Line Extremes: Part 1

To my surprise the most common questions that roll in to the site are those about line. Whether it be about specific techniques or more generalized questions, anglers really want to understand the line they are using. No longer do anglers settle for pros telling them to throw line “x” or line “y”. Now they want to know when, how, and most important, WHY.
In the past I’ve told you that I use braid in nearly every application. I’ve also explained my reasoning behind that so for today we will skip past it. Whether you use braid, mono, or flouro, I believe this topic will apply equally. I call it fishing the “Line Extremes” for big bass. Personally, these extremes apply to my leader material but for you it may apply to your main line.
Let’s define what I mean by extremes. On a given day you will not find a lot of “in between” line sizes on my boat. Sure, there are techniques that require 8, 10, 12, and 15 lb line but those typically aren’t big bass applications. For the sake of today’s discussion I will be ignoring applications that require these line sizes.
In part 2 I will discuss fishing with extremely light line and why it can be deadly effective but today we’re going to discuss the other end of the spectrum.
Extremely heavy line has its place, even in clear water. Many anglers are shocked to find that I use 65-80 lb braid and 25-30 lb mono and flourocarbon leaders for every day techniques. I can often be found flipping a jig on 25 lb, swimbaiting on 30 lb, or throwing a topwater on 80 lb. Why do I do this when I am knowingly eliminating bites? Simple… I don’t believe I am eliminating bites at all. If I fished with 30 lb monofilament every day of the year I would absolutely be hurting myself but by studying the conditions you will realize that sometimes the bass don’t care about line size. On those days, fishing with extremely heavy line actually helps you catch bigger fish.
The obvious question at this point is, “how can heavy line help?” I’m going to use a video as an example.

Prior to this video I noticed that despite crystal clear conditions the bass did not seem to respond to changes in line size at all. Instead of continuing to use light line I stepped up to a very heavy flourocarbon. When I hooked this bass I immediately knew I was in trouble. The fish had managed to get the hook in her lower jaw, right where I would normally lip her. As the fight nears the boat it becomes clear that I can’t grab her. She was shaking and thrashing and was sure to come off at any minute if I didn’t make a quick decision. If I had been using light line I wouldn’t have been able to do anything about the situation but since I had stepped up my line size, I literally grabbed the line and dragged her into the boat with no fear of breakage.
In this case, I can thank my heavy line for getting this bass in the boat. Will this logic work in every application? There are times when sticking to heavy line will result in less (or no) fish. However, if you learn to watch the bass’ response it becomes very obvious when you can step up line size to maximize your chance of landing a trophy bass.
…More to come in part 2.

Reaping the Rewards

In a recent post I talked extensively about commitment and how sticking to your game plan will eventually pay off. You may come up empty handed day after day but if you keep going your turn will come. I’m not saying you won’t catch fish along the way, and depending on what your particular goal is you may reach is sooner than later.
Its important to understand that across the country goals vary. You may be looking for your first swimbait fish, a 4 lber, an 8 lber, or for the Texans in the crowd, a Share-a-Lunker. Or maybe you’re just looking to catch more fish, these are all great goals and are all achievable in time. Whatever your goal is, creating a game plan and following through is the only way to achieve it.
Yes, you can hire guides, use live bait, or try to glean something from the “dock talk”, these things can speed up the learning curve but in the end nothing replaces time on the water.
On a recent trip I was rewarded with a beautiful 11.5 lb bass. The fish was great, but the conditions were anything but. Most anglers had already given up and headed for the ramp but we decided to hold out and fish a little longer. I was armed with a sweatshirt and flip flops, not the sort of gear one should be wearing during a harsh spring storm in the mountains. Logic said to pack up and head for the protection of the truck but my goals mandated that I continue to fish.
Through the shakes, shivers, and yeah, a little bit of whining, something magical happened. The bite turned on. Out of seemingly no where two fish bit back to back. We went from no fish, to two fish for over 17 lbs

The moral of the story is to keep going. Remember to respect your surroundings and know your limits but if at all possible stick to your plan. The big fish are there and when the time is right, they bite. If you wrap it up and head for the ramp you’ll never know what could have been.

Understanding Sink Rates

Why does everything have to be so complicated? If it gets any worse our fishing lures are going to need manuals to explain how to properly use them. One of the topics that confuses a lot of anglers is sink rates. In this instance, the sink rate of various swimbaits and how that effects their use.
Just a few short years ago swimbaits came in two forms, floating and sinking. As the market grew so did the demand for more options. Now you have fast sink, slow sink, suspending, and the most difficult to understand of all, ROF rated baits. ROF’s or “Rates of Fall” is a great system once you get the hang of how it works. Its not complicated, but a quick briefing will make your decision making quite a bit easier.
This video will shed some insights not only into what different sink rates are, but more importantly, how to apply them to different conditions. While many of you know exactly what sink rates you like and what you use them for, not everyone does.

Did this help? Let us know by leaving a comment or by sending a message via the Contact page. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the topic.

Advanced Swimbaits Part 2: Hooking the Fish

Since fisherman argue about nearly every topic presented to them it should come as no surprise that they argue about how and when to set the hook on swimbait fish. What makes this particular discussion so interesting is that both of the anglers involved have proven their method’s effectiveness. I (Matt Allen) believe that a hard and immediate hook set is the key to putting big bass in the boat consistently. On the other side of the fence you have my good friend Sieg Taylor. Sieg prefers to continue reeling then slowly applies hard pressure to the fish. While I staunchly oppose his method I must admit that I’ve seen it work for him on numerous occasions. Take a look at both approaches and then decide for yourself.

Let’s start with my approach:
When I am reeling and feel a fish “tick” my swimbait I hit them hard, really hard. I don’t believe there is any reason to wait. I don’t drop the rod and rear back, I don’t speed up my reeling, I simply swing high and to the side as soon as I feel pressure. I’ve personally seen too many fish suck a swimbait in and spit it back out quicker than the angler can react so why take your time and increase the likelihood of this happening to you? I believe that swimbaits target big bass and that big bass are inherently more cautious than small bass. Waiting to set the hook allows the fish too much time to realize something isn’t right. Setting the hook hard and fast allows you to bury the hooks deep while there is still time. Here is a prime example of my hook-setting style.

Sieg Taylor’s Approach:
Sieg and I spoke over the phone and he had some great insights to share. When asked how he sets the hooks he responded, “I don’t, I let them eat it. Once I know they’ve eaten the bait I reel hard and heavy, then swing them into the boat. Whether they’re 5 pounds or 10 pounds I swing them in.” He went on to share some of his experiences that led to his hook-setting style when he said, “When I won a Won Bass Pro-Am I actually saw it happening. I saw a 9 lber bumping the head of the swimbait over and over again. She would bump one side then the other. She was moving so quickly I could hardly see her motions. Instead of swinging I just kept a steady pace, that is when she inhaled it. The key is to keep reeling at the same speed. If the cadence breaks, you’re in trouble. If you swing and its not in their mouth, they’re gone.” Here is a prime example of Sieg’s hook setting style. If you watch closely you can see the fish has been on for several seconds before he leans back on the rod.

**Sieg asked that I add the true weight of this fish. Upon being weighed she tipped the scales at 8.56 lbs. Those Clearlake fish can be very misleading but Sieg wanted you all to know the final weight.

In closing, I’m not sure there is a right answer. Neither of us will waiver on our methods because we’ve both proven time and time again that they work. The next time you’re on the water give both methods a try then come back and share your experiences with the group. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Until then, make your next day on the water a great one!