Lures and Lunker Largemouths
Use a combination of baits to land the big
one
by Kevin Lee McIver
I'm always amazed when I go fishing and see
anglers casting the same lure over and over, without getting a single
strike. I am even more amazed when they start to complain.
"Didn't get a single bite -- guess the
fish weren't hungry." This is ridiculous. I'm no Roland Martin or
Bill Dance (my favorite pros), but I do catch my fair share of
largemouths.
And like the pros, I keep three fishing
rods ready at all times -- and each with a different lure. Depending on
the weather conditions and fishing activity, I rig these rods a crankbait,
a spinner bait and a soft plastic bait.
Most anglers who use this method will tell
you if a strike is missed on one of the hard baits, quickly pitch out a
plastic bait and you'll get another chance. Many times a bass that has
just missed a fast crankbait will hit a spinner or plastic worm when
retrieved past the same location.
Last weekend, I put this theory into
practice at Georgia's West Point Lake. After missing a good bass off a
submerged log, I followed up with a plastic worm and netted a keeper
lunkerhead.
Since I like to support the $2 billion
fishing industry, when a new bait comes along, I have to buy one. One of
the best baits to be introduced within the last five years are the soft
plastic jerk baits. These innovative lures have an erratic, injured
baitfish action which triggers savage strikes for nearby bucket mouths.
The versatility of jerk baits are one of
it's best attributes. You can rig it "Carolina" style to bounce
off the bottom, or "Texas" rigged so you can pitch it inside
thick vegetation. Jerk baits are nearly snag-proof, making it an excellent
choice for anglers fishing hydrilla.
If jerk baits have any negative attributes,
I would say it would be the difficulty in setting the hook due to the
thickness of the plastic body. When Texas rigged, you must allow the bass
to get a good grip before you set the hook. This is quickly learned
through trial and error (and a few missed strikes).
If you haven't tried any of the new
soft-plastic jerk baits, give it a try. At least that old bass will see
something different than the same crankbait you been flippin' past him all
day.
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