Simple Jig Modifications

We custom paint crankbaits, change blades on spinnerbaits, pour our own worms, why on earth don’t more people customize their jigs? Sure they work out of the package but so do most of the other baits we modify. Does that make any sense at all? Jigs, like most other baits, seem to work their best once they’ve been chewed on a few times. Since I’m not willing to spend the day pre-chewing my own jigs the next best bet is to make it look like I did.
There is definitely something special about a jig that has the “it” factor. One of these days I’ll get around to fully explaining this factor but for now its the magical “something” that makes one bait work better than all of it’s identical counterparts. Here is a shining example of a jig with “it”. This is a 3/4 oz Dirty Jigs No-Jack jig in the color “molting craw”.
Its been responsible for 4 fish over 9 lbs and a handful of others over the 7 lb mark. (Yes, all of those scratches are from bass teeth) Why does this one work so well? I don’t know! The important part to understand is simply that it does. I know the day will come when I lose this jig. Instead of waiting for another one to get beat up enough to start developing “it” I’m going to skip a major part of the curve. If you follow these simple steps to modify your jigs and give them more of a mottled look they will be much more appealing to big bass.
If your goal is to catch any little fish that will bite its not all that hard to do and any old jig will do. In fact, don’t bother modifying your baits at all. On the other hand, if your goal is to catch a GIANT, whatever that may be to you, then do everything you can to put the odds in your favor. Don’t go down the bank throwing the same jig as everyone else. Make your bait look more real than any other jig that big bass has ever seen and then cross your fingers that today is her day.

Do you modify your jigs? Do you have a different approach? Leave a comment and share it with the rest of us.

What color swimbait should you choose?

Across the nation bass feed on a variety of prey species. Swimbait manufactures were quick to pick up on this and produce baits to match nearly any forage available to bass. On a typical store shelf you can find swimbaits that match everything from a rat, to a trout, to a goby. Without direction your only real option is to buy them all and see what works for you.
The good news is I already did the hard work for you! Over the last 10 years I’ve purchased nearly every swimbait to hit the market (with few exceptions) and have tried them in a dizzying array of colors. I’ve compiled all of that information into this quick video. I don’t cover every bait but I have a few quick tips that will help you select the right color for your situation.
You don’t need box after box of swimbaits, stick to the basics and you’ll do just fine. In fact, you’ll usually do better than the guy who spends all day digging through his boxes looking for the “magic” bait.

What swimbait colors do you have confidence in? Have your best days been on the realistic colors of some of the more extreme options? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

River Fishing for Smallmouth

If all you care about is winning tournaments or catching giant bass it may be time to look at your priorities. Monster bass are a blast to catch but sometimes you need to take a break and remember what made fishing so fun in the first place. Fishing is about getting out on th water, relaxing, enjoying nature, and then catching fish.
Added to the list of fun ways to catch fish when you want to mix it up a bit: River fishing for smallmouth. Northern California (and most other places in the country) have an abundance of rivers that are completely full of undersized bass. These fisheries are rarely, if ever overfished and can provide a great fishing experience for children or a relaxing day on the water. The other perk to river fishing is you never know what you’re going to catch. On this outing we caught smallmouth, largemouth and sacramento pike. Its hard to beat that! (except maybe if you’re looking for a keeper-size fish, let alone a trophy.) While there are trophy class fish in rivers around the country most simply have healthy populations of modest-size fish.

Give it a try in a stream or river near you!

Top 5 baits for the Fall Transition

The late fall to early winter is one of my favorite times to fish. This season is one of the few times I have the lake all to myself. Sure, there are other fisherman on the water but they aren’t fishing like I am. No matter where you are in the country, as winter approaches anglers begin to slow down their presentation. Whether that mean throwing a worm, flipping a jig, or spooning, just depends on where you live. Sure you could give in to the trend and fish like everyone else but why?

Why not break away from the pack, fish hard, fish for the active fish, and have whole sections of the lake to yourself? As the water cools most of the bass will slow down and become sluggish and the fisherman will follow suit. Maybe this is your year to break out of the mold and find the feeding fish in and around the shallows. Here are my top 5 baits for fishing that transition between fall and winter.

You’ll notice the only bait on the list that isn’t a pure reaction bait is the football jig. At certain times the active fish are completely keyed on crawdads and that is when the football comes in to play. The rest of the time however, I’ll be fishing shallow, fishing fast, and putting the remaining 4 baits to work for me. If you want to catch a big bass in the fall that hasn’t been pressured like all the smaller fish be the last guy to leave the shallows, the last one to set down the topwater rod, and never, ever set down that swimbait.

Are these the baits you like to throw in the fall/winter? Is a late-season reaction bite news to you? What are your go-to baits in the fall?  I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and share your thoughts.