BASS FISHING TIPS

How about some setup pics for new bees to learn from ....Thanks

My rambling 2 cents,

I rarely target bass (especially largemouth), but I've had good success in the past with Stanley Jigs at Camanche. Tip them with Uncle Josh pork strips and work the bottom along those old tree lines etc. The dark neon looking blue or purple jig/black pork strip was the best color pattern for me. Good for the bigger LMB. Probably too big a bait for cold water/winter though.

Shad raps work well at Berry (warmer water seasons). I'm targeting crappie there but caught lots of smaller LMB/SMB/Spots on the same smaller raps last season. Berry has the big boy LMB too. Saw them swimming around on several different trips. Flooded green tree tops, the shallow, timbered back cove flats and on the deeper/rocky main lake points as well. Never caught any of the real big ones. If I had bass gear along, I would have wished to have a grey/white spinnerbait for that clear water/brushy/timbered back cove flat, heavy line/weedless hook/beefy rod/live frogs, nightcrawlers or big minnows to sight cast/drop into the snag-fest green tree tops and some bigger shad raps to rip the main lake points/banks.

I like Craig's minnow rig. I fish a similar rig when I go to Dale Hollow Lake in TN. Big smallmouth water. Chunky golden shiner for bait, smaller bullet/barrel slip sinker, split shot for a stopper and 2-3 foot leader. Fish it 25-40 feet directly below the boat about 2 feet off the rocky bottom. 3-5 lb smallmouth and a few big channel cats and spots too. Never gut hooked any of them because I only give them a couple of feet to run before setting the hook. Works in the dead of winter too. The locals in bass boats were working rubber crawfish pattern jigs down the sloping/rocky banks with success but it was definitely finesse and s-l-o-w presentation for cold water fish.

I used to have success with "regular" plastic worms elsewhere (other states on Manns's Jelly Worms etc.). These West Coast California bass seem to really go for the scent more than action/presentation. In limited use, the Berkeley Gulp Worm is working for me (at least at Berry). I took a friend fishing to Clear Lake (near Rattlesnake Island) a few years back and found a nice shale flat. He had some funky brownish, salty looking worm (looked like crap I thought!) some bait shop guy in Roseville sold him. I kind of chuckled under my breath when I saw it. Anyway, he throws it out in the water and puts his rod in the holder. Just lets it sit on the bottom like he's F-N catfishing. I'm WORKING my worm from the bow seat. I look over and see his rod bent and line moving fast and tell him to set the hook. Bottom line, he gets bass after bass DOING NOTHING. I can't buy a bite in the bow on my "regular" plastic worm. I'm getting schooled. I finally ask him to let me try one....yep fish on. Wish I remembered what brand they were... 

 

my favorite technique is "punching" mats during the summer.  Most of the time you'll pull a huge fish out buried in weeds - it's like opening a present.  I use a texas rigged baby brush hog, a punch skirt, bobber stops and a 1.5 ounce bullet weight and start casting into dense vegetation where fish are hanging out for shade.  Look it up on Youtube or do a search on Bub Tosh for more details. 

During the fall when the mats disappear, I use the same setup like a jig. 

Jigs, Jigs, Jigs,
If you are lookin for quality bass, don't skip on the Jigs.
You can hop Jigs, crawl Jigs, swim Jigs, fall Jigs. 
Learn to fish the jig and you will improve your catch.

Thx Eric.
I know next to nothing, so I've been hanging out @ FW and OPS.  I wast at the Modesto courthouse the other day, so I stopped by FW Manteca for some bass tips.  I got good advice from Tim, and walked out with a jig and salamander-looking worm to try out.  I'm looking forward to my next bass outing.  SOMEONE TAKE ME FISHING!

Gotta do something until RF season opens up...

Jigs, Jigs, Jigs,
If you are lookin for quality bass, don't skip on the Jigs.
You can hop Jigs, crawl Jigs, swim Jigs, fall Jigs. 
Learn to fish the jig and you will improve your catch.

Thx Eric.
I know next to nothing, so I've been hanging out @ FW and OPS.  I wast at the Modesto courthouse the other day, so I stopped by FW Manteca for some bass tips.  I got good advice from Tim, and walked out with a jig and salamander-looking worm to try out.  I'm looking forward to my next bass outing.  SOMEONE TAKE ME FISHING!

Gotta do something until RF season opens up...

You let me know when are you planning to head out...

Will do D!
Probably next week-weekday.

Peace 2 U

You know in the weekday guy right Jonathan? Hit me up!