Winter 2023
“This time of the year the
baitfish will be schooled up,
said Tas. “As a result, so will
the bass. This is when the
spoon will come into play.”
Tas finds these schools
by searching near the mouth of major creeks that lead into
Tas Moua
potential spawning areas.
Other places that are worth
searching are the main lake
points and large flats near any
creek channel.
Spooning Gear: There
are several different types of
spoons to choose from; but
there are predominately two
that I’ll use – the jigging spoon and the flutter spoon. For
each one, I use the same gear – a 7’6” St. Croix heavy-action
rod paired with a Revo STX reel and spooled with 15-pound
Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon.
Tip: Always change out the hooks on your spoons
before a tournament, even if they are brand new out of the
package.
Jigging Spoon: I present the jigging spoon vertically. When I find a school of fish working bait, I’ll drop the jigging spoon straight down to the depth the fish are at and start to snap my rod tip about a six-inch snap.
If this doesn’t entice a strike, I’ll change the cadence, until I get a fish to bite. Sometimes I repeat the same cadence, and other times, I will keep changing it because each fish can react differently.
More than likely, the bass are going to be suspended out deep chasing baitfish; so, pay close attention to your graph. For fish suspended off the bottom, I drop the jigging spoon down. If I see the fish come up to the bait but not hit it, I’ll drop the bait to the bottom. Many times, I’ll see the fish follow the bait down and that is when I know I might get bit.
Once my jigging spoon is on the bottom, I’ll lift it up about six-inches to one-foot and then drop it back down again. I’ll follow the bait down with my rod tip with a slack line (but not too slack) so I can feel a fish smash the spoon.
Flutter Spoon: For the
flutter spoon, I’ll cast it out
away from me and work
the spoon back to me.
Typically, this is a horizontal
presentation, compared to
jigging it vertically; however,
there is never an absolute
when fishing and yes, I’ve
caught flutter spoon fish
vertically and jigging spoon
fish horizontally.
The key is to keep an
open mind and think outside
of the box.
The flutter spoon can
be more effective on bridge pillars because it moves backwards, side-to-side, and slowly moves deeper. To target a bridge pillar, I will cast and let line out until I feel the spoon hit the pillar. I’ll then pump my rod tip 3- to 4-feet and then let the spoon sink, repeating this every 5- to 8-seconds and making sure I follow the bait with my rod with a little slack line.
Tip: Don’t just drop the rod tip and put total slack in the line as most bites come on the drop and you will not feel the bites if your tip is dropped.
JIGGING THE BANK AND FLATS
The living rubber jig is without a doubt a big fish bait and a year-round presentation for me. When the fish are keying in on bait, a jig can catch the bigger fish or get bit when the fish are not eating shad lures.
Tas also likes a jig is a great winter lure. “Especially during those cold front conditions and when the fish are sluggish,” he explained.
Target Areas: In the wintertime, I’ll toss the jig right on the bank and work it down to about 15-feet deep. Rocky banks with larger rock scattered around wood is a big bonus. Mud banks, steep creek channel bends and secondary points can be very productive.
I work the jig as deep as 80-feet on our deep, clear reservoirs. Fish feed on flats, even if they are in deep water; so, I like to hit the long, flat points that lead to a creek channel. Long points with rock piles can be a fish magnet.
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