Archive for the ‘Lures’ Category

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How do you fish your lizards?

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Lizards are one of my favorite lures to fish, especially the Zoom Lizard. I used to fish them about all the same way, throw the lure out, let it sink and then move it by lifting my rod tip 6 inches to a foot at a time. I did pretty well with this technique. Then….

I moved to Florida and fished with a guy that caught twice as many bass on a lizard as I did. I didn’t think to much about it and thought it was his lucky day. We went fishing again, using the same lizard and line and guess what? He caught twice as many bass as me again. Now..

He has my attention and I started watching him. Finally, I just ask him what he is doing different. He says the tails and legs on a lizard are made to work and catch fish, so he uses that to his advantage. He reels his lizards in just fast enough to make the legs and tail move and keeps it on a steady retrieve. I tried his technique and caught more bass.

I came back to Ohio and tried his technique and sometimes didn’t do nearly as well as just moving the lure slowly along the bottom by lifting my rod tip 6-12″ at a time. So, what is the difference?

Well, the difference is the activity of the bass. If they are feeding and you have a lot of activity then swim it like he did making the legs and tail move on a steady slow retrieve. If the feeding activity isn’t quite as good then try moving the lizard slower by raising your rod tip 6-12 inches at a time and let it drag along the bottom.

I have also found this works with many plastics, like worms. If the bass are active then make the tail work, if not slow it down and use your rod tip.

Try it!

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The Lure That Has One More Tournaments Than All Others Combined!

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

As most of you know, a plastic worm has won more B.A.S.S. tournaments than all the other lures combined. There’s a reason for that…ready? They catch bass!

I wrote this article a while back and thought this was worth posting again. I have had a couple of people ask for it and hope it helps you catch more fish.

The Lowdown on Worms

We all know that plastic worms are one of the most productive lures there are, but did you know certain worms have special uses? I have a whole tackle box with nothing but plastic worms in it, hundreds of them!

Here is what I use a certain worm for:

Floating Worm…I use this worm in shallow water and mainly in the spring. I use no weight whatsoever and like to use it when the fish just start thinking about spawning.

Stick Worm…..I use this worm in 60-70 degree water. If you use it wacky style it will vibrate on both ends.

Paddle Tail…..This is one of my favorite shallow water lures. When I fish vegetation I use long casts and just reel it back in slowly.

Gator Tail…This is also a shallow water worm that I use in the summer. It’s also great on streams and rivers.

Curly Tail….I use this worm in the summer around stumps, docks, timber, lily pads and it’s one of my favorite when I fish deep water to 20 feet.

Straight Tail…This is one of my favorites for docks, timber and brush. I have found it doesn’t wrap around brush like most worms do.

French Fry….I always Carolina rig a French fry and use it in clearer water. The action of this is amazing when you move your line and the weight comes up the line.

Ribbon Tail…I read about 30 years ago of people fishing with a 10 inch ribbon tail at night. I’m here to tell you this works, I have caught some nice bass on a big ribbon tail. I use a regular ribbon tail when fishing 10-15 feet of water too.

If you like to worm fish now, try some of the types of worms above for specific conditions. I think you’ll like the results.

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A Sharp Hook Could Mean Success In Bass Fishing!

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

It amazes me how little time most anglers spend keeping the hooks on their lures in shape and sharp. We take time to change our lines, put on new lures, clean our rods and reels but hardly any time sharpening our hooks.

There is a philosophy that says a sharp hook is a smart hook. How many fish have we missed because of a dull hook point? The answer would probably amaze you.

You should carry a hook sharpener with you at all times. Of course, deeper penetration is the most obvious reason but there are some others as well. Have you ever had a surprise strike where it caught you totally off-guard? How about a strike when you weren’t even in position? These strike not only surprise you but can scare the hell out of you but a sharp hook can give you that extra second you need to set the hook and catch the fish.

If you fish treble hooks a lot like topwater, crankbaits and jerkbaits then a sharp hook is critical. If your lure is just sitting still and you get a strike with a dull hook many times the fish will just ricochet off and you won’t catch the fish but with a sharp hook the fish will hook themselves.

Just catching bass by itself with dull your hook but then you add the extra dullness when your lure has hit rocks and wood and you’re in for a disaster.

There are a variety of hook sharpeners on the market and one that I like is knife and hook sharpener that has a special groove on the side made especially to sharpen hooks. It costs about $5.00-$6.00.

Don’t try to put an edge on the hook, you’re not sharpening a knife just worry about the top part of the hook where the point is. Keep the hook so it will puncture easily and you’ll catch more bass and more big bass.

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Do what you’re good at in Bass Fishing!

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

This past year I have not only met some new friends but met some excellent fishermen. The one thing I noticed is that they are experts in a certain type of bass fishing, that doesn’t mean they don’t try a lot of different lures and catch fish but what it does mean is they have one type of fishing technique that they are excellent at doing and they catch big fish doing it.

For example, my friend Larry lsali is one of the best jig fisherman I have seen in a long time. I have fished with some pros that fish jigs but they don’t do it any better than Larry does and he could teach some of them a few things for sure about jig fishing. He doesn’t know I pay close attention to what he does and how he fishes a jig but I do and have learned quite a bit just watching Larry. Larry fishes a variety of lures but his go to lure is his jigs.

A good friend of mine and fishing partner is Bill Walters, now bill fishes a lot of lures too but when he wants to get down to business he fishes a wacky worm. Bill has impressed me with his fishing abilities with this worm rig more than once. He just loves to fish it and it pays off big time for him. I learned a lot from Bill this year just watching him fish with this rig.

Then there’s Rick! Rick doesn’t seen to have a lure he uses most that I have seen but he has a pattern most people don’t…open water structure fishing. Rick depends on his gps and fish finder more than most people do and he has become quite skilled at finding structure in open water. Rick has an eagle eye for roadbeds, underwater streams and canals and all underwater structure and he’s good at finding them and fishing them with success.

My go to bait is the scum frog. I fish it different than most people do and fish it slower than most people do. I usually fish it slow than fish it slower. I have had people tell me they can’t believe how much patience I have when fishing my frog. This year I fished it quite a bit faster than usual and didn’t do quite as well with it, next year I will slow it back down.

Here is my point with all this, the good bass anglers that i know become experts with a certain lure or pattern and they do good with what they do. Do what you’re good at, practice it, build your confidence in it and you’ll do great!

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How to add weight to your Scum Frog!

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

If you have read many of my posts then you know I fish with the Scum Frog quite a bit, especially in thick lily pads in Ohio. The problem with the Scum Frog in very thick lily pads and other vegetation is the weight of it. It’s very light and sometimes you just need a little more weight for the frog to work and do it’s job in thick cover.

If you fish thick pads, heavy grass or etc. then try adding a little weight to get more strikes. Here is how I do it. I take a 6 inch worm and tear it into about 1/2 inch strips. I pull the rubber up on the back end of the frog and pull the rubber skirt back and hold it there while I insert the worm strips into the body of the frog. Be careful not to tear the rubber of the frog. Once the worm in inserted into the frog I just replace the rubber back to the original position.

You may think one 6 inch worm wouldn’t matter much but it makes a world of difference in weight.

If you fish heavy vegetation of any kind, try this!

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Follow-up with Topwater Baits

Monday, July 6th, 2009

I fish topwater a lot especially with a Scum Frog in lily pads. When you fish really thick pads, you’re going to have a lot of strikes that you miss, so the thing I have found that works is to follow-up the strike with a plastic worm.

When a bass misses your topwater lure, it usually makes a small hole in the pads, I throw the worm in the hole that it makes when it misses and usually catch the bass on the plastic worm.

Try it the next time you’re fishing topwater and have a strike but it misses your lure, chances are the bass will be there waiting.

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Ever wonder how far a bass can see you lure?

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

A bass can see your lure about 4 times are far as you can. Take your lure and watch it and see how far it goes down before you lose sight of it. If you lose sight at 2 feet below the surface then a bass could see your lure for 8 feet away.

Of course, in clear water it is going to be further and in stained water not quite as far.

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Do You Know Your Crankbait And Why It Could Make A Big Difference!

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Everyone can pick a crankbait out of their tacklebox and throw it haphazardly but if you do that you’re going to lose a lot of fish and confidence in your lure and fishing both.

Here are some things you should know about the crankbait you’re fishing:

Does it look good going through the water?  If it does, you’ll have better confidence in the bait and you’re fishing too.

What depth does it run?  If you’re fishing in deep water and your bait is only running 3 feet deep when bass are holding up at the bottom, what good does it do?  Know the depth your lure runs!

What is the slowest speed the lure can run and still have the action it needs?  Also, know the opposite…what is the fastest speed it can run and still have the action you want it to have?

We all know that erratic action can produce strikes, watch your crankbait in the water and see the action it makes.  What is the best way to work the lure?

What conditions are you fishing and what crankbait do you want to use?  Does the crankbait float?  Does it suspend or sink?  Know when to use your particular crankbait for certain conditions!

What size do you want to use for the fish you’re catching or want to catch?  Overall and in general, bigger bass like bigger lures.

What color crankbait should you be using?  What are the bass eating in their natural state? Shad? Crayfish? Trout? Bluegill?  Whatever it is try and match your crankbait to the same color.

What is the right size for your bass?  If they are eating shad or crayfish or both then a shorter crankbait is usally the answer.  There are some exceptions so try different crankbaits and see what you find.

What sound does your crankbait make?  Does it rattle?  Does it clang?  Does it make a clicking noise?  What exactly does it do and how will that help you?  For example, if the forage the fish are feeding on are crayfish, a clicking or rattle may help catch more bass because the crayfish may be making that same noise.

The next thing to know is the water displacement….is is a wide wobble?  Is it a short wobble?  How does it displace the water?  This could make a difference in how many bass you catch.  It seems less water displacement may do better in clear water while a bigger displacement may do better in muddy and stained water.  Experiment!

Whiles it’s easy to just grab a crankbait and start thowing it without knowing anything about it, you’ll find once you do find out what is actually does, you’ll not only catch more bass but also have more confidence in your fishing.

For a great forum about bass fishing visit my friend’s Rick website at:

http://fishtalkfishingreports.yuku.com/forums/59

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Have you quit using bass catching lures because the Pros don’t!

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

I was at a local tackle shop in New Lexington, Ohio today and looking around and seen a lure I used to use but quit using them.  I remember catching hundreds of nice bass on them but just quit using them and then got thinking why I don’t use them.  Here are the reasons:

First, when I went to Florida and fished in tournaments other anglers said “you’re not going to catch anything with that down here”.  I caught two bass while the guy was telling me that on them.

Second, the other Pros don’t use them!  No one has ever endorsed them that I ever seen, so they probably aren’t all that good even though I have caught hundreds of bass on them.

What dumb reasoning on my part!  The Pros are going to endorse whoever is paying them the most and sponsoring them.   So, guess what? Today, I purchased a whole card of them.  What is the lure?  Kelly’s Striper, purple and white!  I used them for years and all of a sudden just quit when I began fishing in Florida even though I have had great success with them.

Well, they’re back and so am I!

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What Ever Happened To Those “old” Lures You Caught fish On?

Sunday, March 8th, 2009

I read a post on a forum today that got me thinking…..yeah, no jokes please about me thinking!!

The man said he caught a bass on a Rooster Tail and I got thinking I used to use Rooster Tails, Mr. Twister Twin Tails, Kelly Stripes and other lures and caught hundreds of bass on them.  Then I got thinking, why did I quit using them?

I think it might have been because of all the hype about other lures and that no pros used them that I know of, they use the big name lures.  Also, I had a Kelly Striper on when I was in Florida and first moved down there and a guy said to me that I would never catch anything on it down there.  Actually, I caught two bass on it while he was telling me that but for some reason, I quit using them.

My point is, if you have a lure that you have caught a lot of bass with and it’s a proven lure…..why would you quit using it?  Just because the pros don’t use it doesn’t mean it’s not a good lure or a lure you should forget about, it’s a lure you should still be using even today!

I’m going out and purchase some Rooster tails, Mr. Twisters and Kelly Stripes today!

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