smalljaw67

The Johnson Beetle Spin, that is the very bait that got me into spinnerbaits at a very young age. It was the first artificial lure that I caught more than just one fish on.

I use both and it depends on the situation. If I'm using a 5" on the river for smallmouth I'm almost always using a spinning rod as the water is clear and I'm using light line a Owner twist lock light hooks. When fishing lakes for smallmouth or largemouth I use heavier line and I'm often around cover so I'll use casting rods, either a 6'6" MH-F or a 6'6" M-F as I'm target casting, not distance casting.

I love bear hair but it is hard to find, at least at a decent price. That looks killer but a little too large for my liking as I have more success using hair with a finesse approach but if you have the right water it should work really well.

This topic comes up every now and again and I'll explain how I do it. I've been tying hair and fishing with it close to 20 years and here is what I've found during that time. Hair is used in cold water because the cold water has little to no affect on the movement like how it use to make older soft plastic baits stiff and it even slows down silicone, but that is a good thing. Anyway, bucktail is uses a lot because when tied right, the profile it produces is a perfect match for a minnow, and the only movement comes from the very tips of the hair and it mimics the small movements of tail fins during that time. The same hair will work in warm water, but I find other presentation are better,, jigs made with rubber and silicone offer a larger profile at a time when the bass' metabolism is at its highest and every other fish as well so the fish are conditioned to seeing things move faster. I have a few bodies of water that I fish which have springs undground and they typically keep the water cooler in summer and the water is clear, rabbit hair jigs work well there in summer as does marabou so hair that has more movement would generally be better, even craft fur works. When I started tying and got to the point I was doing well with my hair jigs, I got on a kick where that was all I fished for 2 years and it is when I learned that I have much better results from late winter to mid spring and again in mid to late fall. If you have clear or lightly stained water you can fish a hair jig, or if you want to try the preacher type jigs that are being used for ledge fishing they will also work, but if you watch some of the guys that are good at the preacher jig, most will say that they fish the schools of fish they marked with cranks, jigs and worms before going to the hair as the smaller fish tend to be the ones that hit that during the summer, KVD, JT.Kenny, and Jacob wheeler all seem to agree that the hair jig is the last thing they throw if they know there are more fish in the area and can't get them to hit anything else. As it was mentioned in a post a long while ago, there is no rule that says you can't throw the hair in warm water or that it doesn't work because it does work, but other presentations will give you higher percentage of success, you just have to decide if you want to take the time and try a hair jig or keep them for use during the period they are most effective.

Smithwick Rattlin Rogue in the floating model, the Original Rapala Floater, I also really like the Rapala Flat Rap, they are getting harder to find but are an absolute killer in clear water.

Dirk, I use the same type of craft fur for a few different kind of jigs but these preacher jigs are too large, the bucktail used on them is 5" in length. The other thing is the way this jig is used, the action comes from the feathers, it gives it a little movement while the bucktail mimics the profile of a bait perfectly. There are some of these being made with synthetic hair like the Hog Farmer jig is made using a synthetic called super hait and Talon Custom lures use regular size bucktail with yak fur synthetic, the one thing common with both the yak fur and the super hair is it comes in long hanks allowing these companies to make a big jig with less expense and better access to material. These jigs are 6.5" to 7.5" in length, but I hear you on the extra select craft fur, that is the exact type I use when I tie craft fur jigs.

I have them in rainbow trout, blue steel shad, and chrome perch and I have success with them. I use them in cooler water, mid to upper 50s and it is because these have a tighter swim than say a Sebile Magic Swimmer. There are times when I do throw them in summer though, if I'm on a good bit, I'll throw them to try and attract larger fish and it works. The thing is when you fish it in warmer water, make a slow steady retrieve for a few feetthen give it a pop but do it so you throw slack in the line, it will make the bait turn around and that action often is what triggers strikes. I saw that on a fishing show and 2 seasons ago we were catching a lot of dinks on swim jigs so I broke out the kickin stick and the first cast I had a nice one just follow it. So I made the same cast and after four or five cranks of the reel I popped the rod and the bait got creamed, 6lb. 9oz largemouth that could not stand the bait turning on it like that. These work well and they work in a lot of different situations but I found the best time is the fall, right after the first frost, that is when it is at its deadliest and it draws big fish.

Was this a used reel? I ask because of the drag situation. When I'm done fishing and come home the first thing I do is back off the drags on all my reels, spinning and casting. If the reel was used, the drag was probably tightened down and never backed off and over time the washers will stay in a compressed state not offering enough resistance to keep line from being pulled. If that is the case you can contact Okuma and buy a new drag stack or if the reel is new you can tell them the problem and they will take care of it, Okuma has excellent customer service.

I use floating style jerkbaits in the warm water months, they seem to just draw more strikes but they are primarily shallow water baits. Rather than mess with a good jerkbait, find the ones you have that rise in cold water, when the warm water period comes they will most likely suspend then.

I know my rants get old but for those reading this that insist on using a baitcasting set up, don't complain when the hooks are bent out or broke. The hooks are not junk, they are designed to be used with medium light to medium power spinning rods on light 4lb to 6lb line, I use 8lb if the water is a little stained but I make the drag a little looser. If you want to use casting equipment with a heavier head with heavy wire hook go right ahead, it will work too but you aren't using a NED or mid west finesse technique anymore, now you are using the tried and true jig worm, and that is simply a shaky head rigged with the hook exposed. It doesn't bother me that many are using the heavier tackle, it bothers me that they are calling it a Ned rig when it couldn't further from the actual rig, it would be like calling a Texas rig worm a Carolina rig only you aren't using a swivel or anything to keep the weight away from the bait. Ned Kehde has a video explaining how it is fished and the specific components he uses, and that is a Gopher Tackle 1/32oz head with a size 6 hook, a 1/16oz head with a size 4 light wire hook or a 3/32oz head with a size 2 light wire hook. I will sometimes use a 1/8oz if the wind is up but I like the 3/32oz size myself, and the key to it is not to just let it sit on the bottom, it is supposed to just barely touch the bottom and then you reel slow but enough to get the bait 6" above. So onece you start using heavier tackle you are no longer in Ned rig territory, it is a jig worm plain and simple.

There are 3 different types of swim jigs, well maybe more by now but I know of 3 and I make my own. There is the Northern Style that Tom Monsoor likes to throw, those are typically 1/4oz with a light hook and thin skirt, best trailers are grubs, flapping type craws and small swimbaits. Then you have the Coosa River style which is similar to the Northern but uses a slightly heavier hook and a little larger skirt and they often run 3/8oz, same type of trailers. Then you have the California style, these are larger, 1/2oz and up with heavy duty flipping style hooks and thick 55 to 80 strand skirts with larger body swim baits being the main trailers for those. I prefer the smaller 1/4oz and 3/8oz version but I do use a 1/2oz heavy hook model for heavy, nasty cover. These are like a finesse spinnerbait, they make very little disturbance but offer a nice body size for the fish to hit, and they do well in pressure situations when the flash and vibration of a spinnerbait will be too much for the fish.

The way the graphite is cut and rolled on the mandrel determines power and action, and there is no way to make a rod that is stiff more flexible. What kind of rod and what power and action? Why do you want it to have more flex?

Where did you find the 6'3" M-MF Smallmouth rod???? Both of those rods will work but the 6'3" M-MF Smallmouth rod was made for jerkbait fishing and I missed out on getting one because I waited too long. Most guys liks a little longer rod but I love the 6'3" length, I had a G.Loomis jerkbait rod, the 752C JBR, it was a little lacking in power but great and I have an older model Cabelas XML 6'2", it was a 632 and it is no longer made, the rod is a fantastic for jerkbaits but I'd love to get the Smallmouth rod, so help me out here.

My biggest bass on a small bait was in 2012, it was a 5lb. 3oz 21.5" smallmouth taken on a 1/32oz marabou jig with a size 4 Eagle Claw Laser Sharp black platinum hook on 6lb line. We normally catch 3lb to 4lb smallmouths with this technique in the winter and the previous best for me was a 4lb 12oz that was 21" even. You never have to worry about bending a hook with the right set up, if you bend hooks out they means either the rod, reel, line, or all of it is too heavy or you are applying more pressure than is required, a properly set drag will allow you to use larger tackle and not bend hooks.

You will see a small disclaimer that tells you to call for discounts that they can publicize, when they don't have that little disclaimer and you see exact brands that are excluded then they are excluded. I was told to call and they told me that certain brands cannot be listed on sale but you can call and get sale pricing but anytime you see a sale and under the sale there are specific brands excluded, they are excluded for call-ins as well, so if you don't see the "call for discounts" disclaimer, any brand listed as excluded is excluded. It sounds confusing but it isn't, and the sale I called about was the tax stimulus sale in mid April, they had a big list of exclusions and when I called I got the info and they had no sale for any of those item s on the list. That is when they told me to look for the disclaimer, if you don't see it don't call.

It uses Aluminum Oxide inserts, perfectly fine but a little low budget for a rod in the $200 range, they could have at least gone zirconia but the aluminum oxide is fine for braid.

I like Fenwick rods and have a number of them but I don't have that one. I saw it on FFO, and it interests me as well but the extra fast action Aetos I have is very stiff and it makes me think it will be the same way. I could also be wrong and it is described as a soft jigging rod, at that length I'd guess it is to target the walleye crowd but if it was for jigging it would have to have a soft tip and it would be perfect for jerkbaits. Give it a go and tell us (me) how it is!!!

This changes for me depending on the season and since I limit myself to 3 setup on others boats I'll go from that perspective. Late winter/early spring - 7' ML-F spinning, 6'9" M-XF spinning, 6'6" ML-M casting. I'm using hair jigs, tubes and small jerkbaits. Spring - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 6'6" ML-M casting, 7'2" M-MF casting. I'm using tubes, larger hair jigs, jerkbaits and shallow cranks. Late Spring/Early Summer - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 7'2" M-MF casting, 7'MH-F casting. I use flukes and tubes, shallow cranks, and spinnerbaits. Summer - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 7' MH-F casting 7'2" M-MF casting, I still may use tubes or flukes, spinnerbaits, and shallow/mid depth cranks Late summer/early fall - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 7'2" M-MF, 7' MH-F, the same as summer for the most part. Mid fall - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 6'6" ML-M casting, 7'2" M-MF casting, I'm using tubes, jerkbaits, shallow and mid depth cranks Late fall/early winter - 6'9" M-XF spinning, 7'ML-F spinning, 6'6" ML-M casting, I'm using tubes, hair jigs and jerkbaits. You'll notice that I always have a moderate or mod-fast rod, and that is because I use cranks heavily when it comes to river smallmouth, I found when it is really tough a shallow crank banging in the rocks gets more and bigger fish than trying to finesse. In the summer the fish are in the riffles if the water is low from lack of rain, shallow is the way to go but mid depth cranks work well when water levels are stable, the smaller fish feed in the riffles but the bigger ones will wait in the deeper pools for the stuff the little ones miss and going through a hole with a deeper crank is something they don't see often and so it is often a good way at getting a 4lb or 5lb fish in summer.

If you subscribed to TW they will send you an email when they are having their sales. In the past TW doesn't have their memorial day sale until a few days before, I'm guessing the 27 through the 30th but it may be longer or shorter but who knows. Cabela's, BPS, Gander Mtn, and all the other stores have started or will start their sales early but TW doesn't do this, so just have some patience and it will happen soon enough.

I think everyone that has used a Senko has had at least one fish they caught, deep hooked. The reason it happens is because it has the best success when fished on a slack line no matter how it is rigged. The fish will hit it as it falls and they don't run and so you don't feel a bite but there are some things to do. The first thing is learn to be a line watcher, any time your line "jumps" or moves in a way that you didn't cause it is normally a bite, also get in the habit of counting down your bait down as it falls to the bottom, if the line stops before it gets to the bottom it is more than likely a bite. I don't deep hook fish anymore since I stopped dead sticking the Senko and instead I stitch it along, for those not familiar with that, it is simply holding your rod with 1 hand and the other you grab the line between your index finger and thumb and move the bait by slowly pulling it along the bottom. I move the bait like that painfully slow and it works but if the fish want it on the fall then you just have to watch the line and count it down.

When I started bass fishing 6'6" was considered a long rod, most used 5' to 6' rods with 5'6" being uses like the 7' rod is today. A big reason was the electronics weren't even close to what you have today so most of the fishing was casting to visual objects so accuracy was big. Distance wasn't the first thing, the line we had was monofilament and it wasn't as thin as it is today, I remember 10lb line was like 17lb is now so even with a long rod distance was limited. I remember Rick Clunn talking about how the new electronics were changing the sport and he said it is the reason for longer rods, faster reels, and the new super lines. He said he remembers when Kentucky Lake was a good lake for flipping and shallow water, and now the electronics have made it an off shore ledge event. So the short rods evolved into longer rods as the need for longer casts or fishing deeper became mainstream instead of just a specialty, sort of like flipping, as there was only 1 flipping stick for a time and now every rod company has a flipping stick.

I hate when terms get thrown around so much they get confusing and the pros are the main culprits. Watch any pro interview and they will tell you they used a medium heavy action rod, no, it was a medium heavy power and the action was different. Crankbaits are going through this thing that they have to "hunt" or "search" and "run true" and it can be considered the same thing. Take an older crankbait, I'll begin with my favorite medium divers, the Bomber 4A, if I throw that on a standard 7' cranking rod with a 6.?:1 reel and use a normal pace it will be a true running crankbait and it will be erratic and hunt when it hits and deflects off cover, that is why it is important to maintain bottom contact with a crankbait. Take the same scenario and burn that bait, it will "blow out" meaning that it becomes unstable and then turns on its side and it won't return to center until you get it back to its normal speed range. Now the crankbait designers have figured out how to make a bait do that but return to center, take a look at the Spro Baby Fat John, I heard anglers complain that it doesn't "hunt" but what they don't know is that you need to burn it, when it is being reeled in at a high speed it gets a little unstable and will kick out but then comeback to center, it takes much more speed to get a bait like that to blow out and turn sideways. The Rapala Scatter Rap, they made it so you can control when you want it to do that, and it too can be reeled to fast, if you burn it then you'll experience blow out but run it at an easy pace and you get a true running crank but speed it up a little and it will swing out and then back in as you slow it down but that is a true running bait. So there you go, just about all erratic cranks are true running and with some kind of bottom contact or or cover bumping, every true running crank will be an erratic, hunting type bait as well.

5 years ago me and my buddy made our first spring trip of the season, it was the first week or March and it was windy and cold, I believe the air temp was 42 but the wind was gusting at 30 MPH. Well my buddy is going to start off slow rolling a spinnerbait, and he picks up his combo and goes to make a cast and the rod and reel come right out of his hands in into the depths, we tried to get it back for 2 hours with no luck and it is gone forever. The rod was a G.Loomis CBR 785 with a Shimano Calais reel, so figure about $550 down the tubes and what is worse is the reel was discontinued and it was in great shape, that made it even worse.

Well I was finally able to acquire some long bucktail and long quality hackle to make some "Preacher" style jigs. These are 1/2oz banana style heads with a 5/0 Gamakatsu 604 hook, the battern is a simple "blue shad". There is flash in the jig just very hard to see because of my lousy photo skills, the jigs have a total length of 6.5" and I'm in the process of testing out a 3/8oz version that has a 4/0 Gamakatsu 604 hook and the finished length is 5.5" for small bodies of water where you are fishing drops that range from 8' to 14' deep. I figured I'd show them to give others interested in this type of jig a model to look at to give an idea of what the deal is with these. I have tied them for years, but most were using them for stripers and a few guys knew that bass hit these jigs too but it wasn't until the pros got caught using them that they became popular. These are fished without a trailer, instead they use saddle hackle to provide a little movement while the bucktail makes a perfect baitfish profile. Anyway, when large manufacturers began making them again, the extra long bucktail needed to make them dried up and became hard to find, and even a lot of the same companies are using synthetic hair to make them. Enjoy the picture and if you have any questions about this type of hair jig I'll gladly answer them, that is if I know the answer.

I found that just about every prop bait made has a way to fish it that draws more strikes than any other way. My favorite bait up until a year and a half ago was a Heddon Dying Flutter, it is discontinued but I got a bunch as they really worked for me. Anyway, after using that bait a long time I found that the best way to fish it that gave me the best results was to keep my rod pointed downward toward the bait and with my line tight I'd give it a quick pull, not straight down but off to the side like some guys fish a jerkbait with a long rod. That method seemed to produce the best sound and you would just have to adjust the length of the pull to the mood of the fish, if they were on a short quick pull had them, if they needed to be coaxed, you had to slow the pull down and make it longer. The Heddon Baby Torpedo worked best with short quick jerks, you'd have a little slack in the line and give it a quick downward jerk but only a short one, if you moved the rod too far it would be too much and you'd pull the bait underwater without making the sound it is known for. The body shape didn't make it good for pulling, you had to give it a downward jerk to get the body in the water enough for the prop to throw water and make sound, if you get that right with the Torpedo it can be a super deadly bait. My current favorite is the Yo-Zuri 3DB Prop, unlike the others it has a polycarbonate prop which is a type of plastic, it is UV treated so it looks like it is purple in the sunlight. That prop bait works all different ways but we found that it works best fished almost like the Baby Torpedo, a single sharp, downward rip on slack line as if you are fishing a jerkbait, you rip and wait a second and rip again. That bait has a different sound because of the plastic prop but it throws a good bit of water and it is pretty loud. We found that quick pulls work well too like the Dying Flutter but it really seems to call big fish when ripped, we get not only more hits on it but also bigger fish when using it in that fashion.