Back to Back Frog Blow Ups

We spend so much time putting together educational videos that sometimes we forget to put up catches. Once in a while its just fun to see a fish or two getting caught. This week we thought we'd show a quick clip from Clearlake.

On this particular day the bass really weren't cooperating. We'd been throwing a Spittin' Wa 70 all day long without a bite! We were nearing the end of the day when Tim suddenly gets blown up on at the boat. As quick as it happened, the 6+ lber came unbuttoned and was gone.

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Next cast, he hooks its twin and that one makes it to the boat. Another solid 6+ lber! As luck would have it we never got another bite. All day, two bites, one in the boat, sometimes that's just the way it goes.

We'd love to act like every day is a slugfest but sometimes its tough out there. Staying focused when the bite finally comes can be the difference between a great day and a miserable time on the water.

What is a Front Runner and Why Should You Use One?

I spend all Winter dreaming about topwater explosions. As the cold months tick by and the warm weather draws near, the dreams get more explosive, the fish in my head get bigger, and the excitement builds! The fantasies start getting so far out there that I begin dreaming of catching those bass two at a time!

Here at Tactical Bassin we're all about learning so I (Matt) will be the first to admit that Tim taught me something new last fall. I'd seen front runners but I really didn't understand their effectiveness until I saw Tim put one to use. Forget dreams, these little baits make double hookups a reality!

If you fish schooling bass and you aren't using a front runner in conjunction with your walking topwater (Spook, Rover, Vixen, etc...) you're missing the boat!

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For those that aren't familiar, a Front Runner (Click here to see what they look like) is a small topwater bait armed with a single treble hook that is designed to be tied inline, ahead of your main topwater. When your spook goes left, the front runner goes right, and vise versa. The effect is that your spook is chasing a smaller baitfish across the surface and the bass go crazy for it! In addition to being a unique look the bass rarely see, it gives you an extra hook attached to a small bait that is free swinging when you're fighting your fish to the boat. If you fish schooling bass you already know what that means... Double Hook Ups!

Do yourself a favor and pick up some Front Runners. These little guys are DEADLY and will make a big difference as you step up your topwater game this year!

Topwater Poppers: How to fish them effectively

Every kid that grew up bass fishing knows what a Hula Popper is. We all fished them and agree that they were deadly on those old pond bass. So why now, as we grow older, do we turn our backs on poppers?

Far too often the popper falls by the wayside in favor of newer, louder, and flashier topwater offerings. Its great to be well versed with a variety of baits so you can adapt to changing conditions but don't fall into the trap and forget your first love all together.

When conditions get tough, especially those cool early summer mornings, the popper is a deadly way to catch GIANT bass that are unwilling to run down a faster moving bait. The quick tips outlined in this week's video should help you get your mind in the game to slow back down, pull out your favorite popper, and lure one of the dormant giants to the surface!

While poppers can be thrown on very light tackle, Matt prefers (to the surprise of no one) to step up his tackle when targeting big fish with these finesse baits. He prefers to use the following:

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For the Yellow Magic, Rico, and other small poppers he uses a 7' light to medium light baitcaster spooled with 15-20 lb braided line.

For the larger poppers like the Bubble Walker he will step up to a 7'-7'2" Medium baitcaster but still prefers a moderate action, and spools it with 30 lb braided line.

Matt insists that braid is key with these baits as you can get maximum responsiveness from the bait with minimal rod movement.