Spin Baits And Swing Jigs On Quabbin, 5/24/14

[Will Wetline]

 

This is what Quabbin looked like until noon when it started to clear. Wind was a manageable 5 - 10 MPH. Water temps. ranged from 59º - 62º. 

 

I expected to find post spawn smallies Outside but first made a quick stop at an Inside location which can be a great early season spot. I found only one good LM here and a bunch of little ones.

 

 

Next checked a few areas of extensive flats not too far away. There were a number of vacant beds but I thought that on this dark, breezy morning there might be a few hungry cruisers looking for breakfast. Fed only one, a small but aggressive bronzeback which was on a 3/8 oz. spinnerbait as soon as it hit the water.

 

Mid morning I was anchored off Heavyweight Hump. Would there be fish on top of this rock pile? None that would grab a spinnerbait or crankbait. Maybe if I got into a ninja's state of mind . . . I tied on a Duo Realis Spin Bait 80 and, as on my first outing with this unusual looking little bait,     

 

(see:  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/137440-hai-on-quabbin-51514/ )

 

retrieved it slowly with no extra action and the rod tip low.

 

 

Seems that clear water smallies have an appetite for this bait that slowly wobbles along in the water column when other baits get the cold shoulder. I hooked three on it today and landed two. All hard hits.

 

Let's now drag the bottom off the hump at a 15' - 20' depth. This was the first time I tied on another winter project, Do-It's Football Swim Jig, shown above the Spin Bait. You can see I passed on paint. I opted for a "Coca Cola" finish which is simply accomplished by a two week soak in Coke. The sulphuric acid in soda takes the high shine off the bismuth in the alloy.

 

 

This articulated jig is designed to be cranked along the bottom at a moderate pace. Use it on clean, rocky bottoms unless you are looking to come up with a gob of sandgrass or other greenery to garnish your tuna fish sandwich. I retrieved this rig briskly; the bismuth/tin head telegraphed the bottom sharply and didn't hang up as much as a bullet would have.

 

Apparently there was a pod of decent smallies around because within 15 minutes I had two good takes, neither of which I stuck. (Bah!) The third one you see below:

 

 

A couple more things about the swing jig mold - It was designed for an EWG worm hook such as the Gamakatsu 584 shown below:

 

 

I didn't like this arrangement thinking that, even with a dab of superglue, the bait is going to slide down the shank in short order. I don't like my socks around my ankles either. I did mold a few this way and planned on using Owner's nifty centering pin gizmatic. The function of the skirt collar is to retain the spring until you twist on the bait.

 

You could also use the Owner hooks that come with the SpringLock keeper if you want to mess with a split ring. (I've got the right pliers - several pairs in fact - and it's a chore I dislike as much as spooling line. I do both when I have to, of course.)

 

Looking through Barlow's extensive hook selection, I found EWG standard wire hooks which are used in one of Do-It's Arky jig molds:

 

 

I did have some doubts about the "physics" of this arrangement - would the wire bend when setting the hook? It hadn't when I unhooked the mid-weight smallie in the photo. And I'll tell ya, neither of us was particularly gentle with the other during the fight.

 

Mid afternoon I headed back toward the dock checking several spots along the way. Excuse #297 applies to the rest of this trip . . .  Sun came out, shut down the bite.

 

But hey, whether you get skunked or catch a bunch, It's always time well spent on big, beautiful Quabbin. 

[Mccallister25]

Nice! That first LM has beautiful color. Nice smallies too.

[Bluebasser86]

I've had very good success with the Owner's with the centering pin on the swinging football heads. That's quickly becoming my favorite way to present baits, it seems to hang up far less than other rigs.

 

Very nice fish!