Summer 2018
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When I’m fishing offshore I always throw a marker buoy near the spot I’m fishing so I have a visual on where to make my cast.
Jack Gavin
FLIPPIN’ WEEDS
One of my favorite ways to fish deep weeds or open pockets is to flip a jig or Texas-rigged creature bait.
I use a 1/2- to 3/4-ounce War Eagle jig or rig a Zoom creature bait, such as a Super Hog, Speed Craw or Z-Craw on a 4/0 Lazer TroKar TK 130 flippin’ hook with a tungsten weight.
I use a tungsten weight; because I can use a bigger weight, while keeping a small profile. This helps to reduce the chance of getting hung up in the weeds.
With either of these baits I’ll flip it to the weed edge or in the open water pocket and let it fall to the bottom. As it is sinking, I watch the for any ticks or jumps, as sometimes the bass will hit it on the fall. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll jig the bait a few times and then reel it up and repeat the process.
When pitchin to the edge or into open water pockets, I’ll use 20-pound Seaguar Flippin’ Fluorocarbon line spooled on a Wright & McGill Victory II high speed baitcast reel.
My rod of choice is the Witch Doctor Tackle Oracle pitching stick (7’6” or 7’8”). This extra-heavy power rod allows me to pitch all day long, without getting fatigued. The power of this rod allows me to hook up on a bass and get them away from the dense vegetation
PUNCHIN’ WEEDS
If the target vegetation has become matted and the bass are positioned beneath its canopy, I use a punching rig to get down where the bass are hiding below.
My favorite way to target these bass is with a heavy weighted Texas-rig. Like I mentioned above, tungsten has a smaller profile than lead; so, I can use a 1 or 11/2-ounce weight to punch through the cover.
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Jack Gavin