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Winter 2018
page 44
to a finesse Texas-rig and entice a finicky bass to bite.
“I pick up my favorite spinning setup, rigged with a four or six-inch finesse worm,” said Kriet. “Lighter line will get you bites when the bite is tough; so what better presentation to work with when the bite gets extra tough. You will entice more bites in your day of fishing if you are fishing 6-pound test line instead of 10-pound test line. Everyone will tell you that day in and day out; so when the bite gets extra tough, pick up a rod that is going to get you bites. You cannot put bass into the livewell without getting the bites first.”
A few things to note here, when you are using light line pay special attention to your line after every bass that you catch. Take a few seconds to check it and if you note any nicks, retie! in fact, it’s better to retie after every other bass and not go more than two fish per knot.
Downsize Your Options: “Experiment with other finesse
offerings,” said Kriet. “Have a pack of four-inch ring worms to add to the mix and you cannot go wrong throwing a four- inch Trick Stick into the fold.
Each of these baits have a different fall rate and action. By experimenting and changing baits, I have taken slow days and bites and changed them into good days by just adapting to what I was facing. Let’s all face it, there will be days (and I have had many) that the bass just want a smaller offering to eat then the power baits we would rather feed them.”
As Kriet explained, when it comes down to it, use the finesse card to your advantage. When the bite is tough and the fish are finicky, do not fight finesse tactics! Embrace it and you will soon find out, it can save your day of fishing, more then it will spoil it. •