The New Technique Hump

So you spent the weekend reading about an interesting new fishing technique that’s all the rave on the bass fishing tournament trail. You go to your local tackle shop, pick up all the components necessary, call your buddy and head out on the lake. Your friend decides to stick with the technique that he’s used to, while you rig up the new one and begin to try to fish it.

As the day goes on your friend catches fish while you end up catching nothing or panfish. Towards the end of the day you put it down and pick up ol’ reliable and catch a fish or two. When you get home all the new tackle and the technique go right into the spare tackle box, and you have convinced yourself that it’s all hype. I can admit, that once upon a time this was me, but a close friend of mine told be about how I could overcome this way of thinking and expand.

The first thing you should consider is .... READ MORE



Bass Fishing Articles

The Right Fishing Rod & Reel

Choosing the right equipment doesn't have to be that complicated.  I will give you as much information on the three basic setups I think will give you a good start without costing you a fortune.  I would suggest going with two bait casters and one spinning rig.  In the past I would recommend going to a dedicated sporting goods store to get what you need, but now most retail stores are carrying a good selection of quality rods and reels.  In my area, Walmart is now carrying brands like Diawa, Abu Garcia, Falcon, Wright and McGill and Quantum.



The first setup is a 6”6” Med Heavy graphite bait cast rod paired with a high speed bait cast  reel, like a 7 to 1 ratio.  This is a good all around rod that can be used for fishing worms, jigs, senkos, spinnerbaits, Carolina rigs and even jerkbaits.  There are a couple of options you can choose on a rod.  Some anglers prefer a solid handle, while others want the split grip which reduces the overall weight of the rod.  Both are great choices and it basically comes down to personal preference and what feels good in your hand. The graphite component rod gives you the feel you need to detect a strike and feel your lure moving through cover.  I chose a high speed reel for this set up which will give you the ability to take up more line per each turn of the reel handle which is an advantage when fighting a fish.  It also will allow you to move the bait more quickly and burn a spinnerbait with little effort.... READ MORE

Humminbird 360 and Minn Kota iPilot Link

Last weekend we headed up to Suffern, NY for the World Fishing and Sports Show, which was great.  We got an opportunity to speak with Bill Carson from Johnson Outdoors about the Humminbird 360, Minn Kota iPilot Link and Lake Master® Mapping.

When it comes to finding fish these guys definitely prove why they are the leading innovators of fish finders.

Check out our video interview with Bill Carson.

Features of the Humminbird's 360 Imaging accessory:

Ability to mark waypoints anywhere on the 360 Imaging screen
An audio alert is given when the boat nears a waypoint within casting range
Capable of recording video and screen captures
Eight color palettes
Four sonar speed settings
Specific area can be selected and zoomed in on



THIS IS I-PILOT® LINK™, THE GAME CHANGER IN BOAT CONTROL

For more information about these new technologies visit Humminbird  and Minn Kota

Like Us on facebook

River System Topwater Fishing

A lot of myths are commonly associated with topwater fishing. We've all heard that the technique is just something you do in early morning or late afternoon hours. Or they only work in the spring or fall. Or that, because of increasing fishing pressure, bass simply aren't fooled by topwaters like they once were. Forget these myths.

A topwater can pay off for you if you give it the chance and put the typical misconceptions out of your mind. Topwater baits can be dynamite during all hours of the day and are more versatile than most realize. I agree that early, late, spring, and fall are the prime times for the surface lure. But anglers who believe this is the only time are really limiting their ability to catch bass.

Rivers are excellent for topwater fishing because in this swift environment bass live in less than 5 feet of water. When fishing current with a topwater plug there are a few things to think about. The position of the fish and the angle in which the current will move your bait. Always through 3 feet or farther past your target, so you won't spook the fish, and move the bait with the current as close to the target as possible. Lures of choice are the Zara Spook Jr., Spitting Image, Cotton Cordell's Crazy Shad, and the Tiny Torpedo.

So the next time you're on a river system and the bite is slow, tie on that old topwater plug. You'll be surprised.

SOURCE

How to Tie a Blood Knot

Here's a modified way to tie a blood knot... The blood knot is great for joining two types of fishing lines together.  It works especially well for joining braided line to fluorocarbon line.  Hope you find this helpful.  If you already know this knot, there's an unrelated funny clip at the end of the video (2:55 min in)

A wind devil runs right over our bass boat while filming a bass fishing show. High winds come out of no where, and a mini water spout begins to form like a tiny tornado funnel cloud and heads right for us.

Know the Flow - Spring Bass Fishing Tactics

Everyone thinks “a bass is a bass no matter where you go“; Lake Fisherman will say that bass relate to the same cover and that bass move the same way on any body of water. Well, myself, and a lot of river rats know that’s not true!!

Rivers add a different mix of situations to deal with, current and water fluctuations are two of the major issues to contend with on river systems. In the spring it’s the most crucial piece. Water movement can change the movement of the bass and start or stop the pressman migratory run to the shallow water spawning bed. One of the best tools to use to get update info on your water levels is the Army Corp of Engineers river gauge reader. This reader is the actual water level read out that the Army Corp Lockmasters has allowed to flow in and out of the locks. This read out can change every day or every hour. You can get this piece of info by going to the Army Corps Website or calling your local river lockmaster! This information tells you how much water flow have come in & how much water is flowing out of those locks, you can use that information to help make better decisions on where the bass will move into to, and where the bass will spawn.



When bass move up to spawn & the water flow is strong and rising, normally the bass are easier to catch, but with high water comes dirty water so sight fishing becomes impossible. When bass move in to spawn & the water levels start to drop the bass don’t leave their beds, however bass become very spooky so you have to make long casts & use finesse presentations to get them to bite. Some the lures I like to use are finesse worms, Sinkos and my favorite is a Horny Toad lure. Mainly, I use baits that don’t make a lot of noise.



Bass don’t like strong currents when it comes to spawning time so look for areas that don’t have a lot current when looking for spawning bass (canals, chutes, backwater areas & any current break areas). Low water during the spawn look for areas with quick access to deeper water (bluffs, points, deeper pockets & marinas). Knowing your river current flow by checking your water levels will give you a better understanding on where to concentrate your time to get the most productive bite!!!!

By Marques Green - BASSIN' USA PROSTAFF TEAM