Winter 2019
®
the reality is that a small to medium swimbait offers the best baitfish trailer.
Woods likes a paddle tail swimbait, such as a Basstrix because of the rocking action, which he believes is the best imitation an injured bait fish.
“I use either a four- or five-inch in Hitch color, said Woods. Lain and Wynn each like to use variations of smaller two- to four- inch swimbaits, such as the Reaction Innovation Skinny Dipper, Keitech Easy Shiner or the Keitech Swing Impact Fat.
3 WAYS FOR UNDERSPIN ACTION
Each of the anglers agree that there are three basic ways to fish the underspin.
#1
Cast the bait out
and let it hit the bottom with
a slow retrieve back to the
bait.
#2
Use electronics to
determine the depth of the fish and position your boat to
work the bait uphill through the bait balls. “The goal is to get
the bait to stay in the water column, where it swims in the
same range that the bait is present.”
#3
Employ a yo-yo or pumping action, while reeling
the bait back to the boat. According the Wynn, anglers
shouldn’t be afraid to use the yo-yo technique – if the straight wind is not producing strikes.
All three anglers agree that the underspin can be deadly effective when fished over dying grass or deep tree tops.
They also agree that there is very little hook setting, when feeling a bite on an underspin. Each suggest that a simple reel set is effective, when a bass inhales it, as most bites will merely load up on slack line.
UNDERSPIN GEAR
Lain’s underspin tackle
consists of a Daiwa Tatula
Elite AGS spinning rod with
a Daiwa Luvias 2500 reel.
He ties a top shot, 30-pound
Daiwa braid connected to 6-
or 8-pound fluorocarbon via
a uni knot.
Wynn prefers 12-pound
Sunline fluorocarbon paired
with a Phenix Recon Elite and Shimano baitcaster reel.
“I like to use as a baitcaster on an underspin whenever possible,” Wynn said. Woods also employs conventional baitcaster equipment. The next time you are on your favorite lake and the bass are actively feeding on small to medium- sized baitfish, give an underspin a try. You may be surprised at how fun and easy they are to fish. •
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