deeP smallmouths
make my first vertical drop on the bass, you set the hook and your rod bends under heavy weight! Unfortunately we both quickly realize you hooked the steel tower as the boat was drifting. i won’t repeat what you said, but you spent the next five minutes in the cold rain rigging a new dropshot rig.
i take the opportunity to point out that snags can be minimized when vertically fishing by keeping your line perfectly straight and directly below the boat. a straight line not only reduces snagging, but more importantly gives you the sensitivity needed to know a bass has clamped down on your worm. in your eagerness to start fishing, you dropped your worm while the boat was moving forward. By the time your cylindrical weight snaked its way to the bottom, your lure was well behind the boat, and your line weaved to the bottom with multiple control-robbing bends in it. The snag was predictable and preventable.
34
Just as you take off your gloves
to reach for a new hook, i shout
“Fishon!” Myrodtipispointing
directly below the trolling motor, and
throbs with each head shake of a
big bronzeback. although my drag
is properly set, i switch off the anti-
reverse so i am ready to back-reel
when the frantic bass dives. With
6-pound test Sugoi fluorocarbon line and a diminutive #4 Gamakatsu dropshot hook, the key to landing big bass is to maintain even pressure throughout the fight rather than letting the bass jerk and rip out the hook from inconsistent line tension.
Winter smallmouth generally dig deep when hooked, and thinking about the snaggy radio tower spurred me to put as much pressure on the bass as i dared. My line and hook both held, and i was relieved to feel Mama Pesce begin to move toward the surface. Moments later you notice how warm the lake water feels as you slip your hand into the mouth of more than 5-pounds of bronzeback beauty.
Pictures were warranted, so the big bass wasn’t immediately released to return to deep water before its swim bladder would expand. You wanted to learn how to fizz a smallmouth bass anyway, so i grabbed the hypodermic needle from the glove box and demonstrated the side method which is best. i also mention there is an excellent video on You tube that shows the process (www.youtube.com/watch?v=peeQrsHcwf8). after inserting the needle i hold the big bass underwater in my livewell until the gas bubbles finish escaping from the swim bladder. Slipping the bass back into the lake, her tail waves goodbye as she safely descends back to her home.
in the next 10 minutes i boat 3 more good bass from the same hump, and by now you are begging to feel your first bite. i hand you my backup rod rigged with a 3/8th ounce Quickdrop dropshot sinker, and instruct you to hold your rod tip just above the water surface and drop the Shad Shaped Worm straight to the bottom. You close the bail, tighten up the slack, and lift the Quickdrop inches above the bottom, and lower it back again. Now you have confirmed your line is perfectly straight and you are in touch with your worm. Moments later your sixth sense detects a slight weight on your rod tip so you lift up and find you are fast to a good bass! Finally, success! i recommend we take a break and eat those italian sausita sandwiches! Ciao!
http://www.quickdropsweights.com