft stickbaits is usually a little bigger than
the tapered tail end so the “mid point” to balance
out the bait is often a little toward the head of
actual center.
I’ll switch over to an offset worm hook
when I’m getting bit but still have trouble getting
Nose hooking a soft stickbait is fairly
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
hooked up on fish. Many times fisherman think
they are missing smallmouth because the fish
are small. I’ve found that this is not always the
case. The bigger offset wide-gapped hook has
helped me connect on fish when the bite is very
subtle. I think the bigger wide-gapped hook gets
sucked in momentarily and when the smallmouth
tries to spit the bait, the hook gets hung up on
it’s mouth, resulting in a hookup when normally
you’d feel a subtle tap… tap… then nothing
more.
In general, the wacky rig is great for smallmouth in a negative to neutral mood. Typically
under those conditions smallmouth move up on a
bait and “mouth” or “taste” it. When a smallmouth
does this it is not necessarily attacking the bait
at the head. It most often is picking the bait up at
the mid point. I’ve observed this behavior quite
often. A good general rule of thumb is to start
with the nose hook then move to the wacky rig if
you are getting bites but not able to convert them
to catches.
fishing weeds in current, I’ll position myself
downstream of the weeds, cast up, then slide the
bait through the weeds as it moves downstream.
This will also help reduce snags significantly. You
can also use a similar technique when fishing a
downed tree. Position yourself near the crown of
the tree and pull the bait through the limbs.
My hook of choice for texposing soft stickbaits is a Gamakatsu extra wide gap offset worm
hook. It’s a long name for a darn good hook. Size
of the hooks will range from 1 to 5/0 depending
on the size of the soft stickworm. For example, if
I’m rigging a 3” stickworm I’ll often use a size 2
offset worm hook. If I’m rigging a 6 inch or large
bait the size of the hook will be 3/0 or possibly
4/0. The primary factor that determines hook size
is the length and thickness of the bait. I try to use
Continued on next page...
Fishing Vegetation and Wood
In the summer, fishing message boards
are full of fisherman trying to solve the “weed”
problem on the Susquehanna River and other
flows that see a fair amount of summer growth.
Most often their looking for advice on presentations that will allow them to fish in the weed beds
where the smallmouth are seeking refuge during
sunny summer days. Fishing cover with a soft
stickworm is where we start “weeding out” (pun
intended) fisherman who think this is difficult to
impossible. Contrary to popular belief, this bait
can be extremely effective in wood, weeds, and
pads. Two very simple rigging techniques will get
you in the thick of things.
From top to bottom: 4" bait wacky rigged on a
size 2 offset shank worm hook, 4" bait wacky
rigged on a size 1 Gamakatsu Octopus hook,
3" bait nose hooked with a 1/0 Gamakatsu
split shot/drop shot hook
Texposed Rig
Texposed rigging is great for sliding the
bait through submerged weeds and wood. You
can slide it through the cover and when you feel
it hit an open pocket of water let it fall. That’s typically when smallmouth will hit the bait. When
From top to bottom: 5.25" bait texposed
rigged with a 4/0 Gamakatsu offset shank extra wide gap worm hook, 4.25" bait weedless
wacky rigged on a Gamakatsu finesse wide
gap weedless hook
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
13
a hook that will allow the body of the stickworm
to move out of the way when the bait is taken in
and chomped down on by the fish.
Fishing deep water and current
Texposing is fairly simple. Insert the point
of the hook about 1/4 inch into the nose of the
bait and punch it out the side. Flip the point of the
hook toward the worm and pull the hook thought
until it reaches the bend of the offset hook. Then
punch the hook point straight up through the
worm and out the other side. The worm should
be rigged perfectly straight on the hook. If not,
most likely you punched the hook point through
the worm at an angle or in the wrong spot. Try
backing it out and punching though again.
Now it’s time to take our soft stick bait fishing to a new level. Most river smallmouth fisherman will fish the bait down to 5’ or 8’ but find it
very difficult to fish the bait effectively any deeper. I’m of the mind that if a soft bait can catch fish
at 5’ it can probably also do the job at 10 feet or
more. We just need to find a way to get it down.
We also need to be able to keep reasonably
good contact with the bait so we know when we
have a hit or when we are bumping bottom. Here
are a couple of solutions that will not only get the
bait down but also enable you to fish the bait in
more current than you thought possible.
Wacky Rig with weed guarded hook
Nail Weights
Emergent weeds on surface of the river?
No problem. This is an excellent situation to
wacky rig your soft stickbait with a weed guarded
hook. My favorite hook is a Gamakatsu finesse
wide gap weedless hook. It has a nice little flexible weed guard that you can drag through some
serious slop without getting hung up. Typically
when I’m tossing soft stickbaits into emergent
weeds, I’ll throw bait that are 5” or larger. I find
that a size 1/0 hook does the job nicely with this
size bait.
As the name implies, nail weights look
like nails but are made of lead. I saw my first nail
weights back in the mid 80’s when they were
developed for the new soft jerkbait referred to as
a Slug-Go. The nail weights were inserted into
the plastic baits to get them down deeper. Nail
weights are typically about 1/2 inch long and can
be used as is or cut into pieces depending on
how much weight you want insert into your soft
stick bait. The weights are basically pushed into
the soft plastic so that they are completed buried
under the “skin” of the bait. When nail weighting
soft stick worms you need to make sure that you
use a single weight in the center, or if you are
going to use multiple weights, make sure that the
weight is evenly distributed across the bait so
that it still falls in the horizontal position.
The bait can be presented two ways. First,
you can just drag it across the weed slop and let
it sit on top of it. This is more of a "top water" presentation and it is very effective in early morning
or overcast conditions. It is also what I refer to as
a "horizontal" presentation of the bait. Second,
you can cast it to holes or gaps in the weeds
Jig Heads
and make a more vertical presentation by letting
it drop on a slack line. Let's take this one step
Using a jig head with a soft stickbait is a
further. You can also combine both presentations
great way to get the bait down to smallmouth
by casting the bait out across the surface weeds,
holding in deep runs. It does negate the action of
dragging the bait across the slop and as the bait
the bait but it still presents that great soft stickbait
reaches a gap, hole, or the edge, let it free line
profile that smallmouth love. I will typically only
down. This can be an extremely effective preuse a jig head with soft stick worms in the 3” or
sentation because the smallmouth will be able
4” length. Longer baits just have too much bulk
to track the bait across the weeds and then jump
and the weight needed is just too much to make
all over it when it falls though a hole. Strikes will
a good presentation. Most often when rigging the
usually come in the first foot of the drop so hang
3” or 4” stickbaits I’ll used a standard 1/8 oz. jig
on!
head. I fish the bait much like a tube, bouncing it
Susquehanna Fishing Magazine - June 2010
14
From top to bottom: 3" bait rigged on a 1/8
oz. jig head, various sized nail waits that can
inserted into a wacky rigged stick worm increase the depth that it can be fished
along the rocky bottom keeping contact with the
bait so I can feel the most subtle strike.
A soft stickworm is one of the most effective
summer time baits for river smallmouth. Almost
every fisherman I know has at least a few in his
or her bag of tricks. Some of the best fishermen
I know catch fish because they have a handful of
go-to baits that they are able to adapt and present in a wide range of fishing conditions. As you’ve
seen, with a little thought, experimentation, and
effort even a simple straight worm can be adapted
and presented in a wide range of fishing conditions. This was just a quick overview of what you
can do with the bait. Hopefully it will be food for
thought and lead you to more ideas and ways to
fish the bait. Like I always say, experimentation is
a fisherman’s best friend. Without it, we would still
be fishing with live baits and bone hooks.
Juan is a member of several fishing industry pro
staffs including kayakbassfishing.com and the
Centre Sportsman TV Show. He has almost 40
years of fishing experience on the waters of Pennsylvania. Get more great fishing tips, techniques,
and reports on his personal blog, www.centralpafishing.com.