Which Jerkbaits Work the Best?

On a recent trip to the Bay of Green Bay I got on a great jerkbait bite while fishing with Curt Demerath, owner of Dirty Jigs. Both of us were catching fish but I noticed Curt was doing a few things differently than I'd seen in the past. Most importantly, he was swapping back and forth between different jerkbaits rather than sticking to the favorite. By the end of the first day it was clear that it was having a huge impact on catch rate.

When we got off the water I began asking questions about why he had been making adjustments. He started giving some very in depth responses. That's when I realized we needed to pause the conversation until we could turn the GoPro on  so you could learn from him as well. Here is what happened once he got in front of the camera...

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Curt breaks down the differences between the Megabass Vision 110, Pointer 100, Staysee 90, Flash Pointer, and more. He goes on to cover not only how each one moves in the water but how your cadence and retrieve should vary with each. Some shine in warm water, others in cold. Some should be ripped, others should just be pulled. This approach opened my eyes to a whole different world of ripbait (jerkbait) fishing. Often I give up on the jerkbait bite because my confidence bait isn't working, its clear now that I'm leaving a lot of fish uncaught. Switching models to achieve different actions can turn on a jerkbait bite even when a particular bait isn't getting bit.

I think every angler can glean information that will help them catch more jerkbait fish this coming year! Huge thanks to Curt for taking some time out of his day to shed light on this topic! If you're not familiar with Curt or his awesome products, you can see it all at http://www.dirtyjigstackle.com

The First 5 Rods Every Bass Fisherman Needs

The truth is, not every angler needs to own dozens of rods. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on combos, and you certainly don't need 5 of the same rod. In this industry, its easy to get caught up in the hype of fishing tackle.

From TV to magazines to websites (including Tactical Bassin) you're bombarded with anglers who own dozens upon dozens of high end fishing rod and reel combos. Its not hard to fall into the trap, believing you need all that equipment to be successful. The great news is, you don't.

If you don't plan to fish the elites this coming year you can probably get by with a lot less tackle than you'd like to believe. For the anglers just getting started, you need even less. Here are top 5 fishing rods that you need to become a well-rounded bass fisherman.

1) 7' Medium Light Spinning Rod: You can use this rod for dropshot, split shot, tubes, worms, even poppers and other very small hardbaits. This is going to be your most frequently used rod when you're getting started. Its also the rod that you'll still have in your rod locker as a back up 20 years later.

2) 7' Medium Heavy Spinning Rod: This rod will cover larger worms, senkos, light texas rigs, and even branch into medium topwaters, jerkbaits, etc.

3) 7' Medium Baitcaster: In no time this will become your go-to rod for everything from a crankbait, to a topwater, to texas rigs, worms, etc.

4) 7' Medium Heavy Baitcaster: You can use this rod for jigs, heavier texas rigs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and other reaction baits.

5) 7'6" Medium Heavy to Heavy Baitcaster: If you even need a 5th rod, this will be the one. This rod is going to let you branch into frogs, small swimbaits, flipping and pitching.

Personally, we use Dobyns Rods for these applications. We recognize that every angler is different and needs vary but these are a great base line for you to make your decisions. In the beginning, consider the Fury or Savvy series then work your way into the higher product lines as you begin specializing at your favorite techniques.

Allen Rated #1 in "California Top 40"

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Every Fall California anglers wait anxiously for Kramer's "Top 40"; a list of the top 40 fisherman in the state based on their performance that year. Once its released the list is hotly debated amongst fishing circles. What began as Kramer's personal opinion has morphed over the years. The list has moved from one man's view to the most respected West coast angler ranking. As such, a position on the list is now highly sought after by many anglers.

This year I'd like to congratulate both Matt and Tim for their placement on the list! For the first time, Matt headed the list in the #1 position. Tim wasn't far behind in the #11 position. These two anglers worked feverishly this year to pursue their fishing passion while sharing videos and how-to's in an effort to inspire other anglers to do the same.

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Matt's passion for fishing has changed over the years. He first gained notoriety as a trophy largemouth fisherman. Matt still pursues trophy largemouth every year (and catches quite a few) but in recent years has expanded in many other directions, aiding his placement on the list. He is beginning to excel as a multi-species angler, targeting trophy smallmouth, spotted bass, even reaching as far as trophy catfish on occasion. Additionally, he became a fishing guide a few years ago and now thrives on teaching other anglers how to catch giant bass.

Tim, as many now know, is a warden for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. His recent exploits captured national media attention during the Valley Fire. Between work and his young family, Tim's time is extremely limited but he still manages to get out on the water. When he does, he's a machine. From trophy largemouth to trophy spots (including the California State Record Spotted Bass back in January) this guy catches them! Since becoming a partner in Tactical Bassin he spends more time behind the camera than in front but don't let that fool you. When he steps out from behind the camera he is a force to be reckoned with!

38 other anglers made the list as well, all of whom have exceptional talent on the water. Congratulations to all the anglers that made Kramer's Top 40 this year! We look forward to seeing what 2016 holds. Good luck out there!

Treble Hooks: How to Get the Most Out of Every Bait

This is probably the most underrated video we've ever done. On the surface it seems like such a mundane topic but there is no other topic that can make a bigger instant impact on your fishing and your wallet than understanding treble hooks. So what's the deal? Why do we care so much about hooks? You can take a single bait and change how it moves, how it sinks, how fish bite it, and sometimes even where they get hooked, just by understanding your hooks.  If you commit to the next 17 1/2 minutes and make it all the way through this video you will absolutely be a better angler on the other end!

We use hooks every time we hit the water but very few anglers really understand those hooks, how they really work, and how to make them work for you. With some basic knowledge you can learn to switch wire size, hook shape, color, or brand at the right times to drastically increase the number of fish you land!

While this topic seems mundane on the surface, I can't help but get excited about it. There is no other aspect of fishing that have more of an impact on your actual catch rates than your hooks, yet most anglers completely neglect them. When I ask a guy what his favorite hook is I'm invariably met with something like "Triple Grips", "Owner", or "Gami". Very few anglers even consider their options within a brand, let alone branching across various brands to match the different circumstances on the water.

Again, I challenge you to make it through to the end of this video. I know its long but it will change the number of fish you catch in the coming months. This video is about trebles but much of the information applies to single hooks as well.

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Hooks are expensive and having a large assortment on hand can get pretty pricey but if you learn how to use them to impact sink rates you can have a single lure do all sorts of different things, saving a lot of money in the long run. Get yourself some quality split ring pliers because you're probably going to start changing hooks a lot more!

My favorite hooks for the various categories are:

• Gamakatsu Round bend 1x Treble RED (hardbaits when bass are slapping)
• Gamakatsu 4x Treble (soft swimbaits)
• Gamakatsu EWG Treble Red and Bronze (hardbaits that get engulfed)
• Owner ST-36 1x Treble Black or Red (All hardbaits)
• Owner ST-56 3x Treble Black (hardbaits for large bass or faster sink rates)