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Undersized bass gets told " Go fetch your sister that smokes and play with catfish."

Thats what she said.

I wrote a horizontal jigging artical for In-Fisherman magazine over 17 years ago, Jan 1995. This presentation was considered old back then! horizontal jigging is another term for casting a jig and retrieving back along the bottom structure and works best in deep structured lakes during seasonal periods where bass and prey are migrating; pre spawn and fall transition. The presentation relies on a jig designed to achieve a hook set when the line angle is less than a 45 degree angle down in the water, when the jig is more verticle or more than a 45 degree angle like straight down or 90 degrees you are fishing vertical and close to the bass; pitching and flipping presentations. My average cast is about 90 feet or 30 yards out to 120 feet or 40 yards, rarely longer. I designed a modified football head that more resembles a viper snake head shape and use 5/0 Gamakatsu #114 forged hook; very strong and extremely shape, the hook point about ***/4" behind the jig head, this is a critical factor to achieve hook set sets. I don't use a traditional weed guard, I use a CPS or Hitchhiker spring and attached a ***/4 to 2" split tail section of finesse worm and insert the jig hook point into the crouch of the razor cut split in the worm tail to cover the hook point to help prevent snagging when fishing light cover or brush. A standard football head will work, but tend to hang up more often in broken rock. There is a new jig coming out called a Nu Jig that has a unique double weed guard and head shape that works very well without adding the finesse worm to cover the hook point and slides through rocky structure very well. The key to my success is the tackle and how I hold the rod, the line and position the rod during the retrieve. The rods should be at least 6'6" fast action 4 to 5 power light weight sensitive jig/worm rod. My rods are custom 4 and 5 power, 6'10" Hydra rods made by ALX, very similar to Loomis NRX rods, any good rod will do. Any good quality casting reel like Ardent 1100, the older Shimano Curado and Lewis 's pro series reels are all good, in 6.3 to 1 ratio. Line is another personal choice; I like Sunline Shooter 14 lb, it's pricey and also use P-Line FluroClear 12 lb, about the same diameter and good performance at 1/4 the price. My jig is a custom 7/16 oz, a good quality 1/2 oz football head like Cody's Phenix jig or the Nu jig would be good. I tie my own custom buck tail hair jigs in 3 color combinations; black back, purple middle and rust brown belly and call this anytime anywhere. The second is rust brown back, green center and brown belly and call,this spring craw. Trilers are pork died 1 of the colors in the jig: usually rust brown or purple. At night or low light the trailer is usually black or purple. I make a long cast and let the jig fall on a controlled slack line while watching the V the line makes in the water. When the jig hits bottom you will see the line jump, see and feel the jig hit bottom. I hold the rod in front of the reel, with the line over my index finger, the rod pointed at the jig, rod tip near to parallel with the water surface. The retrieve is very simple, I just turn the reel handle 1 to 3 turns depending on the bottom slope contour; I want the jig to jump forward about 6" to 12", and let it come to a stop then without raising the rod tip, I watch and feel the line for any indication of a strike; the line moving to one side, a thump, a bump, a tick or nothing no feed back like the jig was cut off. My reaction to any of the above is quickly to turn the reel handle serveral turns to tighten up the line and if I believe a bass has the jig, then I keep reeling until the line is tight and sweep the rod back hard. If it's not strike, just lower the rod back down and continue the retrieve. if you encounter a obstickle like rocks or wood limb, then gently raise the rod tip to lift the jig over the obstickle and continue the stop and go retrieve: turn the reel handle, let the jig fall and stop and repeat the retrieve . This sounds simple and it is, but you must concentrate on every cast, the bass that eat a jig cast a long distance don't know you are there and they often big bass. You can substitute soft plastic for,the pork trailers and appeal to a wider range of bass sizes, pork seems to appeal to bigger bass. The depth I fish depends on the thermocline, but rarely deeper than 35', usually between 3' to 25' . Good luck. Tom

This evening I went fishing with a buddy at a fairly big (15 or 20 acres) sub-devision pond near us. I used a texas rig, and put my new rage tail anacondas on it. It was about 54 degrees, windy, with intermitant rain showers, chilly compared to what we have been having lately. Anyway, I started casting around and working the t-rig slowly when thunk, nice hit. He was a good sized bass, and i thought "Well this is going to be a good evening". A couple hours later, it was getting dark and I had not gotten another bite. There is kind of a bottleneck between the two sections of the pond with a bridge over it, and i cast to the center pillar of the bridge, gave it a hop, and thunk, another solid-feeling strike. That fish faught harder, and turned out to be a bit longer than the first, with a really fat, round belly. that was it for the night, but I was really happy with the size of fish, considering that northern IL ponds are not really known for consistantly producing big fish. I was pretty impressed with my first time using rage tail products, i think they have a good chance of becomeing one of my "go to" plastics. I'll attach a couple of cell phone pics (the second fish's pic was taken by myself at arms lenth, so it didn't really turn out, i think you can still see the belly though:))

I dont want micro guides, I hear too many problems. But I am going to check my Walmart for the rods and prices. Thanks.

Nu Jig is ramping up for production. Bo James, the creator of both jigs is reverting back to the old style weedguards with three sizes whereas Alpha is still using the double brush guard design. The moderators of this forum did not appreciate the Alpha jig discussion last year, but the proof of this jig's effectiveness is undeniable. Bo actually nade this jig in ther 80's as the Viper Jig, but it was discontinued over disputes over manufacturing rights. (Quite a tale of woe.) I'm rooting for my old buddy to get this jig out to the public very soon. Let the jig revolution beign!

Lately its been a jig.

I routinely fish a lake that has a lot of standing timber. Let me offer a couple of options for you to try. To start with, I'm assuming you've got a boat and aren't shore bound. First, structure ( as opposed to cover) is still important. How would you fish this lake if all the trees and such weren't there? There are still points, ditches, high & low spots, etc. There is still probably still a weed line. This is where I'd start. Now, trees and submerged & partially submerged bushes and such add value to those spots. Don't start by fishing every tree on the lake. Fish the trees on the points first. Fish the trees on the points that are getting the most wind that day. Fish the shady side of trees or bushes on points that are getting the most wind that day. The old Buck Perry slogan still applies, i.e. "The fish are deep - or shallow - or somewhere in-between." You didn't have any luck keeping your wacky rigged senko from getting hung up. Thats probably my favorite tree fishing bait. Did you use a weedless hook? I like Falcon weighted weedless hooks, (1/16 oz), but any of the weedless spring style hooks will work. You really need a foot or two of visibility ( and more is better) for the wacky senko to work. At least, that's what I think. For me, senko is a confidence bait and I lose some confidence when the water is very stained or muddy. Anyway, a wacky senko drifted down on the shady side of trees, on points that are getting the most wind that day, is where I'd start first. You might want to take a more active approach - looking for a reaction bite, try throwing cranks. Just my opinion, but I think that the best crank for cranking timber is a Timber Tiger. You can get them in all different depth ranges. Me, I can get a DC16, which is supposed to get 16 feet down on 10 lb line, on an abrasive resistant 14 lb line, I can get down an honest 10 feet or so. You will be amazed at the kind of brush and cover that bait will come through and not get hung up. You will get hung up from time to time so invest in a good extension pole type retriever and also one of those hound dog style of lure retriever. A jig can be a good tree lure. A tx rigged worm can be a good tree lure. A tube can be a good tree lure. I generally fish trees using 14 or 17 or 20 lb fluorocarbon line - just depends what you think you can get away with. You try to determine where in the trees the fish are hanging at. They can hang out on the edges of the submerged branches, or next to major linbs or next to the trunk you never know, trial and error throughout the day until you put together the puzzle for the day. Find out what the forage base of the lake is. If you can find a sharply sloping clay bank, you've probably found a spot where lots of craw dads live, might be a good spot to put some time into. Somewhere on that lake there are different kinds of cuts, indentations, coves, whatever. Areas where deep water is kinda close to shallow water can be prime areas. There is no substitute for time on the water, but I hope this rant offers some ideas and areas on where to start.

When the fishing's slow I often have a running monolog with the fish: "How about this bait? No? Perhaps a different retrieve? Perhaps color #194 rather than #297? Hmmm?" My fishing partner may ask me how the psychotherapy is going.

They may be sharper than my Gamakatsu hooks, I really dont know. But my Gamakatsu hooks have never failed me. I will not pay that much for a pack of hooks, IMO its ridiculous. They spent so much money on their flashy clown commercials I guess they have to make their money back somehow. A rod that turns into a light saber? Seriously? Its a d**n fishing hook.

Nothing is quite as fun as catching beaver on your crank.

Well, truth be told I am afflicted by a memory leak, but I wouldn't expect my young computer to have similar problems.

Just got back from Cordoba, Argentina from a 4 day dove hunt and my buddy, Justin, said the robalo bite has been insane on an outgoing tide. So I decide to head out last night to catch the slack tide to outgoing transition and ended up catching this beauty. I was using a Yo-Zuri Sashimi Jerkbait using my Hawg Handled Pluton on a Star Rod Plasma series rod, using 40 lb Yo Zuri flouro on 30 lb braid.

I don't use 1/8oz spinnerbaits too often. I have some Strike King, BPS, and perhaps some other brands on hand. For 1/8oz buzzbaits, I use the Strike King Mini Pro-Buzz as well. Like you say, they're pretty flimsy but still a relatively good value - especially if you tend to loose them on brush, trees, etc. when fishing from shore. I got two pretty nice fish earlier this year on the Pro-Buzz - a 4.80 from the boat, and a 5.11 fishing from the bank.

worm

Plastic Worm

Yes..a goprohero2.I used to use a Olympus tough camera(worked fine)but my wife bought me this for a birthday,still getting used to it. It's a cheap plastic flower box.Good for what you said plus in the summer when it's hot,I can add a bit of water to it so the fish doesn't get burnt/hurt on my aluminum boat.Fishing by myself,good for pictures and verification...I've heard that some fishermen are known to stretch the truth alittle:) Heres on from earlier with alittle water added...under 21"s

Dicks sporting goods has a decent combo for sale, Abu Garcia Cardinal/ Vengeance rod for $80, plus there is a $20 rebate attached to the rod, so $60 total. You can probably find a $10 off $50 coupon on the internet somewhere to bring the total down to $50.

I do - Berkley Trilene Big Game, mostly in Green; in everything from 10-25lb test. It does everything I ask it to do at a very reasonable price. For a leader smaller than 10 lb I use Yozuri hybrid. I've given up on flourocarbon completely. It probably just me, but it has failed me more times than I'd like to admit. Additionally, I like the little stretch the 10-15ft of mono provides; especially during the last stages of a spirited fight close to the boat. The mono is getting the brunt of the work and might be less likely to pull a hook. So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. A-Jay

A very knowledgeable fisherman (KVD) advocates matching your jig color to the color of the bottom. On the other hand, the 'Bass Proffessor' Doug Hannon recommends contrasting the bottom as bass, expecially in clear water, are sight feeders and can detect your offering at greater distances if it contrasts it's surroundings. Both are giving very sound advice from a view of where to start from. Color can sometimes make all the difference in the world when it comes to catching. I don't buy into subtle color differences, but I do agree with what I just said. I carry two jig colors. Black and blue and green pumpkin or green seed. My trailers is where I will add color often times with dye, but only if the combo isnt' or has stopped producing and I know there are fish present. On numerous occasions I have seen anglers switching out baits and colors when their efforts would have been better directed at locating the fish first.

I use nothing but braid and always use a leader, have totally given up on fc leaders. When I'm fishing any kind of topwater lure I tie my leader direct with out a duolock, using an ordinary clinch. As said braid tangled in the front treble is a nightmare and a mono leader is so much easier to unravel, secondly a duolock or loopknot seems to catch the front hooks more so than the clinch knot.

The thought of rinsing meat before placing it on the fire never crossed my mind, but I've been cooking meat on a pit for only about fifty years. Maybe something has changed.

This is one of the best threads on BR about Hydrilla. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/79539-heavy-hydrilla-tactics/

I wish the Wal Mart here carried Rage Tails.

Get out the big boy broomstick rod, 80 lb braid, big flippin hooks, 1 1/2 oz tungsten, and hold on. Get right up in there with the big nasty

You know how it goes At some spots with only small and medium sized fish being the aggressive eaters... You feel like you need to sore mouth several of'em thinking that they'll leave it alone the next time you're there and maybe give a bigger fish the chance to EAT

The real problem is when either or both fish are taken off the bed and put in a live well and taken completely out of that body of water to a weigh in point and then dumped into a completely different body of water. Don't even try to tell me it doesn't happen, I live 7 miles from a resevoir that the Elite Series have fished and this is exactly what happens. Fortunately, the Florida Fish and Wildlife are aware of this situation (in part because I call them and tell them my concerns) and this is not the only body of water in Florida that this happens in. Hopefully they will be taking some action on this isssure.

There is only three words I use that will sum it all up. SON OF AAAHHH !!!!!!!!!!

"Start the suicide watch." After losing a big one by my own screw up "It's a Sea Beast!!!!!" (ripped off Zona) when netting a rat/dink "oof, ugh!" (Plink! line goes slack) "@#%&@#&! Pike/Bowfin!" "Here you go" When handing net with a Pike/Bowfin in it after it does it's roll and snarls up the whole thing, to the guy that caught it. "Last time I saw something like that, it was in a Playboy from 1984!" When I/a buddy backlash real bad.

FISH ON!!! sometimes followed by %#$% FISH OFF

After losing a fish, "Oh that was a giant" (probably a 14 incher) On soft plastic colors "having that purple flake made the difference in getting those fish to bite" (Really? Come on)

Another one worth repeating During the early 70s on Toledo Bend the Hydrilla started really getting thick and numerous anglers (me included) were basically fishing the matted grass with weightless Texas Rigs & Johnson Weed less spoons, there wasn't many other baits that would work in this thick stuff. At the time I belonged to the Hemphill Bass Club out of the Harbor Light Marina and one of our members started wining back to back tournaments, not just ours but every ones. He was killing us with 15 fish stringers averaging 3 1/2 to 4 lbs. a fish. No one could figure out how he was doing it, we had all seen him on the main lake flats fishing the grass flats like us or so we thought. Finally at a club meeting he revealed what he was doing. Being a diver he had went out to the grass flats & dove under to see what was there, what he found was tunnels, caverns, & caves under the surface matted grass. In of these areas he could see crawfish clinging to the grass stems, they were also filled with schools of bass, mostly large bass. The next question was what bait could get to the bass, the answer was provided by Lonnie Stanley with a ¾ oz. Jig! Who is this angler that jigged his was too many a tournament win as well to the top of B.A.S.S. Texas Bass Fishing Legend Tommy Martin! Tommy's approach to this technique is different from what you've seen, read, or heard. With most techniques you are actually fishing the densest areas of the matted Hydrilla. The focus of Tommy's technique is the outer 15 to 25 yards of the mat; in this area the grass is a little sparser, his simply pitches or flips the jigs to a near vertical presentation. His main objective is to keep the jig in contact with the bottom at all times, something most anglers fishing grass fail to do. When the jig stops falling many anglers believe they have reached bottom, but from an underwater view with scuba gear the jig has only settled on the thick base stems of the Hydrilla. After making a pitch Tommy will strip about 3 or 4 arms lengths of line letting the jig fall near straight down. Then he will shake the jig to make sure it has not stop on the grass stems. With the jig now resting on the bottom, pause several seconds, the shake the jig once or twice with pauses between each. If no strike is detected simply reel up & pitch again moving locations about 20 ft from the previous. Once you get bite quickly kick or toss a buoy marker over board, fish in grass flats tend to school up so when you catch one there is usually more. Circle the buoy in increasing diameters & depths working the jig slowly (I once caught nine 6 lb + bass in an area the size of your living room). You may work 70 yards or 700 yards to locate the fish but when you do hang on! Thirty years later Tommy is still living in Hemphill Texas, still guiding on Toledo Bend, & still fishing the B.A.S.S. tour. The deep grass technique is still catching huge stringers of quality bass with most Toledo tournament wins averaging 5 lbs. So if you've got the patience to work a jig for sometimes hours with out a bump or if you aint afraid of hanging several hawgs back to back give deep grass jigging a try.