A-Jay

Fishing in the Fast Lane. Anglers have been using speed to trigger strikes with moving baits for a long time, and bass anglers are no exception. Although I may be guilty of using it a bit too frequently, I've been a fan of this strategy for some time.I don't particularly enjoy the "finesse" method and have found some success using a speed approach in similar conditions.Although it doesn't always work, I can successfully catch a skunk on any type of bait, so why not pursue what I enjoy? The technique involves the use of horizontally moving baits that a bass can track & chase down quickly. For me this is usually most effective in clear to slightly colored water & in shallow to mid-depth ranges of 10-12 ft. and less.This doesn't imply that speed fishing can't or won't be effective in other situations; it's just that I've discovered superior outcomes in these areas. Some wind is very helpful, as is staying off the fish and making a long cast. I prefer to fish into the wind if conditions permit, but either direction/approach has shown solid results.Fishing in crosswinds is a little tougher. You can fish and retrieve a wide variety of lures quickly, and in the right conditions and situations, they can and do catch fish.I have a few favorites that have proven themselves over the years.Crankbaits, lipless baits, spinnerbaits, and jerk/rip baits are what I use most. More recently, several lure manufacturers have introduced baits that are specifically designed to be retrieved with speed, which has resulted in more & better options for those of us who like it fast. The spinnerbait is one of those lures.(For the remainder of this write-up I am always referring to a single or double willow leaf bait). It’s such a versatile lure that it can and will be produced in a wide variety of situations, but it does seem to come into its own over and through some type of shallow vegetation.Burning one just under the surface to about one foot down is one of my all-time favorite ways to catch smallmouth bass. Which is what makes right now, early fall, such a great time for this technique.The weeds are starting to die back, but the water is for the most part still warm enough where the bass are very ready, willing & able to chase it down. Back in the day (and there's no real need to say when that actually was), I read somewhere that, by making two simple modifications, most any quality spinnerbait's ability to run fast and true could be improved.One was to downsize the willow leaf blades 1 or 2 sizes, and the other was to add weight to the bait.The smaller blades allowed for easier reeling & increased speed without the bait coming out of the water.Same with the added weight, bait stayed subsurface, and casting distance was improved, in the wind especially. Sometimes Smallmouth will follow bait for quite a while. (Regardless of how fast I reel it.) It’s like they enjoy the chase before eventually hammering it. Other times they just seem to come out of nowhere and blast the bait. Both are OK by me. A few years back SK introduced the Burner Spinnerbait. This was a game changer for me. The baits compact head design allows for max speed, but the real innovation was the Raz-R-Blade. It’s a somewhat down sized, thin cut willow leaf that was designed to increase revolutions, increase flash and keep the bait from lifting like traditional willow leaf blades are so prone to do. BAM ! No more changing out blades. But I have found that by still adding some weight to the ½ oz. bait, I can make an already great bait, Better. By simply spinning on length of wire solder onto the baits hook shank, centered & balanced weight can be effectively added to any bait. How much weight will depend on the length, type & size (gauge) wire solder selected. This can easily be done by hand and a drop of Super glue at each end will help keep it there. Any spinnerbait is a candidate if you want to add weight to, not for just burning, as it’s quite applicable for deep water applications as well. Trailer hooks are optional. Don’t remember who to give credit to for sharing these ideas, but I’m certainly glad they did. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

There's some natural growth mixed in. We seeded the majority of the 'Play area'. A-Jay

Hello Angel and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Good luck with that. 😆 A-Jay

There's a rumor going around that I might have a Megabass tattoo in an unmentionable location. I repeat, that is only a rumor. 🤓 A-Jay

Pull 2 workout today. It's a satisfying feeling when I'm ready for it, and I was today. There is no doubt that the benefits of this lifestyle bleed into every other aspect of my life. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

We're half a season into what will most likely be a 3 season make over of the dog yard. This is the third, and I'm pretty sure The Last One. One before and two progress-so-far pics are below. Still plenty left to do. 🥴 A-Jay

I've got nothing but love for Paul Krews baits. Being killing for me for a while now. A-Jay

The weather and a few more pressing matters will sadly keep me off the water early this week. However, there appears to be a potential window of opportunity on Wednesday morning. This one could potentially include a stiff wind from the west-southwest, which I absolutely adore. Putting the wheels in motion now to make the most of that. Fish Hard. A-Jay

I have been using this for several years. My local waters are home to both pike and musky. Some of them are rather sizeable. Admittedly, I don't always add it to my baits, and when I don't, at some point I get bitten off. When I have this wire in place, I NEVER get bitten off. AFW routinely goes in front of any horizontal moving bait. More importantly, I still catch plenty of bass. Good luck. A-Jay

I've lived in a few different states. Most recently and for a bit longer than I'm willing to admit, I've been is a state of confusion. Pretty certain there's a Hall of fame attached to it too. Some of the more prominent folks inducted, besides myself of course include: Mark Zona, Scott Martin, Dan Ackroid, The Church Lady, Ricky Ricardo and my Ex-Wife. A-Jay

What is the least visible fluorocarbon brand on the market? Every brand I use when bass fishing at night. A-Jay

After a dynamite day on the water yesterday, I was back in the home gym for the Push 2 workout. Today's training included drop sets, which were performed after the final working set was completed. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

As long as they see their way into my net, it's all good. A-Jay

As soon as you start posting a few of these units, I will seriously consider it. 🤩 A-Jay

Today's theme revolves around a primary local bass forage. A-Jay

Hung "several" of these on my thumb this morning. All came on a walking bait early & a shallow crankbait after that topwater bite fizzled out. Although it was fun and somewhat silly, it's still not the target species. If the big smallmouth bass I am looking for, were as easy to find & catch as these Largemouth bass were on this trip, I would need to be institutionalized. 😜 A-Jay

When a members photo is saved in their photo album, that BR watermark is automatically added. Then whenever it's shared here you'll see it. A-Jay

Stepping out into this super clear, calm and seasonably cool morrning to rig the boat & trailer to my truck, immediately brings on flashbacks of teenage, skinny as a rail A-Jay riding his bike to the lake. Those pre dawn 8 mile peddle feasts through the ghosted city streets were so good. Admittedly, at this point. The GMC is a bit more comfortable, especially on the way home. Either way, it's another Lake Menderchuck morning and so far this August, I sill haven't found what I'm looking for. #U2 A-Jay

No, it certainly is not. And that's because I'm going fishing tomorrow, and my brain is in Lock Down Spaz Mode. I mean more than usual. Sorry about that. 🙃 A-Jay

TW Has some https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/River2Sea_Ish_Monroe_Bling_Double_Willow_Spinnerbait/descpage-R2SBSBT.html A-Jay

Plan on making the Pro-V Bass operational tomorrow morning. So as not to jinx myself, not that I am the least bit superstitious or anything, I will make no predictions or announce any expectations whatsoever. I'm just going to drive around Lake Menderchuck, and I might stop to make a few casts now & then. That is all. A-Jay

I completed the Leg 2 workout today. It's not difficult to believe that this training is routinely pretty rugged physically & mentally. However, this one turned out to require an extra level of intestinal fortitude the whole way through. #borninfiftynine A-Jay

OK - Thanks. I agree with most of that, and you've already gotten several very good suggestions. IME—and something that's not highly advertised or even discussed here very often, is that most every spinnerbait has a 'life span." So the more and the heavier the fish it catches, the shorter its life span. Baits that don't get bites are "awesome and last for years." Clearly no company wants to acknowledge that their baits will bend out, have hooks get dull, and have skirts ripped to shreds. But they do. I expect it at this point. Therefore, I recommend purchasing baits that you are comfortable replacing before they actually need to be replaced. That's the secret. If you wait, it can be heartbreak city. I have been catching fish on SK Burners for years. Most recently, the New Freedom Freak has seen quite a bit of action, in both the long and the short arm models. https://youtu.be/E8UfnBPoH-M?feature=shared&t=684 There are a variety of colors available, and in my opinion, there is no right or wrong choice. Good luck. A-Jay