The Art of the Spinnerbait - Finding your sweet-spot

Like any technique spinnerbait fishing takes time to master. You need to amass the right gear and then put in your time getting comfortable fishing that gear in various situations. Its not all about the bait, so choose your weapons carefully.. here are some tips on what makes a good spinnerbait set-up

Power

Rod power is very important when tying on a spinnerbait for the first time, underpowered rods will not be able to keep up with the drag caused by the blades on your spinnerbait, and a rod that is overpowered will keep you from feeling every little bump and can and will mess with your casting accuracy.

As a Dobyns rod user, I look for rods that are rated at 4 power with a fast tup when fishing spinnerbaits at 1/2oz weight (or under) or baits that have oversize thumper blades (also known as Colorado Blades). Blade size is not the only thing that will slow your bait down and force you to reevaluate your rod size.. head weight, body profile and the number of blades should also be considered when deciding what rod to choose when throwing a spinnerbait. Take the time to read your rods specs and be sure the bait your using falls within the rating, but also remember that if something doesn't feel right, make the change and up or downsize when required

The rod I consider to be the best all around spinnerbait rod in the Dobyns line-up (or world for that matter) is the DX744, it has the perfect amount of power and tip and allows me to bomb my spinnerbaits for distance and still bury the hook no matter how far the fish is from the boat. On the retrieve the DX744 gives you that slight bend in the rod keeping tension on the bait while also allowing you to feel every little bump along the way.. which is highly important

Light-weight  rods like the DX744 are also easier on your body, and as any angler who has spent 8hrs throwing a spinnerbait will tell you a light-weight rod really helps reduce the strain on your back, neck and shoulders.

Rate of Speed

Spinnerbaits like any bait that require a steady or constant retrieve really live and die by how fast your or slow you are bringing it back to the boat. Too fast and the fish may not be able to keep up, and too slow and fish may get too close a look at your bait and ignore it all together. I personally use a Daiwa Zillion reel with a 7.1 retrieve. Some anglers will find this reel a bit fast for spinnerbait fishing but I like its ability to keep up once the fish is hooked so I can get it back to the boat quickly while still keeping the situation under control.

For the most part I focus my spinnerbait fishing in two types of water.. (1) shallow, meaning 5 feet and under, and (2) medium depths of 12 feet of less. When fishing shallow I still use my 1/2oz spinnerbait but in order to keep it up in the water column and attempt to force a reaction strike I will often burn it back to the boat, meaning I retrieve it at a very high rate. This allows the fish to not only see the flash, shimmy and shake but forces them to react quickly, usually resulting in a strike.

When fishing at deeper depths, I will opt to slow my spinnerbait down allowing it to sit lower in the water volume and calling in fish that are suspended and/or hugging the bottom. In these situations you really need to watch your rate of retrieve or your spinnerbait may turn into a wake bait. To avoid this some anglers will opt for a heavier bait or a slower reel, I like to stick with my 1/2oz screaming eagle and my 7.1 Zillion and adapt my retrieve speed.. the more you fish the same combination of rod/reel and bait the more you will get to understand what it is capable of. Adjusting your hand speed cane make just as much of a difference as upping or downsizing the speed of your reel.

Shimmy, Shake and Flash

Like you, I'm a fisherman, which means I love new baits and often get caught up in the hype of trying every new thing that hits the market, but once I find my true love, I tend to settle in. This is the case with my spinnerbait of choice, the Screaming Eagle by War Eagle. These spinnerbaits only come in 1/2oz sizes but the profile looks like that of a 1/4oz sized bait. This makes it supper easy to multitask and use the same bait in both deep and shallow water applications. When it comes to colour, I usually like white, white and oh yeah.. White. For blades I like a pair of willow leaf blades in gold and or silver or a mix of both, believe me when I tell you this does make a difference and some days the gold won't get and sniff and at other times its the only thing I can get a strike on.

You can find baits with more or less blades, as well as in various colours and sizes. Remember the purpose of a spinnerbait is for it to look like a school of bait fish, so the most import characteristics are its ability to shimmy shake and flash. Find the right combination of blades of you and you will quickly notice a difference in the number of fish you catch.

Above we talked about retrieve speed, but as of yet we have not talked about retrieve style. There are many things you can do to a spinnerbait to impart action other then just a steady retrieve. Try fishing your spinnerbait over a weed bed, then through it, if your feel the weeds taking hold give the bait a rip, this action will often drive fish crazy. Don't be afraid of sunken trees, logs or timber, bang that spinnerbait around and let the fish know your there. Lastly pauses or pulses during the retrieve can also entice a strike, don't hesitate to let the bait flutter down slightly on a pause, you may be surprised how many fish will hammer it as it starts back up.. I like to call this a "confused reaction strike" caused when a fish follows your bait in and then it unexpectedly drops, the fish pauses, confused, and then by starting the retrieve back up it forces a reaction strike.

Get Comfortable:

The key to success with any bait, is getting comfortable. This not only comes with catching fish, but also with familiarity. You don't have to own a specific spinnerbait combo, but the more you use  a specific rod, reel and line when learning a new bait the more familiar you will become with the bait and its capabilities and shortfalls, so choose a rod/reel in your arsenal and stick with it.

This also goes for the spinnerbait itself. By choosing a brand or style/size you will quickly find out what it can do, and what you can do with it. Once you have that nailed down you can branch out looking for other baits to fill the gaps in your current arsenal.

Canoe Fishing Tips from the Cataraqui River 2014

Don't get me wrong, I love to fish in a bad ass bass boat, or my sun dolphin pond hopper, but from time to time there is nothing more relaxing then fishing from a canoe… and if your a cheater like I'm and power your canoe with a trolling motor, its even more relaxing.

For Tips and Tricks on making the most out of each Canoe Fishing Trip you take, check out this Bass Junkies article entitled  Canoe Fishing 101. Not much has changed since I wrote that article back in 2012, but below you will find a few tips for enjoying every minute of your canoe trip.. and oh yeah catching a few fish.

Canoe fishing is great in that it forces you to pair down your gear (tackle and rods) and focus on a few techniques at a time. During this trip I placed my faith in 3 rods.. a frog rod (surprise, surprise) a medium-heavy pitching stick and a wacky worm rig set up on spinning gear (full arsenal can be found at the bottom of the page)

The frog rod is pretty self explanatory, first off its what I do, and secondly this part of the river is loaded with slop and pads.. a win win in my books. Finding fish was another storey, we only saw a total of 3 fish blow-up on our frogs of which I was able to land just one fish

My second rod choice was a medium/heavy flipping or pitching stick. I use this as a follow up bait for frog fishing as well to flip timber or rocks we come across. I find being in a canoe gives you a nice clear view of the lake (good sunglasses don't hurt either) and it allows you to get close to structure and see what it is all about, find where the holes, hideouts and shady portions are. On this trip I was not able to pull any fish on timber, but did manage one fish on a follow-up bait.. more on that in a bit.

my third and final rodt on this trip was a spinning rod rigged with a wacky worm set-up. The Rideau or Cataraqui River has many low handing trees, and while sitting low in a canoe a spinning rod/reel gives you the best chances for a good skip up under this form of cover. I find the low angle can be awkward for skipping bait casters, but a sinch for spinning gear. The wacky rig also provided me with a bait that has a slower fall then my Gambler ugly otter meaning i could cover more of the water column in hopes of finding fish.. no fish were harmed in the use of the wacky rig on this day.

Bob keep it even simpler then I did, bringing only one rod and rigging it with a Snag Proof Bobby's perfect buzz frog.. fitting I know. He put in some serious work but only managed one blow up for his first skunk of the season.

Just like when fishing from a standard bass boat, you and your canoe partner should be working as a team each throwing different baits until you find whats working. It is all to easy to both grab a worm or a frog and start firing, but in situations like this you may be missing more fish then you know. Try using baits that reach different parts of the water column. Today Bob started with a buzz frog (top water) and i pitched a wacky worm (bottom)

Follow-up baits are also key to success. When my partner or I are frog fishing from a canoe (or boat) I always have a second rod rigged up with a follow-up bait such as a gambler Ugly Otter. This came in handy on this trip when the above fish blew up on Bob's buzz frog and while he finished his retrieve I quickly grabbed my otter and flipped into the hole left by the fish.. BAM.. fish on,  before Bob could even get his frog back to the boat.. now that's team work (thanks for the assist Bob)

What I love about canoe fishing is how close it allows you to get to the water, and the fish. It truly gives you a new perspective on bodies of water you have fished for years, and those you are fishing for the first time..

Although I have fished this portion of the Rideau from the shoreline for years, this was the first time I was able to get out and fish it properly. During this trip Bob and I covered just over 1km of water up the west bank(sunny side) and then back down the east bank (shady side). Our goal is to stretch that to 2km on tip number 2.. oh yeah and land a few more fish in the process

Trip Counter:   Trip3/Lake3 - Cataraqui River

Weapons of Choice:

Dobyns DX746 - Daiwa Lexa - Nories NF60 Frog
Dobyns 734C - Daiwa Tatula - Gambler Ugly Otter

Dobyns DX703SF - Daiwa Procyon - Bass Pro Shop Stick-O

Dress Shop Tips: Match the Hatch.. Or Atleast your bait

My one big complaints about massed produced dressed treble hooks is the complete lack of creativity (for the most part).. with that said I fully understand that with the  hundreds of colour options available to anglers today it is  nearly impossible for any one company to produce a dressed treble to match all their colour options, but they could at the very little mix it up a little bit.

When designing a dressed treble for a particular bait, you have 3 chances to make it unique.. (1) with your choice of feathers, (2) with your flash and (3) with your thread. Often changing just one of these items will give your treble a whole new look.

The Feathers:

The majority of the baits I tie consist of 2-3 feather colour combinations. One being the predominant colour that will in all likely hood be used on 2 if not all three sides of the treble. The 2nd (and 3rd) colours are accents or bulls eye colours, meant to draw attention or give you hooks some flair. I often match my accent colour with the belly or the back of a bait. In the above image I used the green to march the sides/back of the bait and the white to match the belly.

Tip: Oranges, Yellows and Reds are great highlight colours, all three can be considered too flashy to be used as a primary feather colour but they are great as the accent. Another way to make them pop is to pair it with a shorter black feather in front to frame the accent feather

The Flash:

Although I don't use flashing on all my trebles, I would be lying if I said it was not a key piece of any attention getting treble hook. Flashing is available in various varieties from a various companies. The two styles of flash I use the most are "flat" and the standard "round" flash. When it comes to flash colour options you don't need to get real crazy, the main objective is to pick up on the colours in your bait and add some sparkle and shine.

On the above bait I've used "black" coloured flash in order to pick up on the darker colours on the back of the bait and in the  green feathers.

Tip: Don't get to cutesy when trimming your flash. I like to leave it a bit longer then my feathers and I like it to flay out a bit adding more areas of sparkle and shine.

The Thread

The tying thread is probably the area that most tyers put the least amount of thought into… red is by far the most common colour I see used with dressed trebles, and if not red the black. I personally really like to mix it up and probably have more thread colour choices on hand then flashing

Often I will match my thread to the accent colour I'm using. So for the below bait you can see that Ive used Olive thread to match the olive green accent feather. The black flashing picks up on the greens and gives the bait the same sparkle that can been seen on the baits back and the olive thread ties it all in together (no pun intended)

Tip: When using a predominantly dark coloured feathers (like Black) I love to use a red, yellow or orange thread to tie with. This will give the bait some added pop.

So there you have it, some basic tips on dressing your baits treble hooks to ensure the carpet matched the drapes. When your first starting out don't hesitates to choose one or two colours to practise on, but as your skill improves get creative and start churning out trebles that will make you fishing buddies envious

ReSpooling - 6 Tools that will make your life easier

With only 17 sleeps until the start of Bass Season in Ontario most anglers are furiously buying up new gear as well as getting their old gear tuned-up. This of course includes the re-spooling of your reels.. yes you really do need to do this, and to help you along the way here is a list of 6 important tool that will aid in getting your reels and line ready for the 2014 season

Line Spooling Station:

Other then the line itself, there is not a more important re-spooling tool then a spooling station. These come in a variety of sizes and options including the one pictured above, my personal preference the Berkley Spooling station. This handy tool is portable and will work on almost any flat surface making re-spooling your reels a breeze.

This Berkley station is pretty universal and allows you to re-spool reels both on the rod, or clamped down directly to the spooling station. You can also adjust the tension allowing you to properly spool both casting and spinning gear.. no more fooling around with the pencil trick or spools flipping and dancing on the floor. I also like that it comes with a line stripper which is  #2 on my list of tools of the trade

Line Stripper

Depending on why or how often you re-spool your reels there is a good chance you will need to remove old/damaged line first. This can be a long an tedious chore when done by hand, and that's where a line stripper comes in. As mentioned above my line stripper came with my spooling station, but if you use a different brand or have a makeshift station at home, you can buy line strippers like this Rapala model from most major retailers.

Line strippers can be tricky to use, and can bird nest up pretty badly if your not careful. So take the time to read the instructions and set it up properly, you will be happy you did

Line Storage Box

A line storage box has a few separate uses when it comes to re-spooling your reels. First and foremost it is a storage box, and is great for holding partial spools, keeping them organized tangle free and ready for use. They also work very well for adding leaders on to your already spooled reels

As you can see in the above photo, I have my line box set-up behind my spooling station. Once I have filled my reels to my preferred level, I cut the line and often add a 3-9ft leader depending on what technique the reel will be used for. Once the main line has been cut, I give the line a pull from the storage box, and tie a crazy Alberto knot to attach the leader to the main line. Finally I then proceed to add my leader to the reel.. but how do I know when to stop? well that's why tool #4 makes this list

Line Counter

I bet many of you saw this and wondered what the hell a line counter is doing on my list of key tools for preparing a reel for bass fishing, well let me tell you..

first off as mentioned above it is great for use when measuring out your leaders. Sure you can eye ball it, but a small counters like this Rapala unit  work great and fit right on your spooling station or rod.

The second and more important use is for checking how much line you are spooling onto your reel. Again this comes in to play in two situations, first off, knowing exactly how much line is on your reel means you know how much is left on the spool, this allows you to make the call on keeping or discarding the excess line.. how many times have you grabbed an old spool and started re-spooling only to come up well short.. i know I have.

Lastly this helps with a new technique I have been using when spooling a reel with fluorocarbon. It was sent to me by pro angler Michael Murphy and I have been using it ever since. The idea is that instead of filling you entire spool with expensive fluorocarbon,  you instead fill it up half way with old or cheap (similar diameter) line and then attach your fluorocarbon and fill the top half of the spool with your good line. This insures you are not damaging line that never hits the water and makes your spools last twice as long.

Tips I can give you would be that I like to use a red line (like Cajun) as the cheap backing, so it is easier to spot when your getting low. Depending on reel size I use the line counter to help spool-up  50-60yards of backing and then attached my Toray SuperHard Upgrade fluorocarbon and fill the remainder of the spool. A cool thing about Toray SH Upgrade is that they mark the halfway point with red so I know exactly when to stop. Try this, I think you will be impressed with how much longer your spools last

Line Cutters

A good line-cutter or more importantly a good braid cutter is often overlooked, but are again huge time savers both on and off the water. I have tried a bunch and in my opinion the Xtools cutter was the best around, I say "was" because the company has gone-under and the products are no longer available (unfortunately their other products were crap). There are other options available so try some out and find that one that works for you, you will thank me later

Line Conditioner

This is the last tool on this list mostly because it is still new to me. Anglers have been singing it's praises for years now, so this past off season I grabbed some KVD Line and Lure condition and gave each reel a spritz once spooled. The idea behind this conditioner is that it adds a coating to the line helping it repel water and thus not bringing as much water back up onto your reel. This will reduce wet line drag and the coating also improves the line durability by making it more abrasion resistant


Alright, get out there and start re-spooling

2014 a Year of Change

2o14 represents the year of the horse in the Chinese calendar, for me it is a year of change.. a change of goals, a change of objectives and a change in attitude (that part comes mainly from a change in fishing partners). what does the year of the horse have in store for you?

"Horse can give people a ride to their destination therefore horse is not only a symbol of traveling but also a sign of speedy success"

What's not to like about that statement? Travelling is a goal of mine this year, way too often I get caught up fishing the same lakes over and over again, and although this often bring success, it's not ranked up to high in the learning scale.. so this year I will plan to fish 5 new lakes over the course of the season, this includes I have never fished or haven't fished in 5+ years.. this should help push my boundaries and make me a better all around angler.. remember "the home lake disadvantage" 

"Horse likes to complete with others, the pursuit for their freedom, passion and leadership"

as a tournament angler competition is in my blood, but after a falling out with my long time angling partner I find myself looking for a new home in 2014. This is a good thing, I feel a renewed passion and freedom after being bogged down in a boat with someone that I no longer enjoyed fishing with, and if you can't enjoy a day on the water, then you know there is something wrong. This is not meant to bash my former partner as there is a good chance he felt the same way about me (he's wrong, but oh well) and all and all it was time for a change. I wish him well but won't miss the mood swings, anger issues and unwillingness to change (not to mention the boiled eggs and protein bars). Its a shame when a person can write off a friendship for a chance of perceived glory. 

"Horse hour in Chinese horoscopes is from 11am to 1pm. Sunshine generates lots of heat during horse hour therefore the horse is connected to heat, hot, fire and red"

Tell me, this is not a an omen, the horse hours fall right in that prime morning to early afternoon slot that sees the fish really turn on. You can still enjoy that morning calm, and take advantage of the early afternoon heat. This year I will make sure all my trip take into consideration the Horse hours

"Horse is intelligent animal. Horses need to be trained to become useful. Humans can make horse famous, without human guide the horse is just wild animal." 

To me the above statement is about learning, and more importantly shared learning. You can only teach yourself so much before you need to look to others for help. In 2014 I will strive to keep my ears and eyes open both on and off the water, and look at ways to improve my knowledge and skill level. Sometimes that means sharing a boat with someone new, and other times that means leaving your favourite bait at home and forcing your self to try something new


I don't know about you but I'm excited about 2014, and can't wait for the Bass season to kick off. see ya on the water


The above bolded excerpts/quotes on "The Year of the Horse" were borrowed from: www.chinesefortunecalendar.com

The Need for Speed.. My Reel is faster than yours!

If your like me and you pay attention to the various trends in fishing equipment, you may have noticed that over the years battles for "who can put the most bearings in a reel"  or  who makes lightest weight reel have popped up and are argued about by anglers off and on the water, the current trend that is starting to take over is:  "who can make the fastest reel", but what some companies don't tell you is   lighter and faster does not always translate into better!, so don't get caught up in the hype of "my reel is faster then yours" and simply focus on what speed will best suit you and your style of fishing.. here is a brief breakdown of popular speeds and how they are best used

5.1 - Slow and Powerful 

Depending on your personal brand preference a 5.1 speed reel will often mean that with each rotation  of the handle your reel will pick up approximately  23 to 27 inches of line. When opting for slower reels there are a few things to keep in  mind, first and foremost the slower reel means it will take longer for a crank or diving bait to hit it's optimal depth, this means you bait will be in the strike zone for a shorter period of time. The slower pick up on a 5.1 can also cause trouble for anglers working heavier cover, if you are trying to muscle a big fish out of heavy cover the more line you pick-up on each crank the quicker you will gain control of the situation. Often companies tag a lower speed reel as a "power reel" which I find a little odd as usual when power fishing I may be moving the bait slow but once hooked up I want that extra speed to pull the fish home

What it's good for?: A 5.1 is perfect for baits that require constant slow retrieves, like big swim baits and even jigs that you are dragging and hopping along structure. These baits notoriously force anglers to slow down their retrieve, but by opting for a 5.1 your letting the reel do the work for you

Recommended Reel: The Daiwa Lexa 300PWR is a great example of a 5.1 speed bait casting reel. It may be low speed but this over sized spool, high powered reel pairs very well with swim baits.

6.3 - The Standard is set

Like the 5.1 a 6.3 speed reel varies in the amount of line it picks up per turn, but you can safely bet that on average a 6.3 will fall between 28 and 30 inches depending on the size of the spool.

This is the most commonly used reel speed by anglers, and it is perfect for many techniques including crank bait fishing, top-water, spinner bait fishing, worming and much more. In all honesty there is nothing this speed reel can't do, it allows you to slow down or speed up when required, thus making it the best all around choice for those in the market for your first or 100th bait casting reel

Recommended Reel: The Daiwa Tatula is available in all the sizes covered in this article but for me personally I prefer to throw the 6.3 speed version. Mainly because I use my Tatulas for small to medium flipping baits and jigs. I fish these baits mainly in open water and/or sparse cover, as I move to heavier cover situations I then start to look at the 7.1 (at times)

7.1 - Fast & Furious 

Picking up on average 32-37 inches of line per turn, a 7.1 speed reel is often know as a burner (or it was until the 8.1 came along), these reels stepped up the game of the 6.3 offering anglers some extra line pick-up for those times when big fish and heavy cover make you sweat!

Like a 5.1 the 7.1 reel is not for everyone or every bait, its faster retrieve can and will alter the way your bait was designed to swim, so when using one for the first time, keep an eye on your retrieve and your bait to ensure it is performing as expected. 7.1 Speed reels are perfect for baits that do not required a constant retrieve, but often require some added pick-up once the fish is hooked.. Dock fishing is a good example, a 7.1 speed reel allows you extra pick-up to pull the fish out before he gets you wrapped up and it also allows you to bring the bait back to the boat quicker then ready to make a next cast

Recommended Reel: The Daiwa Zillion is the king of reels, and when I purchased my one and only Zillion (to date) I made it a 7.1 so I could see what all the fuss was about.. although it goes against everything I have typed above, this reel found its way onto my spinner bait rod (Dobyns DX744) and for some reason it just fits.. I mainly (or exclusively) throw 1/2oz war eagle spinner baits, this reel allows me to easily run the bait at various depths and even wake it (not a typo I said "wake it")

8.1 - Whoa Did you see that?

All the rage in 2013 the 8.1 speed reel steps up to the table offering the angler a average 34+ inches of line per rotation, this speed is pretty crazy and makes we wonder where it will all end.. that being said there is a place for this reel in your arsenal especially if your a Frog fisherman.

No other technique is better suited to an 8.1 then frog fishing, the massive amounts of line this style reel eats up on the retrieve allows frog fisherman to cast their baits further with the confidence that their rod and reel will bail them out when battling a fish at long distance.. Frog fisherman are also known to burn baits back to the boat quickly once the frog is out of the targeted strike zone, or when they miss a blow up and want to throw a follow-up bait,  an 8.1 reel will help you eat up valuable seconds in both these situations making sure you keep your bait wet longer.

Recommended Reel: Check out the Daiwa Tatula Hyper Speed reel, paired with a Dobyns 736c and you will have an amazing frog fishing combo



When I started writing this article I was pretty sure I had the bases covered, but a quick look at the cover of the In-Fisherman 2014 gear guide, I noticed that one company is out to break the speed limit and will be releasing a 9.1 in 2014.. Whats next?

Guest Blog: Austin Kayak - Outfitting your Kayak for the perfect fishing trip

To learn more check out Austin Kayaks or Kayak fishing in general, check out their website @ www.austinkayak.com or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/austinkayak

Note: This is officially the first Guest Blog to hit the pages of BassJunkies Fishing Addiction. When I was contacted by Austin Kayaks  I did my home work and the team at Austin were given nothing but rave reviews from friends and fellow anglers that spend their time fishing from a Kayak. 

Year of the Jig: Alternative Trailer Options

As anglers we often talk about the right size or colour, but believe me when I say there are times when neither of these matter, and what the fish really wants is simply somthing different!  And there is no other bait that is easier to tweak then a jig.. simply switching up your trailer can and will offer the fish somthing new, so here are 4 alternatives to the standard jig trailer...

Flipping baits like the Gambler Lures Ugly Otter make great jig trailers. With ribbed bodies and wide flat tails these baits add some serious bulk and water movement to your jig. In times in which you want to slow down your presentation but still make your presence felt, these are a great alternative to a standard claw or chunk. Depending on the size of your jig you may need to trim or bite off a bit of the bait, but the smaller otters fit nearly perfect 

Ribbon tails are not exactly a novel idea and have been used for years by some anglers but I do think they are overlooked by the masses who don't realize how productive they can be on the end of a jig.

What I really like about using a ribbon tail as a trailer is that it gives your jig the look of a faster fall, without really adding much speed. Below Im using a Berkley Havoc Juice Worm, I really like the thicker longer ribbon that Berkley uses on this worm, though it can be a bit long for a trailer. 

Ribbon tails work best on swim jigs, but they do improve the "hop" of your flipping or football jig. 

Pictured below is an El Grande Lures Jr. Gila Monster that I rescued from my dead bait pile. We all have a dead bait piles, that are  filled with baits that have been ripped or torn up by fish. This Gila had head damage but the tail was still in perfect condition, so I ripped the body in half (just in front of the back legs) and slid it on my jig. This really gives the jig a larger.. or longer profile and the Gila tail imparts great action. 

I like a combo like this around timber, it still has a nice slow fall, but the heavily salted tail floats upward on the pause giving the fish a nice target. 

My favourite and most productive alt-trialer is the Power Team Lures Hammer Shad The 3.5" version is great for smaller jigs like the Ganns Performance 1/4 dragging jig (the jig used throughout this article). It has the perfect whip tail that gives the jig extra motion but still that slow fall and compact look.

A reader recommended I give the Power Team Lures Swinging Hammer a try, so I have since placed an order for some.. results to follow

If you noticed all of the above alt-trailers were fished on the exact same jig. The reason I did this was to show you how easy it was to switch baits, without really switching baits. As stated above this quick and simple change will often improve your bite. So forget about colour, forget about size, and try somthing new!


FYI: Of the above 4, the Power Team lures Hammer shad was the most success during my last few outings.

Fall Fishing.. What you should know (Part 1) : Grass, Rock & Wood.. the holy trinity

Fishing in the fall can be both highly rewarding, and highly frustrating, often the difference between these two results can be very small. Here is part one of a two part series on what it takes to be successful in the fall...

In this first section we are going to focus on talking about the various types of structure we as bass anglers target, and in doing so I'm often reminded of the kids  game "rock, paper, scissors", you know, grass beats rock, but rock beats wood and so on and so on.

Grass

This is pretty simple, when fishing grass in the fall, your main objective is to search out "green" or living grass. As the temps drop the weeds begin to wither and  die off,  along with all the oxygen they provide. Bass tend to hold to or just outside living "green" grass. This serves two purposes.. oxygen and cover for ambushing prey.

When fishing grass in the fall I like to work the 1-2-3 punch of  a Jig,  a spinner bait, and top water. The Jig I will often fish on the outer edge of the weed and up to 3ft inside the remaining bed. The key here is to downsize from your bulky summer jigs and opt for a slower fall rate. Swim jigs or finesse jigs are great for this presentation.

When fishing a spinnerbait my goal is to cover water, and entice an active bite. I start off by slow-rolling the spinnerbait along/across the weed edge, and then I will fish a larger portion of the bed as long as there is enough water to keep my blades above the weeds, but not so high that it turns into a wake bait. I don't spend a great deal of time searching the whole bed unless I get a couple early fish.. then like most anglers I may be there all day..lol

Lastly Top-Water is a great way to fish weed beds in the fall. To be successful its all about the noise.. so put away those quiet walking baits and break out the poppers and/or  buzz baits.

Buzz baits to me are the quintessential  Fall top water bait, they are loud, and can be run at various speeds, but they work best in the early to mid fall while the fish are still fairly active and willing to chase down baits, but as the air and water temps drop your going to want to put them away and break out your favourite popper (may I recommend the Deps Pulsecode)

Rock

I'm more of a visible structure fisherman, so timber and weeds are my first and second priorities when bass fishing, but as the seasons change so must we, and rock points and gravel shoals are a good place to look for fish as the water temps dip. 

Many anglers falsely believe that rocks are for smallmouth only, sure rocks are home for many bruiser smallies,  but as the season moves on, you can and will often find largemouth bass cruising rock structure in search of bait fish, because of this I change up my approach slightly by including a medium (to deep) diving crank bait in the mix 

Obviously crank-baits are the ultimate in bait fish imitators, so it is important to match the hatch and to use a bait that will get you down deep enough to make contact with the bottom from time to time. stirring things up is a must and will help ring the dinner bell for these cruising fish

Top Water would be my second way to tackle rock piles, like with grass I find that buzz baits and or poppers are your best bet, and to be honest I usually stick with poppers over rocks, don't ask me why as it just comes down to personal preference.

Wood

I left wood till the last because i find it to be the most unpredictable of the three. (Wood for the purposes of this article includes submerged timber, floating timber, partially submerged timber and docks). Why is wood the most unpredictable target in the fall?  because it's success relies on the its proximity to grass (green) and or rock... so maybe its not as unpredictable as I'm leading you to believe?

Wood in the fall is not used by bass for the purposes of shade, but for ambushing prey. So when fishing timber or  docks in the fall, I'm more apt to focus on the edges and trying to draw our aggressive fish. The best way to do this is (in my opinion) is with swim jigs and spinnerbaits.

When flipping docks and timber with a jig, I'm looking for a nice slow fall, to achieve this you can either downsize your jig (1/4oz) or up size your trailer. Fall is also the time of year you are more likely to find me trying out various jig colours. In the summer months I stick with black, black and black, but in the fall I will start to break out the browns and oranges. Try multiple casts to various points, being sure to make contact with the wood whenever you can.

Spinnerbaits I will use in two or three ways. If fishing docks I will run them along both sides of the dock (the entire length of the dock) and I will cast them at a 45 degree angle off the front corners. This gets me a hair under the front lip of the dock to help draw the attention of any fish that may be holding a bit deeper in. When fishing a spinnerbait on submerged timber the key is to cover all sides of the timber and bang into and off of it as much as possible

Remember both timber and docks can bring you success in the fall, but you need to be aware of your surroundings. If there is no live vegetation near by, there will be no bait fish and no reason for the bass to use this timber as an ambush point.


Thanks for reading part one of this 2 part series on Fall fishing.

When Punching with the big boys, always bring your skirt!

I dont know about you, but when Im flipping, pitching or punching baits, Im always trying to walk that fine line between a bulky profile (to be easily seen) and a streamlined body, to slip between the cover with ease.. how do you get the best of both worlds? thats easy, put on a skirt!

Punching Skirts are not a new thing, they have been around for years, but many anglers choose to ignore them and Im not sure why? similar to a jigs skirt a punching skirt really beefs up your baits profile all the while allowing you to downsize or streamlining the bait you are using. I often pair a jig skirt with a worm bait (ribbon tails are a great choice)  or longer thinner flipping baits like the Reaction Innovation "Kinky beaver" seen above. The Skirt gives both of these baits a nice large profile on the fall and rest, yet it still allows them to slip through holes in the slop or pads.

think of a jig skirt like it is an accessory for your baits. It allows you to impart more action, as well as add or change colors. Like a jig trailer I find it is better to use a skirt that matches up with your bait, but offers some subtle color changes.. above Im using a "donkey punch" or light pumpkinseed coloured kinky beaver paired with a pumpkinseed and purple highlighted skirt.. I think they mach up well

Tip: Look for Jig skirts with a nice thick rubber ring (see the red in the above pic). This projects your knot from banging up against your weight and any structure. thus increasing the durability of your rig

Just because they are called "punch skirts" doesn't mean thats there only purpose, really they can be used in any situation in witch you would normally throw a jig, but want the comfort an enclosed hook, or to be able use a larger bait (jig trailers only go so far). Many anglers when learning to throw a jig quickly get frustrated by having to rip it through the grass due to the exposed hook, baits rigged with a punch skirt offer the same profile without this irritation.

Tip: Think outside the box, as stated above punch skirts aren't just for punching anymore, you can pair them up with a variety of baits. It you are feeling adventurous try rigging one up on a texas rigged swim bait, the paddle tail and skirt combo call fish in from miles around.

Dont take my word for it, get out on the water and give a punch skirt a try, you won't be disappointed, and remember, real men fish with skirts!

Wear Sunscreen - Life Lessons for a Tournament Angler

Many of you may remember a Chicago tribune newspaper article from 1997 that was entitled "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young". If  not, you may at least remember the song it was subsequently turned into entitled  "Wear Sunscreen". If you have never read , nor listened to it, then you need to stop what your doing read it, then come back and read my take take on these life lessons for a tournament angler.. I apologize now for my poor yet blatant attempt recreating this article.. sorry Mary


"Wear Sunscreen, If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The Long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proven by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advise now..." - Mary Schmich

Not all of those who win cheat, but all those who cheat loose

There will be days that you will be beaten by anglers who are better then you, There will be days you are beaten by anglers who are not , and there will be days when you are beaten purely by yourself!

Have fun

One bite can change your entire day, that bite may come at 7:01am or it may come at 2:59pm, and sometimes there may be very few bites in-between, make each bite count, hook-sets are free

Have a game plan, even if you don't end up using it

Don't worry about the price of gas, run the lake until your time is up or your tank is empty

fish!

Shake hands with your competitors, share in there success and  maybe one day they will be sharing in yours.

read fishing magazines, you will learn more for the articles then all the pretty pictures

Always enter the "big fish" pool, like the lottery you never know when it will be your turn, and when your numbers do come up, you better hope you played

Don't let memories of past catches effect how you fish today. Memories like Fish tales are often embellished.

You only opponent is the fish themselves, don't worry about who you are fishing against, chances are they are not worrying about you

Fishing partners are like spouses, so pick one you enjoy being being with, in good times and in bad (In the early days the bad times may come often)

Pre-fish,  even just for a few hours, as simply being on the lake will provide you with more valuable information then you can get any where else

Everyone looses a fish now and again, you are not alone.. move on

never believe the weatherman, and trust me on the sunscreen...




 - This article was influence in part by the sheer genius that is ""Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" by Mary Schmich, please do your self a favour and ready her original article, not only does it provide valuable life lessons, but at the same time it will give you a good laugh

Fishing from Memories: The Home Lake Disadvantage

Dustin and I are living proof that fishing your home lake in a tournament does not always mean you have the advantage. Way to often old memories will get in the way of a solid game plan. Here are 3 tips on how to avoid "the Home lake Disadvantage"(from experience)


Stick with your game plan:

we have all been there, your a few hours in to a tournament and your game plan is not working, sure you have fish, but nothing with size, so instead of continuing with your days game plan you abandon it and start the process of fishing with memories, your mind races and all the spots you have pulled a big fish out of flash before your eyes and before you even know whats happening you are speeding across the lake to flip a single brush pile that you pulled a 5lber off of way back in 1995

Sound familiar? It should, we all do it (some of us are just not willing to admit it). A Solid game plan is often built from doing your homework, this includes a  recent pre-fish and review of how the lake has been fishing this season (including water level, weed growth and so on) Fishing from memories is like studying from a 1930's textbook, sure they got some of it right, but times have changed




Fish the Conditions: 

Weather conditions play a big part of how and where you will catch fish. Memories of a big fish are often vivid but rarely include the days weather forecast. Sure you may recall that it was sunny or raining, but what was the temperature or wind conditions, not just for that day but the days or weeks prior. These will all play into where the fish are, and if the bite will be as good as you remember.

If you start a fishing logbook this will help you better remember these fine details and you will no longer be fishing from memories but instead have the knowledge to make a decision on if you think that old memory will be worth revisiting today.

tip: Often anglers abandon the idea of doing daily logs, why,  because we are too lazy to type all the info in.. and simply put, "we just want to fish". So instead of completing the log on the water, simply use your smart phones voice recorder and briefly lay out the days details.. weather conditions, fish caught, how and where. At the end of the day you can then start to turn these into notes.


Remember the time:

A few years ago when preparing to fish a tournament on Dustin's home lake (Weslemkoon) we  drew up our game plan focusing on the areas we had had the most success. The day of the event we ran to our first spot and fished the hell out of it for 2 hours.. nothing. We threw everything but the kitchen sink at them, and finally came to terms that something was wrong..

Looking at my watch I asked the question: 'What time do you think we usually hit this spot?" after a short pause Dustin responded with "early afternoon".. DOH, we had just spent two hours of our morning working an area that does not usually heat up until the afternoon, why? because our memories of the fish caught often don't include the time of day we caught them.

Like weather conditions time will play a part in where the fish are, looking back on that day I cant believe we didn't realize it sooner as this spot was clearly an area the fish would move into for cover in the heat of the day. Sure we may have picked off one or two in the morning, but all of our past success came in the afternoon when the sun was high

The Wrap Up:


Don't get me wrong, big fish memories are a great thing, but they need to be left at home, mounted on your wall or in photographs. Don't bring them to the lake with you, each time you hit the lake you have an new opportunity to make new memories. But the only way to do that is to let go of the past, remember the only pattern should be following is today's

The Year of the Jig: Ganns Performance Tackle

As an angler Im constantly looking to improve or hone my skills by trying out new techniques and forcing myself to fish water or situations I would not normally fish. In doing so I have kinda started something similar to a new years resolution and that is each season I pick a bait or technique and spend time attempting to learn or even perfect it. 2013 is the Year of the Jig

Being an angler born and raised in the Kawarthas I was taught to fish many shallow water techniques, like worming, punching and of course frog fishing. But those who taught me were not jig fisherman (though jigs are now common place on Kawartha lakes). So I have spent most of my life fearing the jig.. not any more


One of the great things about learning a new technique like Jig fishing is that it allows you to buy new equipment. When I started this mission I owned very few jigs, so I asked around.. "What makes a great jig", "who makes the best jig" and although I received various responses to this, one name came  up over and over again: Gann's Performance Tackle .. so thats where I started

Before I made my first purchase,  I called a few buddies who are known for their success with a jig, and I spent some time reviewing my notes from a Bass Talk seminar I  attended a couple seasons back that just happened to have a segment on jigs and jig fishing (hosted by Doug Brownridge). Here is what I took away from this discussion, and what I used to make my first jig purchase

1) Focus on Basic Colours - Avoid brights or unnatural colours
2) Pick one or two sizes and stick with them
3) The More strands the slower the fall

So armed with the above Info I headed to the Gann's website and started to narrow down my choices. Ganns has three jig head options,and being new to jig fishing I felt I should give each one a shot and see what works best for me. Following the above guidelines I opted to focus mainly on 1/2oz jigs as my everyday size, and then a 1/4oz (if available) for finesse situations. By choosing just one size Im able to quickly get the hang of how that jig feels in the water, and when it starts to feel different I know its time to set the hook.

As for colour choices I started out with a few variations on black, and a few baitfish and craw options. (The above is Jig is Colour 23 - Sunfish) Although Ganns does not carry any crazy colours like neons, I still avoided baits with bright yellows or that were predominantly one colour. This is simply personal preference and of course is falls within the above guidelines.

Tip: If your new to jig fishing (like me) it does not hurt to ask the company you are purchasing from to add a jig or two of their choice. When I called Ganns and gave them my order I asked them to add 2 jigs that they think are must haves (there choice, size, style and colour). It added a nice surprise element to my order and it got me to try something I have have regularly overlooked.

Ok, so you have made your first jig order, and it's time to start using them. This is where it can get awkward as learning a new technique can take time, and this means you have times when you will not be catching fish.. As a beginner I decided to start off my on water testing by focusing on high percentage areas, like large weed beds and sunken timber. Both of these areas often hold fish (big and small) but can also be frustrating to a new jig fisherman who will spend a great deal of time ripping weeds off their bait or loosening them from the fallen timber. Don't give up as the payoff will be well worth your effort.

The above fish was taken during one of my first jig fishing outings. I was working a large weed bed by flipping the jig into any pocket I could see. He hit it on the first fall and nearly swallowed it whole...what a blast

So, earlier on I explained what I was taught to looked for when buying a jig, and  how this lead me to Ganns, but here is why I will be staying with them: First off they are a high quality product,   all jigs  have hand tied skirts paired up with a super strong Gamakatsu hook (4/0 or 5/0). Important to me and often overlooked is a jigs bait keeper. Ganns uses a double wire keeper that holds on tight and no matter how much weed your ripping through your chunk will stay in place.

Tip: Often I have seen and heard anglers talk about trimming skirts and weedgaurds on their jigs, and although I can see some value to this, I want to stress that this should never be done until you have fished with the jig. Both of these components will effect how the jig fishes. Less skirt will speed up the fall, and less weedgaurd may effect how well the jig moves through the weeds and or timber.. so fish befor your alter. Remember the old adage "it;s insulting to salt your food prior to tasting it" the same goes for your baits. To this day I have been happy with the "out of box" performance of my Ganns jigs and I have not altered them in any way

So there you have it, part two of my "Year of the Jig" series. Stay tuned for posts on tailors, rods and of course a season recap. If you have any input or comments  please share, us newbies can use all the help we can get

One Month In - Whats Working & Whats Not Working

Ok, so the bass season in Ontario has now been open for just over a month now. And as with any new season it takes some time to adjust to the weather conditions, the changes in the water, and of course the fish.. here is what's been working for me:

Frog Fishing:

Did you you even have to ask? since opening day I have been throwing frogs on lake after lake with some pretty good success. What I have noticed this season is that I have been picking up more fish in sparser cover, then in the thicker pads and/or slop. I believe this has to do with cooler water temps still and the fish not really feeling the urge to bury themselves as deep into the cover. 

My success with buzz or swim toads has been limited, I have found slower presentations to be the ticket so far in 2013 and thus I have focuses on popping frogs and standard hollow bodies that I can move slower but still draw fish in even in open water conditions

Frog's of choice: Ish Popping Phattie is my current go-to for the 2013 Season

Spinnerbaits:

for the past 3 season I have been a spinnerbait addict, I love to throw one and often look for situations in which I can throw one until my arms hurt. I've had  great success with a spinnerbait right from the start this year (my NY trip back in May) and have been able to pick up fish in shallow (2ft) and as deep as 8ft. So far most of my success has come on slow rolls or on the pause when the blades are ripped out of the weeds. If you are having trouble with the spinner bait bite be sure to watch your speed and alter it to see if that motivates the fish to bite

One great thing about a spinnerbait is that they are fishable in almost all weather conditions. This year we have experiences a lot of rain and wind, and in these conditions the spinnerbait excels.. that being said cooler temps will cool off the spinnerbait bite, so if your going to throw one..slow down

Spinnerbait of Choice: No surprises here, I have been throwing the War Eagle Screaming Eagle spinnerbait in white, and.. white for 3 seasons now. It is the only bait I throw and it work

Flipping & Pitching

whether it is flipping docks, pads or shoreline timber, I have held a flipping stick in my hand a great deal this first month of the 2013 Bass season. The bite has been so hot that I find specific bait and/or colours have not been as important as the actual bait sizes. So far in this early part of the season the fish seem to have been looking for a bulkier bait with a larger profile. For example I have had much greater success flipping tubes, then flipping worms.

Weight is also important, so far I have had to keep two rods rigged up, one with a 1/4oz and the other with a 1/2 z tungsten. Though for the most part the fish in open water situations have been more prone to hit the 1/4oz rigged baits, I keep the 1/2 rigged to pound through the thick slime that seems to be building up fast and furious around the shorelines.

Flipping baits of choice: El Grande Lures Tube (blue gill and baby bass colours have been the ticket)

Dobyns Rods Tip of the Month: Dock Fishing with a Swim Jig

Ok, so it has been awhile since I posted a Dobyns Rod tip of the month.. and even longer since I posted a video from my good buddy Paul Mueller.. so why not kill two birds with one stone

In the July tip of the month Paul will walk you through his process of attacking docks with a swim jig. He not only explains his presentation but what equipment you'll need and how to set up your reel if you wan to get the job done properly.

to check out more of Paul's videos check out his Youtube page HERE, and if you want to keep up on all Dobyns Rods Tips of the Month all you need to do is "like" their Facebook page found HERE

Fishing Tip: How to Pack for an Fishing Trip

Packing for a multi-day fishing trip is like packing for any other vacation, if you wait to the last minute and rush it, there is a good chance your going forget something, but unlike that forgotten tube of toothpaste, it is not as easy to swing by the corner store to replace a missing key piece of fishing equipment... Here are some tips on how to pack for those extended Fishing trips

Step 1: Prepare Early 

When packing for an extended trip I try to begin the packing process no later then 2 full days prior to the trip. For example when preparing for my recent trip to Lake Erie, I was scheduled to leave late on Wednesday evening, so I began my packing process on the Sunday prior to leaving.

I find that starting the process early, not only helps you keep a mental inventory of what you actually need on the trip, but it gives you time to make changes, add items you may have forgotten about, and remove items that you realize are overkill or unneeded.

Step 2: Keep all your gear in one place

When starting to pack or compile the items I need for a trip, I try to always keep them together. I start to make a pile of gear and clothing in a spare room, and any food I'm taking will be stored together on the counter or on the same shelf in the fridge. Too often I have heard stories from anglers who forgot something simply because they had their gear spread out all over the house. Only having to check one spot, makes loading the car quick and painless

Step 3: Be Prepared

There is a fine line between under and over preparing for a trip, and you need to find that happy medium. When talking about gear that simply means you need to pack the gear you plan to fish, and you need to pack the gear you will end up fishing when the weather, conditions or the fish don't co-operate.

Please don't misunderstand this, and attempt to pack your entire fishing arsenal for your trip, the idea here is to select one or two fish catching techniques that are polar opposites to the techniques you actually plan to fish. As an example, if the plan to fish shallow cranks, as a backup I will always throw one or two deep diving cranks into my shallow crank box, as "just in case" baits.

Tip: I organize all my baits into technique specific plano boxes (Deep Cranks, Shallow Cranks, Top water and so on) but I always keep a spare empty box that I label "trip box" I fill this box up with odds and end that I don't plan to use, but want to take "just in case".

Step 4: Don't trust the Weather Forecast

This one is kinda self explanatory, but to be blunt, I don't care if you are fishing in the middle of the Sahara desert, you need to pack your rain gear. I dont care if the forecast calls for 3 days of pouring rain or maybe even  a snowstorm, you still need to pack sunscreen. This may sound obvious, but even as I type this I can easily recall multiple time in which I did not take my own advise, and paid for it dearly

Weather is a  huge intangible when  preparing for a multi-day fishing trip, and if you want to enjoy your time on the water, you need to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at you. You can thank me later

Tip: There are a select number of items that I always ensure to pack (2) two of. For example I pack 2 pairs of shoes, 2 Hats and 2 pairs of sunglasses.  All three of these items are key to a safe and comfortable day on the water. I know we have all been there, your hat fly's off during blast-off, or your sunglasses get dropped in the water (or maybe sat on), and lastly depending on the style and brand of shoe you wear, a full day in the rain will leave them still soggy and cold for the next days outing. Think about it!

Step 5: Take Your time

This is important to remember as rushed packing leads to rushed decisions, so pack slowly and think it through. The same goes for when your loading the the gear into your car, and finally when packing back up at the end of the trip, "no rod left behind" is a motto to live by.

Tip: Protecting your gear while traveling is important, there is nothing worse then driving for hours to get to your destination, only to find a rod tip or guide snapped off. I protect my gear with the full line of Rod Glove products, this includes the rod gloves themselves, as well as rod wraps and the reel gloves to keep my reels looking pretty. Any pre-rigged baits are wrapped in a bait glove, to keep the hooks from rubbing on other rods or getting tangled up



Fishing Trips are exciting, I hope this quick 5 Step program makes your next fishing trip a successful one, on and off the water. And remember, no matter where you are, or where your  going, treat every body of water like it was your home lake.