How To Catch The Biggest Bass Of Your Life This Winter! (Full Seminar)

Are you ready to catch a new personal best bass? Don't want to wait until Spring? Matt is showing you everything you need to know to be successful this Winter in today's full-length seminar on Winter bass fishing with swimbaits! He explains where bass are positioning, which baits to use, how to trigger strikes, what it takes to land these fish, and how to properly care for a fish of a lifetime.

Swimbait fishing takes commitment. It requires dedication, focus, and a willingness to sacrifice your time on the water in pursuit of a singular goal. Its hard work but its your best shot at breaking your personal best before the prespawn. As the water cools bass become lethargic. Their willingness to hunt wanes and they begin pursuing single large meals rather than chasing down multiple small morsels.

Understanding when to choose a glide bait over a paddle tail, or when bottom crawling a wedge tail will outshine a faster moving offering, takes years of trial and error on the water. Thankfully Matt is taking all of that knowledge and putting it together for you in a single video. Pay close attention to the details, commit to the search for a giant bass, and this will be a Winter unlike any you've ever had before. Good luck in your pursuit of a monster fish!

Below is a breakdown of the swimbaits Matt recommends. He's categorized the baits by style and included general color recommendations. When selecting glide bait colors keep in mind that highly visible colors will almost always outshine natural dull colors, even in clear water. He's also included a list of tackle and gear that will make landing the fish of a lifetime much easier.

Glide Baits...

-River2Sea S-Waver 200/168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

(Lite Trout, Warden, Rainbow Trout)

-Storm Arashi Glide: http://bit.ly/2nHdrL1

(Oikawa Mesu, Threadfin Shad, Green Gill)

-Baitsanity Antidote: http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

(Bread, Shad, Trout)

Paddle Tail Swimbaits...

-Osprey Tournament Talon 6"-7": http://bit.ly/2bqsLS0

(Chartreuse Shad, Reverse Hitch, TW Shad)

-Little Creeper Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2xRdCFP

(Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Trout, Natural Hitch)

-Little Creeper Fatty Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2ixaEw2

(Chartreuse Shad, LC Hitch)

-Little Creeper 8" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2hmXtg1

(Chartreuse Shad, LC Hitch, Rainbow Trout)

Wedge-Tail Swimbaits...

-Huddleston Trout 8" ROF 12: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

(Ayu, Rainbow, Hitch)

-Huddleston Trout 68 Special ROF 12: http://bit.ly/2dj5apG

(Rainbow Trout, Green Gizzard, Black Gizzard)

-Mattlures Shad: http://bit.ly/2vM8cKF

(Green Threadfin, Light Gizzard)

-ABT Lures Wagtail: http://bit.ly/2lBiT0G

(Blue Shad, Rainbow Trout, Clear Lake Hitch)

-Trophy Bass Baits DFT: http://bit.ly/32zXvsk

(Shad, Trout)

Matt's Favorite Swimbait Combo...

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: http://bit.ly/2x9kxuS

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- 80 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 35 lb Sunline FC100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Other Swimbait Rods from Budget to High End...

-Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

-Okuma Nomad Express Travel: http://bit.ly/2p4zr3g

-Dobyns Champion XP 807: http://bit.ly/2aivwYX

-Megabass Destroyer Onager: http://bit.ly/2wVOSbY

Swimbait Lines...

Maxima Ultragreen 30 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Sunline FC-100 30-40 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

7 Finesse Baits To Catch Stubborn Winter Bass

The Fall to Winter transition brings cold water and lethargic fish but savvy bass fishermen have no trouble getting bit under these conditions. Some of the biggest bass of the year can be caught in the Winter months along with surprising numbers of quality fish. During the cold water period Tim often turns to finesse fishing to find the consistent bite. He has a handful of proven techniques and he's sharing them with us today.

Winter fishing doesn't have to mean mundane fishing. There are a ton of techniques from jigs to swimbaits, flies to worms, that will consistently produce in cool to cold water. You're not limited to one or two methods, though light tackle is a common thread amongst most of them. Today Tim gathered the gear for 7 of his favorite Winter techniques and he's explaining them for us.

Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits and equipment Tim trusts to get through the Winter months. From late Fall all the way to the start of Spring, you can rely on each of these finesse techniques to produce. Try a few and find the method that produces best on your home lakes.

Finesse Football Jigs and Trailers...

-Dirty Jigs finesse football 3/8-5/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Super Matt Brown, Go To, Brown Craw)

-Keitech tungsten Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2FDQ3o1

(Brown Purple, Green Pumpkin Blue)

-Bass Patrol Round Rubber Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2Hbyf5x

(Brown/Green Pump, Brown/Orange, Brown/Purple)

-Yamamoto Double Tail 5" Grub: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

(Green Pumpkin, Cinnamon Purple)

Finesse Tubes and Heads...

-Dry Creek 3.5" Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

(Crazy Eddie, Green Pumpkin, Old Ugly)

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

-Provider Tackle 90 Degree Tube Head 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2LY9eMj

Neko Rigging Components...

-Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

(956- Watermelon Copper Orange Red, Natural Shad, Electric Shad, Green Pump Purp/Cop)

-Swagger Tungsten Pagoda Nail Weight: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

-G7 Worm Protect Tubes: http://bit.ly/2PWEkUs

-G7 Worm Tube Pliers: http://bit.ly/2PRMNrG

-Owner mosquito light 1/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

-Gamakatsu Stinger G finesse Size 1: http://bit.ly/2otYTPg

Ned Rig...

-Roboworm Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

(Desert Craw, TW Black Blue Pumpkin)

-Swagger Tungsten Flanders Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Finesse Swimbaits...

-Dirty Jigs Guppy Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

-Keitech Easy Shiner 3": http://bit.ly/2bxJK6H

(Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl, Tennessee Shad)

-Cool Baits Down Under 3/16 oz Underspin: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

-Megabass Okashira head 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

-Megabass Spark Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

(Albino, Purple Haze, Baby Bass)

-Megabass Dark Sleeper 2.4": http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(Donko, Shirauo, Wakasagi, Haze)

Dropshot Rig...

-Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm 4.95: http://bit.ly/2CMB33J

(Lickity Split, Morning Dawn, Purple Smoke)

-Roboworm Alive Shad: http://bit.ly/2kDNeYw

(Hologram Shad, Morning Dawn, Neon Shad)

-Trokar Dropshot Hook size 1: http://bit.ly/2ahxJOr

-Owner Mosquito Light Size 1: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

-Swagger Tungsten Dropshot Weight 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2V2B63h

Flies...

-Spro Phat Fly: http://bit.ly/2mboisG

-Cumberland Pro Lures Float N Fly: http://bit.ly/2o9PE63

-Punisher Lures Float N Fly: http://bit.ly/2qrH9oA

Tim's All-Around Favorite Finesse Combo...

Rod- G Loomis Conquest 902S SJR: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Line- Sunline XPlasma Asegai Braid: http://bit.ly/2OR5i2j

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget-Friendly Finesse Combo...

Rod- Shimano SLX 7' Med Light: http://bit.ly/2AdvIC1

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Bass Boat Restoration Complete: Full build with rigging, Rewire, Repower, and Electronics Tour!

The used boat restoration is complete! After nearly 2 years of upgrading wiring, parts, electronics, and motors, both of the Champion 210 Elite bass boat restoration projects are done! Come along for a full boat tour of Tim's and Matt's finished projects as they show you what is possible if you decide to buy a used boat instead of a new boat.

The project began nearly 2 years ago when Tim decided he wanted a larger boat. Shortly thereafter Matt's boat was lost in a crash and he too was searching for a new option. Each chose a used boat instead of jumping into the new boat market. With the high cost of new bass boats the duo looked toward one of the greatest rough water hulls of all time, the Champion 210 Elite. The boats were discontinued around 2008 but the anglers realized that if they could find a pair of boats in great shape that the money they'd saved would allow them to build two truly incredible fishing machines, complete with every part and component they'd ever wanted.

The boat Tim located was in near factory condition. Matt's was beautiful outside but needed a bit more work inside. Both boats were about to get a makeover that would make them near unrecognizable to the previous owners! The anglers started from the ground up and filled both boats with state of the art equipment from the money they had saved on the purchase price. Since these projects were done at the same time the anglers researched together and built two virtually identical boats with the best components they could find. Undertaking a project off this size is a commitment but is worth the effort and saves a lot of money over buying new boats. In case this is something you're considering doing or you liked one of the items we installed on our boats, here is the list of upgraded equipment on the boats.

At The Bow...

Trolling Motor- Ultrex 112 MEGA DI I-Pilot: http://bit.ly/2RqrT4v

Trolling Motor Sleeve- Troll Jacket: http://bit.ly/2xBxoVf

Electronics- Humminbird Solix 15 CHIRP G2: http://bit.ly/2Hazsej

Electronics Mount- T-H Marine Wave Tamer: http://bit.ly/2wsJVbA

Electronics- Hydrowave H2 KVD Feeding Stimulator: http://bit.ly/2rcbebU

Electronics- Humminbird 360 Imaging: http://bit.ly/2K8jPl4

Security- Loc-R-Bar: http://bit.ly/2CMF1NP

Talon Wireless Foot Switch: http://bit.ly/2O7zWUE

At The Console...

Hot Foot Throttle: http://bit.ly/2ob4kgO

Main Unit- Humminbird Solix 15 G2: http://bit.ly/2Hazsej

Side Unit- Humminbird Solix 12 G2: http://bit.ly/2AE2YDB

Main Mount- Bass Boat Technologies: Direct From Manufacturer

Side Mount- BalzOut Mount w/ 6" arm: http://bit.ly/2HnxLtu

At The Stern...

Anchors- Talon 15' Shallow Water Anchors: http://bit.ly/2F0QBSP

Jack Plate- Atlas Hydraulic 12": http://bit.ly/2QpkCkS

Remote Drain Plug System: http://bit.ly/2jkZqjS

Battery Charger- Minn Kota Precision: http://bit.ly/2vcrbjA

Additional Equipment…

Battery- Odyssey PC 2150M

Power Switch- Perko Battery Disconnect

Motor- 2018 Yamaha VMAX SHO 250

We caught them deep! Swimbait and Spoon Tips For Fall Bass

Big bass love deep water, don’t be afraid to catch them! In late Fall bass congregate offshore, forming schools that are much larger than anything found in the shallows. Most anglers ignore these fish because they’re not used to fishing deeper structure with electronics, or don’t have confidence targeting suspended fish. Come along with Matt and CC to find out just how easy it is to catch quality bass in deep, open water. 

At the start of the day Matt and CC planned to locate feeding fish around offshore schools of baitfish. Upon arriving at the lake they were greeted by heavy winds and cold air temperatures. While this required some adaptation, they stuck to their plan and successfully located schooling bass. This style of fishing is a commitment and often requires time spent on your electronics searching for fish. Matt used his Humminbird Solix units to scan flats and located an old house foundation in the process. While it didn’t produce today, a few waypoints were dropped around the foundation’s perimeter for future trips. This goes to show once again that time spent on your electronics is never wasted time. 

After a few stops the bass were located around baitfish in 35-40 feet of water. Matt and CC made short work of them using a jigging spoon, finesse swimbait, and a tail spin. This 3-part approach allowed them to cover water by fan casting but also provided an option for dropping down in an instant on fish that appeared below the boat. The key to schooling fish is speed. Once the bass are fired up you must get the bait to them as quickly as possible or the school will calm down and the feeding frenzy will end. The combination of spooning for a quick reaction and casting to relocate the school as it moved around the area was a deadly combination. 

Below is a breakdown of the gear and equipment that was used in today’s video. 

The baits… 

-TacticalBassin Finesse Swimbait Head (1/2 oz): http://bit.ly/2Pqrq3n

(Blue Shad, Tennessee Shad)

-ZXone Lures 4” Swammer Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2PogV0q

(309, Bream, Tennessee Shad)

-Keitech 4.3” Fat Swing Impact Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

(Electric Shad, Ghost Rainbow)

-Damiki Axe Blade 1 oz Underspin: http://bit.ly/2w2uB9t

(Holo Real Shad, Black Holo)

-Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz Spoon: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

(Morning Dawn UV, UV Fried Chicken)

Matt’s Spoon Combo… 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7’2” MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Daiwa Tatula CT 7:1 Reel: http://bit.ly/2zT6tDZ

Line- 20 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

CC’s Swimbait Combo… 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 6’10” MH: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- 20 lb Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Spooning Combo… 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7’ MH: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX HG Casting: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- 20 lb Seaguar Red Label: http://bit.ly/2LOVEwA