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ver the years of bass fishing tournaments and
guiding, I have had the fortune to watch the
industry evolve by leaps and bounds. Every year, there are new baits, techniques, and equipment that
are introduced. Some interesting and useful, others just
hype.
As I see all this new development and innovation come
to life, I always ask myself the same couple of questions.
How effective is it going to be? And is there an application
for the bodies of water in which I regularly fish?
This thought leads me to believe, that sometimes, we
as anglers tend to over complicate things. So, let us not; let
us focus on simple rigging methods and techniques that
are proven to be effective, efficient, and catch tournament
quality bass.
Being on the water with kids, and first-time anglers
frequently, I have found a few methods that work best.
These rigging methods are in no order. They are all useful in
different situations, and a great way to get started catching
fish.
SPLIT-SHOTTING
The first one that comes to mind for simplicity with great results is the split-shot rig. Honestly it does not get much easier than this. Simply tie on a hook and crimp a split-shot onto the line 8-inches to 16-inches above the hook. Then add any soft plastic you believe to be tempting or best match the hatch.
The weight leads the decent to the bottom and the bait trails lifelessly behind. The key to success with this method is to bump and drag the bottom. A round weight will suffice; however, I have found my best luck with a bullet shape or more cylindrical option. My two go-to baits to trail the split-shot would be Yamamoto Senko or a Zoom Brush Hog.
SOFT SWIMBAIT
On to number two. A small 2.8 to 3.8 soft swimbait rigged on a ball head, fish head or dart- head jig. Slide the plastic onto the hook and you are good to go.
There is no wrong way to fish this presentation. Cast and reel, drag the bottom, if it is in the water, it has a chance to get bit. I do keep a tube of Super Glue
handy to keep the bait from sliding down the hook. And to save a little money and get more bang for your buck, they can be fished just fine flipped over on the hook once they have been chomped a few times.
FLOAT ‘N’ FLY
The third option is great for kids and makes any angler feel like a kid again. This is the Float ‘N’ Fly. Who does not love watching a bobber get pulled under?
This method simply requires a slip-float, bobber stop, and fly. As far as rigging it correctly, it is a little more complicated than the two that I previously mentioned. However, the ease and functionality of fishing it makes it great for beginners. Once you have grasped the concept and understand how it works, it is a blast to watch sit on the water anticipating a strike. Plus, I have guided some incredible bags with this technique.
FLUKE
Coming in at number four is a presentation that lives on the deck of my boat, and that is the fluke. Once again it is a
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Summer 2024
page 29