Prevent Fatigue
on the Water
By Lindy
Frasl - Pro Staff
Feeling extremely
worn out after a day on the
lake?Your not alone, until
recently I would blame this on
restless nights and fresh air.The
problem was a combination of
fatigue and dehydration. To
remedy the problem I started
eating high energy meals the
night before,such as pastas or
pizza.In the morning on the way
to the ramp I will eat a bagel
and granola bar along with a
bottle of gatorade.Throughout the
day I will usually drink 2 more
bottles of gatorade and water.If
you wait to drink liquids
until after your thirsty its
to late. Candy bars are a quick
source of energy but a power bar
will give you energy from carbs
not sugar which will last
throughout the day. Its hard to
concentrate on fishing when
fatigue and dehydration set
in but a simple plan of
eating healthy and drinking the
right liquids you'll not only
feel better but fish better.
Bass on Jigs
By Brian
Brown - Pro Staff
One of my favorite
baits to fish and one that more
tournament anglers depend on to
catch that big bass is a jig with
a plastic or pork trailer. The
jig it’s self is a pretty
simple tool, a chunk of lead with
a stout sharp hook with or
without some sort of weed guard
and some with and others without
silicone skirts. Now on the other
hand the styles of jigs are
almost countless. It seems with
this bait more than any other
everyone has their own style of
head and size of hook they
prefer. For the most part there
are four different
classifications of jig heads that
are made. One is what is
considered a grass jig. This
style of jig generally has a
bullet shape head to allow it to
slide threw vegetation without
getting hung up and either a
light wire hook for casting and a
stout heavy wire hook when
flipping in heavy vegetation,
such as milfoil and coontail.
Then you have a wood jig that has
an arkie style head with a stout
heavy wire hook. This has a
flatter type head, which allows
the bait to slide over and threw
wood without getting hung up
whereas a bullet nose will tend
to wedge into the forks of the
branches and where logs cross
over each other. The rock or
football jig has an oblong look
like a football. This head design
is made to hug the bottom, and
transmits all the subtle changes
in the bottom. The final jig is
the smallest of the jigs and
generally doesn’t have a
weed guard. This would be the
mushroom head or ball head jig
which has a smaller light wire
hook. The majority of different
head designs come from guys
combining a weed type head with a
wood style head. In fact the jig
I use is a perfect example of
this. The Jangle jig by Leena
Lures is a triangular shaped
head. Which has enough point to
slide threw vegetation but wide
enough not to hang up in woody
cover. Size of the jig to use
depends on cover your fishing ,
depth , and some times how hard
the wind or current is. If you
are fishing a weedline and are
casting a jig you want one that
will fall slow but also keep
contact with the bottom. So if
the wind is blowing 30mph you may
have to switch from a 1/4oz up to
a 3/8 or 1/2oz jig to feel
bottom. Here you also need a
light wire hook because
you’re making a long cast
and that lighter wire hook will
penetrate easier than a heavy
duty flippin hook. With all
skirted jigs I trim the skirt
just below the bend of the hook,
this allows the skirt to flare
out more when it hits bottom.
Also take the fiber weed guard
and trim out half the bristles
this will reduce the jig from
slide out of the fishes mouth on
the hook set and will not effect
it’s weedlessness. I fish a
casting jig on a 7’med.heavy
V-rod and Curado 6.2:1 shimano
combination with 14- 17lb green
color line. Fishing a jig on a
weedline I keep the boat about a
half a cast length off the
weedline. This allows me to cast
the jig a short distance into the
weeds. Most of the fish are going
to positioned on the edge or just
inside. Allow the bait to settle
to the bottom on slack yet taunt
line always watching the line for
any indication of a strike. Once
it has settled on the bottom I
will shake the jig in place with
the rod tip a few seconds and
then pull the jig up and let it
fall back to the bottom. In doing
so I’m only moving the bait
forward about 12 – 18
inches. I repeat this process
until the jig is out of the
weeds. This is also were you
would throw the mushroom head jig
1/16-1/4oz with a 6-7in worm on
it a.k.a. jigworm. This I usually
throw on a 6-1/2 foot med.heavy
fast action spinning rod teamed
up with shimano symtre spinning
reel spooled with 8-10lb test
line also green in color. When
fishing around wood or pitching
coontail and milfoil I beef up my
equipment starting with the line.
Going from 15lb up to 20-25lb
mono and braided lines and will
switch to a 7-1/2 ft. flippin rod
and a shimano castaic reel. I
choose this reel because of
it’s unique thumb bar system
for flippin and pitchin methods.
Generally speaking wood fishing
is a shallow water endeavor. I
still trim the skirt of jig but
the weed guard I leave whole but
cut it down slightly length wise.
This will help stiff it some so
that the hook will not get caught
up in the wood, and with a short
distance of line out it
doesn’t impede with
penetration on the hook set. When
fishing wood cover everyone has
an opinion on what part of the
cover to pitch too first. Myself
I start at the bank and work all
the way around back to the bank
on the other side. Now if you
find a pattern that the fish are
on a certain part of the
structure then target that first
and move on. Using a football jig
or rock jig can tell you more
about the bottom of the lake than
your electronics. The key is
using a heavy jig that will hug
the bottom. I fish this on a
7-1/2ft. flippin rod with a
curado 6.2:1 reel with a braid
line. I prefer the braided lines
because your casting this bait
along ways, it has a heavy hire
hook and the bait is heavy 5/8
– 11/2oz. This jig can have
or may not have a weed guard and
can be skirted or fished with a
skirted type bait, a skirted twin
tail grub is a very popular
choice. Most anglers that fish
this bait throw it where they
would fish a carolina rig and is
fished almost in the same manner.
Make a long cast and let the jig
settle to the bottom. With the
rod tip pointed to the water
slowly pull the rod tip back
towards you. Only use the reel to
take up the slack line. After
using this jig you will soon be
able to tell the differences in
mud, clay, and sand those all
important transition lines. There
are many head styles and hook
styles on the market today
hopefully this will point you in
the right direction. Check out
different styles and stick with
on that works for you, because
confidence is the number one key
to success.
Spoon Fed
Bass
By: Joel Stokka - Pro Staff
Probably
the most versatile lure you can
throw for shallow water Bass is a
spoon. Spoons come in all
sizes, colors and shapes and each
has their own time and place.
I’ll offer a few tips and
techniques on how to use a few of
the styles of spoons available
today.
Because of
the ugly places you can throw a
spoon, heavy equipment is
required. I use a 7’
MH for added leverage coupled
with a high-speed reel to cover
water fast. When fishing
spoons in the heat of summer over
thick mill foil mats or lily
pads, a spoon is one of the most
effective lures you can ever use
to draw bass out from under the
thick vegetation. When
fishing this type of cover, the
advantage a spoon has over a rat
or frog bait is it can be thrown
in windy conditions and dropped
into pockets. I turned a
bad tournament day into a 3rd
place finish by throwing spoons
in wind blown lily pads and
letting them drop into the
pockets.
Spoons are
a great search lure when
pre-fishing shallow water. You
can run the spoon over the pads
and mats while dropping the bait
over the weed flats and working
it like a spinnerbait. You
can easily convert a spoon to a
buzz bait simply by adding an
Uncle Josh pork #23 Kicker Frog.
Have you ever tried “Dock
Spooning”? The
design of the spoon makes it an
ideal skipping lure. I like
to use the smaller 3/8 oz spoon
tipped with a Pork Frog for added
buoyancy, balance and weight.
Ways to
work a spoon:
Swimming: |
In
submerged grass, simply
reel in the lure steadily
as you would a crank
bait. The spoon will
wobble and dart
erratically and the
trailer will dance and
flutter. |
|
|
| Stop
& go: |
In
surface weeds, cast the
bait, allow it to sit on
top of the pads or matted
grass and pull it along
for a foot or so and
stop. Allow it to rest
5-10 sec. and repeat. In
lily pads, pull the bait
across the holes between
the pads and hang-on. |
|
|
| Tumbling: |
In
lily pads, let the lure
cross the top of the
pads, then slowly draw it
over the edge by pulling
gently with your rod.
Then allow it to tumble
down into the pockets and
deeper pad edges. |
|
|
Tips:
- Always
allow the bass to take
the spoon completely
beneath the surface,
count to two before
setting the hook.
- If
a big fish strikes the
spoon, it is often a
better idea to go to the
fish, instead of applying
a great deal of pressure
to reel it in and risking
breaking the line or
tearing out the hook. The
fish will often bury in
dense cover or pad stems
and will usually swim
free once you move
closer. 50lb+ Spiderwire
Spectra braid and a
Minnkota trolling motor
are a must in heavy
cover.
Recommended
Lures:
Nemire
Lures( www.nemirelures.com ) “Red
Ripper” and “Spoon
Buzzer” with the patented
skirt and sound chamber.
Northland
Tackle( www.northlandtackle.com ) “Jaw
Breaker”
Heddon
Lures( www.lurenet.com ) “Moss
Boss”
Bagley
Baits ( www.bagleybait.com ) “Grass
Rat”
"Buzzing Big
Bass"
by Joel Stokka
One of the
most under thrown baits here in
the North Country is the
“Buzz Bait”. Although
widely known as a big bass
producer, buzz baits seem to be a
“mystery” bait to many.
In this article I’ll offer a
few tips that will help you catch
more and bigger bass this summer.
There
are two kinds of buzz baits:
1.
“In-line”
2.
“Short arm”
Either type
of buzz bait is what I would call
a “reaction” bait. The
noise and movement is what will
trigger fish to strike. It’s
also a great “locator”
bait. I use it to cover a lot of
water quickly in pre-fishing for
tournaments. Buzz baits also
typically produce bigger bass
over other horizontal baits
presentations.
Where to
fish a buzz bait:
Primarily,
I buzz over shallow weed flats
from 3-8 feet in depth. Also
effective is to throw them along
rocky banks, boat docks, rock
piles, inside weedlines and in
sparse reeds/bulrushes.
Don’t forget the classic
spots: lily pads and along
timber. Buzz baits can also be
very effective fishing outside
the weed-line where bass often
can be found suspended feeding on
baitfish.
Equipment
to use:
Recommended
equipment is a medium action 7
foot with a medium-speed retrieve
reel. The longer rod is necessary
for longer casts and sweeping
hook sets. A trailer hook is a
must; over half your fish will
come on the trailer. In dirty
water and on deeper weed flats,
I’ve had some of my biggest
fish come on a tandem delta blade
buzzer made by Blue Fox.
It’s a larger bait and
creates more noise.
My favorite
buzz bait for catching numbers is
the floating, in-line Scum Frog
“Thunder Toad” made by
Southern Lure Company. This
little gem can be worked very
slowly and stopped without
sinking. This can be very
effective if you miss a strike,
you can let the bait sit for a
follow-up strike, which will
happen over 50% of the time. This
bait is totally weedless and can
be thrown into weedy conditions
where other buzzers would be
useless.
Let's talk
about colors. I like white or
black best although I have been
known to tie on a combination
chartreuse/ white. My color
choice is usually predicated on
the light conditions, water
clarity and time of the year. I
do not believe there is a magic
formula with respect to buzz bait
color. In my experience, sound,
speed of retrieve, and water
conditions are much more critical
than color.
How to
work a buzz bait:
For best
results use a steady retrieve
with your rod tip pointed at the
lure. This will give you direct
contact with your bait and allow
better control in windy
conditions. If you rod tip is too
high you’ll have to reel
down before your hook-set and
often this delay will miss fish.
You also have the problem of wind
putting a bow in your line making
you reel-in the slack before your
hook-set, causing a delay and
lost fish. Heavier baits will
require your rod tip elevated a
bit higher to keep the bait on
the surface. When a blow–up
occurs count to 1 and set on 2.
Long fan casts will allow you to
cover more water and create more
strikes. Use the larger and
louder baits when buzzing dark
and/or deeper water.
Best
time to fish a buzz bait:
Overcast
conditions can be a blast!
Don’t forget sunny days
however…I won a tournament
on a blue bird sunny and windy
day buzzing shallow flats. Most
fishermen think that you need
flat water to throw a buzz
bait….not true! wave action
and buzz baits most often can be
the pattern of the day!
Next time
try throwing a buzz bait where
you would normally swim a jig or
spinner bait and hang-on! Nothing
beats the excitement of a big
bass blowing on the surface.
Tight
Lines,
Joel
Stokka
Excel Bass Pro
Staff
Dock Fishing Rights
and Obligations
Encounters with
irate and/or hostile lakeshore
property owners seem on the
increase over the past few years.
Almost everyone who fishes docks
has a colorful story (or several)
involving flying rocks,
miscellaneous threats and purple
vocabulary directed their way. In
most cases, the property owner's
ire is inversely proportional to
his knowledge of the law.
Very
specific Minnesota law governs a
bass fisherman's rights and
obligations vis á vis lakeshore
property owners. The following is
a short explanation of the nuts
and bolts of Minnesota law as it
applies to dock fishing.
Lakeside
property owners have certain
unique "riparian"
rights involving the water that
borders their property. Putting
in a private dock is considered a
riparian right. Riparian rights
allow lakeshore property owners
to enforce trespass laws up to
the water's edge. These rights
generally end with the low water
mark, although docks extending
further out are acceptable as
long as they do not interfere
with navigation. Comprehensive
"fee" ownership of the
land is coterminous with the high
water mark. The State of
Minnesota owns all the land (and
water) below the high water mark,
in trust for use by the public.
Under
Minnesota law, the public has a
right to boat, cast or be present
on any navigable water it can
reach from a public access.
Lakeshore property owners cannot
legally exclude the public from
any water below the current
shoreline. By definition,
navigable waters include those
under, around or near private
docks. Signs placed by property
owners like those proclaiming
"no fishing within 50
feet" of a dock are unlawful
attempts to exclude the public
from state-owned property.
According to the DNR's
Enforcement Department, such
signs can be legally ignored.
Think
of docks as vehicles parked on a
public street. Passing fishermen
obviously may not trespass on or
cause damage to docks, boats,
canvas (a particular problem), or
any other property
"parked" on a public
lake. If damage occurs, the
perpetrator is liable to the
property owner for damages. A
conscientious bass fisherman who
rips up a canvas canopy with an
errant crankbait should
immediately contact its owner to
make amends. There really is no
excuse for slobs who leave hooks
buried or line trailing from
private docks. Such behavior
gives all bass fishermen a bad
name.
On
the other hand, dock owners have
no right to prevent, disrupt,
dissuade or otherwise harass
anyone who is lawfully attempting
to take wild game on navigable
waters. Bass are included in the
legal definition of the term
"wild game". It is a
criminal misdemeanor for
lakeshore property owners (or
anyone else) to interfere with
this right. Under extreme
circumstances, a hassled bass
fisherman may have little
recourse but to contact the local
authorities and file a formal
complaint under Minn. Stat.
97A.037.
The
most ambiguous situation occurs
when a lure snags a mooring line
or wraps a pillar. Technically,
the lure's owner may be permitted
to "trespass" solely
for the purpose of removing the
offending lure, although
liability can accrue if any
actual damage occurs during the
trespass. In the real world,
property owners are seldom
sympathetic to a bad cast. They
perceive evil intentions in
anyone "messing around"
their docks. So proceed with
discretion and great care.
Here's
the practical bottom line: the
public legally entitled to fish
just about anywhere we can float
a boat, including under private
docks. But common sense and
courtesy in exercising that right
can save a lot of heartache for
all concerned.
F.Y.I.
from the Sportsmen Bassmasters
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