Big Swimbaits and Topwater For Spring Bass | Texas Bass Fishing

The guys are back in Texas chasing PreSpawn bass with a swimbait, an A-rig, and a variety of topwater. Come along as they build a pattern and adapt to changing conditions throughout the day. Watch how they fish with confidence and get bites, even on big swimbaits, without knowing anything about the lake. 

So many anglers get caught up in the mindset that certain baits (swimbaits, frogs, jigs, etc...) don't work on their lake. The reality is that bass behave very similarly and with few exceptions, eat the same baits throughout the country. We travel constantly and have seen over and over again that we can quickly catch fish on baits like a Gantarel or a frog, in lakes where others hesitate to even try these lures. 

The key to consistent fishing success anywhere in this country is building patterns. Focus on the conditions, how bass should behave during the season you're in, and take the extra time to intentionally fish likely locations based on those variables. You'll be amazed how many more bass you'll begin to catch!

As we continue to travel we're constantly refining our equipment. Life on the road requires specialized rods and an array of tackle. In the beginning our boats could hardly float from the masses of tackle we'd bring on trips. Anymore, we find key baits that work everywhere and we're able to narrow down our selections.

Below you'll find links to the baits we were using on this trip, some of our gear, and some travel-specific equipment that makes your life easier whether you're going cross country or to a lake down the road. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


A-Rigs... 

Rig- Hog Farmer TacticalBassin Bladed Flex: https://bit.ly/38xd1es

Heads- Matt Allen Swimbait Heads (1/8 oz): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Baits- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Pro Blue Red Pearl): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v


Swimbait... 

-G-Ratt Sneaky Pete: http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

Favorite Colors: Hitch, Gizzard Shad

-Jackall Gantarel: http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

Favorite Colors: RT Spawn Gill, RT Ghost Gill


Topwater...

-ScumFrog Launch Frog (Bluegill): https://bit.ly/3rOYQIF

-River2Sea Whopper Plopper 90 (Phantom Shad): http://bit.ly/2bsPbQV

-Evergreen Shower Blows 105 (Skeleton Chartreuse): http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH


Lure Retriever...

-Frabill 15' Pole Retriever: http://bit.ly/2TLTJc6


Travel Rods... 

High End (Our Favorite)- Megabass Triza Casting Rods: https://bit.ly/2Glg3au

Mid Range- St. Croix Triumph Casting Rods: https://bit.ly/3urbTSn

Budget Swimbait- Okuma Nomad Xpress: http://bit.ly/2p4zr3g


Tim's A-Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

Reel- 13 Fishing A2 (7.5:1): https://bit.ly/36XlOVs

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ


Tim's Topwater Combo... 

Rod- Megabass Destroyer P5 Z-Crank: https://bit.ly/30GcHqb

Reel- Shimano Curado 150 DC: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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Lipless Crankbait and Blade Bait Tips For Spring Bass Fishing

The lipless crankbait is a staple in most angler's Spring bass fishing arsenal, but very few understand the late-season effectiveness of the blade bait. Both options can produce incredible results in Spring and you should fish them with confidence. 

Today we're heading down the rabbit hole of lipless and blade baits. Matt begins with a surface level approach, recommending a couple baits for all-around success, but it doesn't take long before we're looking at niche baits, detailed color analysis, and in-depth descriptions of how big bass stage in Spring. 

With an almost endless list of baits in today's video we're using the video description to simplify the selections. Below you'll find links to our favorite all-around baits, our favorite baits by depth, and our favorite gear to throw them. We've included favorite colors, hook upgrades, and more. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


If You Could Only Have One... 

Bottom Contact- Lucky Craft LV-500 (Ghost minnow): http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Shallow Retrieve- Cotton Cordell Spot (Chrome Blue): http://bit.ly/2y3K210


Favorite Blade Baits For Spring... 

-Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2R7FlvL

Favorite Colors: Ito Hiuo, Jukucho Shad, Gill OB


-Damiki Vault 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Favorite Colors: Black Holo, Holo Cyber Purple, Real Shad


Lipless Crankbaits For Bottom Hopping... 

-Jackall TN-70: http://bit.ly/2lqAwjh

Favorite Colors: Super Shad, SG Threadfin, RT Escape Craw


-Lucky Craft LV-500: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Favorite Colors: Ghost minnow, American Shad, Chartreuse Shad


Lipless Cranks For Mid-Column Fishing... 

-Booyah One Knocker: https://bit.ly/3kyOoD5

Colors: Bling, Ghost, Tiger Craw


-6th Sense Quake 70: http://bit.ly/2Kxt4zm

Colors: Crimson Flash, Shad Hammer


-Strike King Red Eye Shad: http://bit.ly/2fqX1RT

Colors: Chartreuse Sexy Shad, Chrome Sexy Shad, Delta Red

Lipless Crankbaits For Shallow Fishing... 

-Damiki Tremor 65: http://bit.ly/2fVt8H6

Colors: American Shad, Real Shad, Red Craw

-Cotton Cordell Super Spot: http://bit.ly/2y3K210

Colors: Chrome Blue, Royal Red


-Lucky Craft LVR D-7: http://bit.ly/3r45j1T

Colors: Golden Shiner, Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Minnow


Split Ring/Treble Hook Upgrades...  

Split Rings- Owner Hyperwire (Size 3): http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX


Hooks For BIG Fish- Owner ST-56: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

Sizes: 4 for 1/2 oz baits, 2 for 3/4 oz baits

**LV-500 and TN-70 both use Size 4 Hooks**


Hooks For Quality Fish- Gamakatsu EWG: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

Sizes: 4 for 1/2 oz baits, 2 for 3/4 oz baits

**LV-500 and TN-70 both use Size 4 Hooks**


Our Favorite Lipless Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 845 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Shimano Bantam 150 XG: http://bit.ly/2H44yjG

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 Shock Leader 16 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Great Mid-Price Lipless Combo... 

Rod- Megabass Levante Flat Size Special: http://bit.ly/2FdE3YY

Reel- Shimano SLX MGL 70 (HG): https://bit.ly/3gIUCgJ

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 15 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9


Budget Lipless Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 705 CB (7' Med Heavy Cranking): http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

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

Line- Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget Blade Bait Combo...

Rod- 13 Fishing 6'10" Medium Omen Black 3: http://bit.ly/3lAXbEV

Reel- 13 Fishing Origin C (8:1): http://bit.ly/392qsU6

Line- Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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Bites On Every Cast! Spring Bass Fishing Chaos with Blade Baits and Glide Baits!

The bite is on fire!! Come along for a morning of bass fishing on Clearlake like we all dream about! Matt is throwing a glide bait and a blade bait and the fishing is incredible! Bass are schooling up before the spawn and this school is feeding heavily on small baitfish. Once Matt dials in the blade bait cadence, the fish start biting on every cast!

Many anglers overlook the effectiveness of lipless crankbaits and blade baits fished slowly along the bottom in Spring. They throw blade baits in Winter but they put them away as the water warms up in Spring. With newer baits like the Megabass Dyna Response and Damiki Vault coming to the market, blade bait season has extended all the way through the Spring. Its a great addition to your lipless crankbait arsenal to ensure you're catching the maximum number of fish when you locate schooling fish. 

Today's video revolves around two baits. Matt's first fish came on the Baitsanity Antidote glide bait, the rest fell for the Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz in Ito Hiuo. Keep in mind, when the bite is on, you don't have to have 50 different baits on deck to catch fish. You simply need to put the time in, learn from the clues you're getting on the water, and adapt with the conditions. 

Below you'll find links to the exact baits Matt was using as well as the gear he fished to keep those fish pinned all the way to the boat. Notice how few of his fish got off, despite fishing a heavy blade bait with small trebles on long casts. Using the right gear is key! All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Below the gear links you'll find time stamps for the video so you can jump between key fish catches if you'd like. However, this may be the one full-length video you want to watch straight through because as the bite heats up, its EVERY CAST!


Matt's Baits... 

Swimbait- Baitsanity Antidote Slow Sink (Shad): http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

Other Great Colors- Summer Shad, Trout

Blade Bait- Megabass Dyna Response 1/2 oz (Ito Hiuo): http://bit.ly/2R7FlvL

Other Great Colors- Jukucho Shad, Setsuki Ayu

Backup Swimbait- G Ratt Sneaky Pete (Hitch): http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe


Matt's Glide Bait Combo... 

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

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

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 30 lb Sunline FC100 Shock Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB


Matt's Blade Bait Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL 50 HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Blade Bait Combo...

Rod- 13 Fishing 6'10" Medium Omen Black 3: http://bit.ly/3lAXbEV

Reel- 13 Fishing Origin C (8:1): http://bit.ly/392qsU6

Line- Sunline Assassin Fluorocarbon 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz


Cut Points For This Video... 

3:30 Matt Catches Bass On Glide Bait

11:05 First Blade Bait Fish

16:35 The decision that changes everything, bit IMMEDIATELY

32:30 Next Cast Is A Giant!! Cut Points End Because its big bass on every cast!

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4 Finesse Tricks When Bass Won't Bite!

Bass fishing can be tough! You see other people catching them but every time you go to the lake its too windy, too cold, or too hot. Whatever it is, the bass just aren't biting when you're there. If you're tired of struggling to catch a bass, try these four techniques next time you're at the lake!

Tim is always catching fish. Whether its raining, snowing, or the conditions are perfect, he always manages to get bit. He's an incredibly talented angler but he also has a ton of confidence in his presentations. Over the years he's dialed in these four techniques to get bit under nearly any condition. No matter where he goes in the country, he always has a dropshot, a ned rig, a neko rig, and a finesse swimbait in the boat. 

Taking it a step further, he has very specific baits he throws with these techniques to ensure he's maximizing his time on the water. Below you'll find links to the gear he uses with these techniques, his favorite baits, and the exact colors he trusts as he travels the country. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Dropshot Worms... 

-Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher 3.5": http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

Colors: Green Pumpkin Purple, Smoke Purple Flake

-Strike King Dream Shot OPT 3.5": http://bit.ly/2aAoUoR

Colors: Magic, Triple Magic

-STH Crush Worm 3.75": https://bit.ly/3s5BcIn

Colors: Bang, Green pumpkin, Smokin Joe


Dropshot Rigging... 

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light (Size 2): http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pencil (3/16 oz): http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx


Ned Rig Worms... 

-Roboworm Ned 3": http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Colors: TW Black Blue Pumpkin, Desert Craw

-Missile Baits Ned Bomb: http://bit.ly/2XCOGwd

 Colors: Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core, Green Pumpkin


Ned Rigging... 

Tungsten Head- Swagger Flanders (1/10th): http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Lead Head- Z Man Ned Lockz HD (1/10th): http://bit.ly/2kIgRYK


Neko Rig Worms... 

-Missile Baits Quiver Worm 6.5": https://bit.ly/2xehVgx

Colors: Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core, Green Pumpkin

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

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red Flake


Neko Rigging... 

Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse (Size 1/0): http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Band- G7 Worm Protect Tube (7 MM): http://bit.ly/2PWEkUs

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pagoda (3/32): http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW


Finesse Swimbaits... 

Bait- Keitech 2.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad

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


All-Around Finesse Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7' Light+: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Power Pro 15 lb Braided Line: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


Budget All-Around Finesse Combo...

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

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

Line- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju 


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  
We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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