Westernbass Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Spring 2013, Page 39

Westernbass Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - Spring 2013, Page 39

football head. it has a bulky shape that pushes water against it for a real good swimming action. it is something that has gotten me a lot of bites. it is one of my top bait choices; because it mimics the baitfish and also has some flash like a vibrating jig.” This style of swim jiggin’ with the tNt Wadda jig is a top three lure presentation for Stewart in the spring and is an absolute favorite from late Feb. to early May. “This swim style jig technique will catch fish all year; but i cut my teeth on the Calif. delta and it just on fire there at this time of year,” said the top This pro. “i just love it for the warming days on the river. it gets harder to use when the emergent grass gets heavy. it is has a big profile for a feeding bass.”

DETAILS

elaborating on the cast and retrieve, Stewart explained that he typically positions his boat off the bank and makes long casts at a 45-degree angle looking for ambush points. “i’m looking for the same kind of areas that you would when fishing a chatterbait or a spinnerbait,” he continued. “You want to keep the casts long for a good distance to swim it; unless you find a good target cast to make. after you make a long cast, you want to crank the reel to get it to move a foot or so off the bank, (you don’t want to get caught up in the rock banks or thick vegetation)

spring 2013

and start a slow retrieve. That quick reel start is similar to what you would with a spinnerbait to make sure you don’t let it fall into the bank and get hung up on.” He noted two keys to attracting a bite while swimming a jig. The first was being able to make bottom contact on the slow retrieve; the other was deflection on wood, tules or other structure. “Most of the bites are going to come when you’ve struck something and the jig snaps off of it,” he said. “You can get a fair amount of bites in open water; but it works best went you bounce off something, or twist up in a grass clump and snap off. i will use it when i’m bed fishing; but it can be difficult to see in the water unless it’s very clear and shallow. if it is visible in the water then i know i can have good success with it.”

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