He throws his spinnerbait on his 7’ rod paired with a 6.3:1 reel, spooled with 20-pound Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon.
“Some guys like a slower reel; but I don’t because, I don’t want to waste time getting the bait back,” he said. “I can make more casts and be more efficient with this reel.”
A SICK SWIMBAIT
A five-inch Berkley Sick Fish is something that I will have on, no matter where I go,” said Reese. “A swimbait is the same presentation as the spinnerbait; but this is a confidence bait for me. You can catch a two-pounder on it or a nine-pounder on it.”
Reese likes Ghost Minnow as his top color choice; but will go with chartreuse shad in the earlier part of year, when facing dirtier water. He typically rigs the Sick Fish on a 5/0 Trokar Swimbait and upsizes to a 7/0 in heavier cover.
“If I am fishing, points for suspended fish in deeper water, I will fish it on a jighead – a ½- to ¾- or 1-ounce, triangle swimbait head,” he said. “I use a 7’6”
Swimbait/Carolina rig rod. It has a medium-h 7 e 0 avy
action, with more of a parabolic bend, so it loads up better. I use 20-pound line for either setup; but, I would go as light as 15-pound to slow roll in 20- to 30- feet of water.
“I use a 6.3:1 reel so that I can fish slowly to get the bite. You’ve really got to have patience to slow roll through the cover and you’ve got to keep the bait in contact with the stuff on the bottom. That is the key.”
Regardless of which of bait, you choose to try first, the takeaway from Reese’s info is the changes that have been and will be seen in California’s fisheries will impact fish behavior and changes in fish behavior always impact the angler.
“We’ve become accustomed to the way things have fished with the lower water levels and guys are used to having it that way for many years,” he said. “The changes will force some to struggle to find their way; but there is a bite out there. There is always a bite out there. It will just be a different bite. The guys that are embracing the new water levels and water colors and adjust to that bite are the guys that are going to be good.”
SPRING 2017
43
http://imalures.com/