Top 5 Baits for Bed Fishing

Love it or hate it, bed fishing is a great way to catch the biggest bass of the year. If you live in warmer parts of the country you're probably already seeing the beginning of the spawn. We sat down with the camera this week to bring you the Top 5 Baits that will help you fool those feisty spawning bass.

The key to sight fishing is to treat every bed as a new opportunity to start fresh. The bait that caught the last fish might not work on the next. Each fish has its own preferences so don't be afraid to rotate through your arsenal of rods until you've found the bait that works best.

My top 5 choices:

1) Jig w/ Craw Trailer: 3/8 to 1/2 oz Dirty Jigs Pitchin' Jig coupled with a beaver-style or double tail grub trailer. This profile allows me to present a large bait but still have a compact enough profile that the fish can easily engulf it.

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2) Swim Jig: 3/8 to 1/2 oz California Swim Jig in Alabama Bream or Tactical Shad coupled with a matching keitech or Sizmic Shad. With a swim jig I can hop or swim the jig, depending on the mood of the fish.

3)Bluegill Imitator: My two favorite bluegill imitators are the Mattlures Bluegill (boot or flat tail) and the Basstrix in "perch" color. The mattlures gives me that large swimbait profile whereas the basstrix is a very finesse, slow presentation that can really irritate those hard to catch bass.

4) 3.5" Tube: The tube is a deadly bait on all bass but its especially deadly with spots and smallmouth. I find a 3.5" to be best but you can drop down to a 2.5 if the fish are picking the bait up by the tails.

5) The Senko: Who can argue with the senko? 5" or 6" is your choice but if you use a bright color (white or chartreuse) and a natural color (green pumpkin or watermelon) you'll find a bait that the fish are willing to eat.

Please remember that bed fishing is a great time to catch the fish of a lifetime but its also a critical time during a bass' life cycle. Treat the fish with care and always return them to the bed quickly so they can successfully finish the spawning process.

Tim Breaks the State Record Spotted Bass!

Both Tim and I have a passion for trophy bass but there is a huge difference between catching big bass and breaking records. On January 12th, 2015 Tim had the honor of breaking the Calfornia State Record for Spotted Bass. His monster bass tipped the scales at 10 pounds 6 ounces and is the number 2 spotted bass of all time!

Over the past few weeks there has been an amazing buzz across the internet about this fish. No one had ever seen a spotted bass like this. Her dimensions are an amazing 24.25" long x 20" girth! We put together a brief documentary of the experience including the RELEASE of such an important bass.

While some anglers would argue that a bass of this size should be killed in the name of science, we just couldn't do it. She's still out there, she's still swimming, and maybe one day we will meet again. This sport is all about setting goals and pursuing our dreams until they become a reality. For Tim, his goal of a true world-class spot has become a reality and he had the blessing of watching her swim away when it was over.

So what comes next for Tim and Tactical Bassin? Well, the world record is still out there somewhere. The pursuit is real and we'll continue putting in our time searching for the biggest bass in the world! We appreciate the constant support from all of you that read the blog, watch the videos, and follow the Tackle Warehouse links to do your shopping. We couldn't do any of this without you!

Until next week, good luck out there!

How To Set Up a GoPro Camera for Fishing

When action cameras hit the market a few years ago, bass fishing was changed forever. Almost overnight every-day anglers had a tangible way to gain notoriety on the internet. As Tim explains, its become so much more than that. The most significant benefit of filming your day on the water is the ability to review the footage after the fact.  So much can be gleaned from a video that you missed in person. 

We've received a lot of inquiries about what cameras we use and how we attach them to the boat. In this week's video Tim breaks down some of the different GoPro cameras we use including the differences in models and the must-have accessories that make using them on the boat as seamless as possible.

We recommend two different GoPro cameras. For the beginning angler on a budget, you can't beat the Hero camera. At $129 even a budget angler can gain the ability to record their day. For anglers that want to use the footage for promotion, pictures, etc... the Hero 4 Black Edition cannot be beat. They retail for $499 but the footage is second to none. You can shoot in 4K and in frame rates as high as 120/second. Both of our boats are covered from multiple angles by Hero 4 Blacks when we are fishing.

The accessories you need to be comfortable on the water day after day are:

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• LCD BacPac: The BacPac allows you to watch, edit, adjust settings, etc... without the use of an external monitor.
• Battery PacPac: This pack allows you to extend the life of your camera so you're not stopping to change batteries as often.
• GoPro Cigarette Lighter: Most bass boats are equipped with cigarette lighters and this will let you charge the camera to keep the batteries full.
• Battery Packs: Aftermarket battery packs are best sourced on Amazon. Combined with a USB cord you can film for hours, if not days, without charging.
• Gooseneck Clamp: The Gooseneck allows you to capture all kinds of angles without sticking multiple mounts to the boat.
• Jaws Flex Clamp: The Jaws Clamp will clip to just about anything. Gone are the days that you have to use the adhesive-backed bases all over the hull of the boat
• Suction Cup Mount: Stick this mount to anything from the windshield to the motor cowling to get great shots!

We know that not every angler considers filming their day on the water to be a priority but if you're thinking about giving it a try, these are the tools we use every day. They're yet another way that you can fine-tune your angling and become a better fisherman. Good luck out there!

Simplify Your Jigs and Save Money

In the past we've talked about fine-tuning your jig fishing to catch bigger fish. We discussed using accent colors and different skirts because fine detail matters, especially with wary bass. Today, we want to turn the tables and talk to you about simplification.

Both methods have merit. While its true that extreme attention to detail is sometimes needed to fool the GIANT bass, not all anglers are interested in spending every last dollar on fine-tuned equipment. The weekend warrior, even most pros, doesn't have the time (or money) to purchase dozens of jig colors to adapt to every changing situation. That's why I want to talk to you about simplification because its okay too. Both methods can work.

Let's break jig colors into 4 basic categories. Those categories are black, brown, green pumpkin, and watermelon. By choosing a basic jig in each of these categories you can cover virtually every situation the water can present. In the event that fine detail is needed, you can add it by changing the color of your trailer instead of completely changing the jig itself. This is an inexpensive alternative to owning 100 different jig styles and colors. To get you started, we'll  recommend a few colors.

Black Base: "Black/Blue" (This particular black blue is a fairly complex color and can be accented very well)

Brown Base: "Supermat Brown" (This is Matt's favorite color day in and day out. Its a brown base with purple and green pumpkin accents)

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Green Pumpkin Base: "Go To" (Go To is a simple green pumpkin/brown jig that works well with any trailer color)

Watermelon Base: "Watermelon Red" (This jig is a basic color that accents well with every trailer you own)

Not every base color will work in every situation but one of them will. Once you have your base color, experiment with trailers like the Sweet Beaver, Double Tail Grub, or speed craw to fine-tune what the fish are looking for. We hope this helps you keep things simple and use trailers you already own instead of spending countless dollars trying to own a jig for every situation. Good luck out there!