Spring 2018
I target long points on lakes and isolated island tops, for me, it’s one of the most fun ways to fish! I throw my jerkbait on a 13 Fishing 7’3” Omen Black M/H Fast Casting Rod, paired with a Concept A Reel spooled with 10- to 12-pound fluorocarbon
SPRINGTIME DROPSHOTTING
Second up on my list is the dropshot. As a true year- round bait, the dropshot can be fished in so many ways. You can fish it shallow, deep, weedless in cover, or wacky in open water.
This is the bait I throw on those clear blue bird days that don’t have much wind. I like to keep things slow and simple in these tough conditions. In clear water, I stick with my shad-colored worms and when the water is stained, I switch to brown and purple worms.
I like the dropshot on clear days, because bass are usually tucked away from the sun ready to ambush their next meal. I target rock piles and off shore structures using my graphs to locate the fish and then drop the bait right in front of them watching the bait and the fish on the screen at the same time. It’s a blast! Fishing a dropshot slow and methodical will help you find those sneaky fish a lot better.
When it’s sunny and slick out, bass tend to find shade even if the water is still cool. Bass will escape from the sun in grass, docks, laydowns, or structures, because it keeps them comfortable and hidden when feeding. Fishing a dropshot that allows you to adjust the bait to exactly where the fish are will keep that bait in the strike zone longer and will amount to more bites.
TARGETS:
If the bass are on the bottom, go with a short leader and keep the bait close to the bottom. If they are off the bottom, you can use a longer leader to put the bait right in front of them. I like to fish the dropshot wacky in open water and rig it weedless when fishing cover. It’s a great all- around bait and excels when conditions are tough.
My setup is a 13 Fishing 7’1” M/L Omen Black Spinning Rod with a 2000 Creed GT Spinning Reel. I prefer 15-pound braid to 6- to 8-pound fluorocarbon leader.
SPRINGTIME SWIMBAITS
Third up is small swimbaits. They are one of the most consistent baits out there and work in almost every weather condition! Fish eat fish, it’s as simple as
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