All bass fisherman, no matter what level of skill, get skunked every now and then. A whole day out on the water without a single bite can be daunting and frustrating, especially if that day happens to be a tournament. But we all know there are those "back-up" techniques and strategies that the Pro's like to use so much. But we often forget to think about them when out on the boat. Below are a few techniques and tricks that have proven successful for me when fishing "tough" conditions.
SPIDER JIGS
I have come to respect these little critters a lot when bass stop biting. When fished, they can resemble a shad or crawfish...or a combination of both! They come in all different colors and sizes and there are numerous ways to rig em'.
My favorite spider jig set-up is on a 1/8oz. stand-up mushroom jig head. I like to use a baitcasting reel on a 6'6" medium-heavy rod, spooled with 10 or 12 lb. test Trilene Advanced. Light line gives the most natural action to the bait and is less visible to finicky bass. The 1/8oz. jig head gives a "slow-fall" presentation, that without a doubt entices more strikes in my opinion.
I have found that the mushroom jig head works especially well in rocks, weeds, and wood. It has a compact head that doesn't get wedged between two objects easily and it can be dragged on the bottom well for good sensitivity.
Among my favorite spider jigs is the Yammamoto Skirted Double Tailed Grubs. They are loaded with salt, so the bass will hold on to them giving you time to set the hook. They also are super soft and wiggle at the littlest rod movement. They come in various sizes and colors. I highly recommend them.
Many people think spider grubs are only good for crawling on the bottom. While they do score big on the bottom, they can do equally well, if not better being lifted and dropped kind of like a worm. I like to throw the jig all the way to the shore and work it all the way back to the boat. Let the spider jig hit bottom, crawl it a little bit, and lift your rod slowly from 10 to 12 o'clock, then repeat. Unlike a worm, you will be surprised how many bass strike right when you lift it.
These bulky baits create a lot of water resistance which help the bass home in on them in muddy water. There tantalizing tentacles and tails vibrate, sending signals to the fish. In muddy water, use colors with glitter flake. Red, green, or blue flake makes the bait a little bit more visible in murky waters. Be sure to apply scent to all your baits, because you want every advantage you can get!
So next time you can't get a bite to save your life, toss a spider jigs and think about what the bass want. We often have the knowledge, just forget to use it!
TARGETING LILY PADS & SPATTERDOCK
When weather drastically changes, it sometimes makes bass very hard to catch, especially when cold fronts come in, or the barometric pressure shoots up. Bass get very lazy. They find one spot and sit there. They rarely move to eat food, and often ignore just about every lure we pull past em'. Although there is no trick or technique that will catch each and every one of those fish, there are some strategies that work a lot better than others...one of those is targeting lily pads and spatterdock.
Active bass that use lily pad fields for cover, often hold or cruise on the outer-edges of the field, or any irregular features that allow them to jump out and snatch baitfish and other critters. When the weather turns the fish off, they head back into the thick of the pads, secluding themselves from any predators. There are a few ways to get these bass to strike. Here are a few:
Jig 'n' pig: One of the most productive lily pad and spatterdock lures. Put a plastic or pork trailer on your jig and pitch em' into the thick stuff. A slow, almost deadsticking approach can often coax a strike. Be sure to load up your jigs with scent, a bass' sense of smell is 1,000 times greater than ours. So when we complain about how bad those scents are, think about what the fish are saying!
Texas-rigged Worm: A good bait to flip and pitch in little pockets. Like the jig, fish it slowly, slithering it through and around the stems and weeds. Bass love to eat snakes, and a worm often resemble just that.
Tube Bait: One of the most popular lures this year. Fish it with a light, 1/16oz. slip sinker and add a rattle inside. Pop it in and out of the pads.
It is always a good idea to look for "spots within spots". In other words, find a high-percentage spot, then find another high-percentage spot, within that spot. Got it? Those "spots within spots" can mean a 1-foot drop, a hump, a stump, a tire, anything that could attract a bass, or baitfish for that matter. Remember to think when you are out on the water. There have been many times I have come home after a long day of unsuccessful fishing and say, "Why didn't I just ask myself what the fish were doing...I might of caught a descent limit!"
SLUGGIN' THOSE LAYDOWNS
The slug-go type bait, or most commonly known as the soft-jerkbait, has long been used as a finesse lure to cure even the worst epidemics of lockjaw. They can be twitched fast on top or just below the surface for reaction strikes or popped slowly on the bottom, around weeds or even rocks. You can virtually do anything with a soft jerkbait...and it is the most weedless lure I have ever fished.
One of my favorite techniques for catching inactive bass with soft jerkbaits is twitching laydowns. I have learned that angles are EVERYTHING. You can make a hundred casts perpendicular to a laydown and not get a bite, but then you make five casts paralleling the wood and catch five fish. Trust me, it has happened. So try to pattern what angles the fish are hitting best. You stand a better chance of catching more fish.
I like to use the standard twitch-pause-twitch retrieve and keep eye contact with the bait. You may also want to try deadsticking the slug-go...experiment. Once you get really good with a soft jerkbait, you will learn how pop your rod to make the bait go anywhere you want it too. I recommend to everyone to use wide gap hooks. I especially like X-Point and Gamakatsu...both make good hooks.
I hope these few tips and strategies will help you next time you are out trying to catch those "hard to come-by" bass. And remember, think! Analyze the water, weather, and what other people are doing. It can make all the difference in the world. Take care and good fishin'