Bagwell's Bass Tactics

[roadwarrior]

I know it's legal in most states, but I don't like guys bed fishing. I'm not preaching just making this point: Not all bass spawn at the same time, but the buck bass are all trying to build nests and attract females at basically the same time. If you're fishing the beds, you'll generally catch smaller male fish. If they are guarding eggs, those eggs are lost. If they are clearing debris for a nest maybe they'll start another, or maybe they won't. Why not fish the deeper water where the big females are in transition. Catch and QUICKLY release, these females will still produce offspring.

[John Cullum]

Your probadly right about the eggs of a guarding male bass being lost if he is caught and taken. I don't think fishing for bedding bass has a huge negative effect on a lakes bass population like they lead us to believe. I live close to Lake Michigan and if the smallmouth are "locked in" on a bed you can catch both of them very quickly. I have had time when we boated a smallmouth from a bed to only go back a few hours later to get the same fish to bite again. Why fish for females that are deep that you can't see when some are on a bed? You may have to invest 40 minutes on one but sooner or later you can usually get them. Also if your fishing for money you just can't compete without doing it if they are on the beds.

Best bait for me for spawning fish.

#1) 1 oz egg sinker and Air Lizard or Air Fry or any of the New 3X or Terminator platics like a creature bait or lizard. Any bait the will float a 4/0 hook will work thou. Set it up like a carolina rig with no swivels. Just run your line thru the weight and tie it to the hook, then add you plastic. Cast past the nest and drag weight into the center of nest and try to find the "sweet spot". Give your reel slack and the bait floats up. Then reel the line in some and swim your lizard from the surface back to the bottom. Then repeat. You can fish a bed for hours and never make more than one cast. If you do this right the sinker never moves off the bottom and the lizard appears to be feeding on the bottom. I have tried a ton of differant ways and this so far has been the best. It may take awhile but if they seem a bit interested at all they will bit. If they swim away from the bed be patient they'll usually come back. Those will be a bit harder to catch because they are not "locked in" yet. But if they stay and appear to be aggresive hold on your in luck.

#2 pink tube for smallmouth on Lake Michigan

[JT Bagwell]

Honestly,

I have mixed feelings about the whole bed fishing issue too. However, the purpose of discussing it in my column was to let anglers know that this technique works and does so very well.

JT Bagwell

[JT Bagwell]

This is what it is all about...

Below is an excerpt from an email I received tonight from one of my readers. This is why I do what I do.

"Because you told me how to fish jerkbaits, i went to a local lake with a jerkbait yesterday.  I caught a 6 pound largemouth.  It was freezing cold but i casted my lure into a huge brush-pile.  I followed your directions and........ BOOM!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

JT Bagwell

[Naturalselector]

"Because you told me how to fish jerkbaits, i went to a local lake with a jerkbait yesterday. I caught a 6 pound largemouth. It was freezing cold but i casted my lure into a huge brush-pile. I followed your directions and........ BOOM!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!"

JT Bagwell

What is the article being discussed here?

[JT Bagwell]

That particular email wasn't because of an article. The individual emailed me and asked about some different things. I answered his questions and it appears he got a 6 pounder the next day.

JT Bagwell

[roadwarrior]

JT, Looks like a promising topic for some future feature.  I don't think a lot of guys have had much success with jerkbaits.