By Jim Crowley
Jim@hookandhunttv.com
www.HookAndHuntTV.com
Several weeks ago, I had one of the best big bass days I have had in a long time. Everything just seemed to go right. Matter of fact after saying that, I think we all deserve one of those days now and then. It gives you something positive to think about on the not so good days! Anyway, I got to thinking back on some past outings when I have had other “big bass” days and went over the lures and the ways I had used them to catch those big fish. As bass fisherman we all know that one of the best big bass lures has always been the jig. Pair it up with one of many plastic trailers and it is the big bass lure personified. However, there are so many lures out there that can catch big fish, if presented in the right way. Mid summer can be a great time to throw big lures for bass, or throw lures that attract strikes from big fish, so with that being said, lets look at some lures that I am sure you already know about, and maybe one that you don’t!
Without question one of the lures that will attract strikes from big bass is the buzz bait. It is one of those lures that have anticipation built right in. The second it hits the water, you are waiting for that massive explosion of water and fins that gets your adrenalin pumping. I love to throw a buzz bait and here are a couple tips that might help you get even more from the experience. I have switched to throwing braided line for a lot of my horizontal presentations. I can make longer cast, set the hook at a farther distance and control any fish much better with these lines. Since its inception, I have been a fan of Spiderwire Stealth. This round braid resists backlashes and with its Teflon coating flies through your guides and gives you extremely long cast, ease of handling and powerful hook sets from any distance. With any buzz bait that you choose to throw, try “cupping” or bending in the aluminum blades so that it will catch more water. By cupping in the blades, you can now retrieve the lure at a slower speed while still maintaining it’s above water effectiveness. The buzz bait will also come to the surface quicker and stay in the strike zone longer at slower speeds, begging a big bass to crush it!
One of my other favorite lures that have the tendency to attract big bites is the frog, and I love the frog! I have had the opportunity to film a couple shows for Midwest Outdoors where the frog was involved and myself as well as the cameramen have had a great time. I fish a frog on the same set up as I do a buzz bait, on a 7’ medium heavy rod, Pflueger President bait cast reel with a 6:3, 1 gear ratio and 30 pound braided line. The high gear ratio has worked extremely well for me because even though you are working the frog mostly with the rod tip, the high gear ratio comes into play after the bass is hooked. You must keep the rod tip up and keep reeling not letting up the pressure on the fish. Most big bass caught on a frog come from thick weeds or “slop” and it’s imperative to keep their head up and coming toward you to get them out of that stuff or you risk loosing them. The braided line is much more effective that monofilament in this situation because unlike mono, the braid has no stretch and you will be able to apply more pressure on the fish. Catching slop fish is a blast and here’s a tip that will help your frog slide over that mess more effectively. In the past I had used an oil based scent on my frogs because it coated them and helped them to slide over the matted grass easier. Now GULP! has a spray that makes lures feel and taste alive. A spray or two on any of your frogs will glide them over the thickest grass and slop, making your presentation even more effective. The added bonus as you have probably figured out is that the bass will not let go of your frog. Any of you who have tried GULP! know what I am talking about!
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, several weeks ago, I had one of the best big bass days I have had in a long time. It was a sunny afternoon with a slight breeze and it was one of those days where I was just glad to be away from work. As I am sure you all know, a little time on the water can really recharge your batteries and I needed some recharging. When I fish by myself there are times when I just like to relax and try for a big bite. I love to fish plastics and I had been successfully trying a new one. I think it’s relatively unheard of, until now, and after the day I had, I got a fish story for you! I started down the bank with my boat in about 12 feet of water. I felt my lure come over a branch and I popped it as it came over that branch. I felt the strike down in my shoes. The 5 pound bass came from 9 feet deep and literally crushed the bait. I released the fish and continued down the bank. I continued fishing for another ten minutes or so and was watching some geese fly by when I noticed my line heading toward deeper water, so I set the hook on a 6.5 pound bass that seemed extremely upset about the current state of affairs. I released that fish and after about an hour or so caught and released about ten more nice fish. I come to the edge of a flat that drops off into deeper water and noticed some bigger boulders and a couple slabs of old concrete that were possibly foundations at one time. My boat was again in 12 feet of water. I worked the lure over the slabs and felt it hit the bottom. I shook it in place for a second or so and WHAM! This bass weighted 7 ¼ pounds and smashed that Berkley Powerbait 5” Sabertail tube! That tube has a solid head, ringed body, long tentacles and two saber- like appendages coming off either side of the tube that give it a wild swimming action on the fall. The best part of this besides the big fish is that I caught 20 bass on just two tubes. They are extremely soft yet durable. I fished the Sabertail tube Texas rigged on a 4/0 EWG hook, but this lure should be awesome on a Carolina rig as well!
I have a feeling that this summer is going to be a hot one. Hopefully and the way it looks now, the fishing will be hotter. Make sure your cooler is stocked with plenty of water, rub on the sun screen put on your favorite fishing hat and wear your coolest sunglasses. Please remember that especially now, we all need to take someone fishing, who has never been. Pass on what you know and our sport will grow. It does not matter if its spring, summer or fall, I sincerely hope all of you get your fill and then some of those big bass days.