Something everyone can use...Class in session

[abelfisher]

Ok, I have been a member of this forum for over a year now.  I have learned a lot!  One thing I have found is that there is so much information here (in all the posts) that is gets confusing  to remember where I might have read a techique or anecdote that would be very useful.  So, I would like to ask you guys to provide us your most favorite techique.  In other words, "What is your favorited way to fish?  Bait, rod, reel, tactics, line, type of water you use this technique in, etc.

With Spring coming, I think we could all use some ideas that have proved effective and productive from our forum members.  When this thread runs its' course, I am going to print it off and keep in my boat.  

Thanks!

[phisher_d]

Spinnerbait

Colours- natural colours for clear water, more visible colours for murky water

Size- start small in spring (1/4 or 3/16 ounce), get gradually bigger, bulkier, and longer towards fall.

Blades- willow for clear water and heavy weed cover, colorado for murky and/or shallow water.  Indiana for wood.

Rod- 6'6" MH fast action extreme XPS

Reel- whatever you can afford

Line- 50 lb powerpro or 17lb fluorocarbon (clearer water), but I'm going to give #12 yo-zuri hybrid a shot

*Always use a trailer hook* I started doing this a while ago and my hookups increased dramatically.  

[nwgabassmaster]

Wow, what a question.  Well, my two top fav. techniques go hand in hand, or, at least they do for me.  The first would be flipping and pitching any # of soft plastic baits, from creature baits, to tubes, to worms, etc.  I use a 6'6" MH action rod, with a reel that has a gear ratio of 6.3:1  The reasoning behind that is because when I set the hook, more than likely the fish is going to run from me, and I need to get the line back on the reel, to catch up with it.

For the hook, it depends on the length of the plastic that I am throwing.  For 1-2", I will use a #1 EWG Gamakatsu.  For 3-5", I will use a 1/0 EWG Gamakatsu.  For 6-7", I will use a 2/0 EWG, but, if I am getting short strikes, I will upgrade to a 3/0 EWG.  For 8-9", I skip the 3/0 completely, and I got straight for the 4/0 EWG.  For 10" or bigger, I will got with a 5/0 EWG

The other is flipping and pitching a jig.  So far, my fav. jig has been a Strike King Bitsy Bug.  There are several colors, but the top two are blue/black and green pumpkin.  I use the same rod/reel setup for this also, although when the time comes along, I will be upgrading to a 7'6" flipping stick.

I might be a little crazy, but, most of the time, I use 12 or 15 lbs. test mono, Berkley Big Game, for this.  Yes, it's light line, but, I know that I am going to check after EACH fish for frays, and that I will retie.  I also know that once I set the hook, I am going to horse a fish outta the cover, and I will go in after them, if the need arises.  However, most of my experience have shown that the fish will run from cover, once hooked.

The rods that I am currently putting to use right now are ones found at Wal-Mart.  LOL  I have a Quantum Torsion and a Shakespeare Excursion.  On the Excursion, I have my Shimano Bantam Curado, CU200 (CU200B, to be more specific), and on the Torsion, I have a Abu Garcia 5500C.  One is a low profile, the other is a round reel.

Hope that this helps you out.  Flipping and pitching can be utilized year round, which is why I am so profficient in using it.  For when bass are tight to cover, or they are not active, to when they are roaming and are busting bait everywhere, it's a technique that not only can catch several fish for you,  but the more often than not, those fish will be quality fish.

[senko_77]

my absolute, catch a fish when nothing else will is:

1/8oz. reaction innovations screwed up jighead with a black zoom finesse worm

quantum icon 20 spinning reel

fenwick venture 6'4" medium power spinning rod

8lb. p-line florocarbon line

cast the worm out, and jiggle the worm for a few seconds on slack line, using the rod tip for the action, not your wrists, and letting it sit.  this will catch fish always

[BD]

My rod and reel (main pole, I have a back up which I will state shortly.)

Pflueger president on an 6.6' all star MH. I ONLY fish (and RW knows this) yo-zuri line. I have tried a jillion line companies, and nothing, NOTHING, touches yo-zuri hybrid.

Spinning reel is a shakespeare caterra w/ cajun red 8lb. I use this mainly for drop shot/finesse fishing.

I also use now a daiwa procaster on a bass pro 7' MH rod. This is mainly for flipping/pitching, and the free floating spool for light lures.

When (I am in OK) "spring" comes I am fishing beds, bank fishing, or from a boat but working back. Bigger fish will be either 'deep' waiting to come up, or she'll be in shallow to spawn. Sight fishing is a must and polarized glasses allows me to see. The water temp was (a couple of weeks ago) 49, so we are VERY close to spawn...weather permitting of course.

Jerkbaits, jigs, swimbaits, worms are what I want for beds. I like to take my time and make the fish bite out of reaction.

Look for nice hard bottoms, with access to a deep shelf, hump, anything for the big females to escape if she feels threatened.

A male on a bed. I let the buzzbait basically hit him, and he took it.

One taken on a jig.

[j-bass]

Of all the various cr*p in my box, there are a few lures that seem to out perform the rest.

1. Rapala: Sinking Rattling Lipless Crankbaits in Firetiger and Holographic Emerald

2. Rapala: Jointed Shad Rap (Suspending) in baby bass

3. Cheep-os: A couple of brightly colored (various combos of white/chart/yellow/orange) spinners (willow & colorodo)

4. Yum: Crawbugs in watermelon/red (carolina or texas rigged, depending how i'm feelin that day)

all on light line (12lb max: I know I might loose a few, but fishing on light tackle rocks)

Although, based on where I live (south Rio Grande Valley, TX) i'm not sure what works for me here will do you (or anybody else) a whole bunch of good.

[TLBassin]

My absolute go too is soft plastics!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My opinion they can't be beat, but thats my opinion.  1st off is the C-Rig, the T-Rig, and some finesseing with a senko!

I have all different brands of reels (Quantum, Bassmaster, etc.) I do like the BPS rods, not to most expensive but very good for the money also in my opinion.  And for line prefrence I like Spiderwire alot, havent ever had any trouble with it!

[Madhouse27]

Smallmouth Bass: 15-30 feet deep, off points, clear water, 7' ML spinning rod, shimano spinning reel, 6lb test line, 1/8oz leadhead, Zoom Green Pumpkin Fat Albert Grub, Columbia PFG shirt, American Eagle Khaki shorts, teva sandles, Costa Del Mar shades, various hats, Skeeter boat, Yamaha outboard, Cool Ranch Doritos, ice cold beer, skoal mint pouch, cell phone off.  

[Nick_Barr]

My favorite Technique by far:

Slow-Rolling a Spinnerbait-

Gear- Lamiglas 664 Certified Pro MH action /Mod-fast Tip, Daiwa Advantage Reel

Line- McCoy 10-12 lbs. test

Fav. Spinnerbait: HART Black/Red double Colorado Blade Spinnerbait

Time of Year- Prespawn, Late summer, Fall

What to look for: Weedbeds next to a creek channel or drop off, or timber next to a drop-off

What are the Fish Doing? when using this technique?: Fish are coming up form the drop off or creek channel, weedline focusing on Bluegill, shad, Rock Bass, Bream, maybe a couple in a very small school roaming the very top of the weedbed in anywhere from 3 to 8 feet of water, The reason the Baitfish are on here is either it is weed growing seasonin which plankton, critters are livin on top of the weeds soakin in the sun, or its weed dying season in which decomposing critters move to the top of the weedbed which bream feed on.

action- slow roll a spinnerbait right above the weeds or 2-3 feet above weeds and let the spinnerbait fall into the weeds then pop out. also you can burn it then totally kill it for 5 seconds then rip it out as hard as you can. It looks to the fish like a baitfish diving into the weed bed for a critter then pooping back out.

I hope these tips help you Catch more fish Slow rolling a spinnerbait.

         

                                                           -Nick

[CJ]

I am sure you are going to get alot of spring patterns and techniques on this thread.So I am going to skip spring and fast foward to post-spawn.

When the fish are all spawned out and head back to the deep(as they do on my lake)I start looking for ledges and humps that have structure or cover on them(usually anywhere between 10-15 ft. on top and 20 -30ft. on bottom of the drop).I like to fish a jig(custom made/light wire extra sharp hook) in black/blue or green pumpkin with a Paca Crawl by Netbait as a trailer.I use a 7 ft. med/hvy Kistler LTA rod w/Shimano Curado 100B 6:3:1 reel lined with 15lb. P-Line pure flourocarbon.

Boat positioning is critical,I always stay in deep water and cast on top of the hump.

As for presentation,I start out most everyday slow and on the bottom(not only to get a bite but I feel for structure).I tinker with the presentation alot to try to find the fish .When they are suspended I like to "stroke" a jig.Some of you may have heard of this presentation.I cast on the hump and let my jig hit the bottom.Then I reel down and lift up on my rod to get the bait to hop high off the botttom.How hard I lift may vary.How high I lift may vary.I may only be gently lifting up or jerking up kind of quick.The fish almost always hit it on the fall.Alot of times it may be hard to depict a bite.I have to watch my line closely.I also have to try to keep in time with the bottom,if my line slacks before it is suposed to its a fish.Sometimes bass will jerk your shoulders out of socket.It is also a fine line in how much slack you alow,you want to stay close but you also want the jig to fall straight down.Hope this may be useful to you someday!    CJ

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

jig.

yup,...it's that simple.

[roadwarrior]

Lure class: Suspending Jerkbaits

1. Lucky Craft Pointer 128 (you may prefer the 100 or 78), American Shad

2. Rapala Husky Jerk, Silver & blue, orange belly

3. Smithwick Rogue, Green

4. Rapala X-Rap, new for me

Equipment

1. Lamiglas SR705R, heavy power/ slow action glass rod (a medium or medium-heavy power/ moderate action rod will work)

2. Shimano CTE200GT

3. #12 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft

Ideal conditions

1. Clear or relatively clear water

2. Rocky points, fished over structure in deep or very near deep water

3. Water temperature, at least 45 degrees

Technique

1. Cadence varies, the colder the water, the longer the pause. Start with consecutive long sweeps and an extended pause, working up to a faster jerk-jerk, short pause. This is just a suggested path to find the right pattern. Once you find a pattern, stick with it. Remember: The pause must be complete and on slack line, not moving the lure forward. The majority of strikes, especially with bigger fish, will occur on the pause.

2. Don't exaggerate the hook set, maintain steady and constant pressure and reel. Treble hooks set themselves during the fight.

[Rattlinrogue]

Favorite technique=floating jerkbaits from late Spring to mid Summer.Bait=Smithwick Rattlinrogue in gold or chrome.Rig= Quantum Accurist on 7'0 MH rod,spooled with 12 lb test Yo-Zuri Hybid.Technique= Fish lake from 5:00 AM until the bite stops(actual time to be on the water varies.I like to be on the lake ready to fish in my favorite spot of the moment at least 30 minutes before the sun even thinks about rising!).Fish the bait as a topwater bait.Depending on what they want,it can be twitch,twitch;jerk,jerk;or rip,rip!I fish in stump filled flats that are over run with submergent grass beds in water from 2 ft to 6 ft.There it is ! My favorite way to catch 'em.It is an exciting time to be bass fishing IMO.

[5bass]

My favorite way to catch a bass is on a deep diving crankbait.

Rod: American Rodsmiths Fiberglass DF76

Reel: David Fritts crankbait reel 4.7:1 ratio

Line: 12# Yo Zuri Hybrid

Lures: Rapala DT16,Norman DD22,Mann's 20+

Anytime I am fishing deep water points or humps the crank is the first thing I throw.Once I've got the bait down,I slow it to a crawl.I want my bait to be bouncing slowly along the bottom,deflecting off rocks,limbs or whatever is down there.I always stay in contact with the structure.I like to have the bait just "strolling" along the bottom.When I do hit something,I pause the retrieve briefly and then resume.

Walking the bait across the bottom like I described appears to a bass to be just some random fish,swimming along,feeding on the bottom.Easy meal.

[basspro48]

My absolute favorite way to catch fish is pitching a jig.

Rod: 7' Team Daiwa Heavy action flippin stik, or 8' Custom St.Croix Heavy action flippin stik

Reel: Shimano Citica CI-200 6.3:1 retrieve, and Shimano Curado 200B 6.3:1 retrieve

Line: 50lb. Stren super braid, or for clear water 20lb. Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon

Jigs: for wood cover I use a 3/8 oz. Terminator Top-Secret jig in black/blue, green pumpkin/pepper, Skeet's secret, and black/brown/pumpkin. For matted grass I use a new Terminator 1 1/8 oz. Grass Jig in Junebug, and black/blue. For rocks and riprap I us a new Terminator 1/2 oz. Football Jig in black/blue, brown/purple, and western melon.  

Conditions: I love warm shallow muddy water for pitching, typically water temps between 63-70 degrees are the most productive. Sky conditions are key during summer and winter months. In summer I like an overcast sky, because then I know the bass are out lookin for a meal. And for winter I like a clear sunny sky, because then I know the fish will be up shallow in the warming water. But there's still the question of wind, when pitching I like almost no wind at all, a slight ripple is fine but I don't want a strong wind.

Boat positioning: Boat position is very important when fishing shallow cover. I position my boat as far away from the cover as possible and I want the boat to be down-current, or down-stream, from the cover. I never approach a piece of cover straight on, always slide in from the side and parallel it with your boat. Also turn off all of your electronics and try to keep trolling motor use to a minimum.

[MCKNBRD]

OK, I'll buck the trend...my favorite rig that I keep on the bow when I'm fishing is a beat-up Mitchell Spidercast spinning reel on a 6' Shimano Medium 2-piece rod, with green (or clear, depending on where I'm fishing) 8lb Stren wound on it.

The bait?  Simple.  A heavily modified Heddon Baby Torpedo, in various colors (depending on conditions).  I've pitched it, casted it and skipped it to MUCH success over the years; I tend to beat the banks (yes, I'm an amateur) and its generally a plastic worm, jig, or my topwater.  I've pulled fish in every month of the year, and will never be without it on the boat!

(and yes, I have rebuilt the reel...a time or two!)

Byrdman

[papa smurf]

My best method of catching postpown bass is to take a rapala jointed minnow and fish it very slowly on the surface.  I usually cast it out and wait until all of the ripples dissapear before I begin my retrieve.  Then I retrieve it just fast enough to get some action out of the back half for 4-5 feet.  Then I deadstick it for 15-30 seconds before I move it again.  It takes a lot of patience to fish this way but it can really help with those postspawn females when nothing else seems to be working.

[Redtail]

In the Spring when the fish are relatively shallow my favorite is a Fat Ika rigged skirt up with a 3/0 extra wide red gammie.  I use a Shimano Stradic and BPS Extreme 6'6" med with 6lb clear Yo-Zuri Ulta soft line.  I use either Green Pumkin or pumkin seed and let it fall on slack line with an occasional jigging motion every now and then.  All courtesy of RW and it has worked great for me on the east coast in relatively clear water.

[squid]

Lure class: Suspending Jerkbaits

1. Lucky Craft Pointer 128 (you may prefer the 100 or 78), American Shad

2. Rapala Husky Jerk, Silver & blue, orange belly

3. Smithwick Rogue, Green

4. Rapala X-Rap, new for me

Equipment

1. Lamiglas SR705R, heavy power/ slow action glass rod (a medium or medium-heavy power/ moderate action rod will work)

2. Shimano CTE200GT

3. #12 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft

Ideal conditions

1. Clear or relatively clear water

2. Rocky points, fished over structure in deep or very near deep water

3. Water temperature, at least 45 degrees

Technique

1. Cadence varies, the colder the water, the longer the pause. Start with consecutive long sweeps and an extended pause, working up to a faster jerk-jerk, short pause. This is just a suggested path to find the right pattern. Once you find a pattern, stick with it. Remember: The pause must be complete and on slack line, not moving the lure forward. The majority of strikes, especially with bigger fish, will occur on the pause.

2. Don't exaggerate the hook set, maintain steady and constant pressure and reel. Treble hooks set themselves during the fight.

Cain't go wrong with this, and add a jig to it too...

[FutureClassicChamp]

my favorite way to catch fish is medium depth crankin'.  8-15 feet. ill use a 7' or 7 1/2' medium action rod, shimano curado reel. and an assortment of crankbaits. norman middle n, norman deep little n, norman dd14 on the deeper side.

[bassinchik]

My fav bait/techniques would have to be the spinner bait.  I prefer white and chartreuse (bleeding baits at times).  Depending upon the structure, I vary my techniques.  When in shallow grassy water, I cast and reel/jerk in immediately.  If I am in deeper water, I allow my bait to sink a few feet before reeling it in.  When nothing else works, I have had luck with my spinnerbaits.  Also, depending upon the light conditions and water stain, I select the color to best be seen.  Another factor would be the water temp....this would determine which size baits I select.  I am sure this is no news for others, but I had to put in my two cents.  lol  

[Gatorbassman]

I'm going to go the same way CJBasswacker did and talk about post spawn. The conditions and topography of Clarks Hill lake during the post spawn period are unique. If you can duplicate it on any other lake I want to hear about it.

Rigs- 7' MH with a pearl Fluke on a Red Gami EWG G-Loc hook.

      6'6" MH with a small Green Pumpkin Jig or Jigged Finesse Worm

      6'6" M or MH with a clear Super Spook Jr.

Clarks Hill has dozens of islands that are fairly close to shore with 3 to 10 foot deep water between. When the wind blows across this shallow area it creates what we call a "Blow Through". In order to catch fish with this patter several things must happen. You need wind of course. There needs to be baitfish present. You need to be there in the morning or it needs to be cloudy. And last but not least there needs to be bass there.

What happens is the wind blows the plankton across this shallow area followed by the bait fish. This shallow area concentrates and disorients the baitfish. Making them easy pickings for the bass.

This is mainly a top water bite. When you are sitting on a blow through you will have moments of quiet but all of a sudden the water will erupt with baitfish flying out of the water with huge bass right behind them. If you have never seen a 8lb bass jump clean out of the water this might scare you a bit. Toss the Fluke or the Spook at them and hang on. When they go back down work the area thoroughly with the jig or even a C-Rig will do. Find whatever cover or structure they are holding on and you could be catching fish for a while.

I got into them good last year. In two hours I caught about 15 fish with my best five going 25lb 8oz. I couldn't believe it.

[Peter E.]

This time of year I like to fish fast with a 6'6" rod and reel combo, pitching a spinner bait going from waking to say three feet down. With each fish I catch on the waked spinner bait I follow it with a F-11 Rapala. With each fish caught 3' down I follow it with an X-Rap. After working the area over like that I will usually throw a baby brush hog. I move fast picking up the most active schools in the shallows.

When fishing a deeper body of water I take a half ounce Zoro Agitator. Roll it a cross or near the bottom, follow with a deep diver, and finish off with a 1/4 ounce jig and pig (I like a slow fall). Well thats my style and I'm sticking to it.

Peter