Winter 2019
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lure to use when bass are on bait and won’t respond to a dropshot or larger reaction baits.
FIND THE FORAGE
An underspin can be cast out and pulled through bait balls on light line finesse tackle as means to trick unsuspected bass to bite. Underspins are most effective on bass that are gorging themselves on hundreds of bite-sized baitfish.
According to Team Bling Fishing pro Rod Wynn, underspins are great when bass are not responding to Alabama rigs. Both Lain and Wynn agree that good electronics are a crucial factor in finding baitfish – a key to catching fish on underspins. Both use their Lowrance electronics and Navionics mapping cards to survey breaks, points, cuts and other key spots where baitfish are likely to congregate during the winter months.
“We have all heard the saying, find the bait and the fish will be nearby,” said Lain. “My Lowrance HDS Carbon and Navionics Regions West card plays a major role in locating the correct depths and presence of baitfish.”
Lain suggests different approaches to finding key locations to fish an underspin.
“On places such as Clear Lake, the bait will go into the sloughs and developments that are around the lake,” said Lain. “On places like Shasta or Oroville, the bait will go into the creeks during the winter.”
UNDERSPIN SELECTION
Once you find the bait and the fish, the next challenge is deciding on a style and weight of an underspin.
“We all know that it’s important to match the hatch,” said Mercury Marine pro Todd Woods. “When I won the FLW tournament at Clear Lake, the underspin played a huge role; because, the larger bass were keying on baitfish. They wouldn’t respond to other reaction baits.” There are many companies making underspins. Woods opts for small to medium underspins produced by Blade Runner Tackle.
“I like either a 3/8- or a ½-once underspin in either gold or the unpainted Spintrix,” Woods said. Lain and Wynn prefer smaller underspins made by Revenge.
“I like the underspins made by Revenge; because, they look very life-like,” said Lain. “The underspins produced today look very real in the water when paired with a swimbait trailer. No matter what size or shape underspin one chooses,
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