|
|
|
Nighttime Jitterbuggin ...by Frank
Lapinski |
|
To me the most exciting bassin' I know of is Nighttime Jitterbuggin'
on my favorite lake. Sometimes the strike is just a sip of the
plug off the surface and other times the violence of the strike
will propel the bass 3 feet into the air. This is easy, just
cast and retrieve with a steady pace. No stop and go, and no
buzzin', we want this lure to look like a little mammal swimming
home from his girlfriends. Color selection is a Henry Ford decision,
any color as long as its black. Get a selection of sizes from
musky down to the 3/8 oz., and pick up a couple of jointed ones
too. Size is important, some places smaller is better and the
preference may change on any given night. I make some changes
to my plugs when I get them home from the store. First I change
the hooks to the next size up from what comes from the factory
on every model except the musky. I set the new hooks so two
hooks face up and one down and then I clip off the down pointed
hook of the treble. This makes it a bit more weedless and it
slides over snags a little better. Make them as sharp as you
possibly can!!!! Then I take a pair of square nose pliers and
curl in 1/8 of the bottom and outside edge of the lips of the
bug to make it grab and push more water. Finally to make even
more noise I have drilled out a hole and added brass and glass
beads to the bug to give it a loud rattle. These noisier bugs
attract more attention , but on a flat calm night may be a bit
too loud, so pick your spots when you use the ones loaded with
the brass and glass. Add a strip of reflective tape on the back
to help you find the lost ones and the last thing to remember
is Don’t set the hook til’ you feel the fish! Enjoy |
|
Baits to Throw in Early Spring ...by Jeff
Chudzinski |
|
When fishing in early spring, a very small jig 1/8 to 3/16 oz.
with a uncle josh no# 101 pork frog is the hot bait in icy water.
My second choice is a tube bait. These are the only two baits
I will throw in early spring. You have to remember to fish these
baits very slow. You also must keep in mind that you will not
catch 100 bass a day at this time of year, but you can get your
limit. Find the warmest water in the body of water you are fishing
and start there. I look for any backwater area that has docks
or brush piles in it. Pitch your jig in and around cover and
make sure the jig falls straight down. You have to feed line
out after your jig hits the water to make your jig fall straight.
Begin making little shaking motions with the rod tip, do not
move the jig 6 or 8 inches at a time, move it 2 to 3 inches
at a time. This time of year you must be a line watcher, the
bites maybe very subtle, just a small jump in the line, if you
are only going by feel, you will miss these light strikes. Sometimes
in very cold water the bites can also be a hard thump, so be
ready. At this time of year more than any other you need to
fish your bait all the way back to the boat. Bites may occur
right in the cover or they can come 2 to 15 feet out in front
of the cover, so fish all the water in front of you |
|
Overnight shower ...by Frank
Lapinski |
|
My first reaction to an overnight shower when I hit the water
in the morning is to do a milk run of small feeder creeks. Whenever
the flow of these small creeks increases bass move into them
looking for an easy meal. I start by fishing the outflow of
the creek with a small rapala and a wacky worm and then slowly
travel up the creek with a wacky worm. I travel slowly and try
to keep as quiet as possible. There have been times when I have
had fish swim by the boat moving upstream to feed. Keep your
eyes open; this is a serious time for sight fishing. Its great
for a quick limit and sometimes there’s a kicker in there
too |
|
Dock-talk ...by Dan
McGarry |
|
When pre-fishing for tournaments insulate your self from "Dock
Talk", it is almost always old news and you are more likely
to be stuck with a "red herring" and not a Bass |
|
Putting The Red In ...by Dan
Galusha |
|
Soft plastic jerk bait fishing can be a deadly technique. However,
adding a flash of red can double its effectiveness. I like using
a 4/0 or 5/0 Daiichi Bleeding Bait Copperhead hook, on a shad,
pearl or white Gambler Stud or Mann's Shadow. The lure acts
like a crippled bait fish, while the flash of red from the hook
provides the look of gills or blood from an injury. This helps
stir up a quicker predatory action towards the lure |
|
|
