After using Big Bite Baits plastics for a while, I became confident in their offerings and took an interest in their Biobait lineup. During a trip to Academy to replenish my plastic stickbait supply, I came across a 10 pack of shad-like colored Biobait Trick Sticks in the clearance section. The actual color was Green Pumpkin/Pearl, but I was looking for something similar to my slowly disappearing supply of shad colored Tiki Sticks. Since Wave Worms has pulled in-store retail sales, I’ve been left scrambling for alternatives. I had settled on the Big Bite Baits Trick Stick until I tried the Biobait version. Now, I think the Biobait has the edge.

Let’s talk about the Biobait products in general first. Many lure companies are putting biodegradable lures in their product lineups. With everyone and their brother tossing soft plastics out there, environmental concerns come into play and it’s just not fun thinking about filling our lakes full of lures that do not break down. That’s what the Biobait product line offers, along with a noticeable scent. The formula is something Big Bite Baits developed which allows a lure to release scent at a “higher rate than traditional plastic,” according to what was printed on the back of the package. The Biobait material is also much denser than regular plastic1. In addition to scent and the environmental implications, the formula also helps prevent the baits from drying out. In the Louisiana heat, I was able to put these worms to the test.

Bites have come at every possible moment imaginable in the retrieve, from seconds after the bait hits the water, seconds after the bait hits bottom, after subtle twitches, while sitting completely still, and even during a rapid twitch back to the boat. I suspect the added scent really helped because there have been many instances where I cast to a spot, felt a nibble, and missed, only to catch the fish one or two casts later. The fish could have also been in an aggressive mood. Either way, I caught something.

The Biobait version is definitely better than the plain Trick Stick. They are still five inches in length and the body design is exactly the same as the regular plastic version, complete with a hook recess in its back. In terms of action, these worms are lively and I find their erratic nature to be very close to what I experienced with the original Senko. The fall rates may differ between the two, but unlike a Senko, I can feel that I have a worm on the other end of my line when using the Biobait Trick Stick. So far, I’ve only really rigged them weightless with anything from a 3/0 to a 5/0 EWG offset hook, making sure to secure the bait in place using my barrel swivel tip. Otherwise, I’m certain I would have gone through both packs by now. I’ve thought about rigging one wacky with a circle hook, but with the way the body tears open, I would need to buy some O-rings or a similar wacky rig aid.

With rigging in mind, let me talk a bit about durability. Like many soft plastic baits, the two contact points are the spots where the most damage occurs. The first is right where you run the hook point through the body. The second is where the eye of the hook sticks out. On most worms this size and shape, both are problem areas. These Trick Sticks are equally vulnerable, but with regular use and the help of a keeper at the head, you can rest easy knowing one worm will outlast many competitors. Any extended tear along the body should raise an eyebrow. Plan on replacing it after the next bite or after a few more casts. I have lost a few during a fight with a fish, but I also sent a couple flying after a quick snap cast because of a rip in the worm near the hook insertion point.

The package claims these worms will not dry out. Anyone who has used scented soft plastics is familiar with what happens once you open the pack. Anglers know really soft lures dry out over time, especially when exposed to the elements. Upon opening the first pack, I noticed how slimy the consistency of these worms were. When fresh, the scent reminds me of walking through the paint or lumber department at Lowes. The Biobait formula was actually more durable than I expected. Not only does the scent stay around longer, but the worm itself does not acquire that rough feeling dried out baits often exhibit. Eventually, the scent will fade, but these worms maintain a very smooth and soft quality, feeling almost damp to the touch, even after a few days to a week. To be honest, they feel noticeably softer than the original Senko, Tiki Stick, and the original Trick Stick.

The only bad thing I can say about the Biobait Trick Stick offerings is that there are not many colors to choose from. Compared to the 40 plus choices in the regular Trick Stick lineup, the Biobait alternative only offers a miserable eight colors. Those colors include green pumpkin/pearl, green pumpkin, green pumpkin/purple, watermelon candy, green pumpkin/junebug, watermelon seed, watermelon red flake, and black blue. For the most part, those colors are widely considered “natural.” Still, for many bass anglers, those colors are often all they ever throw. I’d love to have an all pearl option and if they could make it, something in the bubblegum range. The problem is, in the world of biodegradable baits, colors are often limited by the materials inherent to the bait. They cost $5.99 for a 10 pack, but in light of similar baits, that price is about average. Just be sure to make them last.

It is my firm belief that every bass angler should have a stickworm like this in their tackle box. This style of worm has come through for me on many occasions, but other anglers swear by ‘em too. Use whatever brand you are comfortable with, but I recommend you keep Big Bite Baits on your list. The Biobait Trick Sticks are a fine choice.

Big Bite Baits Biobait Trick Stick
References:
1. Schmidt, Cory. “Biodegradables for Bass”. In Fisherman Magazine. September 8, 2010 < http://www.in-fisherman.com/content/biodegradables-bass/2 >.

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Fished Caddo today. Only came up with three bites. All bit on a Big Bite Baits Biobait Trick Stick. Partner had one take a swing at a 5 inch swimbait, but that was it for him. Fished parts of Jeems. Water temps early were around 82 to 83 degrees, but later in the day, things warmed up to 89. Fished as much shade as I could find in water from a foot deep down to eight. Tried cranking a bit too. We also both gave a spinnerbait a try a couple times. Tough day, but the sunburn speaks for itself, despite applying sunblock repeatedly.

Let me just start out by saying I was low on gas and a bit hesitant about how far out I wanted to go. The level read somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 a tank, but it kept shifting around, so I assumed I had at least 1/4 tank and opted not to press my luck. Paddling back to the launch in 90 degree weather is not my idea of a good time, you know? Launched from Earl G. Williamson and headed up into Boat Row B. I hate that row. It’s poorly marked in a few spots and unless you’re very familiar with it, I suggest taking it slow. Someone needs to fix up the markers a bit more. I spent the last half of my morning run fearing that I’d damage the lower unit.

Didn’t make the first cast until around 8:30. If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll know why. Stopped somewhere north of marker B-80 and fished the west tree line. In terms of what was around, bass were obviously chasing baitfish, but the hydrilla in the area was dying off, turning an ugly brown color. The pads in that part of the lake are sparse and on the small side. Tried topwater for a while, but the vegetation just was not all that appealing to me. Then I alternated between a Trick Stick and a 1/4oz Walmart Spinnerbait with a grub trailer. Didn’t get my first bite until after 10, but it was an aggressive strike. The bass tapped and I missed it, but the fish chased me down and hammered the worm almost right in front of me. Not a big one, but aggressive was a good sign in my eyes.
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Kept drifting south. By 11, the wind had picked up and made maneuvering a bit cumbersome. Went shallow to try and avoid the wind. Next fish was a little bigger and hit in a shaded spot in shallower water. Same deal. A tad aggressive, but I had to make repeat casts to finally get it to get a hookset. Shortly after that, my partner had something small blow up at his swimbait five feet from the boat in shallow water, but never connected.
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Third fish was also very aggressive, but bit out in a more open spot among some sparse lily pads. Worm hadn’t been in the water more than a couple of seconds before I noticed my line was moving. Set the hook and the little guy took me for a ride.
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Drifted south some more and ended up getting near some active oil wells that were pumping away. Both myself and my fishing partner noticed that the vegetation in that area was almost nonexistent. We reconciled to keep the trolling motor down until we started seeing more. Never could find a bite.

I switched off to a Bandit 100 series and a Red Eye Shad to comb the area for any fish that might be swimming around near the somewhat deeper boat row. Hung up on a stump, but I pulled loose eventually. Gave up on that spot, put the big motor down, and went to a more familiar area, a spot along a bunch of telephone poles further south. It’s where I’ve had fish hit before and I knew there would be some green hydrilla to work with.

Moments after I got the trolling motor going, I saw what probably amounted to the biggest gar I’ve seen here in the water. Had to have been at least 36 inches long, but I’m sure it was a little over 40. It was hovering around the surface 50 feet outside of the old telephone pole standing near the boat row. Didn’t sit there for long and made a big swirl, diving back down into the deep.

It took me a while and I was somewhat disappointed with the spot, but sure enough, I found some healthy vegetation. The hydrilla was actually green! Cranked with a DT-6 and a Bandit 200 series for a while. Pulled up hydrilla a few times, but never got a hit. Saw something flash on me in about seven feet of water and make a U-turn. Could have been a white bass or even a drum. I did happen to see a dead drum floating along the boat row on my way in.

Quit around 2:30. Could not take the heat any longer. The tops of my feet were starting to sting from the heat penetrating through the protection of my shoes and I could feel my forearms starting to burn. Headed on in, keeping tabs on the fuel gauge the whole way back.

I have a few other things to mention. It looks as though they’ve dug out the back side of the dock at the Earl G. Williamson ramp. Maybe they plan on making a second ramp there in the near future. The actual ramp itself is fine, but the sand and silt have settled in a funny way, so if you launch and load up there, keep in mind the bottom just beyond the ramp is uneven and your trailer will not sit right, making it a bit more difficult to line up your boat. Further out beyond the ramp and between the booms, it seemed to be really shallow. The motor stirred up all kinds of silt in there, so I hope we get some rain soon. I think it’s about a foot and a half to two feet shy of normal. To give you some perspective, a marker on one boat row was damaged and not visible for the longest time. The water has dropped enough to see the corner marker without any trouble at all.

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When I go fishing on Cross Lake, I usually launch from Richard Fleming Park and take Fourtney Bayou out to the main lake. The canal is not very wide, but it is also a dead calm no wake zone until you get to the main lake. Much of the canal is 6-8 feet deep, but the banks are shallow and with the low water this time of year, I am not terribly enthusiastic about pitching. Anyway, I went out on 9/13 and didn’t catch a thing, but shot this video as I went out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mT0nfVFmqg

In the months to come, I may try to shoot more footage while I zip around Cross or Caddo. The area lakes are visually appealing and many of my readers have never fished any of them.
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After reading some of the latest posts over at the Journal of a Minnesota Angler blog, I knew I had to fish at least a couple of hours this morning. The heat here has kept me from trying much. I figured the water temperatures in the skinny water might be a bit too much for bass right now, so I left them alone. With absolutely no fishing pressure back here right now, aside from myself of course, I thought maybe I’d catch a few this morning. Turns out I was wrong.

Spent about two hours casting to all of the usual places. Frustration combined with a nagging fireant bite from yesterday affected me enough two hours in to call it quits. I did catch one fish, but it bit early on. The rest of my time was spent making multiple casts to single spots, hoping to draw out a reaction bite if the first pass didn’t draw something out. The way I see it, if they don’t want it the first time, irritate the hell out of them until they do hit.

The first fish hit shallow and it hit hard. I wasn’t ready for it, to be perfectly honest. I heard the hit, but for some reason, my mind was elsewhere, so I set the hook a little later than I usually do. As soon as I set the hook, the fight was on. I instantly knew what was on the other end. If you’ve ever hooked a bowfin before, they have a very distinct feel. The thrashing reminds me of how people describe latching on to an alligator’s tail. It’s a violent ordeal and when you have one on, they challenge your power more than your ability to play the fish. They play you. My best advice is to land them quickly before they snap off.

This one maybe only went 2lbs, but again, it was definitely a surprise. I also had a gar take a swipe at it, but they always miss this frog. Didn’t have any other blow ups, but a turtle did try to eat it once.
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The hydrilla has come back in full force and lily pads are in full bloom. It’s next to impossible to fish anything other than topwater right now off the pier. The lake is still dropping. Cross Lake is the reservoir, after all, so everyone has probably been watering lawns and playing in the spray of a hose to stay cool. I’d say since my last outing, it has dropped three or four inches. Actually, that’s not too shabby for this time of year. I think all of the rain we received in July helped keep everything under control. From here on out, I think the lake will continue to drop. Fall fishing is already on my mind. I know hunting is on the minds of lots of people, so I’m happy to know I’ll be sharing the water with fewer people in the near future. I’m definitely aching to get out in the boat. It’s been too long.

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[Image]Since starting this blog in 2007, I have written a few posts about lures made by Lake Fork Tackle. With this being my 400th post, I’d like to mention one more bait in the LFT family. That bait is the Top Dog lizard. In the process of writing this post, I discovered that the majority of the soft plastics in my tackle bag were from LFT Lures, closely rivaled by Zoom and Wave Fishing. I may not use all of my Lake Fork Tackle baits with any regularity, but I have found their products to be reliable for specific applications, and although not readily available at local outlets, well worth the aggravating search. For the longest time, my favorite LFT lures were limited to the 4” Craw and 2 1/2” Pig Claw jig trailer. My go-to lizard was a Zoom product. On a whim, I decided to buy the Lake Fork Top Dog lizard. Even though that purchase was made on a whim, over time, I grew more fond of it. I must admit getting accustomed to this bait was not easy, but that had more to do with my inclinations towards tactics centered around the Zoom lizard. Let me introduce you to the Top Dog lizard and discuss how it has changed my time on the water.
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[Image]LFT products are not easy to find in stores locally, but I can usually pick up a few packs of Top Dog lizards at Academy Sports. I do worry that much like the Big Bite Baits Biobait products, LFT lures will disappear from Academy shelves soon after publishing this post. The Top Dog comes in packs of eight and costs around $3 to $4. In many respects, it is very similar to the Zoom lizard I was using beforehand. The Top Dog lizard is a 6” lure with a curl tail and four side appendages. The Zoom lizard is a 6” lure with a curl tail and four side appendages. Of course, the Top Dog, being a Lake Fork Tackle product, has one very big difference. Upon opening the package, the first thing everyone should notice is the pungent aroma of garlic. After recovering from the overpowering blast of scent, the next thing you might notice is that the tail curves to the left. The Zoom lizard’s tail curves to the right. Whether or not that has any sort of profound effect on action and attraction is a matter which exceeds my level of understanding. Any thoughts? Another important point to make is that the bait is rather light. The ramifications became apparent when I tried to cast the bait for the first time. The bait was not noticeably lighter than a Zoom lizard when held side by side, but the casting experience was a completely different story. I stopped using the bait because I could not cast it with any confidence. The experience was comparable throwing a Zoom Baby Brush Hog. I had to buy a weight appropriate rod to handle these light plastics, but adding weight to fish the Top Dog effectively was an absolute necessity in the long run.
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I cannot recall when the Top Dog made its re-entry into my regular fishing repertoire, but somewhere along the way, I acquired a sense of confidence in the bait again. Perhaps it was when I learned how to secure the heads of soft plastics using a barrel swivel, a tip which prevents inflicting significant damage to the head and neck of a bait like this. In May of 2009, the Top Dog earned some long overdue respect. I caught two fish that only differed by an ounce, both in the 3lb range. A third fish bit that day, but got away. The bite and the speed with which that missed fish reacted implied it had some weight behind its determination.

When I first got the hang of fishing a Zoom lizard, I found that adding a split shot made a huge improvement in terms of presentation. My technique changed from cast, sit, and retrieve to slowly hopping the lure back to the boat with pauses in between. With the Top Dog, I rely more on the Texas rig with a pegged 3/16oz bullet weight, but I’ve been known to fish these lizards on a Gamakatsu Jobee Pro hook or a shaky head jig. The Top Dog has a slow fall rate by itself, but when rigged on a shaky head, it has no trouble sitting upright on the hook. I still fish the Top Dog weightless from time to time, but on any given day, if I’m fishing this lizard, chances are, I’ve got a bullet sinker pegged at the nose.

Most of the time, I am fishing right up against cypress trees and other shallow water cover and structure using a variety of lures and techniques. Unlike many anglers, I throw lizards whenever the mood strikes me, although I do tend to go through more during the pre-spawn to early post-spawn rush. Lures with appendages have always been my choice alternative to stickbaits, so if I’m fishing a Senko or a Tiki Stick, I am very likely to turn to a lizard next. For whatever reason, bass like hitting the Top Dog early and the Zoom lizard late, so when it is time to fish close to trees, I go with the Top Dog. When I’m fishing more open areas or vegetation like pads and hydrilla, the Zoom lizard is my choice. Sure, that hasn’t always been the case, but the trend exists in my own little world. There is nothing profoundly unique about the overall design of either lizard, in my opinion, so if you like fishing a lizard, either lure will definitely get you bites. It is up to you to get that fish in the boat. Can’t expect the bait to do all the work, now can we?

Structurally, there was one difference that bothered me. The neck on the Top Dog was thinner than the Zoom lizard. Because the neck was on the thin side, two problems arose. The first had to do with rigging. The diameter of the neck was much narrower than that of a Zoom lizard, so threading a hook point through the plastic required more attention and care. The neck area also had a lot of side to side give once rigged, so threading the hook even slightly off kilter made the neck bend one way or the other too much, causing the bait to turn during a retrieve, creating line twist. Durability became an issue as well. I was not left with any room for error, so trauma to the lure left enough damage to render the bait torn and useless. Luckily, my barrel swivel trick made that problem go away.

I generally prefer smaller hooks when fishing lizards, regardless of brand. I hold the opinion that a 5/0 hook is too big for such a light slender bait, so I frequently thread these lizards onto light wire 3/0 and 4/0 EWG hooks. A 2/0 offset hooks is nice for a more streamlined option, but I can’t remember the last time I used a plain 2/0 offset hook for anything longer than four inches. EWG hooks are still at the top of my list. I have also fished lizards with great success using 4/0 Jobee Pro hooks. The weighted heads paired with that wide gap made covering water easy. With shaky head jigs, I try to go as light as I can. While lizards are popular in Carolina rigging, the C-rig is not one of my confidence techniques. Some anglers use lizards as jig trailers, but I don’t recall ever having any luck with that approach. Any of these options catch fish. You just have to pick the right one and hang on.

If you’re in the market for a lizard and you’re tired of fishing the same old thing, give Lake Fork Tackle a look. If you don’t like the Top Dog, there are many other products in their lineup that you might appreciate. If you don’t own any soft plastics with appendages, you are definitely missing out on a great opportunity.

http://lftlures.com/categories/soft-plastics-lft-top-dog-lizards

Colors: White, Watermelon seed/Chartreuse tail, Black neon/Chartreuse tail, Black/Blue flake/Blue tail, Blueberry, Red shad/Green flake, Watermelon seed/Red flake, Watermelon seed, Chartreuse pepper, & Carolina Pumpkin/Chartreuse tail.

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Last year, I wrote up a favorable review of the Bandit 100 series crankbaits. After enjoying some success with these baits, I decided to put the 200 series in my tackle box as an alternative to the very productive and reliable Rapala DT-6 and to a lesser extent, the JSR-5. The DT-6 is admittedly my favorite crankbait. Initially, my plans were to use the Bandit 200 as a smaller option in areas where the DT has already proven successful, picking up any fish who were too timid to chase after the slightly larger DT. Let’s face it, a lure with a less daunting presence can make a big difference, especially when bass have mood swings. Should the Bandit 200 prove itself under those conditions, it would gain a spot in my regular lineup.

In my writeup of the 100 series, I briefly discussed how the Bandit lure company has made a name for itself. The three more popular crankbaits in their product line include the Footloose model, the 100 series, and today’s lure in question, the 200 series. Like the 100 series, the 200 is a 2-inch lure weighing 1/4oz, containing one knocker rattle, and sports a pair of size 6 treble hooks. Like any Bandit crankbait, the 200 series is available in a myriad of color schemes, 45 patterns which leave little to the imagination, and is made of what the company refers to as “premium grade plastic.” Retail price runs around $5 or less depending on where you shop. The 200 covers depths from 4 to 8 feet, so although there might be some overlap at the top end between the 100 and 200, the extra diving range allows me be more thorough when covering specific water depths. As with the 100 series, I would recommend swapping out the stock hooks for something a little more robust because the original hooks bend far too easily. – See my post on swapping out trebles for more info. – Bandit crankbaits tend to run true out of the package and their ability to draw out some nice fish has surprised me. So far, I have yet to really catch the same quality fish I was able to put in the boat with the 100 series, but I hope to change that. Let me share my experiences with you so far and hopefully you can decide if a Bandit 200 series crankbait has a spot in your tackle box.

As with many of the newer baits I have reviewed, I compared this crankbait to what I already use, although I recognize the importance of assessing the bait based on its own merits. I tried to keep that in mind as I wrote this post, but a new crankbait always gets put up against the Rapala DT series first, so after examining how the bait stacks up against this favorite of mine, I will discuss what it is that makes the 200 series stand out. The Rapala DT-6 has been at the top of my list for a long time now, although when fishing shallow, I have relied on the Bandit 100. For me, the Bandit 200 series was challenged in light of what I already knew about these other two baits. That’s the angle from which I decided to approach.

The trend in the world of crankbaits has always been to make deeper divers larger and while I admit 4 to 8 feet is not really deep, I think you get my point. The profile of the 200 is small and therefore has less of a presence in the water than the DT series and many other crankbaits. When I move out beyond shallow points and tree lines on area lakes, one of the first things I decide to do is crank my way around in about 6 to 8 feet of water. A DT-6 usually performs this task for me, but it doesn’t always work. When it does, I often find that after catching a couple of fish, the bite slows and solid hits turn into bumps and misses, even with changes in my retrieve. The problem might be related to size. With a 200 series Bandit, I can fish a slightly smaller and lighter bait while still matching the hatch, offering a bait that might be easier to swallow. Having a crankbait with a wider diving range also puts a 200 series ahead of a DT-6 in a pinch. The down side in light of the bait’s size is the weight. At 1/4oz, compared to a 3/8oz DT-6, it can be difficult to cast and make any significant gains in distance, a problem I also experienced with the 100 series Bandit. Dropping my rod tip was the only way I could consistently get the crankbait to go a little further. For a bait which can dive to my 5 foot sweet spot, I would have preferred something a little heavier so as to cover more water across a larger area. Getting the bait down to the desired depth did not seem to be a problem, but those first few moments in my retrieve were often wasted attempting to crank down to that specific depth because of a short cast. Every article out there on cranking highlights the importance of casting distance and wasted effort in those first few moments. Crankers expect every crankbait they own to perform at that level. Anything less puts a serious hurting on our ability to find and catch fish. In terms of casting and covering water, the DT-6 remains at the top of my list until I can get a 200 series Bandit to sail just as far.

But there is more to cranking than making long casts and covering water.

What matters to me as an angler is that I can feel a sort of companionship with a lure, crankbaits especially. Too much resistance or a complete absence of tactile feedback quickly sours my experience and erodes my confidence. When I can rely on a lure without even thinking, I can focus on fishing. When I struggle to produce the desired effect, I spend less time fishing. Many lures impart on us this reliability without any conscious effort from us. A Bandit 100 series crankbait has always been a no-fuss kind of lure. The same has been true for a DT-6. Can the 200 series live up to the same standard?

The overall package carries with it the same style and action as the 100 series, so in terms of anything new, I cannot say much at all. Still, I will try. This was where I really put the Bandit 200 series up against itself and examined the lure based on its own merits. Line type and rod construction played into sensitivity here, so I will just say I used 15lb P-Line Halo, a fluorocarbon line, and swapped between a 7′ rod specifically designed for cranking with a graphite and fiberglass composition and a simple 6’6 medium power graphite rod. I primarily tested the bait on a 5:1 Curado 200E5, but also made sure to try the 200 series on a 6.3:1 reel. The technique I used was the same as with a DT, working the bait steadily and erratic, pausing at times, all the while making sure I bumped into things along the bottom. At the other end of my line swam a crankbait with a discernible wobble and presence, but it did not have a bold thump comparable to say, a Rapala DT. Any pause in my retrieve unfortunately allowed the bait to rise in the water column much too quickly, preventing the lure from staying in the strike zone longer. Some suspend weights or other modification might be necessary to slow things down. The lure ran true right out of the package and my choice of treble hooks did not alter the performance in any discernible manner. The Bandit was just as weedless as a DT, so in my case, I occasionally picked up random pieces of hydrilla and decaying vegetation off the bottom. Keeping all of this in mind, my overall experience was average. No fish have decided to take hold of this lure yet. I’m very disappointed, but admit I fish some heavily pressured water that usually puts most anglers in their place with a big fat goose egg.

After using this bait, what I can say for certain is that the overall quality is outstanding, treble hooks being the one exception, but the performance is lacking. The premium plastic still may not be the most durable material. I’ve cracked a 100 series before, so I’m still afraid of doing the same to one of these. And sure, this bait wobbles as desired and the size fits into an alternative niche when fishing for bass who won’t chomp down on a larger bait, but I think I will relegate this crankbait to a lesser role, used to dissect very specific targets close up and keep the DT-6 as my go-to bait for fishing those 5-8 foot ranges. The Bandit 200 series has not put any fish in the boat for me during testing. I know a 100 series crankbait will give me an edge out there, but I’m not that confident in the 200 series yet. If I ever stumble across a school of white bass, I will be sure to let them have a look at this lure too. Cranking for white bass has always been lots of fun and they will surely put a strain on any crankbait they bite down on. I won’t completely dismiss the Bandit 200 series crankbait yet, but I’m less than thrilled up to this point. The reviews out there on the internet are favorable, but maybe the Bandit 200 does not fit my style of cranking. My next thought is to try something made by Strike King or Norman Lures.

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I can’t remember the last time we had any rain, but because Cross Lake is the reservoir and the heat this summer has been unrelenting, the water had nowhere else to go but down. I had hoped by this time of year, the shallow water would be up to the bank and the hydrilla would recede so I could get some skinny water fall fishing in. Mother nature has other plans.

Compare these two photos with some fishing reports I posted back in June and July. I don’t think a comparison is necessary given the apparent water lines on the cypress trees. Just know that these two spots have been where I’ve caught some quality fish this summer. Right now, small fry, turtles, and mud are all that remain.

I won’t be posting any reports unless I go out in the boat. That won’t happen in the near future, so for the time being, I’m stuck on dry land.

For what it’s worth, I thought I’d also show you what effect duckweed has on everything underneath it. Because there is very little light penetration, nothing really grows beneath the duckweed. Fish can essentially roam about unobstructed. There is a hydrilla weed line right where the duckweed stopped.
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In the world of bass fishing, the amateur and competitive nature of this sport has attracted a rather large following that has only continued to gain popularity over the years. In order to become a success, using fishing lures and bait is a must. Depending on the time of day or night, location, type of water, and depth – different bass fishing lures will produce better results than other selections. To become familiar with the most common and effective choices, consider the following suggestions:

Jigs

Many will say that jigs – heavy, lead-headed baits with a single hook are the most useful of baits to consider – especially when fishing in waters that are somewhat murky or clear. Jigs are good for attracting inactive fish and getting the attention of those who are buried deep. When using this type of lure, keep in mind that jigs are meant to create presentation, where success comes in making them appear noticeably alive. The ideal water temperature for this bass fishing lure is below 60 degrees. They are also perfect for night-fishing.

Rubber Worms

The hassle of dealing with real worms is eliminated when using rubber selections that work just as well. An added weight in the structure of the lure allows a slow descent to the bottom of your fishing location. When lucky, bass strike at the rubber worm. If the lure reaches the bottom without any action, simply reel it back towards the surface and let it drop once again.

Spinner Baits

The unusual shape of spinner baits are constructed with an over-sized metal attachment that spins. This lure doesn’t attract fish by appealing to their hunger, but rather through agitation. Spinner baits are year-round lures that especially work well during the spawning season when bass are less desperate to feed.

Crank Baits

Through the imitation of a weak or injured fish, crank lures are used as top water and sinking lures. The added cranking noise attracts bass with its sound. A slow approach is necessary in order to successfully imitate an injured fish.

Poppers

While poppers are similar to crank baits, they are set aside solely as a top water lure. As they travel across the water, a “popping” sound is emitted. The best time of year to use this lure is during the summertime, where slow reel action is required.

Grubs

The smallmouth bass is especially attracted to the tiny lures known as grubs, which are geared towards larger catches. Grubs are bare jig heads with a soft-plastic body added to a hook. When a highland reservoir lacks ample cover, this lure is rather effective. Clear and deep waters are the greatest locations to use grubs, where white, yellow, salt and pepper, and smoke selections work best.

Tube Baits

When fishing in clear water or surrounded by inactive fish, tube jigs works wonders to specifically target bass. A spinning reel on a 6 to 6 -foot medium-light to medium action rod best accommodates this type of drop bait. Also, seek out water no deeper than 10 feet when using tube baits.

Vibrating Lures

Plastic or metal is used to create the vibrating luares that generate a tremor when retrieved out of the water. With a sound (much like a rattle), the baits sink to the bottom and do not get lost in particularly deep waters. A variety of lures are offered in this category, including tailspinners, which are heavy, compact baits of metal that uses a small spinner to attract the bass. Use vibrating lures when fishing about stumps, close to river currents, on deep channel drop-offs, and over waterlogged grass beds.a

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Fishing Hooks for Striped Bass

Fishing for bass is a fantastic sport – even without the beer I could spend hours on the lake tempting the fishies to take my hook. If there is a low point to the sport, it’s when you have what you know is going to be a trophy fish nibbling on your line and it gets away. Sure, the story is fun, but a picture would be even better.

Using a regular fishing hook when bass fishing isn’t always the way to go. These aren’t just trout you’re going for here; these are bass.

Even when I’ve had bait “securely” set on the hook, those tricky little stripers have had me sit for 10s of minutes with nothing but a hook in the water. I have finally figured out how to keep the deep-water (40′) fish on the line instead of just feeding them my bait.

I start with frozen anchovies – buy them frozen solid and they will be about right by the time you get to the lake and are ready to start fishing. Of course you will want to keep them on ice – once they thaw they will fall apart while you are loading them up.

Type of hooks I prefer:

1. Single barb. If you are using this type of hook, make sure it’s sturdy and curved more than a regular fishing hook. Something like the J&M sickle hook works well. I would only use about 1/3 of an anchovy for this. Anything more and the bass with pull off the meat of the anchovy while working on the ends.

2. Double barb. This type of hook allows you to better secure your bait and keep it on the hook. This hook will keep your bait from rolling or sliding off better than a single barb hook. I recommend using about half an anchovy on this bad boy. It is easy to rig and easy to remove from your bass once caught. This is my preferred hook, but it’s getting pretty hard to find.

3. Triple barb. This type of hook, or treble, really holds the bait on. I would use half an anchovy for this one too. The only drawback to this is the amount of time it takes to remove the hook from your fish. There have been times when the fishing was so hot I actually just cut the line and re-hooked rather than take the time to remove the hook from the bass. I recovered the hooks at cleaning.

Using the hooks I’ve recommended here can help ensure that your bass fishing trips are successful and that you come back with dinner instead of a story about the ones that got away.

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One of the most common types of fishing is fishing for bass. Bass can be found in pretty much any type of water, from salt water to lakes, ponds, streams, etc. The first thing you need to know when you set out bass fishing is how to find the fish. If you know what the fish like and where they are, you will be that much closer to learning how to catch bass.

There are a lot of different components that go into determining the best places to find bass. Weather, light, food and water levels are just a few. In any type of water or condition, bass will always be found where they can get what is essential to their survival; food, oxygen and cover.

When learning how to catch bass, you need to understand that cover is part of a fish’s survival. This is a means of protection and also a way to ambush their dinner. Come pretty common areas to find bass are in or around wooden structures such as fences, docks, pilings or submerged trees. They will also be found under rocks or weeds, although not as often. Bass may also find decaying pieces of food to feast on. They like to hang around wood because of the oxygen source.

One rule of thumb for fishing is the cooler the water, the higher the oxygen content. That means that if it’s hot outside, bass will drop down to cooler water to get more oxygen. They will also congregate in areas where there is a lot of vegetation such as around trees, stumps and bushes. If you are on a lake or other body of water feeding a power plant, you will also find them around the water plant structures where the water will be stirred up and oxygenated.

When trying to figure out how to catch bass, the food or bit to use is probably the trickiest part. Bass will typically eat anything if they are hungry, but can be pretty selective at times. Figuring out what the bass prefers most at any particular time can be a challenge. Bass will eat anything: insects, leaches, other fish, bait fish, worms, even rats or mice.

Bass are slow and really don’t go a great distance in their movements. You could be just feet away from a bass and he won’t go after your bait just because he’s lazy! If you are going to learn how to catch bass you will need to find where they like to sit and have a lot of patience.

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I have to say, I’m a sucker for a good day of topwater fishing. To me theres nothing better then waking up in the morning and seeing winds at 5 km per hour and knowing the lake or river is going to be glass.

I may even be a topwater fanatic to a fault, always looking for that next big strike, fiending for it, not wanting to give up or change tactics until I get my fix. I can spend 6 hours casting the same bait in the same lake without a hit and still be hopeful because I know sooner or later I’m going to see a splash, feel a strike and see that beautiful fish break the surface and dance across the water like gravity was non existent.

But what makes topwater fishing effective? What can we do to ensure more hits and more landed fish? Here is what I’ve noticed in my recent experiences. Natural colors, enough said, nothing beats them. When I pick up a lure like a scumfrog, hula popper, jitter bug or chug bug I always make sure to get the darker more realistic colors. I have about 10 hula poppers ranging from light green to white and red, using them all equally I’ve noticed I’ve never caught anything on one that wasnt “natural”.

When I hit the lake or the river and I have my scumfrog, jitter bug and hoola popper I know its going to be a good day. For example I was fishing muskrat river a few days ago tossing everything in my box just to see what would stir up a strike, after getting nothing for about an hour I decided to talk to a local fishing the other banks, he said “Topwater hasn’t been working all year!”, but me being as stubborn as everyone knows I can be I started tossing that scumfrog right to the edge of the cover, within a few casts, FISH ON!

Now that may not always be the case and I do vouch for natural colors but every decent fisherman knows to coordinate your bait with the conditions. Clear water or natural cover I’ll always toss greens, browns or sometimes even blacks. Darker water or over cast days I’ll experiment with my whites, yellows and reds.

Just be aware of the conditions and you cant go wrong, even if you dont land a lunker nothing beats a good day on the water.

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Bass fishing is very common for many fishermen to take part in. There are so many tournaments across North America that involves bass fishing. This proves that it is a very popular style of fishing and that fishing itself is a very popular sport.

In this article I am going to be talking about striped bass fishing. This fishing style is a little bit different than normal bass fishing so it is important to know the facts about it. Fishing for striped bass is just as fun as fishing for normal bass; it is just a little bit differently.

For starters, the location of these types of fish are scattered around Canada and the United States. They can be found in both fresh water and salt water. This makes then easy to fish for as they are found in many locations.

The rule of thumb is that in the summer striped bass tend to stay in saltwater. In the winter however, they seem to enjoy freshwater a little bit more. I do not know exactly why but they migrate in the winter.

Generally the best time to fish for these bass is during the early spring and fall. They seem to be the most active at these times of the year.

When it comes to bait selection, the standard seems to work fairly well. Jigs, spoons and crankbaits should get the job done. If possible live bait seems to work the best in my experience but synthetic bait will work just as well. It’s up to you on what type of bait you would like to use.

I have found that during the night time and early morning is the best time to go bass fishing. The fish seem to be feeding at these hours the best. You will catch a lot more fish if you go at these times instead of the middle of the day.

Overall you are probably going to have to experiment in order to see what works best for you. Try some of these tips out and see how they work. They may work or they may not. Either way it’s a good foundation to start with.

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Bass fishing is a very fun and exciting type of fishing style but it is also very hard if you do not know what you are doing.

In this article I am going to go over a few quick tips that will give you a little bit of an edge the next time you decide to go bass fishing.

Smallmouth Bass Fishing

When you are fishing for Smallmouth bass you will probably need to focus on types of bait such as worms, jigs and crankbaits. I have found that usually these three lures work the best and they are a good point to start at.

When you are fishing in the deeper waters try out the jigs and when going in shallow water stick to the crankbaits for optimal results.

An alternative method that you can also try out is gang hooks. These work especially well if you happen to be using live bait on your line. These hooks will make your bait look much more real and alive. This in return will help you attract more fish.

If you just stick to these methods and use them as a starting point whenever you decide to go fishing you will be in pretty good shape.

There are a few different types of species of bass out there, but there isn’t that much of change in terms of different lures to use. They all seem to react the same towards each type of lure you present to them.

Hopefully this article has given you some helpful information and tips that you can use the next time you go fishing.

Remember, the most important thing about fishing is to experiment in order to see the best results that you possibly can. You will never know what is going to work best for you unless you try it out and found out.

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So you requisite to turn a voice anglerfish? Largemouth and smallmouth ostinato are either a person or furnished species of search. How does a somebody go roughly play to low seek? You can get overwhelmed with TV shows, videotapes, vocalizer publications, seminars, etc, but these are for the old bass angler. For the someone new to bass sportfishing this will better get you started with commodity collection.

BASS TACKLE

Get with one moving rod and one casting rod. My partner Zebediah suggests that a fivesome to six add substance hard moving or sportfishing rod in the mid-priced range is adequate for a turn. Let the confront financier where you buy your rod evoke the careen that matches your new fishing contact.

Sequester the longways to the rod. Now lay the rod crossways your unsealed crewman. The rod should lie dead noneffervescent if the rod and swag component. The coefficient of the longways should equalized the coefficient of the rod. If the rod and keel together are not counterbalanced then you will stamp with the coefficient either first or blate. If you hit enough casts in a day with an unbalanced turnout, your wrist will let you live the next day, it give be tender.

CASTING

Casting truth is putting the stimulate into a bucket in the backrest curtilage or a fish hidey- depression at a interval of almost twenty-five feet. With training you leave turn proficient at sportfishing. Implementation in your own hinder tract before the flavour begins. Ironically the most accurate lurch is the copy reel, the hardest to key, patch the spinning careen is the minimal close.

LINE

When it is period to acquire blood, buy the plant firewood monofilament road. Zebediah uses ten-pound endeavour credit for all his low angling. If Zeb knows he gift search galore stick-ups and rocks he may tie on virtually ten feet of program adapt. This is a rattling bullnecked, yet, skeletal enough road for sportfishing among stick-ups and scrap and knicks and abrasions do not alter the c

LURES

Lures are {like the leaves on a tree, sempiternal in limit and a catalog can surprise your psyche. When you walkway into your rival paraphernalia keep it is awful the assort of unlike lures, premeditated to snap singer, that are decoration on the stratum. In what body of water are there no centrarchid sit and minnows? There are ternion types of lures in Zeb’s tackle box, spinners, heavy different and plastic worms. All of Zeb’s eccentric baits emulate in colorise a perch, headfish, or cyprinid.

There are quaternity situations where you moldiness tell a incompatible write of provoke for each set of circumstances. Let me vindicate:

In the azoic period or tardive day top liquid lures that copy yelling vocalist baits are the lures to use. In this place, buzz baits, spinners with a yellowish or caucasian skirts or a combination of apiece variety is a spare slave. Other agency is the floating provoke that you move, get, and break and regain at will.

DOCKS

When sportfishing neighbouring, under, and around docks a colour or graple worm with a red firetail, lateen Texas style is an fantabulous agency. Think your worm ever so slowly, lifting the tip of your rod nigh terzetto to six inches each example, possession the stock hermetic. Be a pedigree watcher or view the goal in your unhampered pointer so you can consider the tap- tap of a resist. When using spinners Sportfishing weedlines and weeds presents other set of angling circumstances. When fishing from a boat, Zebediah anchors on the maximal urgency of the weedline and fan casts over the garment. With a spinster bait he reels honourable hot sufficiency to mark the top of the weeds. Sometimes he reels to the provide of the garment and then lets the spinster thump to the bout. Then he reels slowly position to the boat.

Other lure to use is a shallow functioning screwball decoy. In what embody of irrigate are there centrarchid and rest? I don’t bed of any embody of thing without mola, perch or both. Your locomote baits should resemble these search.

Don’t locomote your dish yet. You comfort human your Texas music colourise insect and unplumbed diving nutcase baits in your appurtenances box. You have iii sections of the weedline you harbour’t investigated. Try cast you rest or percoid monochromic start enticement off the proximity and elevate of your dish retrieving nonconvergent with the weedline. Then fan copy inaccurate from the dish into deeper facility retrieving at antithetic speeds. Finally use your plastic insect alter to the band retrieving easy as you did when fishing docks.

BOAT ACCESSORIES

The most significant patch of equipment is a sentence preserver for apiece being on live. If you do most of your sportfishing from a boat there are different pieces of equipment you power uncovering effective. One is a search surveyor or search finder. Do not acquire the commanding tech gear at low, turn with the underlying firing powered light. Another helping of adapt you could use is a confusable to the one victimised in the kid’s tank. An inexpensive thermometer that you decrease to the oblong as you can get a measurement from twoscore to lxxx degrees is all that is essential.

SURVIVAL

Largemouth basso last both in summer and season because they are cold-blooded. Some the wet temperature, their body temperature is the aforesaid. Ostinato can last in thing from thirty-five to fourscore degrees but the saint temperature is sixty- digit to seventy degrees.

Largemouth vocalizer are hunt specialists. You faculty find part around docks, trees, logs, stumps, and monumental rocks surrounded by garment. This is the location reach of largemouth singer so this is the region to get and do combat with the bass.

One abstract that can validness you to modification your strategy is a silvery sunny sky, with vindicated liquid, or a gelid trickster. At this instant voice go wakeless. Few leave go low into the band neighbour intense pockets so mostly you moldiness seek intense. When the brave decoration is vocaliser conduct. By this measure you bang a neat tune how to be a voice fisherman. Cite you are entry the largemouth’s backwards tract. He survives in this surroundings and he ever knows what occurs in his residence reach.

The largemouth needs indisputable things to live. He needs plenty of nutrient, contact to pelt and scupper his creature, and an nonesuch temperature. Care for these situations. This is where you instrument reach “old vessel spokesperson.” Decide your interpret and another noesis and preparation until you are winning. Fill with this airway, and you gift score umpteen good Zeb taught me nigh fishing a lake is to figure the lake into music. Equate a tic-tac-toe box on top of the lake map. Now seek apiece box separately until you get the hangouts for the low. Indication the map where you caught the vocaliser. Suggest onto the succeeding box and so forth. Also you might impoverishment to cook a journal describing win, sky, h2o temperature, lures and hook.

BEST Reading TO Basso FISH

When is the good instant to go voice angling? Anytime and as ofttimes as you can. Peter Barrett says, “undefeated bass angling is 40% fortune, 75% certainty in what you are doing, and 100% of getting forth from mowing the lawn, remunerative debts, and anything else.”

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Did you know that 90 percent of fishermen are making the same mistakes over and over again when trying to catch big bass that prevent them from hooking any. A few things that anglers are doing wrong are:

1) They are not fishing for big bass in the right spots.

The best places when fishing big bass to fish at is somewhere near structure. Most likely, bass will be found around fallen trees and docks. During the spring,or spawning season. Bass are spawning in the shallows, so they can be found there as well.

2) They are not fishing for bass with the right bait.

You can fish with live bait or fake bait (Lures). Live bait works best, because will lets face it, they are real. But lures work very well too. You also need to know what types of lures and what colors, which depends on the clearness of the water.

3) They are not fishing for bass during the right time.

The absolute best time to be fishing is in the early morning, right before the sun rises. At this time, the bass are very hungry. But note that if there is a full moon, then the bass are least likely to be biting because with the light from the moon they have been feeding all night.

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