are
shallow and you have some wind, you better be burning a gaudy chartreuse on chartreuse double willow about as fast as you can crank the handle. Smallmouth will absolutely crush your bait. When this happens, you will thank me.
GEAR UP
In my opinion, there are few things more fun in bass fishing than having a big bass stop your spinnerbait dead in its tracks. The force can knock the rod from your hands, if you are not prepared. This is power fishing at its best and equipment choices are
12
important. Choose correctly and your chance for success are maximized. Choose wrong and you may be left with only heartbreak.
For moving baits like a
spinnerbait, I have always
like a glass rod. The Cousins
Tackle FRB 733T has the
right amount of tip, a
parabolic bend and plenty
of backbone. Its ability
to keep fish from coming
unbuttoned and its power
to handle big fish makes
it ideal. I match it to a
low profile high-speed
casting reel filled with
16-pound Gamma Edge
Fluorocarbon.
Finally, a specialized
technique certainly
requires a specialized
spinnerbait.
BLADE SELECTION
Willow leaf blades
are made for speed and
flash, making a compact-
framed double willow
with downsized blades
the weapon of choice. I
have had good success with a ½-ounce Pepper Custom Baits Clear Water Elite, as it checks all the boxes. All that is left to do is to add a free swinging 1/0 Gamakatsu Siwash trailer hook.
For open water applications, I like the aptly named Pepper Custom Baits Open Water Assassin which features a free-swinging feathered hook in place of the standard, single fixed hook. Bait fish patterns, such as Purple Illusion, Chartreuse/While and Barbarian Shad get the nod. Just remember if you are targeting smallmouth, a solid Chartreuse bait is a must.
If you have never tried burnin’ a blade, give it a try. Why? Because speed matters.
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