The Carolina Rig is a technique that has been around for quite some time. It is used to cover an area quickly to find out what kind of structure you are fishing. Personally, I have put this technique on the back burner for the last number of years, but as of the last season, I put it back into action and it really paid off. In fact, I used it enough that it had earned me (4) top 4 finishes, and (3) big fish awards. This article is going to help you, step by step, explain the setup of this technique, types of baits to use with this, and places where to fish using this technique.

First, we will cover all of the components that are required for getting this rig set up. The first component is the weight. After assessing what type of structure and depth you will be fishing, decide how much weight you are going to need. The way to look at it is, get away with the lightest weight possible; usually throw between a ¼ to ½ oz weight, unless you are fishing deep water, then look at the ¾ to 1 oz weight. There are a variety of weights to use for this, egg sinkers, bullet weights, weights with rattles in them, and so on. They come in different composites, lead, brass and non-lead. A bullet weight is a more common weight for ease of getting through vegetation. Since a lot of the states are getting away from lead, use the brass or non-leaded weights.

The next component that goes onto the line after the weight is the beads. The beads come in either plastic or glass. The glass beads are faceted, which means that they are not round, but have many flat sides to them. Usually there are two beads put onto the line after the sinker. Most anglers use the glass faceted. Some anglers think that using colored beads makes a difference, but it really comes down to personal choice. Using the two glass beads in line makes more of a clacker noise when the weight and the beads bang together, as opposed to the plastic beads. With the noise from the weight and beads, it represents the clicking sound that the crawfish makes.

So far, on the line, we have the sinker followed by the two beads. The next component is a swivel that is tied onto the line. Usually with this rig, we would use the crane swivel for this in the black finish. The purpose of the crane swivel is to keep the twist out of your line, for the leader end, as well as to keep the sinker and beads in a fixed position. For the swivel size, usually stick to the smaller versions like the 20 to 30 pound rated range. There are manufacturers in the industry that offer a pre-rigged version, called the Carolina Shortcut; Bass Pro Shops offers this as well as many others.

So up to this point, the rig consists of having a weight threaded onto the line, followed by two beads. Then, with the end of the line, we tie on the swivel. Now that we have the main components rigged up, we will get to the business end of the Carolina Rig.

Now, it comes down to what type of cover you are fishing; what mood the fish is in, and this will dictate how long of a leader you will need. From the swivel that is tied onto the line, we will then tie on a Fluorocarbon leader. By using a Fluorocarbon leader it gives the bait a much more natural look as the fish don t see the line like some Monofilament lines. Usually the main line is of heavier weight poundage; anywhere from 12 to 30 pound test, depending on how much abrasive cover you are fishing. For instance, weed cover will let you get away with 12 pound test, but if you were fishing rock cover, then we would look at 20-30 pound line. From the swivel, we tie the leader on and which is a lesser line weight. The line weight for the leader is anywhere from 8 to 15 pound test, try and get away with the lightest possible line that you can.

The lighter the line is, the more naturally the bait darts from side to side, moves up and down, and falls more naturally to the bottom. This is where we need to pay some attention to the line length with the bait that we are using. The leader can be as short as 12 inches long and can go to as long as 4 feet. The shorter the leader is, the faster the bait will fall and the longer it is, the more natural it will look. Usually the length would be between 24 and 36 inches. Tie the hook to the end of the leader, usually the hook will be a 2/0, 3/0 or 4/0 hook. Use a heavier gauge hook; otherwise if you use a thin-wired hook, there is the possibility of straightening the hook and losing some big fish.

The bait that goes onto the hook can be any variation of baits that are out on the market. There is a plastic bait company by the name of BearPaws Hand Poured Baits that offers a wide range of plastic baits. They offer baits like BearPaw Grubs, Lazy Sticks (senko style), Slick Sticks (finesse worm), Grim Reapers and Shad baits. They have just come out with some new bait that consists of 5-1/2 Salamanders, large 7-3/4 Kodiak Whip worms and the 4-1/2 Grizzly Stick, which is a creature bait. All of these baits come in a wide variety of colors, BearPaws baits are offered in over a 100 different color variations. All of these baits are hand poured and individually trimmed and packaged at a great price. If you haven t tried hand poured baits, you don t know what you are missing. Hand poured baits are more durable, have a more lifelike feel to the fish, have scent baked into each one and have a natural buoyancy that works great for Carolina rigging.

The creature bait craze is running wild right now and it is always a great choice for this technique. The BearPaws Grizzly Stick creature bait consists of two curl tails off of the tail end of the bait and has two side appendages also. The main body consists of the zipper concept and with this design; it displaces a lot of water and creates a disturbance in the water column that draws the fish to the bait. Another great bait that they offer for this type of a bite is the 5 1/2 inch salamander, which has the great buoyancy from being hand poured. If there is a tough bite going on then switch to a subtler bait of the 4 or 5-inch Lazy Stick, the 4 or 6 inch Slick Stick or the 4-inch Shad. Any of these are finesse baits and offer the subtle action that is required for the tough bite.

Now that we have the Carolina rig setup and a few baits picked out to fish with, we will now look at places and presentations to use this in. This rig is really used to pick apart structure, as it gives the fisherman a lot of information back to them as it is being fished. The weight transmits vibrations back to the angler s hand and with that they can tell if they are fishing sand, rocks, mud, weeds, etc. This presentation is used as search bait, as it can cover an area fairly quickly and when an area has been found that is holding fish, you are able to slow down and fish it as slowly as the need warrants.

This presentation is used mainly to cover large expanses of an area with little vegetation and sand or rock bottom. But, as anglers are using it in heavy vegetation, this is giving the bass a different look at the baits that follow. As it is coming through the weeds, the buoyancy of the BearPaws Hand Poured Baits allows the bait to float either high in the weeds or above them as it floats and slowly settles towards the bottom. After casting the rig out you will slowly drag it back towards the boat, with a lifting or side motion of the rod tip. With a 3 foot leader the bait flutters above the bottom and it slowly falls back down and that is when the bass strikes. As you start to move the bait, be prepared, because many times you may not feel the fish pick it up and when you go to move it, there is weight there. With a side sweeping hook set you will hook another bass.

Mainly this rig has been fished on deep structure, but recently more people are using it to fish in water as little as 1-2 feet deep. It gives a different presentation to the shallow water fish that are use to seeing jigs and plastics fished Texas style. By fishing this shallow, the bait will have a very erratic action and is enticing to them. You will be able to crawl this over wood cover, but would recommend shortening the leader to maybe a foot long or a bit more. This allows the bait to free fall better, but with a shorter leader it doesn t get as tangled in the wood like a long leader would. The shallower presentation will also allow you to get away with a much lighter weight for a softer presentation into the water after the cast. You will be able to use a weight between 1/8 - 3/8 oz.

If you haven t tried the Carolina Rig before, you don t know what you are missing. You are able to cover water quickly with this technique and you are able also to fish it slow. You can fish it very shallow or as deep as you need to. There are a variety of baits to use with the Carolina Rig and they will allow you to fish to what ever mood the fish are in. Bigger baits with rolling curly tails and body appendages are great for the quick and aggressive bites. As opposed to the subtler 3-5 inch finesse baits for the very finicky fish. Whatever the mood is or whatever the structure you are fishing, you should always have one rod ready with the Carolina Rig.

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

Thirty seconds after taking the slack out of the line, the balloon disappeared under the water. Terry set the hook hard and was rewarded with a line-stripping surge that almost pulled him off his feet. Russell excitedly instructed Terry to get the fish out of the stumps and put as much pressure as he could on the fifty-pound line and stiff rod. Terry leaned into the heavy rod as the gigantic bass broke the water. At the first sight of the giant bass breaking the surface, all three fishermen were spellbound by the size of the fish that Terry was battling. After a tremendous struggle that lasted several minutes, the bass was near the boat. Russell stretched the net as far as possible and the fish made one last powerful surge. The hook tore loose and momentarily the twelve-pound plus bass suspended in the water before disappearing into the dark water below. The three men stood in a state of shock, not believing what had just transpired. They had lost a bass that was the fish of several lifetimes. For a serious fisherman, this is a heart wrenching experience.

The trio went back to fishing and for the next two hours Robert caught several fish ranging from four to seven and a half pounds. Terry had several more fish chase his bait, but no takers. "Terry, you were not supposed to catch that fish. That's all there is to it" Robert said as they reminisced the huge bass that got away just inches shy of the net. They knew that at any moment another giant bass could inhale their shad and at every cast, they kept their hopes of tangling with another truly large bass.

The reason that the fishermen had the hopes that they would encounter another double-digit bass was the fact that they were fishing in one of the hottest big bass lakes in the country, Lake Monticello. This fifteen hundred twenty acre bass lake is very unique in the fact that it is being managed strictly for trophy largemouths. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocked the lake with a mixture of Florida strain largemouths and Arkansas largemouth bass. When the lake was opened to fishing in 1997, the regulations were different than most other bodies of water in the state. A slot limit of fifteen to twenty one inches was imposed, protecting trophy sized fish while giving fishermen an opportunity to take out some of the smaller bass, and a fish over twenty one inches, should they be fortunate enough to wrestle a monster out of the stumps and flooded timber. The daily limit is four total fish, and due to this aggressive approach to trophy bass management, Lake Monticello has earned a reputation of producing ten pound plus bass on a regular basis. Some of the biggest bass in the state have come from this lake, and the people in the know predict that the new state record swims in the lake at this very moment.

Another reason for the fishermen's hope of another big fish on the line is the fact that Russell Owens was the man in charge. Russell has guided fishermen to giant fish across the state for many years, and he is a dedicated big bass hunter. He has personally landed a fish which weighed over thirteen pounds in Lake Monticello, and he knows the whereabouts and how to's of giant bass fishing in this lake like none other. When Terry and Robert hired Russell for their fishing trip, he told them right up front, but in a good natured way "I fish for big fish and only big fish. You will have to agree to fish my way and use my equipment. I will also tell you that there are times that I fish all day and never get a bite. When you do get a bite, it will be a big fish. If you will agree to these terms, I will take you fishing." They agreed, and found themselves on the fishing trip of a lifetime.

"I cast my shad out towards a stump, up wind of the boat in an area that we had not fished. I took the slack out of the line, and then saw my shad jump out of the water. A giant explosion blew the water up under the shad and I saw a mouth that looked as big as a five gallon bucket come up out of the water. The monster bass caught the shad in mid air. As fast as I could react, I set the hook as hard as I could. This was the hardest fighting fish I have ever had on in my life. The bass broke the water four or five times, coming completely out of the water, shaking its head trying to throw the hook. It was all I could do to keep the fish out of the stumps. I finally got the fish to the boat and Russell netted it. This was the biggest bass that I had ever seen. We guessed it to weigh fifteen pounds" Terry exclaimed. "When we put it on the digital scales, it read fourteen pounds and two ounces. I went to Lake Monticello with the hope of catching a ten pound bass, but instead, I got two bass to the boat that would weigh over twelve pounds. The fish I got in the boat was bigger than the one that got away. The Lord works in mysterious ways!" Now that's the fishing trip of several lifetimes.

AUTHORS NOTE: For more information on Lake Monticello or to request a 2006 Official Visitors' Guide, contact the Monticello-Drew County Chamber of Commerce at 870-367-6741 or go online at www.montdrewchamber.com. Their email address is chamber@seark.net. They have a very nice, informative package which lists the hotels, motels, restaurants, RV parks and other amenities for your convenience.

Just a FEW tips for this Fishing Season

BASS
Bass are primarily sight feeders so the murkier the water, the shallower Bass may be feeding. In murky water, light penetration is only a few feet, so work the surface and the shallows.
Bass also have good color vision, and get interested in objects that move.
LARGEMOUTH BASS (Micropterus salmoides) may be the most sought after gamefish in the country. You will find them actively feeding when water temperatures are between 65 - 75 (72). Largemouth Bass relate strongly to cover such as stumps, logs, brush, weeds and boat docks. They also relate to structure features such as points, rocks, drop-offs, flats, cuts and creek channels.
Try using dark colored lures in muddy water and light colors in clear water. Look for spots other anglers might overlook and try varying the speed of your retrieve.
SMALLMOUTH BASS (Micropterus dolomieu) will move into shallow bays once water temps reaches 55. Smallmouth prefer a different world than their Largemouth cousins, Smallmouth tend toward rocky formations, logs, shoals ans debris. Smallmouth have an active feeding range of 60 -70 (67). Some good artificial baits for smallmouth are surface plugs, spinners, streamers and wet flies. And good live baits are crawdads, minnows and worms.
DURING SPRING: It's Never Too Early To Think BASS Fishing. In early spring the sun casts its most intense energy onto the North shores, and since fish are attacted to the warmest waters, you should concentrate here. Fish will not be real active during early spring, so do not make the mistake of fishing too fast.
Once water temps reach 50-55, Bass will start moving into staging areas at the 5-8 foot deep breaks and many times in or near sheltered coves.
At temps of 55-60 they will be in pre-spawn near cover closer to shore searching for spawn beds.
When water temps go into the 60s, they will be ready for egg-laying in shallow coves as shallow as 2-4 feet..
During early spring focus your fishing along the most protected banks with the calmest waters.
I find jigs with pork to be a good lure during this pre-spawn period. Once the spawn is over (post-spawn), I prefer a spinnerbait or topwater lures. A large spinnerbait will match the bait fish size this time of year. The spinnerbaits are good during high water conditions with some stain. Fish them over flooded brush & grass and try experimenting by mixing blade sizes, colors and shapes.
Many times the same locations you found fish during pre-spawn, you will find them during post-spawn.
When Bass are found in shallow cover, a Jerkbait casted over this area, given a couple of jerks to get it down, then let to set and twitched and another jerk will being strikes.
DURING SUMMER: Good BASS fishing times can be early or late and try topwater baits or buzz baits, and check our Fishing Calendar for the best times each day for most fish activity.
For that topwater bait, try using a Slow to medium-steady retrieve instead of fast erratic action, experiment to find what works best. Also, try waiting 20-30 seconds after splashdown to start retrieve of top water bait.
Another successful approach for Bass is to cast a plastic worm at cover like Timber & Weeds.
If you prefer spinner baits, switch to a smaller blades during summer forage fish are predominately smaller this time of year.
During summer when temps hit 80, bass will often move into deeper water to escape sunlight or may hide in shade of docks and laydowns. Bass many times will be under the tickest weed mates or will also move into shallows to feed at night. When they are under these weeds mates, this is a great time to use scum frog type baits across tops of this scum..
The key this time of year is finding the Bass. Look for drop-offs and slopes with structure out in the lake such as humps and ends or points. Once you find the fish and their depth, a deep-running crankbait is a good choice. So the trick is to know how deep your crankbaits will run. REMEMBER, always cast past the area you plan to fish so the crankbait will have time to reach the strike zone instead of passing it up.
You hear much advice directing you to "work the weedlines".Well, the weedline term refers to both submerged and/or above-water weed beds. The "outside edge" is the side of the weeds facing deep water. The "inside edge" faces shore. Curves or U shapes along weedlines indicate changes in bottom structure and are always worth a try!
If the lake you fish is fairly Clear, pick deeper weedlines. If muddy or stained, the fish may be shallow.
If you fish shallow water & over weeds, hook minnow through the outer edge of the back or tail or fish on the weed mates with a scum forg for real fun.
If fishing deep, hook minnows through both lips from bottom.

Trout fishing tips:

One of the best ways to catch trout is to use bait rigs that are very specific. These rigs will catch fish from 8 inches to 6 pounds. I know because I do it all the time. Best if used for trout, they will catch other types of fish as well. Start out by using 4 to 8 pound test main line of good quality. Then using 4 pound test fluorocarbon leader (I recommend buying the 150 yard filler spool that is sold to go on the reel, but only use it for leaders. That way you will have real tough, invisible leaders for a long time.)

A slip sinker rig is very important to use because the fish won't feel the weight of the sinker when it picks up the bait. This also allows you to feel the fish, or see your line or rod tip move, as soon as it bites. The slip rig is made as follows: Slide the eye of a number 12 or 14 snap swivel onto your main line. Follow that by sliding a small bead (2 to 3 millimeter) onto the line. Next tie the eye of a number 10 or 12 or 14 barrel swivel onto the end of the main line. Use an improved clinch knot. To the other eye of the same barrel swivel is tied the leader and the hook, again using improved clinch knots (see fishing knots). (If you want a bait holder loop for eggs, just feed the leader back through the hook eye on the backside of the hook to form a loop that is on the opposite side from the point). I recommend a size 16 or 18 treble hook if you are going to use cheese or power bait. Use a size 10 or 8 single hook if you are going to use worms.

Decide how long you want your leader in advance, it needs to be long enough to allow the bait to float above the weeds. Usually 18 to 24 inches will work. Your rig is ready for bait. Here I strongly advise using Berkley Power Bait in the rainbow color on the treble hooks. Make sure to get a little of all three colors on each bait if you can. Cover the hook and check that it floats.

Only power bait floats, therefore you need to use something to float anything else. For Velveeta cheese or a worm use a styrofoam bait floater directly on a hook point. Or you can use a half of a mini-marshmallow that you buy at the super market. Put the half mini in the bait loop. Use a half of a night crawler with the worm threader and cover the entire hook. Cast it out and wait for the bite. Small trout grab this bait and start a tap, tap, tapping on the line. Big trout eat this bait without a whole lot of movement, so watch for the line to move. It might happen real soon, so be ready . Don't set the hook too hard, remember it's a small hook. And make sure your drag is set light.

WHAT IS FINESSE BASS FISHING?
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN POWER BASS FISHING

Finesse bass fishing is a state of mind. Use finesse bass fishing techniques when you are sure you have located bass and you are trying to get them to bite. Either you have located active fish or you are sure bass are in a particular spot. If you are sure they are there but they will not bite fast moving lures, slow down and use these methods.

1. Lure Selection: Use slow moving lures that stay in front of the bass's nose until they bite. When you feel good cover with your Carolina rig, slow it down. Let it stop or move it slowly until you are out of the good cover. Pitch your Texas rig right in the cover and just shake it. Do not move it away. Keep it in front of the bass until it gets agitated enough to bite. Down size your crank bait, spinner bait or jerk bait and work it slowly. When your lure is next to good cover stop it. Let it fall or just twitch it. Keep the lure tight against the cover. You are trying to agitate an inactive bass into striking.
2. Boat Control: Slow it down. Work the area thoroughly.
3. Patience: You must be convinced that there are bass there. You just have to make them bite even if they are inactive.
4. Move To Another Spot: Listen to the fish. If you cannot make them bite, maybe they are just not there today. At some point, try another spot. Maybe come back to this spot later and try it again.
5. Danger: One danger of staying in one spot and trying to make the bass bite is they may not be there at all. Maybe you guessed wrong today. Maybe the fish are somewhere else. Ask yourself where is that place?

LURE FISHING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

1] SOLID TRACES

Solid traces are essential items if you are going to fish with jerkbaits, they are used for two reasons firstly to prevent tangles during the cast and more importantly to stop the trace fouling the front treble as the jerkbait glides forward, a problem that will occur if you try using flexible traces .

Solid traces are made from either stainless steel or titanium, stainless steel solid traces perform very well but can and do get bent especially if you use a landing net to land your fish, the solid trace/boom can go through the netting as the pike twists itself around in the net, result a bent trace which can be straightened but is never completely straight again this can make the bait have a bias towards one side, titanium is a new material to the angling world it is corrosion resistant making it ideal for many angling and saltwater applications it also posses another characteristic which makes it perfect for solid traces which is the fact that it springs back into its original shape after being bent, amazing stuff you may well have seen T.V. adverts for titanium framed glasses which get squashed into a ball than spring back into their original shape, titanium traces outlast and out perform stainless steel! I also use these traces for large topwater "walk the dog" stick baits, such as Musky Mania's Doc, the stiff trace makes the bait pivot exagerating the right angle turn that is so effective at catching pike and other gamefish.

2] TITANIUM LURE TRACES

These new generation traces are fantastic, they "outlast and out perform" stainless steel. Available in both solid [see write up above] and flexible versions this materials advantage is the fact that it's almost impossible to bend or kink it. Try this test, wrap a flexible titanium trace around a pencil tightly then let go! "you'll be amazed" the wire just springs off and lays straight again. I can now use a flexible trace for my spoons, jigs and smaller lures when the subtlety of a flexible trace is required. I use 30lb 7 strand titanium traces on all my spinning outfits while it's the 60lb traces for my outsized lures (except jerkbaits) on my multiplier rods.

3] BRAIDED LINES, DIAMETER, BUOYANCY AND DEPTH CONTROL.

Most of us now use braided lines for all our lure fishing and fantastic they are too, but have you ever considered the effect that braid has on the working depth of our lures? Braided lines are made from either Kevlar, Spectra or Dynema these materials naturally float, sinking braids have another element braided into them to make them sink but this increases the diameter and tends to reduce their casting range. On most occasions when fishing depths less than 20' the floating braids perform perfectly, once you start fishing deeper water, say 30 or 40' you'll start to become aware of the need to compensate for the lift from the braided line. Most often when I'm fishing deep water it's on trout waters in the late autumn or early winter which usually requires my lures to track horizontally whether casting or, if allowed, trolling.

Options.

1] use mono, 2] use sinking braid, 3] reduce diameter, and breaking strain 4] add weight? 5] deep diving plugs

1] By changing back to mono line, you will undoubtedly increase the depth you can effectively fish, due to its lack of buoyancy, but you lose all contact ("feel") with your lures and when trolling, you also lose a lot of hooking power due to the lines stretch [20-30%].

2] Using sinking braid is partly the solution, good for casting less effective when trolling due to the increased line diameter, the water pressure/drag on the line lifts lures like spoons and other sinking lures.

3] Reducing diameter by using lighter line strength, in my opinion, is not a great idea. I'm putting my lures where a lot of pike and snags live. Thinner weaker lines are a recipe for expensive loses.

4] Adding weight is the best option in my experience, to many people I meet are afraid of adding weight or are unaware of the path their lures are taking as they retrieve them. Here is the low down on Casting and Trolling methods.

CASTING

Spoons need to be heavy, increase size and or gauge/thickness to compensate for the lift, in recent years I've used a lot of soft plastic lures in situations where previously I would have chosen a spoon , fact is that you can use much heavier soft plastic lures which keeps them swimming horizontally close to the bottom yet still having an attractive action due to their soft flexible tails. Bull Dawgs are a great choice, a neat conversion to give you depth control is to add extra weight to the them, remove the front treble replace it with a large Duo Lock clip then add 2, 3 or even 4oz of lead!, you can cast regular dawgs with 2oz on and bump bottom in 30' right up to the boat, when trolling use 4oz and now you are able to hit bottom in 30-40'.

TROLLING

Trolling spoons on braid has pained me for some time. I know from my own experience that on the heavy outfits I use, spoons fish at only 50% of the depth that I used to achieve on mono. One solution is to use the Kuusamo trolling vanes, these are very effective, the device is attached about 4'-6' ahead of the trace, I would recommend marking the line at 10' intervals above the vane to help estimate its running depth, different sizes allow different depths to be explored, 33g 6m-20', 70g 9m-30' & 90g 12m-40' plus they give you the option of trolling faster whilst maintaining their depth due to the angled diving lip which grips the water.

A tactic we've found effective is to "leger troll" shallow diving crankbaits I prefer flat sided minnow baits such as Jakes or Shallow Invaders [http://www.thefriendlyfisherman.co.uk/acatalog/Shallow_Divers.html] for this method. I tie an 18" fixed paternoster lead link using a four turn water knot [with a Duo lock clip on the end] out of 15lb mono to my 50lb Fireline about 4-6' ahead of my trace, I clip a 4oz lead on lower the rig to the bottom and start trolling, I watch the sounder trying to keep to a pre-determined depth, as the depth changes I adjust the amount of line I let out by "bottom bouncing" this involves lifting the lead off the bottom then lowering it again until it touches bottom, if your rod tip reaches the waters surface and the line is still tight let out more line until it goes slack indicating the leads hit bottom, you've gone into deeper water, on the other hand if the line goes slack before the rod tip reaches the surface then take up the slack as the water has got shallower. The beauty of this system is that if a snag is found, you loose the lead, which is ahead of your lure, but the plug floats up in the water away from danger.

Finally trolling "deep diving" floating crankbaits is also very effective [see "Grinding" write up].

4] COUNTDOWN METHOD

This technique is used with all styles of sinking baits such as Rapala 'CD' count down series, spoons and soft plastics, to search different layers of water, for example if it requires a count of 30 seconds to reach the bottom when "free spooling" your lure to the bottom subsequent retrieves at a countdown of 10 or 20 will fish your lure through the higher levels of water while a count of 25-28 will see your bait swimming through just above the bottom. With this technique you can systematically search layers of water and when successful repeat the effective retrieve!

5] FISHING SURFACE LURES, WHEN, WHERE & HOW

SPRINGTIME

Early morning starts are not good for surface lure action! Why? I'll explain, warm sunny days around April and May are usually followed by clear frosty nights cooling the shallow margins and the pike they contain. Success early in the day will require slow retrieves and shallow sub-surface lures such as Rapala Husky Jerks , Bagley Top Guns or slow sinking soft plastic lizards and shads, by late morning say 10am the water temperature will be warming up nicely and so will the pike, now faster retrieves with bucktail spinners or surface crawlers such as Scuttlebug's and Creeping Toms will turn those previously sluggish follows into "fired up chompers". Choose swims that are protected from the cooling wind and ideally somewhere that catches the warming sun throughout the morning, areas such as these will have most of the pike population in residence, so all you have to do is catch them! If you get slashes or short takes with the crawler baits switch to slower moving surface lures like Slaptails and Poppers these give the pike more time to target the lure and also gives you the chance to anticipate the take, wait to feel the pike's weight before setting the hook, "advise easily given" but very hard to perform in the heat of the moment!

FLOATING LINE & SURFACE LURES

When fishing topwater lures it's essential to hold as much line off the waters surface as possible during the retrieve, this prevents the trace sinking and pulling the head of the lure down into the water rather than across it subduing its action, many of the topwater baits except for the outsized muskie offerings were design for largemouth [black] bass in North America where wire traces are un-necessary for these fish. Braided lines float naturally and are my first choice every time but nylon monofilament can be used, to make it float requires "greasing up", apply silicone floatant to achieve the desired effect.

DEAD STICK

To 'dead stick' is to leave your lure motionless until the impact rings sub-side after casting onto the water. Pike become very aware and focused on surface movements in the spring, as young frogs and baby waterfowl feature high in their diet at this time of year, after leaving your lure to sit a while start the retrieve but don't be surprised if it gets hit immediately, this technique works with all floating styles of lures.

STRIKING SURFACE TAKES

Exciting and frustrating, keeping your cool is essential if you're going to convert takes, into fish. Remember when the big hit comes resist striking, wait until you feel the fishes weight before setting the hook, otherwise duck because there's a lure heading straight towards your head! Fact, pike often miss time their attack or completely miss the target altogether! If you can convert 1 in 3 takes, don't worry, your doing well, remember practice makes perfect and the near misses are fun too.

6] THE TRIGGER

There are a variety of techniques used to break up the predictable swimming action of your lure, these are used to "trigger" a strike from predators. By there very nature predators are opportunist feeders picking off injured or sickly fish, so by imparting twitches, jerks, speeding up, slowing down, stopping, sink and draw, fluttering or

Helicoptering your lure will trigger fish. By using your imagination and including an occasional trigger within your retrieve will increase your success rate, once you've "triggered" a fish you'll be more inclined to experiment with other triggers. I'm sure that the success of jerkbaits is largely due to their "glide - swing - stop - start" erratic movements, these are all triggers that provoke the pike to attack. Finally try this tactic when using conventional lures, as your lure approaches the end of the retrieve move the rod tip across your body, your lure will change direction, as it "turns the corner" its body is exposed "side on", expect an attack from any following pike now!

7] LEGER TROLLING

I've used this method for several years successfully on my local reservoir "Bewl Water", I prefer to use flat sided shallow diving floating plugs such as Jakes , Shallow Invaders and Super Shads for this method. There are 3 reasons why I use this tactic.

1] I can present my lure very close to the bottom in the "strike zone" whatever the depth whilst retaining its desired action.

2] My lure tracks horizontally, in my experience pike are loath to attack a lure much above a foot off the bottom during the winter when I use this method.

3] I can confidently troll unknown areas of a water without fear on snagging and losing expensive lures!

RIGGING UP

I tie an 18" fixed paternoster lead link using a four turn water knot, with a Duo lock clip on the end, out of 15lb mono to my 50lb Fireline about 4-6' ahead of my trace. I clip a 4oz lead on and lower the rig to the bottom and start trolling, I watch the sounder trying to keep to a pre-determined depth, as the depth changes I adjust the amount of line I let out by "bottom bouncing" this involves lifting the lead off the bottom then lowering it again until it touches bottom, if your rod tip reaches the waters surface and the line is still tight let out more line until it goes slack indicating the leads hit bottom, you've gone into deeper water, on the other hand if the line goes slack before the rod tip reaches the surface then take up the slack as the water has got shallower. The beauty of this system is that if you do snag all you loose is your lead, as it reaches the snag first, if it cannot be freed the weak link will break and jettisons the weight allowing the floating plug to float safely away from the snag, brilliant!

I've always said the "art of trolling" is knowing where your lure is in relation to the bottom, by using different size leads will allow you to have complete "depth control", do not be afraid of using sufficient weight to "feel bottom", the rod tip should just nod as the weight slides over the bottom, too much weight will see the rod tip pulling around sharply before springing back making it impossible to see if your lures working correctly.

8] "GRINDING"

"Grinding" is a technique used to produce strikes from inactive pike by making a deep diving floating plug continually collide with the bottom, "bouncing off rocks" or other structures, it must make "bottom contact" from time to time to activate these pike, this method is will illustrated in "How to fish Rapala's lures" film . You must use a floating deep diving plug, for this method to work don't be afraid of hitting the bottom as this it what triggers the pike, as the plug glances off the bottom its this noise that alerts them, because the plug is running with its broad lip down - tail up the body protects the hooks from snagging, I use heavy duty tackle I use the 7' Andy Lush Wizard rod or 7' St Croix PM series coupled with 6501-C3 Ambassdeur loaded with 50lb Fireline or 80lb Power Pro.

Recommended lures

15' - 20' Musky Mania Lil Ernie , Lindy Big M , Bagley Sm Bang-O-B , Odyssey Deep Pig

20' - 30' Big Fork Reef Diggers , Musky Mania Ernie , Bagley Lg Bang-O-B , Storm Deep Thunder

9] "GOING VERTICAL"

There are times when trolling a fish holding spot fails to produce any takes, the pike or perch are staying tight to the feature and are in-active, to catch these fish requires a more subtle approach. Going vertical allows you to position the boat very close to the fish [can also work from the bank if you can get close to and above the fish], the attractive "gentle" lifting and lowering action keeps the lure close to the fish at all times not moving it away from them, its essential to use braided lines to "feel" when contact is made with the bottom and to recognise a take which always comes "on the drop", actually you should lower the lure on a tight line so as to "feel" the pluck of a take, don't expect rod wrenching hits.

In the autumn and winter when casting into deep water, say over 20', the ability to keep your lure "within inches" of the bottom hugging it throughout the retrieve is the difference between success and failure. This calls for a near "vertical" retrieve, casting only 20 - 30 yards from the boat allows you to "lift" your lure off the bottom without pulling it away from the fish, keeping the lure close to your quarry longer inducing takes from these suspended in-active fish, gently lower your lure again on a tight line, expect takes "on the drop" strike at anything unusual, continue this retrieve all the way back to the boat.

Recommended lures

Perch & Zander Lindy Jigging Spoon, Kuusamo Jig Spinner , Storm Jiggin Shad

Pike Kuusamo Lg Jig Spinner , Kuusamo Jigging Professor , Storm Swimbait Shad

10] LOADING BRAIDED LINE

Before loading your reel with braid always put some monofilament on first for backing, half a dozen layers is enough to prevent "line slippage", braid tied directly to the spool will slip when you attempt to set the hook giving the impression that your reels drag has broken, join braid to mono using a double grinner/uni knot.

11] RETRIEVE SPEEDS & FISHING DEPTHS

The most important thing to consider is where and at what depth should you be fishing your lures? This is largely determined by time of year, water temperature, location of food fish and features such as weeds, major depth changes [drop offs] and any other fish attracting structures.

SPRING APRIL/ MAY

Generally you would expect the pike to be drawn into the shallows at this time of the year, having spawned the fish are ready to feed and recover their strength as quickly as possible. Shallow and surface lures fished at a variety of speeds but much faster than in winter will be successful try erratic retrieves like twitching and jerking as well.

SUMMER JUNE/AUGUST

Rising water temperatures force the pike out of the shallows, eventually, now its time to fish out over deeper "cooler water" pike will hit lures fished above their heads at this time of year so choose baits that fish to half the waters depth, no need to be "bottom grinding", jerkbaits, mid-depth crankbaits, slow sinking soft plastics and spinnerbaits are all favourites, fished at speed with erratic retrieves and plenty of "triggers".

AUTUMN SEPTEMBER/NOVEMBER

A time of changes the pike start to focus again on feeding hard in preparation for the winter and they are "fighting fit", the bait fish are starting to shoal up as the water cools and the days are noticeably shorter now. To get action use lures that search water quickly, trolling on big waters aids finding the fish quickly, if casting use fast and erratic retrieves, choose floating deep divers and spoons for trolling, and sinking jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, spoons and deep bodied plugs like Lindy Big M, Rapala Super Shad or Musky Mania Jakes.

WINTER DECEMBER/MARCH

Tough times ahead, everything needs to be slowed right down to a crawl and fished tight to the bottom throughout the retrieve. The waters cold so are the pike and only a meal that requires minimal effort is going to get taken, sinking baits are the way to go, they will sink to the bottom and will stay there throughout the retrieve only lifting up off when you want them to. Choose spoons, spinnerbaits, 'CD' "countdown" plugs and soft plastics like Bull Dawgs, allow the lure to rest on the bottom occasionally, I wouldn't recommend using erratic retrieves at this time of the year, too much effort and the pike will give up!

The Tempting Taste of Fish Go and grab an apron - Fish Cooking 101 is about to begin. A mess of these can quickly turn into a delicious meal for the whole family. If there's one thing I've discovered after spending all these years out on the water, it's that fresh fish sure tastes good.  No matter what species it is, be it bass, walleye or crappie, the tempting aroma and mouth-watering flavor they exhibit might be the closest thing to pure perfection that I can think of.   Even though I release the majority of fish that are unlucky enough to strike my lure, I believe that bringing one or two home for the dinner table is a right of passage that should be embraced by everyone that chooses to cast a line.  (Knowing what to do with your catch, whether that means filleting, freezing or preparing, will be your ultimate recipe and test for success.)  So go and grab an apron - Fish Cooking 101 is about to begin. The Initial Catch If your skill and tactics are up to snuff for catching a fish for the table (which I'm sure all of the Bass Pro Shops readers are!), then a plan and strategy must be worked out from the minute your hook is removed from its yap.  Firstly, be extra careful when handling your catch.  Dropping your fish to the floor, or allowing it to flop around at your feet will do nothing but bruise the flesh - a definite route on the way to poor quality.  Keep handling to a minimum, and if possible, use a net to make the landing quick and effortlessly. Once in the boat, your main objective is to keep your quarry alive.  Livewells are a great feature for accomplishing this task, and your fish friend will continue to swim and breathe until you get back to the dock or your doorstep.  If a livewell isn't available, a stringer tied to the side of the boat is your next best bet.  Make sure the fish have plenty of leeway in the rope, and that they are not thrashing against one another, or the side of the boat.  Keeping your catch alive will ensure optimum freshness and firm flesh - the necessary ingredients for a top-notch dinner. If you don't have a livewell or stringer at your disposal, your only option is to immediately kill your catch.  Filleting or gutting the fish will ensure that the meat doesn't spoil, or get contaminated from the body fluids.  Once prepared in this manner, the fish should be placed on ice (and covered over), and put into a tightly sealed cooler.  This will help in preserving the meat until you make it back to the kitchen. For most fish I cook filleting is my method of choice. Preparation is Key If you've kept your fish alive up to this point, it's now time to get out the fillet knife.  For best results, choose a knife that sports a thin, flexible blade.  (This will allow better maneuverability for maximizing the most meat.)  And even though it's common sense, an ultra sharp blade is a necessity.  I always have on hand a filing stone or knife sharpener, in order to give the metal a quick touch up before each "operation" takes place. For most fish I cook, including bass, walleye, perch and crappie, filleting is my method of choice.  (I won't go into detail on the precise instruction, although information can be found quite easily throughout the worldwide web.)  Filleting is quite simple once you get the hang of it, and like most things in life, practice certainly makes perfect. For small trout, gutting the fish is often the preferred choice.  This process involves cutting the head and tail off, while scraping out the gut and innards from the belly section.  (Many also remove the backbone fat due to possible contaminants being stored there.) Lastly for larger fish species, especially salmon and trout, cutting the meat into steaks will get the job done nicely. No matter what method you decide upon, the next step in the process is the most crucial for prolonging the life of the meat.  The Deep Freeze Unless you are going to eat your fish immediately, storing it in your freezer is the only viable option for saving it for a rainy day.  How you choose to store it; however, will either make or break the taste and quality.  (The two common problems with frozen seafood is the development of off-flavors due to the oxidation of tissue lipids, and freezer burn, which is caused by moisture loss.) Here is a guide showing the approximate storage life for the common species of fish kept: Species Months of Storage Lake trout, rainbow trout, whitefish, carp,  catfish, lake herring, smelt, northern pike 3-5 Chinook salmon, coho salmon, white bass, sucker, Burbot 5-8 Walleye, yellow perch, bass, crappie, bluegill 8-12 Once your fish is fully cleaned and prepared, thoroughly wash the meat in cold water.  After this stage is complete, it's now time to choose a freezing method from one on the list below. Vacuum packaging is the most efficient way to store fish for the freezer. Vacuum Packaging -- This is the most effective method for protecting fish against the two types of problems associated with freezing fish - oxidation and freezer burn.  Although this system can be pricey, the rewards are well worth the initial cost of the unit and the accompanying oxygen-barrier film bags. A vacuum unit literally sucks the air out of the bag containing the fish, leaving a tight, sealed package.  With the absence of air, most problems associated with freezing are diminished or eliminated. Plastic Wrap -- The second best choice when it comes to freezing is the common plastic wrap.  In order for this method to work, apply the plastic as tightly as possible to the fish.  (This will form a moisture barrier that will greatly reduce the chance for freezer burn.) Once wrapped with the cling-tight plastic, wrap the package again with several layers of butcher paper or aluminum foil for full protection qualities. Freezer Bags -- Freezer bags are a common and popular choice for the fishing enthusiast, and are quite effective when used properly.  When placing fish into bags, the most common problem encountered is trying to remove all of the air.  A handy trick to try is to insert a straw into the opening at the top, and literally suck the oxygen out.  Another tip to try is to freeze the package for a few days, then re-open the bag and add a little cold water, manipulating it throughout to cover all areas of the fish while eliminating air pockets.  It can now be put back into the freezer for storage. Thaw Time Once you have decided it is time to have a feed of fish, thawing your package before cooking is the route to take.  The preferred method is to place the package directly in the refrigerator, which should take approximately a day for a pound in weight.  If time is of the essence, placing the freezer bag in a tub of cold water is a great technique.  (Depending on thickness and weight, an average package should take 1-2 hours before it is complete.) There are literally thousands of recipes and methods for cooking fish. The microwave is the fastest method available, but one to be careful with.  Always set the oven to defrost, and monitor closely for readiness.  Placing the frozen fish in a closed package, glass baking dish or loosely wrapped in waxed paper will help the process along.  It is imperative that you only partially defrost the fish, as microwaving it too long will ultimately cook the outer edges. The Finished Product You've finally reached the stage where it's time to actually cook the fish. Congratulations!!  There are literally thousands of recipes and methods for cooking fish, and with so many options, the variety of delicious meals you can serve up is limitless.  Here is one of my favorite recipes - it's simple to do and I promise you that it will melt in your mouth! Justin's Foiled Fish 1. Select fillets from your favorite specie of fish.  I've found that bass and walleye work well. 2. Cut fillets into four to five-inch pieces, and place onto flat sheet of tin foil. I use five or six fillets for each tin foil sheet. 3. Place a tablespoon of butter or margarine on top of fillets. 4. Sprinkle a thin layer of commercial fish batter on top of the fillets. (I've found that Fish Crisp works well.) 5. Place assorted spices on top of fish, including Montreal Smoked Meat and Lemon and Garlic.  Add a dash of salt and pepper for seasoning. 6. Squeeze a splash of fresh lemon across the fish. 7. Wrap fish up in tin foil, leaving no openings in package. 8. Place on BBQ over medium heat, turning every few minutes. 9. Cook for 10 minutes and enjoy. Easy Recipes for Tasty Treats  Here are a few more recipes that are simple and delicious.  Try one out the next time you bring a fish home for dinner! Skin-on Grilled Salmon Fillets 1. Preheat grill to medium heat and brush grate with oil. 2. Cut salmon fillet into pieces 2-inches wide, leaving the skin on. 3. Brush the skin side with oil, and salt and pepper both sides. 4. Place the salmon skin-side down on grill. 5. Coat the top side of each piece with dressing. 6. Cover the grill. 7. Cook for 12-15 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish is done. Dressing 1 Cup of mayonnaise 1/2 Cup of Dijon-style mustard 1 Tablespoon of dill weed Salt and pepper to taste Broiled Bass Fillets 1. Preheat oven to 450. 2. Coat bass fillets with melted butter and place on a non-stick broiler pan. 3. Sprinkle fish evenly with lemon pepper and cayenne pepper. 4. Place thinly sliced onion rings on the fillets. 5. Bake for 8 minutes on oven rack and then turn broiler on at 50U for 3-6 minutes to brown the top. 6. Remove and serve with lemon. Mushroom Cheddar Baked Walleye (Serves 4) 1-lb. Walleye Fillets (4) 1/4 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Pepper Pinch of Nutmeg 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/4 cup White Wine 1/2 tsp. Tarragon 1/4 cup Heavy Cream 1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Place fillets in an 8" by 8" pan. 3. Mix together salt, pepper and nutmeg. 4. Sprinkle mixture over fish. 5. Combine soup, cream, wine and tarragon. 6. Spread over fish and cover with grated cheese. 7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

Basics to Lure Retrieves Jigging, hopping, twitching, and jerking are some terms to describe how to add life to a bait with your fishing rod and reel. Using different types of rods, reels and line will impact the effectiveness or believability of your lure's presentation. A trait of any successful angler is being able to put a pattern together that'll catch fish. One key component to a pattern is lure retrieve. Jigging, hopping, twitching, and jerking are some terms to describe how to add life to a bait with your fishing rod and reel. In this article I'll look at four tried-and-true retrieve styles but before over-viewing them, a few words first on gear:   Imparting Action Essentially lures are manipulated by the fishing line to which they are tied. These line movements are controlled by the angler through rod and reel movements. In some respects anglers act as puppeteers to their lures, giving life to inanimate objects. Using different types of rods, reels and line will impact the effectiveness or believability of your lure's presentation.       For example, no matter how much you discipline yourself to slowly work a muskie jerkbait in the fall, if you're using a high-gear ratio reel, you won't achieve as slow of a retrieve if you were to use a low-gear ratio reel. Line diameter serves as another example. The larger the line's diameter, the more water resistance it creates. If using diving lures, like crankbaits, the bait will dive deeper on a smaller diameter line, which is why many anglers have switched to superbraid lines to maximize a bait's running depth. Superbraids maintain a respectable pound-test, but have a smaller diameter if compared to a same-pound test monofilament line.   Number One: A Straight Retrieve       Beginning with the most basic of styles is a straight retrieve. The lure is brought through the water through the intake of line via the reel. The rod is used very little, although it may be raised or lowered slightly to make the bait ascend or descend in the water column or to add some variety to the lure's action. Any rod type can be used for a straight retrieve as long as it has enough power to handle the bait's resistance when reeled in. Opt for reels with high-gear ratios if you want to bring baits in quickly and choose low-gear ratio reels if you want a slow retrieve speed.       A straight retrieve is effective for many reasons. The fact that the bait maintains a undeviating trajectory and speed (in most cases) makes it easy for fish to find and hit the lure. This style of retrieve is also an excellent way to cover a lot of water to find active fish, such as using spinnerbaits or crankbaits for bass or muskie.       This type of retrieve also works well when fishing jigs or swimbaits for suspended fish. Count the lure down to a specific depth and then retrieve it through this section of the water column. Another benefit of the retrieve is that you have constant feel of the lure because it's on a tight line, which means you shouldn't miss feeling any hits.   Number Two: Jigging       I've heard several pro anglers and outdoor personalities state, "If I had to choose only one lure to use, it'd be a jig." In most cases, they were referring to a simple jighead teamed with a tube or twister-tail, soft-plastic body. For most jigs, spinning rods and reels are used. Longer rods, like seven to eight footers, offer more control and take up more line on the hookset. Choose a rod with a sensitive tip to detect hits but one that also has adequate backbone to set the hook and handle big fish.       The basic jigging retrieve begins by casting the bait out and letting it fall to the bottom on controlled line. This will let you detect any hits as it sinks. Once the bait stops, it's worked along the bottom. This is done by raising the rod (from a 10 o'clock to 11 o'clock position), which lifts the jig off the bottom and brings it forward. Next, the rod is lowered to its original position (10 o'clock), the jig falls back to the bottom, and line is retrieved with the reel until taut. At this point, some anglers may pause before beginning the retrieve again.       Don't be afraid to experiment with various ways of bringing in baits. Variations to jigging include reeling while the rod is lifted to make baits swim longer distances. Another is not using the rod to move the bait but rather employing a few quick turns of the reel to cause the bait to shoot upwards and forwards, before falling again when you stop reeling. When drift fishing or vertical jigging, anglers simply need to maintain contact with the bottom and raise and lower the rod to jig the bait. Short, smaller movements that subtly move the bait are sometimes referred to as hopping, which is a variation on a jigging retrieve.   Number Three: Twitching       Twitching is an erratic retrieve. The majority of the lure's movement is the result of short, fast rod movements. This causes the bait to quickly move a short distance. The frequency and number of twitches can be varied to create dozens of patterns; however, retrieves consisting of a few twitches and then a pause seem to be the most popular.       Work baits quickly for aggressive fish and slowly for neutral or negative mood fish. The pause is important when twitching to increase your hooking percentages. The twitching often attracts fish, but the erratic retrieve can be tough for fish to successfully strike. Adding a pause to a retrieve gives fish a chance to zero-in on the lure and hit it.       Twitching is favored with hard- and soft-plastic jerkbaits, glidebaits and topwater baits. Although some prefer spinning rods to work hard-plastic jerkbaits or minnowbaits, baitcast combos tend to be preferred for twitching. Regardless, choose a medium to a heavy rod to handle your quarry of choice. The rod should have little give in the tip, so that when you twitch the bait, little energy is absorbed by the rod, but transferred directly to the bait itself.   Number Four: Jerking or Sweeping       Jerking could be considered a close cousin to twitching. This retrieve style is mainly dependant on rod manipulation to impart the right action to the bait. Jerking consists of longer, sweeping rod movements and the rod that is pulled downward or to the angler's side. Next, the rod is returned to the starting position and slack line is recovered with the reel. Once the line is taut, the angler performs another rod sweep. This style of retrieve is mainly used for the aptly-named jerkbaits. The sweeping of the rod causes these baits to dive slightly, or swim to the side. On the pause baits will either sink, suspend, or float, depending on their material and design.       Baitcast rods are the norm for jerkbait fishing and they should be a medium- to a heavy-action with little give in the tip. If you use a flexible rod when jerkbait fishing, baits will not perform properly. Also, you'll likely tire yourself out from using a lot of energy to move baits because the rod tip is bending, and reducing the distance a bait will move.       If you plan on jerking your baitcast rod downward (from a 9 o'clock to 6 o'clock position) consider purchasing a shorter rod to ensure you don't hit the water's surface with the rod tip. Plunging the rod tip in and out of the water requires more energy and can cause freeze-up on cold autumn outings. For example, a muskie jerkbait rod for a man of average height should fall somewhere between six to six and a half feet in length, with models at six feet, three inches being quite popular.       The above are the four basic retrieve styles upon which many variations can be created for specific lure presentations. For example, helicoptering a spinnerbait is simply a hybrid of a straight and jigging retrieve. Don't be afraid to experiment with various ways of bringing in baits. Just make sure you remember the retrieve pattern that got a fish to hit, so you can repeat it can catch a lot more!

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

BARRACUDA

Sphyraenidae (order Perciformes)

HERE ARE SOME
BASIC OCEAN SAFETY TIPS:

• Swim in Lifeguarded Areas
• Never Swim Alone
• Don't Dive Into Unknown Water or Into Shallow Breaking Waves
• Ask a Lifeguard About Beach and Surf Conditions Before Swimming
• If You Are Unable to Swim Out of a Strong Current, Signal for Help
• Rely on Your Swimming Ability Rather Than a Flotation Device
• Look For, Read and Obey All Beach Safety Signs and Symbols
• If in Doubt, Just Stay Out!

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

Winning Tournament Tactics
By Steve VonBrandt

There are certain tactics that give a tournament fisherman an edge over the other competitors, and produce a win. Sometimes just doing a little extra homework and preparation is all it takes. Planning, practice, and confidence are the key factors that helped us win local, state, club, and regional tournaments consistently while working our way up the ranks of competitive bass fishing. Here are some of the most important things to do to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the challenge.

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Before you even can consider embarking on a tournament trail, or even local, and club events, you must be in good physical condition. This involves being able to lift, bend, twist, and move in a variety of positions, without getting injured. Many people think that fishing is a leisurely sport, but in order to be in top shape for winning tournaments, you must prepare ahead of time. We not only try to eat and sleep properly, but do regular physical workouts, to get in good shape to lift equipment, jump from the front and back of boats, maintain good balance, have quick reflexes, and be able to go long periods of time, without wasting time eating and drinking. Being able to jump down to your knees quickly, and maneuvering many directions efficiently can mean the difference in winning or losing. One lost fish can mean the difference in first place and last place many times. Not only do we work out physically to prepare, but we practice our techniques in the off season as well as on. In the winter, and all times of the year in between tournaments, we practice our flipping, pitching, and casting techniques. In the colder months we set up boxes, simulate docks to practice pitching and flipping, and cast to targets in the yard. Knowing your equipment like the back of your hand, and being able to quickly execute a maneuver is critical in a tournament. Practicing all techniques constantly is vital in giving you the confidence that you can win when you get to the tournament. Being able to control your emotions, and relax in the prior days and nights can give you an edge over the more inexperienced anglers. Most tournament pros even at intermediate levels are at the top of their game, and take it very seriously, so a slight edge can mean a great deal. The people who can maintain their composure and confidence, and can stick to their game plans under pressure, are the ones that consistently place in the rankings.

STUDYING THE COMPETITION SITE

Before we even start to prefish the lakes or rivers, we obtain all the information we can in the way of lake maps, topographical maps, baitfish, and lake conditions from a variety of sources. Talking to anglers at the lake and local tackle shops can sometimes reveal some interesting information. By no means, do what they say dictate what our plans will be, but it is another tool to use in planning a strategy for the lake. Knowing the lake age, composition of the bottom, structure, both natural and manmade, along with water quality, fertility, and oxygen levels, all come into play when deciding how to start pre-fishing the lake. Contacting local guides, and having some experience on the body of water all help, although sometimes this isn't always possible. If you are plannong to win, or even place in the top 10, I can't stress how important it is to spend at least 3 days, prefishing the lake or river. We like to spend a week or more prefishing if possible. Many times anglers show up on the day before the tournament to prefish, and wonder why they didn't place in the money.

When we start to prefish the lake before a tournament, we break the lake down into sections. We eliminate the unproductive water for that time of year, and then section it off on maps. We pick the most likely locations where the fish should be holding for the water temperature and lake conditions, and then make a complete run around the lake to view it physically before fishing. What we are looking for is sandbars, points, humps, structure, laydowns, grass beds, etc, all the time watching the shoreline in the area for contours to indicate dropooffs and bottom changes. After surveying the lake, we then section off several of the best possible locations, and start fishing there. First starting with a search bait, such as a spinnerbait and buzzbait, and a crankbait, for active fish. We mark the locations of where the active fish are on the GPS, and move on to the next spot. We never stick more than two fish in an area. Sometimes we fish the baits without any hooks in them, and when they hit you just pull it away from them. Try to find three good sections of the lake with decent fish first, before exploring further for the kicker fish. You can go back to these areas later the next day, and slow down to find the fish that you need to win. Sometimes early in the year bass will stage on a single piece of cover as small as a stick or blade of grass. It doesn't even have to be real structure sometimes, they just hold next to it. Most of the time, the larger bass, five pounds and up, are alone. they occupy the structure in the area by themselves, rarely schooling with fish of the same size.


UNCONVENTIONAL BAITS

Most pro's won't reveal what they really catch the larger fish on. Most of the fish in lakes that are highly pressured by recreational and tournament anglers for years and years, become conditioned to certain baits, There are always fish that can be caught on conventional baits such as spinnerbaits and worms, and jerkbaits, but these generally are the fish that don't win tournaments. You can come in with a decent bag of five fish weighing ten to twelve pounds, but it generally doesn't get you a check except in some local and club tournaments. The larger fish, the four, five, six pounds and up, are usually caught on baits such as frogs, prop baits, walking baits, buzzbaits, and other types of new freak baits. Jigs will always take some of the better fish, but will not always win. Old style topwaters, such as the "Devils Horse", "Dying Flutters", "Creek Chubs", "Zara Spooks", "Jitterbugs", and others, take more quality fish than you can imagine, due to the fact that the bass are fooled by the baits they just don't see. Of course, there are specific ways to work these baits, that will produce the better fish, even if you are using the same baits as another angler, and that is the trick. When casting to structure with a topwater bait like this, dead sticking, and casting directly to the target, and not past it, can be critical. Patience and steady nerves are required to do this properly. "Deadsticking" a bait is an extremely effective way to win a tournament on highly pressured waters such as Table Rock Lake. In colder water, this is extremely important also. You should let a "Senko" or other bait such as a fluke or "Bass Assassin", fall weightless for a long time by the structure, without giving it any movement at all. Suspending jerk baits worked in this manner also produce the bigger bass in pressured waters. Don't give the bait to much action, and let it sit for a long time inbetween movements. This is the key.

TIME MANAGEMENT

You must learn how to manage your time properly also. You have to be thorough with the baits, but know when to switch and when to move. Plan this out in advance and be able to adjust to the water conditions and mood of the fish that day, Things can change rapidly from one day to the next on a body of water, especially when a cold front moves through. Practice at all times of the year, when the weather is bad, and cold, odds are, that many tournament days will be in the rain and wind. You need to know how to catch these fish under adverse conditions, not just fair weather, Plan your trips when the weather is poor. It's the only way the learn what to do. You must get practice in real tournament conditions. Make sure you time your run to the spots, and spend your time wisely there. Make as many casts as you can until the very last minute, and then open it up and get back as quickly as you can. You need to practice driving your boat in bad weather, under rough conditions, and at high speeds, if you really want to win.

PRACTICE LANDING BIG FISH


You should try to join a private lake, or make trips to Mexico, Texas, Florida, and wherever else you can experience fighting and landing a lot of larger fish. Confidence is the key to success in this business. You must have the confidence in your ability to land big fish without getting overly excited. This is hard to do, so as much practice as you can get doing this before entering major tournaments is a definite plus! A big part of this game is mental. You must learn how to maintain a high level of concentration also. Don't pay attention to other things other than your line, the lure, and the fish. Ignore other anglers and spectators that are close by. Keep your focus, and stick to your game plan. Don't try to show off. That comes later at the weigh in with a twenty-five pound bag!! Maintain and use the best quality equipment that you can get. This plays a big part in confidence also. It doesn't always have to be the very highest quality equipment, but you must have confidence in it, and in your own ability to use it properly. Sometimes I go through twenty or thirty crankbaits and jerkbaits, before I find the best ones. Don't neglect the basics either. Learn how to tie all the proper knots for the baits you are using, and use the highest quality hooks available. I can't stress this enough. Follow these guidelines, and get out and practice as much as you can, and your recreational fishing as well as tournament fishing will improve drastically.

By Steve and Kurt vonBrandt

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve vonBrandt/S&K Guide Service
1998, 99, and 2001 Big Bass World Champs/De Redman/BFL regional qualifiers
N.A.F.C. "Hall Of Fame"
S&K radio www.wdvrfm.org 89.7 FM
S&K TV www.delawarevalleyoutdoors.com
S&K videos at www.sewebsites.com
Wilmington, Delaware
_________________
Steve vonBrandt/S&K Guide Service
Yamamoto Baits/Terminator/Daiichi

The Importance of Weeds

Seek out the weeds this season, and see what lurks within.

Largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and musky are the big four that use the ambush method for corralling food. When it comes to freshwater angling, weeds play an extremely important role in the livelihood of a fish.  They provide shelter, oxygen, ambush points, and a smorgasbord of baitfish - more than enough reasons to pay special attention to the green stuff when out for the day.  Learn the true reasons why weeds are so special, and watch your catch rates grow in leaps and bounds   Give Me Shelter   Since fish don't have the option of owning an underwater home, making do with structural elements is the next best thing.  Be it logs or fallen trees, rock cribs, or bridge pilings, most of these spots are premium real estate for the competitive nature of a fish.  One thing that is found in abundance in most lakes, however, is vegetation, and believe me, the majority is teeming with fish.   Different species will use weeds for differing reasons when seeking shelter.  In the case of the largemouth bass, shallow water lily pads and cabbage beds provide shade and cooler water temperatures.  For walleye, a thick weedbed offers a dark environment for their light sensitive eyes.  When dealing with panfish, seeking shelter under the greens is a way to stay protected from feeding predators.    Although many fish use vegetation as shelter, it usually is only a temporary stay.  They may come during certain times of the day to laze about, or it may be used as part of a seasonal movement.  Now, if food sources are plentiful, they may linger in the general area all season long, gorging on the free meals at their doorstep.   Breathe Easy    Vegetation has a unique component in its ability to provide oxygen.  Much in the same way humans need it, fish depend on this gift of life to maintain their existence.     When figuring out the best weeds to tackle, pay close attention to the color.  What you are looking for is the greenest, crispest looking vegetation you can find.  The darker in color it is, the more oxygen it will ultimately give off.    In the case of the largemouth bass, shallow water lily pads and cabbage beds provide shade and cooler water temperatures. Searching areas like this is paramount depending on the season at hand.  Fall and winter, when many weeds are dying and decaying, will find fish staying close to those still holding on to their life-giving gift.  As shallow water weeds die, fish will move outwards, taking up residence on the next sustaining weedbed they stumble across.  Make sure you wear polarized glasses in order to spot these prime real estate areas.   Although I have discussed the merits of finding green weeds, this pattern hold true only for those plants that are still alive.  Dead vegetation also holds fish, and although it is not giving off any oxygen, the shelter and ambush spots it provides overcompensates for that. Slop, which is nothing more than washed up weeds that have been chopped up by an outboard, is a tremendous area to seek out largemouth bass.  It may not be green and crisp, but boy does it ever hold fish.  So, floating weeds are an excellent choice regardless of color, whereas anchored vegetation (including pad beds) go up in value the greener they get.   Waiting in Ambush    Fish seem quite lazy at times.  Instead of chasing down prey, they lie in wait, ready to pounce on the next edible thing to swim by.  If truth were known, conserving energy through an executed attack is not lazy at all (although it may appear so,) but rather a smart and efficient way to eat.    One of the most concealed spots in a lake to ambush prey is within the weeds.  Predators can easily camouflage themselves amongst the plants, lying still until the perfect opportunity presents itself.  And the main reason prey flock to the weeds is for the zooplankton and insects that they provide.    Largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and musky are the big four that use the ambush method for corralling food.  This is not to say they won't aggressively chase down food (as they will), but ultimately prefer to save energy and play the waiting game.   Knowing this information can help an angler improve their odds when working over the weeds.  First of all, look for the distinct weed edges.  Think of this as a thick wall of vegetation, with open water space out in front.  Fish will tuck into this "wall," while waiting for fish (or lures) to swim by this unobstructed channel.   Another good spot to target would be weed clumps.  Again, toss baits right along the edge of the clump to find out what's lurking inside.  Pockets or holes inside weedbeds are also optimum choices to target.  Think of this as hide and seek.  Anywhere you find a spot that can conceal a fish, yet allows it to have a clear view of prey, is a definite area to wet a lure.   Another good spot to target would be weed clumps.  Again, toss baits right along the edge of the clump to find out what's lurking inside.  Mealtime   Although oxygen, ambush spots and shelter are extremely important, without the addition of prey, weeds just wouldn't be so favorable.  Vegetation attracts a wide range of prey species for fish - frogs, baitfish, and craws - which use weeds both for food and shelter.  The better the weed area is, the more chance for prey to be present.  This in turn equals more predators.    For baitfish, zooplankton and insect larvae are the attracting forces to flood the green stuff.  They follow this tiny prey in, and then ultimately become food for the big guys.  When it comes to frogs and craws, they call pads and sandy-bottomed weed areas home.  And the bass and pike will be close behind.   If you find a promising weed area devoid of baitfish, there is a good chance the larger predators have moved on.  They might stop for a short visit as the move around the lake, or even spend a lazy afternoon conserving energy, but they won't be there long unless food is at their doorstep.   Lures and Baits   It's no secret that weeds hold fish.  That's pretty much a no-brainer.  Whether you can catch them might be a different story.   Fishing in the weeds holds a different approach than open water fishing.  Exposed hooks will quickly snag and foul, leaving you cursing unmentionable obscenities.  There are some baits that are made for the weeds, and will do the trick for enticing those hidden fish: Texas-rig plastic baits when working inside the weeds.  For working the edges, an exposed hook should be fine. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits are two top choices.  Upturned hooks run well through the weeds, and are relatively snag proof. Weedless frogs and creature baits are ideal for pads, slop and weed clumps.  If jigging, stick with bucktail as opposed to plastic trailers.  Flipping jigs reign supreme in the weeds.  They are undoubtedly one of the best baits for largies in the thick stuff. Shallow running cranks can be worked over the top of emergent weed growth. Lipless crankbaits are ideal for 'ripping' through and above vegetation. Seek out the weeds this season, and see what lurks within.  The fish will be there if you do your homework, and the catching can be easy if you know what tools to use.

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

COULD WE GO FISHING
by  Captain Paul Cook

shore and reef fishing

 O.K., I love most types of fishing! Shore and reef fishing doesn't cost much money, you don't need a reservation, and you can spend an hour or a day doing it. You can get up before the family, walk down to the beach in front of the hotel/condo, whip or dunk for an hour and be back in time for breakfast or the day's other activities. Then, in the late afternoon or after dinner, you can go again for an hour or so. It sure beats laying around the pool drinking $5 beers!!! Significant others don't seem to mind the short breaks either.

To me, shore and reef fishing are almost a Zen thing. Time to meditate, think, relax and just enjoy the truly magnificent views. Catching fish is just the bonus.

Shore and reef fishing in Hawaii is mostly done the following two ways:

*Whip, Whipping: casting and retrieving artificial lures/spoons/natural baits with ultra light to medium spinning gear. Sometimes referred to as "popping" by bass fishermen. Types of fish vary from the highly aggressive trevally, papio in Hawaiian, to types of snapper and goat fish. Yes, most of what you catch is very good eating. Basic rule of thumb is that if it's silver or red, it's good to eat. However, I do ask that you release all fish that you do not plan to eat or use for bait!

*Dunk, Dunking: still fishing with bait, using either lead weights or bobbers. Gear can run from light to heavy, and can be either spinning or open face reels. Similar to fishing striped bass from the shore/beach. A very specialized Hawaiian form of dunking is called 'slide bait'. Slide bait is used to catch Giant Trevally, called Ulua in Hawaiian. Ulua can weigh nearly 200 lbs., but an average is more like 20-40 lbs. It should be noted that a local 'slide bait' fisherman caught a giant sea bass, weighing more than 560lbs, from a beach on Maui!!!

I combined the two styles. I set up a larger spinner, 12-20lb. test, for dunking, but rather than just sit and wait for a bite (though that does have it's merits in Hawaii), I also brought along a light spinner, 6lb. test, and whip (fan cast) the area while I wait. This not only gives me something fun to do while I wait, it can also supply fresh bait for my dunking rig.

"Fishing Hawaii Style!"

 Mr. Jim Rizzuto wrote 3 books on  "Fishing Hawaii Style" (Vol. 1-3) they are 'holy books' of Hawaiian fishing.

Thanks for Reading,

Diane

 This is from a Fishing Buddy Club Member. He just returned to the states after being over sea's for 26 months. Eric took time out to send this story in for everyone to read. Thank You Eric and WELCOME HOME!

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ

Take me Fishing
by Eric Brayman, CWO USMC

“Take me fishing. Because my wedding will be sooner than you think. Take me fishing. And show me that worms aren't icky. Take me fishing. You can think about work later. Take me fishing. Because I get the giggles when the boat bounces. Take me fishing. Because my wedding will be sooner than you think.” A quote from Water Works Wonders that has stayed with me for sometime now. I am the proud father of three kids, two daughters and one son. My son is autistic and his love of the lake has absolutely nothing to do with a rod and reel unfortunately. I have been blessed to have two girls that have not been completely corrupted by their mother in the womanly wonders of the mall, shopping, and spending. Now don't misunderstand me, my two girls do enjoy these things, but once in a blue moon I get the magical opportunity to take them to the lake and drop a line.

First things first, the actual fishing is a long distant second to the time we get with our kids. If you can keep this in mind the experience will be lifelong. This is not as easy as it sounds, I have found out. I've had my middle daughter, Searra, set the hook eight or ten times, she played with the drag earlier so much she was almost spooled, and she went around the boat three times with the same 4 pound bass. This event lasted at least four or five minutes and I lost count of how many times I thought it would be so much easier for me to just “get it in the boat!”. Searra had her picture taken with her trophy fish (half her size at the age of 7 when she caught it) and it proudly hangs on the wall in her room. Toni Danielle, my oldest, has schooled me every time we have gone by at least three to one. She will not only never forget this, but she is always there as a constant reminder as I head out the door with a rod in my hand. She needs never to know that it was only a rare opportunity I got to get my line wet was because I was ensuring that everything she needed was done. That is not what is remembered about our fishing trips, she remembers beating dad, spending time on the water, enjoying nature and occasionally catching a fish.

Through experience I have managed to make a lot of mistakes in how to take kids fishing, so learn from my mistakes and lesson the trauma on yourself. Believe you me this is an event that will be cherished forever, but it is not without pain…

Do your research and find out the “hot bite” and “hot bait”. Don't go fishing for trout in mid-summer and don't even try to rely on those TV super baits. Bring a camera (catch and release), extra clothes (think about it; kids + water = more clothes) snacks, and a cell phone if you have one. It is OK for them to call mom or a friend to brag. It may be easier with older kids to try night fishing. The bite is usually much better, and no need to wake them up at 0330 to catch the morning bite! Make sure you check their equipment and ensure that they have good line and sharp hooks. There isn't much worse than missing fish after fish because of something that could have been prevented. Put a rubber band around your wrist to remind yourself this is a day of bonding and not fishing. Use the rubber band to snap your wrist when you forget this, then apologize. If you are fishing from a boat, limit the amount of gear up on the deck (number of rods, tackle, clothes, shoes, etc…). Most of this stuff does not float when accidentally kicked overboard when they try and see how far their head goes under water. Plan for the whole day. Don't rush to get no where. Take the time enroute to the water to get hot chocolate and doughnuts. Take a break for McDonalds in the middle of the day (yes it does constitute a drive there and back). Take the scenic, less traveled route home if available and get take out to bring home so stories can be told to the whole family over dinner. If you can't control yourself and have to fish, try and only bring one child per trip. Two or more kids under ten and the odds of your fishing helping the situation are dismal.

These are some things to take into consideration when taking kids fishing, whether they are yours or not. Best rule of thumb is to remember that it is a day together, enjoying each other's company, not just a day of fishing. Never forget that our children are our most precious resource and what we do, or fail to do, will forever stay part of their lives. Help them learn how to make the environment a better place and at the same time you will be developing a life long relationship. Take advantage of every opportunity… because my wedding will be sooner than you think.

ENJOY THE OUTDOORS,

TJ