A Tease in the Breeze, 5/31/23

[Will Wetline]

Weather report was for sun/haze and 0 - 7 mph wind. Surface temp: 64.3º. By 8:00 I had taken a keeper and a 2 1/2 lb. smallmouth on a popper. Nothing else happening on my first spot so I moved to a large flat to do some "spybaiting" with a Duo Realis Spin Bait 80. I've been fishing this bait for a number of seasons now but don't hear others talking about it, probably because to present it effectively, you use a snooze-inducing cadence - just let it wobble along slowly, fore and aft props whirring. If you have the patience to do this, you'll get a rude awakening from time to time.

 

 

Early afternoon found me working a long ridge. Nothing deep on the northern end and further disappointment throughout the shallower areas. Would they be coming out of the depths on the southern end mid afternoon? Anchored at about 15' and casting a TRD on a 1/16 oz. Midwest Finesse (mushroom) jighead, I found them but had a problem - I couldn't keep these finicky eaters hooked! My SOP with a TRD is to casually reel down to the fish and firmly sweep set. This afternoon the fourth and the fifth jumped, throwing the bait. All five were between three and four pounds. It's not my style to smash rods on the gunnel so I took a short break. Back at it, I hooked up again.  

 

 

Now I could go home smiling.

 

[Blue Raider Bob]

18 hours ago, Will Wetline said:

Weather report was for sun/haze and 0 - 7 mph wind. Surface temp: 64.3º. By 8:00 I had taken a keeper and a 2 1/2 lb. smallmouth on a popper. Nothing else happening on my first spot so I moved to a large flat to do some "spybaiting" with a Duo Realis Spin Bait 80. I've been fishing this bait for a number of seasons now but don't hear others talking about it, probably because to present it effectively, you use a snooze-inducing cadence - just let it wobble along slowly, fore and aft props whirring. If you have the patience to do this, you'll get a rude awakening from time to time.

 

 

Early afternoon found me working a long ridge. Nothing deep on the northern end and further disappointment throughout the shallower areas. Would they be coming out of the depths on the southern end mid afternoon? Anchored at about 15' and casting a TRD on a 1/16 oz. Midwest Finesse (mushroom) jighead, I found them but had a problem - I couldn't keep these finicky eaters hooked! My SOP with a TRD is to casually reel down to the fish and firmly sweep set. This afternoon the fourth and the fifth jumped, throwing the bait. All five were between three and four pounds. It's not my style to smash rods on the gunnel so I took a short break. Back at it, I hooked up again.  

 

 

Now I could go home smiling.

 

I also have a hook-up rate with the TRD that I'm not satisfied with. I have tried every approach and the one I have settled on is a slight wrist flick. I also do not like to rear back and stick them so the modified hook set seems to give me the best hook-up ratio with the lightest hook set. I tried the no-hook set method but the bigger ones seem to come unbuttoned more easily when they jump. Just my two cents.

[Will Wetline]

6 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

I also have a hook-up rate with the TRD that I'm not satisfied with. I have tried every approach and the one I have settled on is a slight wrist flick. I also do not like to rear back and stick them so the modified hook set seems to give me the best hook-up ratio with the lightest hook set. I tried the no-hook set method but the bigger ones seem to come unbuttoned more easily when they jump. Just my two cents.

 

Bob, this day was very unusual regarding hook setting the TRD. Using the procedure described in my post, I regularly land 90% or better. Wish I had underwater footage to see how these missed fish were taking the bait.