Late Spring heat . . . Getting out early

[Brad in Texas]

Here in Texas we are experiencing some early hot temps approaching records this weekend. So, I fell into my "summer" pattern a bit early today where I got up early to avoid the heat. I ended up fishing from around 7:30 AM to 10 AM, just dropped my Meyers canoe in the water on Lake Athens and started catching them pretty fast. Two rods on deck but I never even got the second one wet.

 

What has worked for me with the drop shot on Lake Athens which has a ton of grass is to use a longer leader down to the "drop shot" so that the worm isn't lost in it and is sort of floating above it. It worked well today with 7 or 8 LMBs, most in the 2 to 3 lbs. range, one over 4 but under 5.

 

I have become a real fan of Rebarb hooks over the very fine Gamakatsu swivel hooks I have used in the past. For the latter, I used a nose hooking method but for the Rebarb hooks, I T-Rig a Roboworm plastic and leave the hook embedded. My hook up ratio is much higher. 

 

Always a reliable presentation for me, the drop shot, and today it worked so well I never got off of it to try other things. 

 

Lessons learned: longer sinker leaders on fuzzy lakes, bass will get wound up on lily pad stems but seem to work loose if you give the time.

 

Some pics.

 

 

 

Brad