Cylinder-style drop shot weights are best suited for waters with vegetation. Both teardrop and round weights work well with a rocky lake bed. Weights ¼ oz or smaller are standard, but heavier weights for power-shotting is an efficient way to catch bass in deeper water.

Making simple adjustments to your drop shot weight selection can have a direct impact on the number of bass you catch.

Drop Shot Weights for Fishing Around Vegetation

The weight that you use when fishing around standing vegetation can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your presentation.

Cylinder drop shot weights, or pencil weights, slide through tall grass with ease. The slender design keeps the weight from grabbing and collecting vegetation. It took me several years to make the switch to cylinder weights when fishing grass, but I am so glad I did.

I was shocked at the difference it made. 

I even filmed some underwater videos testing the amount of green stuff each style of weight would grab or get hung up on. Time-and-time again, the cylinder weights remained the cleanest 

This design will work through grass whether vertical fishing a drop shot or casting it out and working it back to you. When fishing lakes or rivers with grass, this is a drop shot weight you will want to have.

Best Drop Shot Weights for Rocky Lake and River Beds

The above-mentioned cylinder weights are not good for fishing around rocks. In this situation, the more traditional teardrop or spherical weights are a better choice.

The wider diameter of these two designs helps keep the weight from wedging tight into cracks and crevices around the rocks. While it does still happen, it is less likely. 

The narrow profile of the cylinder weights can slip into the smallest spaces and breaking off is the result. 

I am a fan of the teardrop style but have had much success with the traditional round drop shot weight as well.

The wider base of these also telegraphs information back to the angler better than a thinner weight. While the lure itself is not on the bottom, knowing what the bottom composition is helps us identify what the bass are relating to. Good weight-to-bottom contact is how we learn this information.

(Here is an article on drop shot leader length and the role it plays.)

Tungsten Drop Shot Weights and When to Use Them

When fishing around lakes and rivers that have a hard or rocky bottom composition, tungsten is an excellent choice.

While tungsten products are more expensive than traditional lead weights, the information they relay to the angler is impressive. 

Tungsten is a dense metal. 

It is easier to feel what the drop shot weight is working through. Gravel feels distinctly different from sand or other size rock. When we know where the bass are sitting because the denser metal makes it clear, we are more likely to have repeated success.

Products made from tungsten can also maintain a reasonable size profile, yet still, be dense enough to get the job done. For example, there was a time when terminal tackle manufacturers started to make weights out of steel. 

Steel is not nearly as dense as tungsten which meant a ¼ oz worm weight made from steel was much larger than the same weight made from lead. Tungsten weights are similar in size to what anglers are used to seeing with their lead tackle.

The “clicking” sound that the weight makes while bouncing into the hard bottom is also noticed by the fish. While the lateral lines on bass may not pick up vibration from a huge distance, these amazing features are very sensitive and can help dial in the location of potential prey when close to the weights. And a tungsten weight bouncing through rocks puts off a different vibration signature than lead.

As more-and-more locations ban the use of lead, our only options as anglers may soon be tungsten or steel anyway.

Power-Shot Fishing and How Weight Selection Matters

You may-or-may not have heard about power shot fishing.

It is literally the same as drop shot fishing, but we deliberately use heavier weights. When I want to power shot I may tie on drop shot weights as heavy as ½ oz. 

There are two main reasons for wanting to power-shot.

First, it allows anglers to cover a lot more water. It takes a technique that is geared toward targeting specific locations or areas and gives anglers the chance to use it more like a search bait.

When power-shot fishing, I can cover a lot of distance quickly and make much longer casts.

The second reason anglers will power shot is to get the lure to depth quicker. If the bass are not eating the soft plastic on the drop, then there is no reason to wait for the lure to get to the right depth. 

This is a perfect time to use a heavier drop shot weight – especially if fishing deeper water.

Most of the time I use a power shot setup instead of the traditional drop shot weight selection.

Attaching Drop Shot Weights to the Line

Most drop shot weights come with the standard quick slip line tie. This means anglers can thread the line through the eye of the weight and then pull it into place. 

This is fast and still allows the weight to slide off the line when a serious snag occurs. The thought process is that the angler doesn’t need to retie the entire rig. 

When fishing lakes with vegetation the chance of snagging into rocks is less likely. This is when I prefer to use a loop line tie instead. When the weight gets occasionally snagged in the grass I can still force it to pop free and not lose an expensive tungsten weight in the process.

Anglers that drop shot a lot in river systems with significant current also tend to prefer the loop line tie.

When Smaller Drop Shot Weights are Preferred

There are times when very light drop shot weights are quite beneficial. 

If you get on the water and you notice that the bass are hitting your lure on the drop, then light weights are most likely going to play a part.

The fish may want a slow fall that mimics dying baitfish. When I decipher that this is the type of bite going on, that means I most often start with a weight that is ⅛ oz. 

When fishing clear water, the bass may react to that lure flashing by them over a slow sink. Experiment with the weight size in the clear water and how they hit it while dropping. 

Good luck and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

Bass are pushed into shady, or lowlight, areas when the sun is high in the sky. These protected locations can be found around docks and trees or by heading to deeper water. Sunny days often mean high-pressure systems as well which will position the bass near bottom structure.

Understanding how bass position on sunny days will help anglers narrow down high-percentage areas quickly.

Why Bass Seek Shade on Sunny Days

Bass lack eyelids. While we may see a bass or two roaming about in the shallows when the sun is high, most of the fish we are after will be found where there is protection from the bright light.

As the heat of the summer kicks in, both largemouth and smallmouth bass will also seek shade to find more comfortable temperatures.

The bigger the bass the more apt they are to avoid the bright sunshine. 

Where Bass Will Seek Protection From the Sun

Water clarity has a tremendous impact on how bass seek shelter from the intense light. 

In very stained and dirty waters, bass will be shallow and against hard cover or structure most of the time. This limits the options they have for shade. 

Docks, laydown trees, sea walls, vegetation, and shadows cast from vertical shoreline cover will all position bass. As the sun climbs higher in the sky, these shadows will become narrower and more defined.

This pushes the bass into a more confined space. For example, a decent-sized dock in the middle of the day can hold multiple fish. 

When the water is clear, many bass will prefer to use depth to avoid the sunshine. 

In some waters, like my home lake, that means bass will often be found below the twenty-five-foot mark. While there will always be a population of bass that prefer to stay shallow in clear water, the vast majority will use the deep water to their advantage.

The deepest water bass I have ever caught came from Lake Norfork in northern Arkansas. It attacked a jigging spoon in seventy feet of water.

The Benefits of Bass Fishing on Sunny Days

Many anglers head for the boat ramp after the lowlight morning bite is over. I prefer to stay out and look forward to it.

Why?

Because the bass are now going to be in very predictable places. 

If that sun is beating down at noon and I run across some overhanging brush casting shade into the water, I know there is a very good chance there will be bass there. Maybe even several in one small place. 

Anytime an angler can eliminate 99% of the water they are fishing, it is a good thing. Sunny days do that.

How to Locate Deep Water Bass on Sunny Days

If you are fishing a lake with decent visibility, you may notice zero life shallow. 

Instead of feeling this is a bad thing, once again look at it as eliminating water. You know that most of the bass will be deeper. 

The term “deep” is relative to the body of water and whether or not a thermocline forms in the heat of summer. In some waters, “deep” will be ten feet while others will be below the fifty-foot mark.

If you have electronics and are fishing from a boat, start scanning for baitfish. This could be schools of shad or even big schools of panfish. I have filmed huge schools of bluegills in thirty feet of water. You can bet that there were plenty of bass not far away from them.

Once you have the depth located, I like to then find structure changes at that depth. For example, if you located schools of bait in twenty-five feet of water I would find structure within that range. This could be a main-lake point that dips down that far or even an old creek channel. 

For shore anglers, locate those high-percentage shallow water areas you have had success with in the past. Now look for deeper water. This could be farther out into the lake or maybe as you walk along the shoreline you find a place where the depth suddenly changes. Forty-five-degree banks are very high-percentage places that shore anglers should always look for.

Sunshine Often Pushes Bass into Schools

This is such an important fact to keep in mind. When the sun is high and the shaded areas are few, the bass can be stacked in a very small location.

One of the most common mistakes anglers make is leaving fish. 

Think how many times in the past you may have caught a single bass and then kept moving along. Odds are, there were multiple bass in that same spot.

Keep fishing an area once you catch one and there is a good chance you will pull several out of that location. I once pulled three bass in three consecutive casts from the shady side of a small stump.

When filming bass underwater it is quite common for me to see anywhere from four to fifteen bass in one tiny location. 

It may take multiple casts and downsizing lures to keep the bite going, but give it a shot. Doubling or tripling the number of fish you catch can be done by keeping this in mind.

Sunny Days Also Mean Boat Traffic – Which Can Activate the Food Chain

When the sun is high and the temperatures warm, recreational boat traffic can get crazy real fast. 

Instead of giving up, use this sudden influx of manmade current to your advantage. 

The boat wakes kick up microorganisms and dislodge crayfish from their hiding places. These attract smaller fish and in turn, bigger predators. 

Some of my best sunny day outings have been when the boat traffic was quite challenging. 

(Here is an article on how boat traffic affects bass fishing.)

Good luck and make sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

An ideal wacky rig hook is short-shanked with a wide gap. These hooks have enough room to hold the wacky worm in the gap and still present enough space for successful hookups.

While anglers can have success with almost any hook style, these specially designed wacky rig models are easy to use for anglers and present the compact profile that makes wacky rigging so effective.

The Wacky Rig Fall and Hook Design

The subtle shimmy action of a quality stick bait as it falls weightless is what bass find irresistible. 

A short-shank wide gap hook keeps the weight of the hook close to the stick bait. This design allows the lure to fall in the most natural manner possible.

Longer-shanked hooks present more surface area and resist the water differently than a short-shanked model. This resistance can alter the fall of the lure.

(Here is an article on what triggers bass to bite.)

The Importance of the Wide Gap on a Wacky Rig Hook

Most stick baits, commonly the 5” versions, have a larger diameter than say a standard trick worm. This bulk is what creates the ideal action, but it can also impede the hookset when a narrower gapped hook is used.

A wide gap gives some room for the worm to move freely and still offers anglers a high-percentage hook-up ratio.

Many manufacturers offer their wacky rig hooks in four different sizes.

Standard Wacky Rig Hooks vs. Weedless Hooks

The wacky rig can work in a variety of situations. Open water, vegetation, rock, around wood, and about anything else you can think of.

Weedless wacky rig hooks have a small wire or polymer guard that runs from the eye to the barb of the hook. 

While far from truly “weedless” the guard does definitely help when fishing around wood. To save yourself the most frustration when flipping a wacky rig near some laydowns or brush, be sure to retrieve the rig slow and steady when the presentation is over.

Most hang-ups will occur when the lure is yanked back to the angler. This sudden and strong movement will easily dislodge the weed guard when it hits something hard.

By pulling the lure carefully over the limbs the guard is more likely to stay in place and save you the hassle of breaking off.

Should Wacky Rig Hooks be Rigged Through an O-Ring?

I have fished a wacky rig with and without an o-ring. After making countless presentations, I can say that I prefer to fish the rig with the hook piercing the worm in the traditional manner.

While a proper fitting o-ring can help eliminate baits ripping prematurely, I feel that my hook-up ratio is much better without the o-ring.

The other issue is there is a considerable amount of variance in diameter between lure manufacturers. While one brand of stick bait may fit snugly on an o-ring, another brand may slide too easily and result in lost baits anyway.

Each angler should experiment with o-rings and determine what they have the most success with.

Weighted Wacky Rig Hooks and Fall Rate

I am a huge fan of a weighted wacky rig hook. For several reasons.

I feel the added weight imparts more action to the lure. During underwater tests, I noticed a substantial increase in the “shimmy” of the stick bait. 

A fast fall rate is also a benefit in clear water. Bass are very curious and will come right up to a lure and watch it. If something looks unnatural, the fish are more apt to turn away. 

In stained water, a slower fall rate is beneficial. I prefer a slightly faster fall right when fishing in clear water. This means the bass are more inclined to react on instinct when they see something falling through the water column. Granted, a weighted wacky rig still does not have the fast drop that a Texas rig can have, but I do have more confidence with a weighted wacky in gin clear water.

The weight is also important when fishing in river systems and battling current. When I fish the Upper Mississippi River a weighted wacky rig is my go-to for many situations. 

The other benefit of a weighted wacky rig hook is the quicker fall rate allows anglers to fish the lure in deeper water.

There is a noticeable difference in time spent waiting if the bass are sitting in 10ft of water as opposed to 2ft. The added weight means an angler can make many more presentations in a day.

Good luck out there and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

A stupid tube has a unique falling action that no other rigging process can replicate. It is weedless and very snag-proof. Bass anglers who love to fish heavy cover will enjoy using a stupid tube.

Many bass anglers utilize a traditional insert tube head with an exposed hook when fishing soft plastic tubes.

This rigging method works great and has a tantalizing fall that bass love, but there are times when that open hook point causes lots of issues.

When fished around wood or thicker vegetation anglers end up losing a lot of fishing time.

This is where the stupid tube shines.

How to Rig the Stupid Tube

The stupid tube works well with traditional soft plastic tubes in the 3 ½” to 4” range. 

The most important part of the rigging process is the hook selection. 

Anglers need to use a jig head that has an EWG, extra-wide gap, style hook. Many stupid tube hooks also have a 60° line tie instead of the common 90° version found on most tube hooks.

Stupid tube hooks are more apt to be a heavier wire hook as well since using around thick cover is the norm.

The next step is to insert the hook point into the cavity of the lure. Run it down the inside of the tube and bring it out about ¼” from the tip. 

Work the hook point out and back to the rear of the tube while sliding the jig head through the cavity and towards the front. 

Smaller weights, less than ¼ oz will turn and rotate easily. The larger sizes will take some manipulation of the plastic to help the jig head turn around. You will feel a very defined “moment” when the jig head drops into place.

At this point, push the line tie through the plastic. 

Now scrunch the tube from the rear and slip the hook all the way through and rest the hook point on the back of the tube. Make sure that the plastic is straight. This will ensure that we see the right action from the lure on the fall.

It takes a little practice, but eventually rigging the stupid tube will be second nature.

(The below image will visualize the steps for you.)

Equipment Selection for Fishing a Stupid Tube

The stupid tube, due to its ability to be used around cover, is perfect for heavier equipment. 

I like to use my standard pitching rod and baitcast reel with braided line. Depending on the water clarity, I may or may not tie on a fluorocarbon leader.

When setting the hook on a stupid tube it is the norm to give it that “power” hookset we associate with jig and Texas rig fishing.

When the bass are buried in the cover, we want to turn the head of the fish quickly and get them coming to us – not pulling line and burying up deeper into the brush or weeds.

The Enticing Fall of a Stupid Tube

This is a huge plus, in my opinion, of using a stupid tube. 

Unlike the spiraling action of the traditional insert tube head, which is very effective, the stupid tube will glide.

It has a very distinct “glide path.” 

The reason it does this is because the shank of the hook acts as a rudder guiding the lure. Depending on the tube, weight, and how perfectly it is rigged, the glide path may be only a few inches and more vertical in nature, or it can glide several feet horizontally. This is especially true when dropping in deeper water.

This gliding action is not something the bass in most waters have seen a lot since a stupid tube is not as wildly popular as some other techniques. 

For heavily pressured waters, this is a perfect recipe for showing the bass something different. 

The Lift-and-Glide Retrieve for a Stupid Tube

When there is cover available, flipping and pitching the stupid tube in the thick stuff is dynamite.

When anglers are presented with sparse cover, open shorelines, or “do-nothing” banks, the lift-and-glide retrieve is worth a try.

Let the stupid tube glide to the bottom on the initial entrance to the water. Once it rests, motionless for a few seconds, lift your rod tip to pull the lure and then dip your rod tip.

The stupid tube will glide towards you.

Reel up the slack and repeat. 

This retrieval process lets anglers cover water while still presenting a subtle fall the bass find enticing. 

(Here is an article listing another 5 ways to rig a soft plastic tube.)

Good luck out there and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

Big bass will seek out comfortable temperatures in the heat of the summer. In clear water fisheries, this often means going deeper. In shallower waters, big bass will seek comfort near current or in shady areas.

Each fishery is unique, and the following factors will determine the best locations for you to find those big bass we all want.

Understanding Ideal Water Temperatures for Bass

Most bass anglers chase either largemouth or smallmouth. While these fish do occupy the same waters in many cases, the temperatures at which they are most comfortable vary.

Smallmouth bass prefer water that is slightly cooler. Most resources will list their ideal range from 58° – 71° Fahrenheit. Largemouth tend to tolerate warmer water and are still quite comfortable up to that 77° range.

While these may be ideal temps, it is important to note that these cold-blooded gamefish increase their metabolism as the temperature rises. Warmer waters mean that they need to eat more.

The challenge is finding where they are doing this eating and when.

If temperatures are within this range, then there will always be a population of bass that can be found in traditional shallow water locations. But once the thermometer cranks upward and into the 80s, different tactics are needed.

The below video goes into detail about when is a great time to catch big bass.

Clear Water and How Big Bass Behave

This can create the most difficult situation for anglers. Clear water allows for sunlight to travel far into the water column.

Besides the warming factor, the intensity of the light is what drives these bigger bass deep. The lack of eyelids mean that bass only have two options when it comes to dealing with intense light – depth or shade.

If the clear water you are fishing has an abundance of shade-producing cover, then the odds are there will be some big bass shallow. There is also going to be a population of fish that move deep.

Fishing Deep, Clear Water in the Heat of the Summer

One of the great mysteries in bass fishing is “where.”

Where are the bass at? What depth are they holding? Where can I find them?

An excellent starting point is to target the depth that is just out of sight. In other words, when we are bringing our lures back to us, make sure they are beyond what we can see. 

This light penetration line starts to diminish here and bigger bass like to lurk in the shadows. 

Odds are the oxygen level is still good as well. When fishing too deep, we can often get our lures to a depth where the oxygen dips down to an uncomfortable level.

Many clear water lakes also have a healthy stand of vegetation that can be found in deep water. On my home lake, it is not unusual to pull up grass from 30ft of water. 

If there is vegetation at that depth, then there will be adequate oxygen as well.  Fishing the bottom edge of the weeds can be a tremendous tactic in clear water during the summer.

(The drop shot rig is a great summer presentation. Here is an article on leader length.)

Find Food and Find the Bass in the Summer

Big bass need big meals.

They are not going to travel far and wide looking for prey. Bigger fish will stay near areas where their favorite snacks are hanging out. 

The good news for anglers is that locating prey in the summer is not terribly difficult. 

Any electronics can pick out schools of shad and panfish. Determine what depth these baitfish are at and use this as a guideline to find the ideal depth.

Finding places where that depth intersects key cover or structure will up the odds of putting big summer bass in the boat.

For example, if I mark several schools of panfish holding in 20ft of water, can I find a rock pile at that depth? Is there a weedline that tapers down to 20ft? Is there a hard ledge that I can locate or is there a mainlake point I can work?

If the baitfish are at that depth then the conditions are ideal for bass as well.

Finding Big Bass Shallow in The Summer

Most bass anglers love to fish shallow and work visible cover. 

If this is something you like to do, then targeting water that has some stain or color to it is your best bet.

Bass are more apt to be found shallow when their visibility is limited. They will relate to hard cover or structure and stick to it. 

But, if the temperatures are getting to that uncomfortable point, then these shallow water summer fish have no choice but to find shade or current. 

My favorite time to fish for big bass in the heat of summer is during the middle of the day. Why? Because the bass are in the most predictable places.

For example, when the sun is directly overhead, the only place that a dock is casting shadows is right under it. During low-light periods, the shadows are longer and more plentiful. Bass have a much larger area in which they can roam out of the harsh light. When the shadows are smaller the places in which bass can hide from the sun are easier to pick out.

Using Current to Find Big Summer Bass

The other option that big summer bass have to find more comfortable temperatures is to locate some current.

That current does not have to be “traditional” in the sense of river current or current generated by a dam operator.

Both wind and boat traffic create water movement that bass find appealing. Not only because it activates the food chain, but also because it stirs up the water column and reduces the extremely hot surface water.

If the wind is blowing, locating the shoreline that is getting the most direct impact will often yield excellent bass fishing. This is often the opposite of what anglers do in the summer. Boat positioning and casting in the wind can be challenging – yet it is worth it. The bass will be more active in areas where the wind is stirring up the food chain and also cooling the waters.

(Here is an article about fishing with boat traffic.)

The next areas I like to look for are pinch points and funnels. 

These neck-down areas allow for both wind and the wakes from boat traffic to create ideal situations for bass. Once again, these are easy areas for predators to find food, but it also stirs up the water column and makes for more comfortable temperatures.

When You Find Bass – Keep Fishing the Area

One of the most common mistakes we make as bass anglers is to leave fish.

Think about how many times we catch a fish working down a shoreline, toss it back, and then keep moving. 

I have spent hundreds of hours filming bass underwater and one, indisputable fact, is that bass are in schools way more than we realize. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the times I found a bass by itself.

This is especially true in the heat of the summer. 

When a big bass finds comfortable temperatures, odds are the other bass in the area have migrated to that location as well.

You can easily double or even triple your catch rate when working an area over carefully.

Good luck out there and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

Four jigs colors will work any place you fish. Black-blue, brown, green pumpkin or watermelon, and white. These colors will match most prey species anglers may find in the waters they fish.

This is a terrific starting point. More precise color selection can be taken into consideration as your selection of jigs expands over the years.

Why These Four Colors Will Work Anywhere

Scientists have shown that bass can see high-contrast colors well. Black-blue fits into that category. 

Many anglers will use a black-blue jig when the water is stained or dirty. Solid patterns stand out in low visibility conditions. Whether that is because the water has color to it or because of low-light, lures that create a solid profile are easier for bass to pick out.

Brown and green pumpkin match a wide range of prey species. These colors not only mimic crawfish in a couple of different patterns, but the green pumpkin also matches a basic panfish coloration.

White is perfect to imitate baitfish like shad and minnows. In underwater tests I have performed, white also stands out in dirty water better than blacks and black-blues. The below image will show you what I have found.

(Here is an article that goes into more detail on color selection for dirty water.)

The Clearer the Water the More Detailed Jig Colors Can Be

In clear water, I prefer to use jigs that have more detail. This can be accomplished by using skirts that have strands of multiple colors or silicone with reflective and translucent surfaces. 

When prey species are examined closely, it is amazing how varied and colorful they are. Even a baitfish as basic as a minnow sport a range of hues. 

As mentioned earlier, I try to match these patterns when fishing clear water.

In this type of environment, predators like bass become sight-oriented. When the bass move in and get a closer look at the lure it needs to resemble what they are eating.

When the bass are hyper-aggressive, it doesn’t matter. But most of the time, these favorite gamefish are not in an active feeding mood. Therefore when we pique their curiosity, we need to not give them a reason to turn away.

Understanding the Color Pattern Of the Crawfish When Jig Fishing

These little crustaceans that bass find so delicious go through several color sequences throughout the year.

The microorganisms they eat, as well as the places they hide, influence what color phase they will be in. Most crawfish will be a mixture of greens and browns. When these creatures molt, then they will take on a bright red or orange complexion.

At any time, crawfish populations can be in several different color phases. There is even a blue crawfish that is endemic to Florida, but I have found them in local ponds here in northern Illinois. And yes, they are extremely blue.

In lakes with silty bottoms, I have seen thousands of crawfish that are milky-white.

Flipping a few rocks around the shoreline will quickly tell anglers what is the predominant color pattern at the given time. When fishing waters that have good visibility, this is an important step to ensure that the bass find the jig you are using to be natural and something they are used to eating.

Understanding the Color Pattern of Baitfish When Jig Fishing

As with crawdads, having a good idea of what the baitfish in the water look like will help you choose jig colors.

Like we talked about earlier, this isn’t as critical when fishing water with color or stain to it, but when fishing clear water it becomes important.

Panfish often take on vibrant patterns on sunny days in water with good visibility. It is surprising how many colors and how bright they are. I have learned a lot about this when filming underwater. Some days it feels like I am filming a coral reef, yet it is just a strip mine pit in the midwest.

Even shad and minnows show a variety of colorations. Many baitfish even have a translucent quality to them – especially on sunny days. 

Using jigs that have skirt strands matching these various color patterns is important when the bite is not as aggressive as we would like. 

Keep in mind that prey species have brighter and more vibrant colors and hues when they are in the water. When we pull them out, most of the time their overall pattern becomes a bit duller or muted. 

Soft Plastic Color Trailer Choice for Jigs

The plastic jig trailer is often thought of as an extension of the jig itself. 

Jig trailers add extra action to the lure, provide more bulk or profile, and also impact the fall rate.

(Here is an article on what anglers put on their jigs.)

When imitating baitfish with my jigs, using plastic trailers that enhance the color of the lure and provide swimming action is key. I love to use twin-tail grubs as a plastic trailer. These soft plastics can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. 

Twin-tail grubs also imitate crawfish, but I often switch over to soft plastics that look more like a crawfish.

(Here is an article about trimming the skirts on jigs.)

How to Tell if the Color You Chose is the Right One for Your Jig

This is something bass anglers always think about. Is this color working? Is there another color that would be better?

First, it is important to know that presentation and cadence also play an important role in the number of bites we get, but here is a simple process I use to determine how successful my color choice is.

How are the bass eating the lure?

Do they inhale it? Or are they just nipping at it? Or even worse, do they follow it and then turn away?

Our goal as anglers is to create a situation where the bass inhale the lure.

If the bass are reluctant, then I will not only alter my retrieve and cadence, but I will also start to adjust the colors of my jigs.

This seems to be more important when fishing on the bottom, or directly imitating crawfish. It is easy to choose a jig that is not matching what the color pattern of the crustaceans is on that particular day. 

Add some brown, try a little more green or a skirt that has both in it. Even something as simple as dying the tips of the plastic trailer and adding a little orange can make a noticeable difference. 

Keep Adjusting and Learning About Jig Color

Like we talked about at the beginning of the article, black-blue, green pumpkin, brown and white will work any place you fish.

The fun, and challenge, of making small adjustments to jig color is to dial in the bite on any given day.

When bass are in the midst of an aggressive feeding frenzy, lure color is less important. So often though, as anglers, we must work for a bite. This is when jig color can make a difference. 

Good luck and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

Heavy boat traffic can help bass anglers in these four areas:

1. It activates the food chain
2. It can create hard spots
3. It can position fish 
4. It can help hide your movement

For years, I would not fish when the boat traffic was crazy. Then one day I learned how to fish around it and have had some terrific outings ever since.

Heavy Boat Traffic Can Activate the Food Chain

The first thing we need to remember is that boat traffic is often more annoying for us on the surface than it is for the bass. 

Yes, sound and its vibration signature can travel much faster and farther in water than in air. When bass are familiar with waters that have lots of traffic, they often reap the rewards of it.

One day when fishing Kentucky Lake, I noticed that every time one of those massive super-pusher barges came by I caught some good bass. The wakes slamming into the rocky shoreline dislodged crawdads and baitfish. 

The smallmouth and largemouth put on the feedbag and catching them was easy for a few minutes.

The same thing happens on smaller lakes and rivers when skiers, tubers, and waverunners go roaring by us. 

(Here is an article about what is a good size for a crankbait.)

The wakes from those recreational boaters stir up all kinds of organisms and the predators take advantage of it. 

Many bass anglers look for secluded places to avoid boat traffic. There are days when I look for the shoreline that is getting hit with the most boat wakes. I am usually the only one fishing it and I often enjoy a catch-fest.

Boat Wakes Can Create Hard Spots That are Bass Magnets

Many lakes are plagued with a silty and mucky bottom composition. 

Boat wakes can fix this.

Look for shallower points, funnels, and beaches that are often hit by the waves created by recreational boaters.

These areas will almost always be free of silt and other debris. The result is a hard bottom composition that bass love. 

Once you understand the boat traffic pattern on a body of water you can look at an aerial photo or map and accurately predict which places will be free of silt. You will find bass nearby.

(Here is an article about my favorite lure for fishing around boat traffic.)

Boat Traffic Can Push Bass Into Predictable Places

Every body of water is different. Bass will react and adjust in varying degrees of depth when the boats are ripping around.

Once you catch a few, you can then accurately apply that knowledge to other areas of the water you are fishing.

On my home lake, when the boat traffic is the heaviest, the bass will either position ultra-shallow gorging themselves, or they will move to the outside weed line when in a loafing mood.

I can bank on it. 

If the water activity stirs up a mudline, the fish will be using that transition from dirty to clear water.

My favorite predictable locations are funnels. If I can find a pinch-point, saddle, or funnel I know I have found a very high-percentage area.

I will position my boat on the down-current side and cast back up into the boat wakes coming through the funnel. The bass will be facing right into the current and be in a feeding mood. 

Boat Traffic Can Help Mask Our Movement

Bass are instinctual creatures.

They sense water displacement and pick up the smallest vibrations with their lateral lines. In clear water situations, their eyesight is also good.

In other words, they know we are around way before we know they are there.

When the boat traffic is high on a body of water, we can get away with more “mistakes.”

Us talking, shutting lids, and idling into a bay are all not as unusual as on a Monday morning when the lake is calm. 

I still approach every area I fish with as much stealth as possible, but I have found that I can get away with a lot more when boat traffic is high.

My Filming Underwater Has Proven Bass Will Stay Shallow on Busy Days

I spend hundreds of hours each year filming bass underwater.

While I find plenty of fish deep on busy weekends, there are also many bass that stay shallow for the above-mentioned reasons.

When pointing the camera straight up, the surface of the water is of course riled up, but it is quite calm just a foot or two down.

It’s All About Our Mindset When Bass Fishing Around Boat Traffic

There are weeks when the only time we can sneak away to fish are also days when the lake is the craziest.

Take advantage of the benefits that boat traffic can create. 

Some of the very best outings I have ever had for both numbers and size have been during high-traffic situations. 

Good luck. Be safe and make sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

Select shiny or translucent jerkbaits in clear water with sunny conditions. Natural colors work well on cloudy days and water with some stain. Dirtier water is best matched with solid colors.

The right jerkbait color can make a noticeable difference when looking for a great reaction bite.

Jerkbait Color Selection in Clear Water With Sunny Conditions

Bass that live in clear and ultra-clear water are very sight-oriented. 

The darting action of a suspending jerkbait will get their attention. When they move in to attack the lure they will decide in an instant if it looks like something that is worth eating.

If the sun is really bright, I tend to select colors that will reflect that light. Chromes and silvers are excellent choices.

If the fish don’t quite commit to a solid, reflective surface I will then switch to a translucent color. I will even tie on a jerkbait that has no color at all and is clear.

I am such a huge fan of translucent jerkbaits that I have a tackle tray full of them.

There is something about the bass not getting a great look at the lure that helps more wary predators to commit and attack it.

(Here is an article on the best conditions for fishing a jerkbait.)

Cloudy Conditions or Slightly Stained Water

When the sun disappears or the water has some tint to it, I will then go right for jerkbaits that are more natural in the color patterns.

If there are shad in the places I fish, then muted silvers, whites, and grays get the job done. When panfish, such as bluegills, are the primary food source, then grabbing a few colors that imitate those offerings are a solid choice.

I have many jerkbaits that match both bluegills and perch. 

These colors will also be good selections in clear and sunny conditions if the bass do not quite commit to the flashy colors mentioned earlier.

Dirtier Water Conditions and Jerkbait Color Selection

I should make it clear that I do not fish jerkbaits in muddy water conditions. When this type of water clarity is present, bass like to hold very tight to structure or the shoreline. 

Other lures work better in those conditions.

But, if the water is really stained yet still has some visibility a jerkbait can and will get the job done.

Here is where I choose solid color patterns. 

Solid white, solid gray, solid black, or solid chartreuse with a black back will get the nod.

In these conditions, the bass will first feel the lure ripping through the water and then use their eyesight when closer to it.

Without the clarity, the overall profile of the lure is more important than having the eye-popping detail used in clear water lures.

During underwater experiments in really stained or dirty water, I have found that white and white/chartreuse are by far the most visible.

How to Tell if Your Color Selection is Dialed In

This is a great question and an important one.

When I am fishing a jerkbait, my goal is to get the fish to eat it as deep as possible.

If the bass is just nipping and getting hooked on the back treble, then that is the clue for me to adjust colors.

The better the strike and the more of the hooks they get, I know that my color choice is getting closer to being dialed-in perfectly.

So often when we catch a bass we are so excited that sometimes the little details of how the fish is hooked slip our mind.

I have found time-and-time again that this has worked. I keep adjusting the color until the bass hit is solid and take it with authority – not nip at it.

Of course, there are days when they are lethargic and it seems they will only hit the back treble. If that is the case, I will alter my retrieve and cadence leaving the lure sit longer between rips.

The Most Important Aspect of Fishing a Suspending Jerkbait

If there is one mistake that I see often, it is anglers ripping a jerkbait on a taut line.

It is critically important to rip the lure on a slack line. 

This makes the cut and slash at a much more extreme angle. Many jerkbaits on the market will actually side-to-side sashe a full 180 degrees.

A simple way to tell if you are ripping the lure on a slack line or not is to gauge how tired your arm is.

If your forearm is throbbing, then you are working too hard. When ripping on a slack line your arms will last much longer before getting fatigued.

Choosing the Jerkbait for the Proper Depth

When fishing jerkbaits, it is common to be fishing more open water and not around shoreline cover.

Fish may be still relating to the bottom, weedbeds, or even suspended.

Keeping the jerkbait at, or slightly above, the bass is important. 

Having a variety of jerkbaits that reach multiple depths will help you dial in where the fish are at. For example, if the bass are sitting on a weedbed that is in 12 ft of water, using a lure that reaches only 3 or 4 feet will probably not draw them up. But a lure that is hitting the 10 ft mark would be perfect.

Many companies number their lures as 100, 200, 300, and 300 deep. Keeping a few of each model will get your jerkbait where it needs to be.

Tight lines. Be safe and make sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

What a Suspending Jerkbait Does so Well

In my opinion, there may not be a better reaction bait out there. 

The extreme slashing and cutting action of a jerkbait drives bass crazy. The lure perfectly mimics baitfish that are actively avoiding a predator. When bass see this, they want in on the action too. Their natural instincts kick in.

If you have fished waters with a healthy smallmouth population then you may have noticed their inherent “wolf pack” behavior.

Other fish will do everything they can to get in on the frenzy and will even attempt to take the lure out of the mouth of the fish that has the bait. 

Largemouth bass will act the same way, albeit not as extreme as smallmouth.

Isaiah 6:8

A low gear ratio reel, like a 5.2:1, is ideal for crankbait fishing. Crankbaits work best when retrieved at lower speeds.

The bass fishing world is obsessed with high-speed reels. And for many techniques, higher gear ratios excel, but not with crankbait fishing.

Gear Ratios are Constantly Changing

Just a few years ago, a reel in the 7.2:1 range was considered fast. Really fast. Now anglers can find 8.2:1 reels all over. 

Our definition of what is fast, or slow, has changed. 

It is difficult to find a reel that is geared at 5.2:1 Therefore a lot of crankbait anglers are settling for baitcast reels in the 6.2:1 range.

Why Slower Gear Ratios for Crankbaits

David Fritts, one of the best crankbait anglers of all time, suggests about 21” of line recovery per turn. 

That is slow.

The below table lists popular gear ratios and their inches of recovery per turn.

Deep diving crankbaits perform the best and have the most effective action when retrieved as close to this 21” of recovery as possible.

The lure also dives more efficiently and maintains its depth longer than if it is reeled back too quickly.

When a deep diving crankbait is digging and grinding into structure it is more apt to trigger reaction strikes. When the lure is plowing through open water and never making contact with anything, the odds of a strike go way down.

 A deep diver brought back too quickly will often miss its optimum depth zone.

(Here is an article explaining why crankbaits catch big bass and what size crankbait to use.)

Make Extra-Long Casts for More Effective Crankbait Fishing

When really long casts are paired with a lower gear ratio reel, the odds of catching bass on deep divers increase exponentially.

By the nature of the lure, it takes time for it to reach depth and then it pulls upward towards the angler. 

The actual time the lure is really working is not nearly as long as we would think.

When using deep divers, it is important to throw well past the intended target. Then by the time the lure reaches depth, it is going to dig and grind its way across the bottom where you want it to.

To help with extra-long casts watch the below video.

The Situation Where a Higher Gear Ratio Can Work for Crankbait Fishing

When fishing with squarebill crankbaits, there are many times when a burning retrieve is preferred. 

And by burning, I mean reel as fast as you can. Literally. 

The extreme speed triggers bass to attack.

(Here is an article about two strategies for getting bass to bite.)

I was hesitant when I was first told this, but after years of burning squarebills, I can say with confidence it works and works well.

It is amazing to think that no matter how fast we reel in that squarebill, the bass can chase it down. Their initial burst of speed is impressive. 

Lipless Crankbaits and Gear Ratio

This depends on how you prefer to fish your lipless crankbaits. 

If you are a straight cast-and-retrieve angler, then the lower gear ratio is what I would use.

I like to let my lipless crankbaits flutter to the bottom and then give the rod a twitch to make the lure hop. Then I let it flutter down again. It is very similar to how you may fish a jig hopping along.

In this situation, I will use a higher gear ratio reel.

When fluttering a lipless crankbait, the strike often occurs as the lure falls. Pulling in extra slack is important to getting a good side sweep hookset. We will not usually feel the bite but instead will feel weight.

I have used a lot of reels in that 7.2:1 range for this technique.

Best Line and Rod for Crankbait Fishing

To help get our lures to depth, it is a good idea to use fluorocarbon line when fishing crankbaits. 

Fluoro sinks and will help the lure get to depth quicker. Fluoro is also very abrasion resistant which is perfect when digging and driving that lure into a rocky bottom.

As far as a rod, using one that is specifically designed for crankbait fishing will help both with casting distance and hooksets.

Most crankbait rods will either be fiberglass or composite (a combination of glass and graphite.)

A composite rod has good parabolic action which helps to keep the bass hooked up and not pull loose.

Treble hooks are more of a grabbing hook, whereas single hooks are more apt to penetrate clear through the lip. The give a quality crankbait rod gives anglers will bring by far more bass to the boat when using a deep diver dangling with trebles.

(Here is an article on rod selection for newer bass anglers.)

It is Easy to Fish too Fast When Crankbait Fishing

I don’t know about you, but I get excited when bass fishing. When this happens I tend to do everything too fast. Including retrieving a crankbait.

The lower gear ratio reels keep me in check.

With the difficulty of finding reels in the 5.2:1 range, I would buy several if you find them. Especially if you are a dedicated crankbait angler.

Tight lines. Be safe and make sure that you encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8

To catch bass from heavy cover an angler must use heavier hooks, lines, and rods. Hollow-body frogs and Texas-rigged plastics are excellent for thick vegetation while jigs and soft plastics work well in brush.

Deciphering the type of cover is key to picking the right lures to get the job done.

Cover vs Structure and Bass Fishing

These terms are often interchanged and used incorrectly.

Structure refers to the lake or riverbed and its composition. Think of a bowl full of water. The actual bowl would be the structure.

Anything you put inside that bowl – sticks, weeds, brush – would be the cover.

This article will focus on bass fishing thick and nasty cover that is sitting upon some sort of structure.

The Equipment Needed to Bass Fish Heavy Cover

While there are times when it is preferable to let a bass run and let the drag do the work, this is not one of them.

When a bass is nestled deep inside heavy cover an angler needs to keep them coming to the boat immediately and not turn their head. If that fish can change direction and bury up deeper into the brush or vegetation, the odds of it coming off increase exponentially.

Because of this, most anglers who probe heavy cover consistently will use rods with a power rating that is either Xtra-Heavy, Heavy, or at times Medium Heavy. The action rating will usually be Fast or Extra-Fast.

This power and action combination will allow the backbone of the rod to engage almost instantly and winch the bass out of that stuff.

This is also the time to use heavy lines like braid. When fishing in the thickest stuff I will usually start with 50 lb braid on the low-end and go up from there.

Fishing heavy cover also means I will have the highest gear-ratio reel I own matched with the appropriate rod. I want to recover the line as fast as possible to keep the fish from turning and burying up. Most heavy cover anglers will also crank the reel’s drag as tight as it will go. Once again, this is to keep the bass from getting deeper into the grass or brush and pulling off.

Proper Hook Selection When Fishing Heavy Cover

This is not the time for light-wire hooks.

Heavy gauge hooks will handle the rigorous demands of fishing both vegetation and wood.

The powerful hookset required to stick a bass immediately when fishing like this can often bend a light-wire hook. The result? Lost fish.

As far as the style of hook, I prefer a traditional straight-shank flipping hook. The space between the shank and the bend allows for plenty of room to get the hook point in position.

Most often an angler fishing heavy cover will set the hook with a straight vertical motion, not a side sweep. This also plays right into the strengths of a straight shank hook.

I have caught plenty of bass in heavy cover with both the wide-gap and offset styles, but the hookup ratio for me is best with the straight-shank.

Choose the Lure Based on the Cover

When it comes to heavy cover we break it down into two categories – vegetation and wood.

Bass Fishing Heavy Vegetation

Most often when anglers run across these conditions, they will be fishing shallow water.

Heavy vegetation can be emergent when fishing lily pads or milfoil that has spilled over the water’s surface. It can also be submerged and just under the surface. The endless hydrilla fields in Florida come to mind when thinking of this type of thick vegetation.

If the weeds are across the surface of the water I narrow my choices down to the following lures: a hollow-body frog, Texas-rigged plastics, and even a punching rig – basically a Texas-rigged plastic with a very, very heavy weight. The tungsten weights I use for punching are often 1 oz or greater.

Which Lure Should I Use for Each Type of Vegetation?

Emergent Vegetation
When the weeds are emergent and creating thick mats on the surface of the water I prefer to use a hollow-body frog or drag a plastic over the top. Big worms and soft jerkbaits are two of my favorites.

These are also perfect lure choices if you are trying to cover water and locate bass across a wide expanse of emergent vegetation.

Isolated Patches
If I am fishing more sparse vegetation, yet it is still thick and most likely holding bass, then I will start to pick it apart with Texas rigs, Jigs, or a punch rig if the vegetation is still emergent.

A punch rig does exactly what it sounds like – punching its way through the top layer of green stuff.

A punch rig is an excellent choice when the water just under the surface vegetation is more open.

Thick Vegetation Just Under the Surface
There are many times when the thick weeds are just under the surface of the water. This may range anywhere from inches to several feet, yet the bass are still buried up in the stuff.

If the vegetation is vast and searching is required, I like to use soft plastics like a soft jerkbait to pull through it. A swimming worm is also a highly effective tool if the weeds are not too thick.

Once again, if the subsurface vegetation is sparse, then I will choose lures that can drop right into those patches and work their way to the bottom. Texas rigs and jigs are excellent tools for these situations.

Bass Fishing Heavy Wood Cover

Fishing wood and brush are different from vegetation. There is no give. Ripping your lures free from a snag is often impossible.

For this reason, I love to use jigs with heavy weed guards or Texas rigs and keep the hooks Tex-posed on the back of the plastic. If you’re not familiar with Tex-posing, it involves pushing the hook point through to the back of the plastic, but then sticking the point back down into the plastic.

This type of rigging makes for more efficient hooksets, but the lure still comes through the heavy cover without snagging up.

Most Common Mistake When Fishing Heavy Cover – Especially Wood

Our lures are most efficient and effective when being presented one of two ways – horizontally or on the drop.

These are the natural situations bass will observe their prey. While horizontal movement represents swimming creatures within the water column, the vertical dropping represents something dying and falling through the water column

When fishing heavy cover, it is easy to have a lure start to drop vertically, then when the slack line starts to run out, the lure then pendulums back toward us.

This unnatural movement diminishes our chance for a bite.

To solve this problem an angler can either dip the rod tip as their lure falls or peel slack line. Either method will keep the lure dropping vertically until it hits the bottom. While doing this, it is important to keep watching the line to see if it twitches or jumps. If it does, then swing away with that hook set.

Don’t Be Afraid to Attack the Heavy Cover When Bass Fishing

It is intimidating to throw our lures deep into brush or way back into the vegetation.

Anglers hate to get snagged and lose the lures that are increasingly more expensive. To make the most of fishing heavy cover, we need to work more than just the edges of the brush and get in there.

It is amazing how deep bass can nestle up into the thickest stuff.

With the right line, reel, rod, and rigging methods, those lures will come back to you more often than they don’t. I promise.

Be safe out there and make sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.

Isaiah 6:8