Bass typically start to spawn when the water temperatures reach 60 degrees.  When the bass are spawning I typically like to fish the back half of spawning coves (pea gravel or hard clay bottom).  The bass will guard the nest from egg robbers like lizards or bluegill.  For this reason, I like to slowly drag a Texas rigged lizard or similar bait like a brush hog.  If the bass are not biting this I will down size to a Bass Pro Shops River Bug in bluegill color.  I like to dye the tail chartreuse using Spike It.        

When the bass are done spawning, the males are left to guard the baby bass called fry.  The males despise anything disturbing their fry. To take advantage of this I will swim a bluegill colored jig through the fry.  During this time of year the top water bite begins to turn on.   I like to use buzz baits as a searching tool when I cannot see the fry.  The noise and water disturbance will often trigger a strike.  After the spawn, females will leave and go to deeper water to recover.  They will come up to a secondary or main lake point to feed.  To catch them, I will drag a lizard or brush hog on points using a Carolina rig.    I also like to use top water baits that I can walk the dog with.  The original and probably most popular bait in this category is the Heddon Zara Spook.  I will use this in the same areas I would use the Carolina rig or a flat near deep water.

----Written by Local Pro Staffer Aaron Olsen

 Hi folks, Jeff Johnson here, from the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Team.

The Lake Mead and Lake Mohave bite is still on for the Large and Small mouth bass.

The Large mouth bass can still be found in the backs of deep running coves with submergent and emergent vegetation in old creek beds and washes. They're taking small crankbaits in shad, chili craw and perch imitations. From square bills and medium divers with some top water action in the early morning. Then moving to deeper waters late morning taking some deep diving crankbaits along with some creature baits, jigs, tubes and crawfish in natural colors. Try using a "green watermelon" or a "green pumpkin" with black flake. "TIP" try keeping your baits around  3" inches long. The small mouth are still patrolling cliff faces, rock out crops, points and "rip rap" hunting for just about anything that swims. Shad, blue gill, small rock bass and crayfish are on the menu, and can be found in the 4' to 30' water column. Try adding some chrome, white, and crawfish lipless crankbaits to the menu with a medium retrieve. Some anglers are reporting a few early morning bites on 3/8 oz. spinner baits in white and chartreuse as well.

Striper fishing is still good whenever you can find a bait boil. Taking bone or shad Zara Spooks Jr.'s and white jigging spoons. Anchovies a few feet off of the bottom always seems to be good choice as well.

Good Luck!

 - Jeff Johnson,

-Bass Pro Shops Fishing Team Leader

 

 

 

                We all know it has been hot outside. In fact it’s been crazy hot. There have even been fish kills in area lakes and especially ponds, due to water temperature and low oxygen. With that being said there is still hope to go out and catch some fish. I want to talk about a few ways to be successful in this heat.

                I can’t stress enough how important it is to fish the windows this time of year. What I mean is there are small windows in the day where the fish will feed very heavy, and it does not last long. These windows are called dawn and dusk. It may only be for a few hours, and the key is you need to be out there when it happens.  It’s that time of year when you have to wake so early that it might be a little painful for you night owls. I’m talking you need to be on the water by five in the morning, and fishing hard for the first couple of hours of daylight. In this heat the fish are most active when it’s the coolest out. Just like us, they get up early to grab a bite and run their errands. Then they are back to deep water in the AC, sitting on the couch watching ESPN and the Outdoor channel by midmorning. Then right before dusk they come back out to do a little yard work and grab another bite to eat. On the last few trips I have been out, the last half hour of daylight has been on fire. It’s like a switch gets turned on and it’s a feeding frenzy. Once again the windows of the most action are small, but you can get a ton of bites in that little amount of time.

                I would have to say in these windows of opportunity, topwater lures usually can get your biggest bites. Because for most of the day they are sitting inactive, they look for a big meal in times of their activity. Some of my top choices right now are walk the dog type of baits. I like the zara spook and the KVD sexy dog. Bass Pro Shops Chug bugs, buzzbaits, and poppers can also load the boat. My other go to bait would have to be the frog. Anywhere there is vegetation the frog will hunt people. I get excited thinking about hitting a lake at low light conditions, with ol’ Kermy on the end of my line. My favorites to use are the Live Target, KVD Sexy, and the Spro Bronzye  frogs.

                It can be tough fishing in this heat, but as the old saying states, being the early bird does pay off.  Instead of looking out the window in the AC this time of year, use the windows to your advantage. This heat is no joke. Be smart out there and drink lots of water. Stay Cool!

Chad Fargher
East Peoria Fishing Lead

August Fishing Report:
Charlie Bowles, Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff /Lowrance Pro Staff

Mid to late summer is an exciting time on Lake Anna… The threadfin shad hatch ignites a feeding frenzy all over the lake. All species key in on tiny baitfish on points, in open water, in the backs of large flats etc. If you find the bait, you can find the fish.

Bass:
This month offers some great top water action early in the mornings. The bass will feed heavily on threadfin in the upper parts of the rivers in shallow, stained bays near grass. They will crush buzzbaits, poppers, and top walkers for the first hour of daylight. As the topwater bite begins to die off move out to deeper brush piles and drop off’s. The fish will get close to cover and shade, setting up ideal ambush points. Texas rigged 8-10 inch worms are great for luring big bass out to for an easy meal. Shakey head jigs rigged with 4-6 inch finesse worms are a great follow up bait if you can’t get them to take the bigger offering.

Striper

The stripers will put on an amazing top water display in the morning. Acres of fish will feeding on the surface in the mid lake area. They will hit poppers, walkers, flutter spoons etc. You have to be as quiet as possible, keep your trolling motor on a constant low speed and slowly approach the school… Even better is to observe which direction they are moving and sit and wait for them if possible. Once the sun gets up it is time to try ½ oz to ¾ oz jigging spoons. The fish will be on 25-40 foot flats in large schools. If you loose the school or are looking to cover more water, put the trolling lines down. You’ll need to get the baits deep by using trolling sinkers, downriggers, Crankbaits etc. Once you locate a school of fish on your sonar you can troll swimbaits, spoons, rattletraps, etc. to catch dozens of 5-10 pound fish. There is also some occasional topwater action during the day so be sure to have a zara spook or popper tied on just in case.

Crappie
Nice size slabs can be found all over the lake. Deeper Bridges, docks, brush piles, and rocks, are home to thousands of Crappie. One method is to try casting grubs, tubes, and beetle spins as close to whatever cover you are targeting. Another approach is to use a slip bobber above a #6 gold aberdeen hook tipped with a small minnow.

Call 540-287-3591 or Visit www.cvofishing.com to see a recent journal of catches, or book a trip.

 

The dog days of summer can be very productive. It doesn't look like we'll have much relief from the heat soon.  Here are my top ten on beating the heat and catching fish:

1. Get up Early - It is usually light enough to see by 5 a.m. Fish can be very active before the hot sun breaks the shade line.
2. Night Catfish - Stay up all night catfishing. The cool evenings are more comfortable fishing and the cats bite better at night.
3. Night Largemouths - Head for your favorite bass haunt around dusk and stay for a couple hours past sunset. Try top water lures like buzzbaits or Zara Spooks.
4. Tube it - Put yourself in an inner tube and float around with live bait or toss your favorite lure. Safety first...make sure you have a personal flotation device!
5. Daytime Largemouths (farm ponds) - Just like humans, the largemouth is trying to stay in the coolest spot they can find. In a farm pond, the deepest part is probably where they're holding. Try dragging Texas-rigged plastic worms on the bottom.  This isn't a good way to beat the heat, but it traditionally produces nice largemouths.
6. Just Get in - Wading can be a good way for relief...who knows?  You might even catch something! Be sure to wear a life jacket.
7. Late Evenings - Get to the water around 8 p.m. and stay until dark. This has been my favorite time to fish in August. After a long, hot, day, the fish start becoming more active in the last hour of light, plus the summer sunset are awesome!
8. Cool Running Rivers - The water below a dam is cooler and the constantly moving water produces oxygen that fish enjoy, even in the heat of the day.
9. White Bass - This fish doesn't seem to care about the heat. As a matter of fact, many local anglers will tell you the hotter it is, the better the White Bass will bite. Look for sea gulls feeding on the surface shad. This usually means the shad were pushed up by the Whites.
10. Troll the Beaches - You never know what you might catch.

 Above all else, use your head and common sense.  Don't put yourself at risk for heat-related illnesses. If you just HAVE to go fishing, take plenty of WATER with you for drinking. If it's daytime then sunscreen to keep from baking, don't stay out too long, and always take shade breaks.

______________________________

Bass Pro Shops Altoona Receiving Manager Jeff Rowland is an avid fisherman, outdoor writer, and former fishing guide. He is the author of Reel Adventures of a Marion County Angler and his expertise has been featured in magazines such as Iowa Game and Fish, Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream.  

 

Take a poll among avid anglers and you’ll find that favorite seasons to fish are varied and opinions run strong.  Some prefer the immediate pre-spawn period in April while others prefer the advantages of finding concentrations of fish during the summer and winter months.  But, one thing that most anglers will agree on is that the late spring topwater bite is the best time of year to be on the water.  Both spotted bass and linesides are feeding heavily at this time.   Aggressive wolf packs of these predators often chase schools of baitfish right up to the surface making for some very exciting opportunities.  Few things in nature rival the adrenaline rush of watching a calm surface erupt with slashes and boils of feeding fish as you’re trying to get your plug into the action.  This phenomenon can get pretty dramatic and it’s common to spot activity from long distances in calm water conditions.  Look for topwater schooling to begin in early May and go strong through the month.  Striper action will typically taper off by early June while spotted bass with continue this activity through the summer months.  Although action can occur at any time, early morning and evening periods tend to be the most productive.  As always during the spring, weather factors can have a big influence on the fishing.  While it’s a great time to exploit topwater action, a strong frontal system can put the bite down for a day or two.  It’s important to have a back-up plan in case surface action does not materialize.  While searching for this, focus your efforts from the middle sections of creeks out to main lake areas near the creek mouths.  Although the predators are keying on roaming schools of baitfish, remember that “points point out the fish”.  Activity will very often erupt in the vicinity of a prominent point or submerged hump which is typically the extension of a point.

V-Wake a Redfin

 If you’re parked off the best looking point in your favorite creek and looking for surface activity, blind casting is always a good idea.  Just remember that you should be covering open water with some significant depth and not targeting the shoreline.  Blind casting a plug can put a lot of extra fish on the end of your line.   What type of topwater plug should you choose?  It’s no secret that fishermen are a highly opinioned bunch.  While “swear by” lure choices will vary widely, there are a handful of tried and true favorites that you’ll not go wrong with.  It’s now been over a decade since the Sammy by Lucky Craft hit the topwater scene.  And, it’s still going strong.  It’s a pricey choice at about $15 per copy but the results are hard to argue with.  The trademark American shad is a great color if you’re shelling out a few dollars for one of these.  If you’re looking for a more modest investment, you’ll not go wrong with the old fashioned Zara Spook.  This plug has been around for quite a few decades with good reason and still evokes lots of strikes from surface feeders.  The classic color for this classic lure is blue shore minnow.  It’s a north Georgia favorite.  While the original Zara Spook is very good, I eventually became a big fan of its newer big brother, the Super Spook.  As the name implies, this is a beefed up version and weighs in at nearly an ounce.  Long casts can be important when pursuing schoolers and this lure can be fired to impressive distances with the right tackle.  It also sports rotating treble hooks that really make a difference in improving the strike to fish on ratio.  Bleeding Shad is the only color I need for the Super Spook.  Another plug to consider is the Redfin by Cotton Cordell.  Technically, this lure is a jerkbait and will run subsurface on a medium to fast retrieve.  Savvy anglers use a different approach.  They use a slower retrieve and keep it on the surface producing what is known as a “V-wake”.  This has a great effect on stripers and will elicit strikes from real bruisers of the spotted bass world.  Die hard Redfin fans pick the chrome and blue color and swear that it’s even better when the finish is chipping off exposing the bone colored plastic beneath.  There is also a sub-cult following of the Smokey Joe color.

Two Rods Are Better Than One

Lures such as the Sammy, Zara Spook, and Super Spook mentioned in the previous paragraph are often called stick baits because of their basic shape.  There’s only one way to present this style of topwater plug.  The proper retrieve is referred to as “walking the dog”.   Reeling combined with short twitches of the rod tip will cause a stickbait to zig-zag or dart from side to side resembling a fleeing baitfish.  It only takes a little practice to master this and some plugs are engineered to walk with a minimum of effort imparted by the angler.  When it comes to topwater tackle in May and early June, opt for medium heavy gear.  Both casting and spinning set ups are appropriate.  Six and a half to seven foot rods get the nod.  Pair these with reels that will handle at least eighty to one hundred yards of twelve pound test line as a minimum.  If you pick up your favorite shallow spool model that’s in vogue with bass fishermen, you’re playing with fire because stripers are out there waiting.  When it comes to line, avoid fluorocarbon products.  While they do a superior job in many applications, they are heavy and will suppress the action of topwater plugs.  This is especially true with maximum distance between you and the lure.  Spool up with your favorite traditional monofilament product and you’ll be in good shape.  On the subject of tackle, it pays to have two rods rigged and ready on deck.  Backlashes and tangles do happen.  This is good insurance for those times when you’re on top of a school of predators kicking up water as they churn the surface.  Simply drop one rod and pick up another.  If you’re downed bait is floating motionless in the attack zone you may want to put one foot on the rod butt or put it in a holder…..just in case.  I’ve actually had fish become hooked up when striking a free floating lure attached to a tangled rod on a couple of occasions.  It can be quite the circus, especially if you’re fighting another fish as well.  On another note, it pays to be cautious when landing fish hooked with large topwater plugs.  I highly recommend investing in a good lip gripper type device.  These have become very affordable for the average angler and are much cheaper than a trip to the emergency room at the local hospital. 

Stay Mobile to Find Fish

If you’re out for striper action, live bait fishing will often pay off while searching for the topwater bite.  When searching an area and making blind casts with your favorite plug, bait up and trail a couple of flat lines about a hundred feet behind the boat.  Tie a small balloon inflated to golf ball size about ten feet above one bait and weight the other line with a medium size split shot about six feet up the line for a slightly deeper presentation.  Frisky blue back herring or shad are great choices when it comes to live bait.  If one rod hooks up on two consecutive fish, switch the other one to the same style of presentation.  If fish are erupting on the surface all around, the live bait flat lines can quickly become more trouble than they are worth.  This is especially true if you’re doing a lot of maneuvering with the electric motor.  This time of year, it really pays off to stay mobile. If conditions are favorable and you’re not seeing signs of life in seven minutes or so, move on to the next spot.  For greater efficiency, have a route planned in advance.  Although topwater action is the name of the game, choppy water can inhibit the surface bite.  However, in these conditions, a good jerkbait can produce well when cast towards the points.  As late spring turns into summer, striper action fades but good news is that the spotted bass continue to chase bait at the surface.  Windows of opportunity during the summer months are mostly early and late in the day for schooling action.  Smaller surface plugs tend to become more effective as the season progresses.  Poppers such as the Pop-R by Rebel are good choices along with smaller versions of the earlier mentioned lures.   Sometimes bass will key on small baitfish and ignore even these smaller topwater plugs.  One classic trick is to use a saltwater popping cork with a trailing leader.  On the end of this leader, tie on a very small shad imitator such as a Pop-N-Stripe or the highly realistic Gummy Minnow.  You’ll find the latter stocked in the fly fishing shop.  In closing, there’s plenty of room for opinion about the best time of the year to go fishing but most will agree that May is hard to beat.  If you’re up for the excitement and adrenaline of some serious surface action, this could become your favorite too.  Until next month, take care and enjoy the lake!

Thank you for reading!

Tommy H. Wilkinson

By Jeff Rowland

Throughout the years, I’ve been astonished more than once at the size of a meal that a bass will attempt to take.

The first time, I was bass fishing an abandoned clear water rock quarry. There were no boats allowed in this pristine and secluded body of water and it had to be fished from the shore. This place had a reputation for producing nice, largemouths and was always a fun and special place to fish. Using an eight-inch, purple Mann’s Jelly Worm, rigged Texas-style, I was pitching into a fallen tree, when I hooked up with a nice little bass in the two-pound range. My cast had gone over a fallen log, so to get the fish in I had to hoist it over the obstacle to prevent a snag or line break. Just as the fish cleared the log, another largemouth came over that log and attacked my catch. This fish was probably pushing seven or eight pounds; it had my catch sideways in its mouth and was trying hard to turn it to swallow it down. I popped the bail open to see what would happen next and after several seconds of being jaw-clamped the smaller bass worked its way out of the bigger fish’s mouth and the predator swam away. I couldn’t believe that the larger bass would even attempt to quench its hunger with a fish about a quarter of its size. I weigh in at about a buck seventy and if you compared this event with proportions of a human level, it would be like me eating 42 pounds of food at one sitting.

The second time I witnessed this phenomenon, I was wade fishing a river for smallmouths. One of my co-workers, who wasn’t a seasoned angler, had heard me talk about the river smallies and wanted to see what it was all about. We had been there for about a half hour when he caught his first-ever bronze back. The fish was around four pounds; after he landed it and started to remove the hook, he asked me a curious question, “Why does a smallmouth have a forked tongue?” I replied that they don’t have forked tongues to which he replied, “Well, this one does.” I waded over to look and what I saw was not a forked tongue, but the tail of a shad protruding out of the fish’s stomach. My next move was a mistake because I'm a firm believer in doing my best to preserve the mortality of caught fish to ensure a healthy release. What I was about to do could easily jeopardize the fish’s recovery, but my curiosity was high and I had to see just how big this shad was. I grabbed my needle-nose and pulled the shad out from the smallie’s stomach. It was easily over a foot long and was at least a fourth of the fish’s weight. The thought of that fish having a full stomach and still going after more food astonished me and had me creating theories in my mind about this kind of behavior.

Both instances were a few weeks post spawn and both species were female…there must be time frames when post spawn females go through gorging periods to recover. I don’t know if that theory is true, but as the years passed, I began to apply my theory during post spawn times and began to throw bigger lures. Changing to bigger lures has turned some pretty nice fish for me through the years and having these lures in your arsenal of tackle is not a bad idea.

There are a number of different lures an angler can try if they choose to go down the “big” path.

Swim Baits

Working at Bass Pro Shop, I have seen this lure become very popular and it seems every season we are stretching space to add more swim baits. There are many options in this category from soft plastic to seasoned, hard baits. These days, size is up to you. There are many very large swim baits in today’s market and don’t forget to check out the Muskie aisle. Many bass anglers are using big Muskie swim baits with success.

Worms and lizards

These lures in the 10 to 12 inch range are proven oldies, can be used in many different depths, and are very versatile. They can be dropped weightless into cover or drug on the bottom with a worm weight. They can be rigged Carolina-style and fished liked a swim bait or with a slow steady retrieve.

Bass Jigs & (the old thirty-nine twelve)

I don’t have any data to back this, but I believe this lure has probably produced more big bass than any other big lure. I like using jigs in the ½ oz. to ¾ oz. range and I like to put on the biggest honkin’ trailer I can find. Like the worm rig, you can get crazy versatile with this lure. It can be swam with a drop pause method, pitched into brush, fished on the bottom or just a slow, steady retrieve with an occasional pause. My most productive way is to count down as soon as the lure splashes and work different depths with a steady  retrieve, then pause and  use a method I call “3912.” During the pause, I give the rod three quick pulls with my rod tip moving from 9 to 12 o’clock. After the third pull, I let the lure drop for about a half second then repeat the method. Most strikes occur on the drop. If you’ve ever watched a crawfish retreat in fear it has a very similar appearance to how this lure appears using the old 3912 method.

Big Top Waters

These lures are my absolute favorite to throw. In my youth, I learned about catching largemouths fishing farm ponds from the shore and it didn’t take long to figure out that big bass love to use the shoreline to trap their prey. I started throwing top waters about two feet away from the bank with a parallel cast. This method not only proved to be productive, but a whole lot of fun, too. Of course, top waters can be used many other ways, but don’t be afraid of trying this “close to the shore” method. Casting towards stickups is also productive. Once again, there are many large top waters to try; my favorites are the Zara Spook, XPS Pro Buzz, and the Bass Pro Lazer Eye Buzz Master.

 

 

All of these lures can be productive and if you don’t already have them as part of your inventory you may be missing out on something… BIG!

Bass Pro Shops Altoona Receiving Manager Jeff Rowland is an avid fisherman, outdoor writer, and former fishing guide. He is the author of Reel Adventures of a Marion County Angler and his expertise has been featured in magazines such as Iowa Game and Fish, Outdoor Life, and Field and Stream.  

 

 

 

When it comes to bass fishing I can see how the beginner can feel overwhelmed with the vast array of lures in our store.  Over half of the fishing department is dedicated to largemouth bass fishing.  We have isle after isle of soft plastics and countless hard baits with each of these lures being engineered for a specific purpose.  The other day I had the opportunity to share with a fellow associate here in the store and he told me about a fun way to challenge your fishing buddies.  Years ago while living in Virginia he and several friends would trek out to their favorite lake on Saturday and put on a small tournament.  This event was way different than what you might think though, the reason why, they could only each bring three lures.  This got me to thinking if I had to take three lures out on the water for a day of competition, “What would they be?” 

My first choice would be a spinnerbait.  One of the main reasons this would be my first choice is the versatility.  They can be burned across weed beds in the shallows, or slow-rolled down deep.  I prefer a double willow leaf blade but I also own several Colorado Blade spinners.  A great spinnerbait is the Booyah Bassinator, they are available in several different colors and weights.    

The second bait in my arsenal would be a Zoom Baby Brush Hog in Watermelon Red Texas Rigged.  I absolutely love fishing Baby Brush Hogs.  From early spring to late summer I have great luck with these small creature baits.  They resemble the small crayfish, lizards, and baitfish that largemouth bass prey on every day.  I often drop the weight from my set-up and fish the Brush Hog in the shallows for a slow sinking motion that bass find hard to resist. 

The final lure in my three bait package would have to be a topwater spook bait.  I have caught several bass in the six to seven pound range on spooks.  They are great during the early morning and late evenings of Spring and early summer.  Heddon’s Zara Spook is available in several colors and are great for targeting shallow water bass.  The new Sexy Dawg from Kevin Van Dam and Strike King is guaranteed to make some waves this spring as it enters the spook world.

So there you have it, my three baits I would take out on the water if I was only allowed three lures.  A spinnerbait, a Texas rigged Brush Hog, and a Spook.  If you do not have one of these lures in your assortment you should try and add one the next time you stop by the store.  In closing, I have to ask what would your three be?

March is here, and the early spring weather will play a great part in the spring run of Fish. Here are the main focus points of the fishing opportunities to be had at this time.

FRESHWATER
Crappie and Yellow Perch (Ring Perch):
Right now is the time to get in on the great Crappie and Perch fishing that is going on. The mild winter weather is providing better fishing days for these species. Common tactics for these species will be curly tailed grubs, beetle spins, in-line spinner baits, small spinner baits, Cicada type blade baits, small crank baits and small swim baits. These fish will also bite live baits such as minnows and night crawlers with equal enthusiasm. This fishery should remain good till mid to late March.

Herring and Shad (Hickory and American):
NOTE: As of this year, it is illegal for anyone to have river Herring in their possession.  http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/regulations/
The Shad fishing hot spots on the James River will be the 95 bridge to the fall line. When the Shad are in full swing boating and Kayak traffic will increase in this area. In addition to fly fishing, Shad are easily caught on Shad darts, Shad spoons, Sabiki rigs and plastic Crappie jigs. This fishery is most fun when using light tackle in the 2 – 6 pound range. Shad typically average in the two pound range, and they put up a great fun fight on the light/ ultra-light tackle with plenty of areal displays, these fish will occasionally be called the “light tackle fresh water Tarpon”. While fishing for Shad you will catch Herring as well. It would be very wise to pay close attention to the Moratorium in effect this year. Also if you are keeping Shad for bait, please keep in mind that there are two different species of Shad, American and Hickory, and you cannot possess American Shad. The number one distinctive feature is that Hickory Shad are darker and have a lower jaw that extends past the upper jaw bone, like a tarpon, and the American Shad are more silver in color, and have equal length jaw bones. The fishing for these fish will be good starting in March, and could go as late as mid April.

Striped Bass (Rock fish):
The Striper, as well as all other big game fish, will follow the Shad and Herring up the rivers on their annual migration to spawn. This gives local anglers a fun opportunity to catch these fish in good numbers, and it is not uncommon to land fish over the 20 pound mark. This is a catch and release fishery, so try to use lure hooks that are easily removed to cause the least amount of stress to the fish. For the fisherman who uses chunked Shad, circle hooks are the safest bet for this type of fishing to help reduce the gut hooked fish that may not survive. Typical lures used will be larger swim baits, wake baits, crank baits, jointed twitch baits and top water lures like Zara Spooks, or Chuggers.  The top color pattern of all these lures will be Shad or Herring.

Catfish: 
The Blue and Channel Catfish begin stirring this month with the opportunity of large fish being caught. Your best bait by far will be cut Hickory Shad, with Gizzard Shad being a good second option. Your typical “Carolina” type slider rig will be your most productive rig to use with the flat river style weights. Fish near the shoreline of the James River in the slower moving water, pay attention to drop-offs, deep holes, and sunken trees. These areas will be your most productive.

SALTWATER
Spot and Croaker: 
As these fish begin to show up this month, your best tackle options will be a standard two hook bottom rig, baited with Squid, Shrimp, Blood Worms, and artificial scent bait like Gulp or Fish Bites. Medium Heavy tackle will provide plenty of fun for these scrappy fighters for the whole family.

Speckled Trout and Puppy Drum:
Warm days will encourage these fish to eat more often, and begin their shift from their oceanic hide outs into the Bay. Medium weight tackle will be sufficient enough to handle these fighting fish, providing plenty of fun. Mirro lures, curled tail grubs, paddle tail grubs and scented baits like the Gulp shrimp will be the best go-to lures for these fish.

Things to Prepare for:
With the Spring fisheries around the corner, now is a great time to get prepared for the fishing you will do later. Re-spooling reels, lubing bearings, replace hooks, dust off the rods, and re-stock missing tackle. Monofilament line pretty much has a one year life span, so it is best to start the year off with good line. Look at your rods, the reel seats on the rods, and the guides. With the nice fishing weather here, it will continue to get better, so prepare now and enjoy your fishing year!
 

 

Hi everyone, Mark Franco here - Let's start off with striper fishing locally. 

Striper Fishing - Diamond Valley Lake
Excellent fishing currently! Stripers up to 12 lbs,  but most of the fish are in the 3lbs to 5lbs range with some nice kicker fish up to 10 lbs.  Best bait being used is cut bait. Anchovy and sardine seems to be working best. Top water baits working well are the Skeeterwalk by Rapala and the Zara Spook by Haddon…all available at Bass Pro Shops. That’s right even sardines…which have been hard to find.

Trout Fishing - Corona Lake, Santa Ana River Lake, & Laguna Niguel

Moving on to trout fishing...as you know trout fishing is winding down in the High Sierras, but that's OK because our local lake will be very active soon.  I just found out this week that CORONA LAKE will be stocking trout Oct 14th with 1,000 lbs.  Most of the fish will be 1lbs to 3lbs. Other lakes will not be far behind like SANTA ANA RIVER LAKE, LAGUNA NIGUEL and don’t forget the county parks lakes. They will be stocked Nov 2^nd and we will have all the baits you need. Power Bait in all scents, mini jigs in every color, trout worms, Kastmaster Super Dupers and Thomas buoyant. Even the new Power Mouse which was the big rage last year. Bass Pro carries multiple colors of treble hooks, sliding sinkers and drop shot weights, also. 

Bass Fishing - Lake Perris & Diamond Valley Lake

Moving on to the money fish....that's right,  the bass.  Local lakes like PERRIS offer good fishing using a variety of top water baits in the morning. As the day goes on try a drop shooting worm like Robo worms. Colors that are fishing well are Morning Dawn and Margarita Mutilator 2.  Aaron Magic is looking good, too.  

 

DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE offers good fishing early morning on top water baits. Also try using sinkos mid afternoon.  Pitch them into the trees and hang on.

 

Other Fish
Catfish are winding down locally, but there's still good biting at the local county parks.  Santa Ana River Lakes are still catching nice catfish up to 15 lbs. Baits being used are cut mackerel,  chicken livers and a variety of dough baits. The Colorado River is still catching big catfish with cut bait working best.

 

Bluegill locally are a little tough. Perris Lake seems to have the best bite going. Right now baits being used are cricket meal worms and red worms.

 

Local guide mark Franco will be speaking at Bass Pro Shops Rancho Cucamonga on Oct 22nd at 12:30pm at the main tank on trout fishing in your local lakes.  Come and join us for this free informational seminar.

 

Thanks for reading everybody and remember all baits mentioned and lots of great fishing advice are all available at Bass Pro Shops in Rancho Cucamonga. 

Good Fishing...Mark Franco

With rain showers returning to the central Florida region a regular basis, I can’t help thinking about the baby Tarpon and Snook that will be stacking up in the outflow of culverts and spillways allowing fresh water runoff to enter the salt water of the Indian River system. Heavy rains will be routed from the surface streets and residential neighborhoods towards the salt water where predators set up feeding stations to feast on small fish that get flushed from the culverts with the increased flows. Cast small flies like the EP Micro Minnow or Norm Zeigler’s Schminnow (see photo) in white or black to match the hatch, so to speak. Folks to the south can cash in on spillway openings when water levels are adjusted in the Big “O.” Unfortunately, some of the fishing locations aren’t the most picturesque but the quality and quantity of the fish reaping the benefits can be staggering if you hit it just right.

This is also a good time of the year to search out landlocked Tarpon all across Florida. I know of many folks with a network of ponds, ditches, and canals that are essentially closed off to saltwater for most if not all year, each of which contains tarpon ranging from little nippers in the one to 5 pound range up to 30 or 40 pound sub-adults. Drive around many coastal neighborhoods from central Florida south and you’ll locate a great number of these secret honey holes for yourself. Fly guys shouldn’t leave their spinning rods at home though. Many of these out of the way holes don’t provide enough room to cast my favorite choice in tackle, to spinning rods and Zara Spooks and D.O.A ?Baitbusters get used for once. I guess I have to justify having them in my rod rack one way or another.

Brian "Beastman" Eastman
White River Fly Shop
Outdoor World Orlando

Summertime in central Oklahoma can make it tough on a fisherman, triple digit heat by noon is no time to catch fish.  Don't get me wrong I am not suggesting that you just stay home and watch golf, I am saying the summer months can be a great time to do both, you just have to adjust your alarm clock a little.  

Official sunrise on July 4th in Oklahoma City is 6:20am, the fact is, there is "fishable" light by 5:30 am on most days during the summer and if you are comfortable navigating in the dark you are only limited by the amount of sleep you need to function.  The time just before and after first light can be some of the best fishing of the day, often you can find gamefish pushing bait to the surface just as the sky is gaining color.  On calm days before there is any sunlight you can often hear these same fish breaking the surface.  This is the time to get out your favorite topwater baits and have some of the most exciting fishing of the year.

Any lake in the sate can be a good bet for an early morning topwater bite this time a year.  Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Sand Bass, and Hybrid Striped Bass are all usual suspects for surface action.  It is not uncommon for my summertime trips to start with the alarm set for 3-3:30am, the goal is to be on the water and fishing a solid hour before the night sky gives way to daylight.  If the fish are actively feeding on the surface it will be obvious, but don't let lack of visible fish keep you from giving topwater a shot.  Often gamefish can be tempted to the surface during these early morning hours even when they do not seem to be actively feeding. 

Buzzbaits, prop baits, chuggers, poppers and sliders all have their time and place.  If you are looking to cover a lot of water quickly a buzzbait is always a good choice.  If the wind is up a little I find a prop bait or a popper tends to get a little more attention than the others, let the fish tell you what they want, vary your retrieves, try to not fall into a pattern.  If fish are actively feeding you can often get the best reaction by ripping these baits in as quick as possible with aggressive jerks.  In times when there is less activity try letting these baits sit for a while, and work them back more subtly.  Calm days and slick water are a great time to break out topwater slider style baits like a Zara Spook or a Sammy, these baits have a great "walk the dog" action that can be the difference on some days.  If you have never used a slider style bait before it might take a little practice to get the cadence of your retrieve down but eventually you will be walking that dog with the best of'em.  Some of these slider type baits will have a slight curve or sway back to them, this curve will make it easier for you to get the action you are looking for if you are just starting out.

So...On the water at 4:30am, topwater action for a few hours and off the lake when the fish stop biting or it gets too hot to think, which ever comes first.  I am usually back home and watching golf by noon, not a bad way to spend a summer day off.  If you have any questions on what you need to take advantage of Oklahoma's fantastic topwater fishing opportunities or you just want to add to your topwater arsenal come on down to Bass Pro Shops here in Oklahoma City and we will be more than happy to help out.  

The shad spawn is over and concentrations of bass that you found the month before are now scattered all over the lake. The bass are now going deeper and deeper as the temperature begins to rise. It seems more difficult to put a pattern together as balls of bait fish move to cooler and deeper water. However, there is a pattern in Texas and on most lakes in which you have an opportunity to catch the largest bass of the day, but the odds are stacked on the bass' side. These large "rogue" bass take the opportunity to snack on shad that come to the surface in the cool of the morning on pumpkin seed perch, which are spawning. In most cases these bass are very aggressive and are found in 2 feet or less of water. Granted, these areas contain the natural habitat that these ambush predators seek out such as weed growth, stumps, rip rap, and of course deep water near by. I have seen this bite shut off as soon as the sun pops out to as long as 1:00 in the afternoon on a partly cloudy day. Finding these areas is not too difficult but landing a hooked seven pounder on a 3 inch popper can be a nightmare.

By: Mike Eutsler

Topwater bass fishing is often rated as the number one method of catching bass that anglers enjoy most. Veteran fishermen can vividly recall the first time they used a topwater lure and the explosive strike that occurred. Many different styles of baits fill the aisles of sporting good stores and in recent years the popularity of “frog” type topwater baits has exploded. Many different styles and shapes are produced, however; the snag proof design of the frogs allows anglers to probe almost any type of cover that is holding bass without getting hung up. Hollow bodies with improved water valves make the frog a good choice anytime bass are in shallow, thick cover.

Some frogs need to be “tricked out”, frogs usually come with a two hook set up that needs to be bent up slightly for better hookups. A strong pair of pliers used sparingly will work, avoid bending too much. Frogs with rubber strand legs may be trimmed to aid in making the frog “walk the dog” like you would a Zara Spook.

Braided line is the only type of line that one should use when frog fishing, the braided line’s lack of stretch aids in the hookset as well as assisting in pulling fish quickly from thick cover or vegetation. Braid also casts well and helps the frog skip under low hanging branches.

Frog fishing is centered on placing the frog into cover that bass are hiding in and they usually are in an attack mode and will strike almost anything that lands near them. Occasionally repetitive casts to a spot are required, however; many strikes come on the initial entry so be ready to react as the frog lands. Strikes are quite explosive and it can be very easy to miss the bite by reacting too quickly to the strike. Most anglers keep reeling and then setting the hook when they actually feel the weight of the fish on the end of the line.

How an angler works the frog is usually dictated by the bass, some days a slow methodical jerk works, a jerk-jerk-pause sequence is a good way to start. Sometimes allowing the frog to set and let the legs slowly undulate over the bass will bring violent strikes. Other days the “walk the dog” retrieve will draw more strikes. Trial and error is required; one other trick is keeping a back up rod/reel setup with another lure on if a bass follows your frog but doesn’t strike it. A quick follow up with another lure such as a shakey head worm will result in a strike.

When fishing thick moss or scum and a bass blows up but misses the frog, an angler can come back in a few minutes and throw to the blown out spot and get the fish to bite again. About the only time this doesn’t work is if the “hole” fills back in quickly or the fish is partially stuck by the hooks on the strike.

Frog fishing works well all year long and can be very rewarding anytime bass are in thick cover or moss. One place that is overlooked is boat docks. The frog can be skipped back into usually inaccessible places and often result in hefty strikes, however; be prepared to lose some frogs as big bass can wrap you up very quickly beneath the dock that cannot be reached.

Mike Eutsler

Springfield, Missouri

The topwater bite is in full swing! There is nothing more exciting than watching a Booyah Buzz Blade Buzzbait gurgling across the top of the water early in the morning and a monster bass erupting from the depths onto it. The main problem us fishermen have is reacting to the sight of a strike, instead of waiting on feeling the bass. Another useful tip is to use a Bass Pro Shops Trailer hook. It will greatly increase your catch to miss ratio. On cloudy days I will throw one all day. You will be surprised how many bass you can catch in the afternoon part of the day. The best color of choice during those cloudy days is black and on sunny days I like a white or white and chartreuse.

Topwater fishing can be just as exciting using a Lucky Craft Sammy Topwater lure or a Heddon-Zara Spook. These lures use a "walk the dog" back and forth presentation. When using these lures you also need to wait until you feel the fish before you set the hook. The same goes for color choice, dark colors for cloudy days and lighter colors for sunny.

My rod of choice is a 7 foot medium action Bass Pro Shops CarbonLite Trigger Rod with micro guides. I like the 7 foot because I can get more distance on my cast and the longer the rod is the more line I take up when I set the hook. I use a 7:1 gear ratio reel spooled with 17lb. mono. If you have any questions come by the reel counter and see myself, Buddy or Aaron. We will be glad to answer any that you have. Remember practice catch and release for our future generations! Let's let them enjoy the same experience that we have.

Rob Price
Leeds, Alabama.

Topwater fishing is not for the faint of heart or the weak-kneed fishermen! This type of fishing is known as a heart pumping adrenaline junkie nightmare to some. Now, who is ready for springtime fishing?

I tend to find myself jerking my fishing rod instantly, listening for splashes and looking for small wakes when I am top water fishing. I hate more than anything to see my bait come flying in the air right back at me. I dream of seeing a big splash, a line pulling fight and a tail walking bass with my topwater bait in the corner of his mouth!

An average angler can easily master a few top water techniques and have an incredible time catching lots of bass.  These techniques are not hard, but they do require patience and a systematic approach. I highly recommend reading and watching everything you can find online; such as the other information available on this web site. When watching these online videos, do not watch the fish hit the lures; watch the fishermen’s action before, during and after the strike. You should be able to find at least a few techniques that will help you catch more fish on top water lures. There are many expert anglers presenting some really good and informative videos online now a day.

Before you go fishing let’s make sure you are using the right reel, rod, and line.

My choice for a reel is one that has a high gear ratio. Currently, I am using a Carbon Lite baitcaster reel 6.4:1 branded by Bass Pro Shops.  This is one of the lightest baitcasters I have ever used. It has one piece aluminum frame and 7 ball bearings. The high speed reels will help you pick up your line faster off the surface of the water.

When choosing the correct fishing rod I would suggest you look for a model with a flexible tip and make sure it has some back bone at mid shaft for a strong hook set. My personal choice is the Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series II Trigger Rods in the length of 7’2 medium, fast action. A longer fishing rod will help you get more distance when you are making a cast. The tip on this rod is soft enough for you to walk any kind of top water baits.

I am a strong believer in using braided fishing line on all my top water rods and reels. I like being able to yank on old Mr. Bass from a distance, and braided fishing line will not stretch. I use the Vicious 40 lb test green braid line on my top water reels. Don’t forget to put some monofilament backing on the reel prior to adding the braided line to the reel. The purpose of putting the monofilament line on the reel is to eliminate the braided line slipping on your spool.

Now your next big decision should be which top water bait should I fish? Stickbaits, Chuggers, walk the dog baits, shad baits or just a crazy commotion bait. Let’s start with a basic review of each of the following:

Stickbaits are sometimes known as twitch baits. I recommend casting this type of lure close to the cover and twitch it to create a commotion on the surface. Sometimes the bass prefer to see a small twitch and then let the lure sit momentarily. After a few seconds, then use a slow twitching retrieve all the way back to the boat. The fish will tell you if they want it twitched fast or slow. In the summer time, these baits are very effective when bass are feeding on shad near the surface.

Chuggers are a splash type surface bait. These lures can be worked slowly or rapidly back to the boat with a short ripping type motions with your fishing rod. I have even seen people fishing these baits by jerking them a couple times and then leaving them motionless for a few seconds. This type of bait can be worked in shallow water or around schooling fish. Vary the speed of your retrieve until the fish tell you they want to eat it!

The walk the dog baits are baits like the Zara Spook or Lucky Craft Sammy. Once you know how to walk the dog, this bait will produce some unbelievable catches. These baits also work very well in the early spring and in the fall. My best coaching tip I can give you on learning to walk the dog is that you must reel in line and make small circles with the tip of your rod while it is pointing down towards the water; all at the same time. Others anglers have recommended making short twitches with your rod tip while you are reeling in. The lure is supposed to walk side to side as it moves toward you. I would also suggest tying a loop knot to the head of the bait when you are securing the bait to your line. This really helped me when I first started learning how to walk the dog.  These topwater baits are especially good on points, in the backs of pockets, open water humps and near blow down trees.

The shad imitation baits are considered to be soft jerk baits made out of plastic that mimic an injured shad. Some people do not consider these a topwater bait, I do. These baits are probably one of the best injured minnow action baits on the market. Remember when you are working this bait it is suppose to look like an injured bait fish.  First, tie a 3/0 wide gap hook onto your line, then place the soft jerk bait on the hook with no weight. Cast it out, and make slight twitches keeping the bait as close to the surface as possible.

The most popular topwater bait of all time is the buzzbait. It is truly one of the most exciting top water baits ever made. I can tell you I have caught a ton of huge bass over the years on this bait. Many people fish this bait because it is easy. Tie it on your line, cast it out and reel it back. My suggestion to you is to remember to keep this bait running on top of the water surface all the time. You can also control the direction of the lure by slightly bending the wire that is attached to the blade. Begin the retrieve of the buzzbait right as it lands in the water. Keep your rod tip raised during the entire retrieve. Always retrieve at a speed that is fast enough to keep the blade(s) on the surface. I like a blade that is noisy and splashes water steadily around the bait. Bump the bait into the structure you are fishing around to get a strike. My biggest suggestion to you is not to set the hook until you feel the fish pulling back. Too many people are quick to snatch the lure back to fast pulling the lure right out of the fish’s mouth.

 I have had many great memories of fishing topwater baits for bass and stripers over the years. Some of the strikes I’ve enjoyed over the years still amaze me that a fish can hit a bait so dang hard! The massive top water strikes are still one of the most beautiful things you will ever see while you are fishing. The massive explosions and extreme splashes will catch you off guard and I promise you they will leave you with a rapid heart rate and a set of shaky knees. More than anything I hope it will make you want to come back for more.

 

About the author: Tom Branch, Jr. is a freelance outdoor writer and a full time Lieutenant/Firefighter-Paramedic with over 25 years of service with the Gwinnett County Fire Service in Georgia. He has been working in the Outdoor Industry for over 15 years and has done everything from successfully managing and developing a pro fishing team, developing new products, designing packaging, participated in different radio & television shows as well as helping developing Writer’s Conferences. He and his wife Kim live north of Atlanta in Braselton, GA with their 2 labs Jake and Scout.

Follow Tom on www.facebook.com/tombranchjr  and http://twitter.com/tombranchjr

By Don Wirth

If you've ever hung a big landlocked striped bass on an artificial lure, you know it's a jarring experience. There's nothing tentative about the way a striper hits a surface plug, crankbait or jig -- no slight peck, no mushy feeling, none of that maybe stuff. "How will I know when a fish strikes?" a first-time striper angler asked me on a recent guide trip. "Don't worry, you'll know," I replied. He found out shortly, a striper doesn't strike a lure, it creams it, smashes it with a vengeance, blows it to kingdom come.

Most die-hard striper anglers rely on live bait 85% of the time. They may chunk topwaters or crankbaits at dawn and dusk, then snip them off and use bait for the remainder of the day.

Sure, live bait works great. But you can catch stripers all day long on artificials, too -- even on days when they're turning up their noses at shad or herring. I've classified various lure styles and gathered some inside tips on fishing 'em. Some of the lures I'll mention may be familiar to you, others not. Try 'em and see if they don't bring an exciting new dimension to your striper fishing.
     
Topwater Lures

Fish topwater lures anywhere you see stripers surfacing, which can include open water. Be sure to try them where these predators are most likely to intercept schools of bait -- across the ends of reservoir points, on shallow flats, in protected coves, against bluff banks, in river eddies, etc.

As a rule of thumb, use the bigger, noisier topwater styles in low-light situations -- at dawn and dusk, after dark, on rainy days and when the water is choppy. As light levels intensify, switch to a progression of quieter, more realistic lures, saving your most subtle and lifelike offerings for mid-day.

Prop Baits -- These are the first lures to use at daybreak and the last ones to cast before darkness falls. They're also good during the day if it's stormy or rough.. These are big-fish lures; if the stripers in your local waters run in excess of 20 pounds, ignore bass-sized prop baits with wimpy hooks and hardware and use big, stout ones like Luhr-Jensen's Big Game Woodchopper.  Inside tip:  Stripers often strike these lures repeatedly without hooking up. If a fish blows up or rolls on the bait but misses it, twitch the lure gently, making the props barely sputter -- she'll come back and eat it.

Poppers -- Favored by saltwater striper anglers for schooling fish, these noisy lures will work well on landlocks, too. Use them in low-light or choppy conditions. You can cast big saltwater poppers a country mile; this makes them useful when a striper school is in hot pursuit of bait and moving quickly. Inside tip:  for some reason, poppers work better than any other topwater style in churning tailwater boils -- even bank anglers catch monster fish on them.

Luhr-Jensen's Big Game Woodchopper

Surface Minnows -- Easily the most popular of all landlocked striper lures, with the Cordell Red Fin being the classic example. They can catch stripers in bright sunlight, but their best application is early and late in the day. Use a slow, swimming retrieve, keeping the rod tip high while reeling the lure just fast enough so it sashays back and forth across the surface, throwing a tell-tale wake behind it. Inside tip:  Remove the hooks from a big surface minnow and scrape the paint off the lure body. This usually reveals bone white plastic underneath -- this color is deadly on stripers!  Replace the front hook, but substitute the rear hook for one a size larger. This sinks the tail slightly, allowing you to retrieve the lure faster while maintaining the right wake-throwing action -- a real asset in clear water.

Stick Baits -- Exceptionally good in moderate light. I love 'em when morning fog begins to break up on reservoirs and tailwaters. The erratic "walk the dog" retrieve is hard to beat; use a short (under 6 foot) rod, point the rod tip to the water's surface and snap the slack out of the line with a single downward stroke at the same time you turn the reel handle. Inside tip: on bright days, bass-sized stick baits like Heddon's Zara Spook are often more deadly than larger saltwater styles. To help keep big stripers from pulling the hooks out of these baits, remove the screws holding the hook hangers, dip in epoxy cement and replace.
     
Soft Plastic Lures

Soft Jerkbaits -- Incredibly realistic lures that will catch stripers from daybreak 'til dark. Especially deadly in shallow, gin-clear water where stripers may turn away from other artificials. My favorites are Lunker City's 10-inch Fin-S Fish and 9-inch Slug-Go; they perfectly capture the look and action of big forage fish upon which megastripers dine. Bass anglers fish soft jerk baits slowly; for clearwater stripers, try fishing 'em fast, darting, twitching and skipping 'em on or just under the surface. Inside tip : when rigging soft jerk baits, use the big worm hook that comes with the lure, but add a treble stinger. Stick the worm hook through the lure's head, bring it out the bottom and simply run it through the eye of a big treble hook before reinserting it into the lure, so the treble hook dangles freely.  This rigging will stick even those fish that slap at the lure without eating it.

Leadhead Trailers -- Big twist-tail grubs like Kalin's Mogambo top this list. Fish them on either bucktail (hair) jigs or plain leadheads. Try bucktails up shallow in early spring -- they're deadly in coves and long points when heavy rains have stained the water in a normally clear reservoir or river. Eel and shadtail trailers may be substituted for twisters; work these with a bottom-bumping or fast-twitch retrieve. Inside tip:  in rivers and tailraces, stripers often use submerged trees as ambush points. Swim twisters through the ends of the branches; use heavy line for added abrasion resistance.

Tube Baits -- The biggest examples of these lifelike lures are deadly for stripers. Consider them finesse lures -- they don't have the noise or frantic action of many other artificials and are best used when the bite is slow. Try rigging a big tube on a Carolina rig with a heavy sinker; fish this around reservoir points and river ledges to the 35-foot level. They can also be rigged on a saltwater leadhead and bumped along the bottom. Inside tip:  Fill a big tube with styrofoam peanuts so it'll float, then fish it on a stout hook.

Metal Lures

Jigging Spoons -- For stripers, use 3/4 to 3 oz. spoons, depending on depth, current, wind conditions, etc. These spoons are best used in water 15 feet or deeper. Watch your graph for "hooks" indicating suspending fish, position your boat over the target and lower a spoon to just above its depth level, then jig repeatedly (make sure your reel's drag isn't too tight!). Adjust the depth level until you contact fish. Inside tip:  if small stripers are schooling on top, go for a bigger fish with a spoon. Cast beyond the surface activity, hold the rod high and reel quickly so the bait tumbles across the surface.

Trolling Spoons --  Lightweight aluminum downrigger spoons like the Northport Nailer are commonly used by Great Lakes anglers for trout and salmon; stripers will eat 'em too. They are intended solely for downrigger use and will run at the exact depth of the cannonball, enabling precise presentations for suspending stripers. They'll catch bass, trout and walleye as well. Inside tip:  during mid-day, stripers often move offshore and suspend, feeding on deep baitfish schools. A good place to find them is between two main-lake points.  Graph the area, locate suspending bait/stripers, note their depth level and troll a spoon just above them. Avoid trolling with a constant speed; stripers often respond immediately when you speed up or slow down your presentation.

Blade Baits --  Fish these either with a fast, steady retrieve like a crankbait, or vertically like a spoon. Often considered clear-water lures, their intense vibration draws strikes in murky water as well. Inside tip:  you can cast a big blade bait extremely long distances, so try them on windy days. Jarring strikes are commonplace with these lures; keep the drag loose.

Crankbaits

Best used in spring and fall, when stripers are shallow but not surfacing. Noisy, rattling styles are good night lures. Ideal on points and humps in reservoirs and around submerged wood in rivers.

Lipless Rattlers -- Bill Lewis' Rat-L-Trap and similar noisemakers, in the larger sizes, are ideal for active stripers in shallow water. Reel them in quickly just beneath the surface through baitfish schools. Best colors:  blue back chrome, black back chrome, bone white. Inside tip:  bass fishermen use a high-speed reel when fishing lipless rattlers, but it's a poor idea for stripers. The higher gear ratio gives you very little winching power to control a big fish. Instead, use a wide-spoon reel with standard retrieve.

Medium-Divers --  Long, slender baitfish-imitating divers like Bomber's Long A run to a depth of 15 feet and are ideal for probing points, humps and standing timber. Best colors:  shad, bone, chartreuse, rainbow trout. Inside tip:  try fishing these lures at night. Stripers often move up to feed on shallow bars and flats after dark and will nail a big crankbait without hesitation.

Deep-Divers -- These can reach depths of 20 to 30 feet when trolled on a long line, which is their best application for stripers. Recommended models include Rebel's Spoonbill, Mann's Stretch 25+ and Heddon's Hellbender. They're ideal for probing deep points and humps as well as trolling for fish suspending in open water. Best colors:  shad, rainbow trout, white, fire tiger. Inside tip:  attach a short length of stout line to the trailing hook of a deep-diving crankbait and tie a 1/4 oz. leadhead jig with a white or chartreuse twist-tail to the end. When trolled through a school of stripers, you'll often hook two fish at once.

By Don Wirth

Giant smallmouth bass, like this 8-pound, 2-ounce specimen, are a rare breed -- a fish that requires skill, patience and luck to encounter.

Dr. James A. Henshall, in his classic volume Book of the Black Bass, described the smallmouth as "the gamest bass."  That was in 1881 and many anglers would argue it's just as it's true today. 

The smallmouth, you see, is a fish with a major-league chip on its shoulder.   It doesn't peck or nibble at a bait; it slams it.  Its powerhouse runs are awesome -- a big smallie has been known to rip the hooks right out of a crankbait when it gets up a good head of steam.  And when it feels cold steel in its jaw, it takes to the air, more bird than fish. 

No wonder the smallmouth has a cult following.  Your typical hard-core smallmouth angler turns his nose up at largemouths ("green carp," one buddy of mine calls 'em).  "Why, I'd rather fish a solid week in 20-degree weather just on the outside chance that I might get bit by one 5-pound smallie than catch a dozen limits of largemouths!" attest another acquaintance who has been badly bitten by the bronzeback bug.

The smallmouth's unpredictable nature makes it unusually challenging to even the most accomplished bass anglers.  "I learned a long time ago not to place any bets on smallies when I'm competing in a tournament," veteran Springfield, Mo., bass pro Basil Bacon admits.  "More than once I've been on schools of big smallies during practice only to have 'em disappear on the opening day of competition.  Largemouths by and large are much more predictable and far easier to pattern.  They're money fish.  Smallmouths?  Bank on 'em and you're asking for trouble."

Haunts & Habits of Smallmouths

"You can be a great a largemouth bass fisherman but a lousy smallmouth fisherman," Pickwick Lake guide Steve Hacker points out.  "The two skills aren't mutually exclusive, but close."

One reason, Hacker claims, is that largemouths and smallmouths don't usually prowl the same places.  "I'll catch a few largemouths on my smallmouth holes, but not many.  They're both different fish with different habitat needs."

Largemouths, Hacker explains, like shallow, slack water with plenty of wood or weed cover.  Smallies, on the other hand, prefer deeper water and, if it's available, current.  

Cover?  They can take it or leave it.  "One of the hardest things for the experienced largemouth angler to grasp about smallmouths is that this is a fish that relates differently to cover.  Largemouths often bury inside a weedbed or brushpile.  Smallmouths will use the outer edges of cover, suspend over it or totally ignore it."

To illustrate, Hacker describes two big flats, one composed of mud and peppered with hundreds of stumps; the other pea gravel and with only a half-dozen stumps.  "The first flat seems fishier, and it is if you're gunning for largemouths.  But I'll take the second flat for smallies.  They like gravel, chunk rock and an isolated stump here or there."

In deep, clear highland reservoirs, largemouths are often creatures of the shorelines and back ends of coves, while smallies prowl bigger, deeper, more open water.  Dale Hollow guide Fred McClintock finds that smallies in this environment relate to points, ledges and offshore humps far more than they do the shorelines.  "This is one reason why many otherwise competent bass fishermen seldom encounter a smallmouth -- they're casting into the bank, where smallmouths mostly aren't," McClintock believes.  "Smallmouths will move to the banks on highland lakes, but most often at night or on extremely windy days, when they forage for crayfish.  During the day, however, they're far more likely to be holding a hundred yards from shore at the end of a main-lake point, or suspending off a 20-foot ledge in 45 feet of water."

Pickwick Lake, Ala., guide Steve Hacker knows smallmouths are "the gamest bass." He caught these beautiful bronzebacks on tiny hair jigs.

In lakes like Dale Hollow that lack extensive wood cover, the smallmouth angler should be alert for subtle changes -- in bank or bottom composition, in shoreline contour, in water color.  "Smallies will gravitate to places where one type of rock changes to another.  On a hundred-yard stretch of bank, all of the fish may be concentrated where fist-sized rock changes to gravel.   These composition changes visible on the bank extend out into the water, and the fish may hold tight to bottom at their comfort zone, often 20 feet deep, or suspend somewhere out from the composition change.  I've also seen them stack up on a main-lake point where a mudline has formed on a windy day.  They use the discolored water as cover."

"The only creatures that relate to humps more than smallmouth bass are camels!" quips Priest Lake, Tenn., guide Jack Christian.  "They love to hang around a high spot rising out of deep water -- the closer to the main river channel, the better.  A dream smallmouth hump has an 80-foot channel three casts away, a 25-foot shelf one cast away and 10-foot water on top.  The fish can suspend 40 feet deep over on the channel lip, work its way up to the base of the hump during the day, then prowl the top at night."  Christian says cover isn't important, it's the depth of water surrounding the hump that's the tip-off to good smallmouth potential.  "Largemouth fishermen think 10 feet is deep, but that's shallow to the experienced smallmouth angler.  These bass will move shallow, true, but they spend the vast majority of their time in deep water."

"Points are key smallmouth structures, but they're also the most visible structures on the lake -- and therefore the ones that usually get the most fishing pressure," believes Lake Whitney, Tex. guide Ron Gardner.  "Smallmouths spook a lot easier than largemouths.  When largemouths get pressured, they pull deeper into a brushpile or weedbed, where they're still catchable by flipping a jig.  But when smallies get pressured, they scatter.  They'll suspend out in open water or hang around some 35-foot ledge until the heat's off."

Seasonal Secrets

Probably the most logical way to monitor the habits of the smallmouth bass is by season.  

PRE-SPAWN -- By early March, many of Dixie's smallmouth lakes have a surface temperature of 45 degrees.  Smallmouths are deep and sluggish, but unseasonably warm days and tepid rains may quickly warm the water.  When this happens, smallies move out of deep water, making their way to the shallows via long, tapering points and ledges connecting to main-lake flats.  Fast-rising, murky water, such as typically occurs after a day or two of hard rain, may trigger a wholesale movement to shallow water.  Smallies will hang around scattered stumps and rockpiles, usually close to a deep drop-off.

SPAWN -- When the surface temperature bumps 56 degrees, the biggest smallmouths will begin taking over the choicest spawning grounds.  Smaller fish usually won't spawn until the water hits the low 60's.  Smallies bed on flats with a composition of gravel and/or clay, often 8 to 15 feet deep.  They may fan out a nest close to a stump or rock if one is available.  

POST-SPAWN -- Smallies will fan out from their spawning areas before moving to deeper water.  Some may hang around the outer perimeter of flooded willow bushes; others gravitate to the deeper edges of spawning flats, often suspending around 15 feet deep in 30 feet of water.  

SUMMER -- Smallies take up a main-lake lifestyle, gravitating to river channel drop-offs and points, humps and ledges.  In deep, clear lakes, they often suspend above the thermocline from 25 to 45 feet deep, and may wander open water feeding on migrating schools of shad or alewives.  In shallower, murkier lakes, especially those with good current flow, they'll be much shallower, but seldom close to shore -- look for them on offshore humps and rockpiles down to around 18 feet.  At night, smallies may come to rocky banks to forage for crawfish.

FALL -- Steep rock banks (especially those with a 45-degree slope into deep water), as well as long main-lake points, will hold smallies in clear lakes.  They'll suspend at extreme depths (sometimes over 50 feet) by day but may move shallow at night to feed.  Main-lake points will hold concentrations of smallmouths, but again, these fish are often suspending in deep water and may not move within casting range until nightfall, unless a stiff breeze is blowing.  In murky lakes, smallies will hold on long main-lake points in 8 to 15 feet of water, especially on windy days.

WINTER -- In clear highland lakes, smallies will hang around deep points on both the main lake and in the deeper tributaries, often at the 20-foot level.  They will move much shallower on main-lake points buffeted by high winds on unseasonably warm, overcast days.  In murky lakes, they are far less active in the winter than in clear lakes, unless considerable current is present.  If it is, they'll move to the extreme upper end of the reservoir and locate around rockpiles and shallow bluffs in the 8- to 15-foot zone.

Smallmouth Lures

You don't need a thousand bucks worth of lures to nail a trophy smallmouth.  Here are some you should have:

Grub --- Probably the No. 1 lure for both numbers of keeper smallies and trophy fish.  Smoke, chartreuse and pumpkin-pepper are universal smallmouth colors.  Try a 4- or 5-inch grub with a 1/4-ounce. leadhead.  Fish it horizontally by swimming it close to the bottom on spring spawning flats, then drop it on a tight line on 45 degree banks and deep points in fall and winter.  A grub caught the biggest smallmouth bass taken anywhere in recent history, a 10-pound, 8-ounce. monster from Dale Hollow caught by a tourist from Indiana in 1986.  Yep, he was using a spincast outfit.  Fly 'n' Rind  (Hair jig & pork) -- A great smallmouth lure in stained lakes; probably your best choice everywhere in 42- to 55-degree water. Fish it on light line on steep structure and gravel flats.  In heavy current, remove the trailer.  Contrasting dark colors -- black/purple, brown/orange -- work best.  An excellent choice at night.          Blade Bait  -- Thin metal baits that vibrate intensely when retrieved, including the Silver Buddy and Gay Blade, are excellent fall and winter lures for big smallies. They can be fished fast in water to 55 feet deep, making them especially deadly when bronzebacks are holding on cavernous river channel structure.           Spinnerbait -- Ideal at night in clear lakes on points and humps, and anytime smallies are shallow in murky lakes.  Use a short-arm red/purple or black lure with a single Colorado blade at night; a white/green willow leaf model by day.           Tailspinner  -- Fast-sinking, compact lures like the Spinrite and Little George that work best in fall and winter.  Fish 'em where anywhere you'd cast a blade bait.           Crankbaits  -- Quarter-ounce deep-divers in shad, crawfish and fire tiger colors work best in clear lakes in spring when the water is high or abnormally stained.  Bigger crankbaits pay off in murky lakes in spring through fall; shad patterns work best.           Topwaters -- In spring and fall, smallmouths will rise to blast Zara Spooks, Rapalas, Tiny Torpedos and other noisy topwaters.  Try black on cloudy days, yellow or chrome on sunny days.

For lighter lures, use a stiff  6-foot spinning rod and 6- to 8-pound mono.  For heavier lures, use a medium-action 6-foot baitcasting outfit and 10- to 14-pound mono.

The Quest

Before you begin your quest for a trophy bronzeback, bear in mind that the chase often goes unrewarded, for these fish often defy our best attempts at patterning, pigeonholing and predicting. 

But this, Dr. Henshall would argue, is what makes smallmouths "the gamest bass."

Discovering Stream Smallies  To many anglers, the ultimate bass fishing experience is wading or floating a transparent gravel-bottomed stream, casting tiny lures on an ultralight spinning rig for smallmouths.  Thousands of miles of excellent smallmouth streams can be found throughout the country. Stream smallies typically don't run as large as reservoir fish, but the avid creek angler doesn't mind, preferring scenery, solitude and a leaping 2-pounder to a day of fighting the crowds at a big lake.  A 4-pounder is considered a lunker by stream standards.  Indeed, a fish this size in crisp, cold current is more than a handful on light tackle. Experienced stream anglers like Jim Walker of Franklin, Tenn., know that smallies are where you find them, and often that’s not where most creek anglers are fishing.  Here are some tips he recommends keeping in mind:  Do your homework   -- "The best stream anglers I know are obsessive about discovering untapped water that might hold quality smallmouths.  They're on a first-name basis with regional fisheries personnel, especially biologists who do field work in streams.  They pore over county maps to find remote streams and marginal access areas, then scout these places by car, on foot and in the water."           Fish prime water -- "I'd rather spend an afternoon on a great smallmouth stream than a week on a marginal one.  Your regional fisheries personnel can tell you which streams have the best populations of smallmouths.  Hint: These aren't usually close to urban areas."           Fish thick cover -- "Steam smallmouths are a lot like brown trout. Unlike reservoir bronzebacks, they'll bury up in thick cover and hold on undercut banks.  Make repeated casts to logjams and brushpiles.  Sometimes it takes 9 or 10 presentations before the smallie comes out and smacks it."          Use the right lures -- "A twist-tail grub is usually the most dependable lure for stream smallmouths.  In-line spinners work well, but they're too expensive -- you lose a lot of lures in snaggy streams.  Small creature-imitating crankbaits work well in deeper holes, but probably the biggest surprise is how aggressively a big stream smallie will smash a buzz bait."           Legwork pays -- "If you want to catch quality smallies, you've got to do some legwork.  Realize that most of the fish have probably been caught by live-baiters fishing the areas close to bridges and other easy access areas.  You may have to wade several miles of stream before you get into prime smallmouth water."           Catch & Release -- "Streams are fragile fisheries.  The best policy to ensure good smallmouth fishing tomorrow is to release what you catch today.  Besides, there's nothing more satisfying than a smallie flopping cold water in your face as you release it."

 

By Justin Hoffman

Seeing bass explode on topwater baits always gets an angler's heart pounding.

If I had to choose one style of bait that consistently provokes heart-stopping excitement, thunderous thrills and a fair share of big bass to boot, it would be no other than a topwater lure. There's something about the way these plugs and prop baits sputter and weave across the surface of the water, filling an angler with anticipation while they patiently await the churning of water and splash of that next big strike. Fishing really doesn't get any better than this.

 

Understanding what to use and when to throw it is the most important part of the topwater game. Follow this guide and enjoy the fruits of your labor this upcoming season.

 

Buzzbaits

 

This inline bait is made up of a thin wire or titanium shaft, a skirted hook and metal or plastic blades.  It is these blades that provide lift to the lure, and allow it to sputter and gurgle along the surface of the water.  Although the wake and sound this lure produces ultimately triggers the hit, it is the skirted hook that fish key in on and hit. Due to this upturned hook design, the buzzbait is predominantly weedless when fished under most conditions.  Because of this benefit, throwing these lures into the thick jungle of snags and weeds that Mr. Largemouth calls home, is advisable and expected.  Some of my favorite areas to toss buzzbaits are across open flats, adjacent to and through pad beds, stump fields and laydowns, dock areas, and of course, shoreline structure.

 

One trick to remember when tossing buzzbaits is to start your retrieve the moment your lure hits the water, and maintain a steady cadence in order to keep your lure buoyant and on the surface of the water.

 

Poppers

 

Poppers, also known as chuggers, feature a concave head design, which displace water and create "popping" sounds when jerked or manipulated with the rod.  Some of the more notable

The loud popping noise calls in fish from afar, and largemouth love to smack these baits with a thunderous crash.

members of this family are the Rebel Pop-R, Excalibur Pop'n Image and the XPS

Z-Pop. 

 

Most of these lures feature a hand-tied bucktail, or rubber skirt on the rear hook, which gives added flash and enticement.  The belief is that these lures mimic a wounded minnow, or frog, splashing on the surface.  Whatever the case, these lures provide explosive strikes, and with the new hooks on the market, ensure a solid hook set.  The loud popping noise calls in fish from afar, and largemouth love to smack these baits with a thunderous crash. 

 

Due to their exposed hooks, open water that is free of weed congestion is your best bet.  They are dynamite when worked adjacent to docks, through wood and laydowns and along the perimeter of pad beds and weedlines.  Although they are generally thought of as "calm water" baits, throwing them during wind and waves can also illicit heart-stopping strikes.

 

Prop Baits

 

Prop baits are cigar shaped lures that have either one, or two propellers affixed to the front or back of the plug, or both.  These cylindrical lures sputter and splash, creating a surface commotion when retrieved and providing a visual and audible focus for a fish to key in on.  Some of the more noteworthy models on the market are the XPS Twin Prop, Heddon Tiny and Baby Torpedo, and the Smithwick Devil's Horse.   

 

Similar in many respects to the Popper family, prop baits can be used in any open water areas that largemouth call home.  Although I rely on these baits primarily during early morning and evening periods, I have also found them to be effective during hot weather periods, especially when fish are in ambush mode and tight to cover.  They have also proved useful during rainy and overcast days, especially when fish are putting on the feedbag.

 

Prop baits can either be used with a straight retrieve, which creates a constant trail of bubbles and sound, or in a "stop and go" manner.  If the fish are in an overly aggressive mood, a straight retrieve would undoubtedly be your best bet.  Let the fish dictate what they want, and change your technique to suit their needs.  As with all surface baits, experimentation is often the key to fruitful days on the water.

 

Generally used as a shallow water presentation, they are an excellent search bait when working your way through flats or along shoreline areas.    "Cigar-Style" Baits

 

The type of lures which fall into this category have no action of their own, and it is up to the angler to manipulate and work the bait, in order to give it the desired action.  This technique is called "walking the dog" and is achieved by constantly twitching the rod, with pauses in between, which creates a zigzag pattern with the lure.  The most notable of this family are the Heddon Zara Spook, Super Spook and Puppy, BPS Topknocker, XPS Slim Dog and the Strike King Spit-N-Image.  Largemouth bass absolutely love these baits, and will clobber them when put in front of their face.  Generally used as a shallow water presentation, they are an excellent search bait when working your way through flats or along shoreline areas. 

 

Keep a constant cadence to your technique, which will allow your bait to exhibit the alluring side-to-side action that fish can't refuse. Although the technique of "walking the dog" may take some time to perfect, the results will be well worth the effort.

 

Plastic Frog and Creature Baits

 

This is one of my favorite types of fishing - shallow water, heavy cover and a Trophy Scum Frog on the end of the line.  Plastic frog style baits are big bass producers, mimicking the natural prey of Mr. Largemouth to a "T."  Bass will hit these baits hard, smashing through vegetation with a Kamikaze-type approach.

 

Frog baits are built with a buoyant body, with weedless and upturned hooks that are virtually snag-free.  When a fish hits, the body of the bait collapses, allowing the hooks to penetrate the bony jaw.   

 

Toss these lures wherever bass may lurk - pad beds, slop, cane and thick weed flats.  I like to work them in a "stop and go" manner (much like a real frog would move), paying careful attention to pause my lure in any open pockets I may come across.  These pockets are where a large percentage of strikes will occur, namely because the fish can make visual sight with the lure. 

 

Never set the hook on the initial strike.  Although it may seem appropriate to do so, it will usually end up with a lure flying back at the angler full steam.  Wait a second or two for the fish to turn with your lure before setting the hook. This extra wait will result in many more fish to the boat.  And when it is time, set that hook hard. 

 

Ten Topwater Tips

 

Follow these rules to help land more fish this coming season:

• Use high quality hooks on all of your baits.  Chemically sharpened is the way to go.
• Fish topwaters throughout the day, not only during "prime times."
• Experiment with your retrieve to discover what the fish want.
• Baits with rattles can help call fish in, especially during murky water conditions.
• Natural colored baits are good bets during clear water fishing.
• Cold fronts and topwaters are usually a low percentage style of fishing.
• Topwaters during the midnight hour can account for big bass.
• Learn to proficiently use all types of topwater baits.  This will allow you to cover all of the bases when out on the water.
• Superlines and topwaters make an excellent team.  These no stretch lines allow for easier hook sets, especially on long casts.
• Concentrate on cover - largemouth will usually be close by.

By Don Wirth

Some fishermen like the finesse approach -- you know, the "gentle art" of angling?

I'm not among them.

Finicky trout? Moody bass? Gimme a fish with attitude on the end of my line -- something like a big, fat hybrid striper.

Contrary to popular belief, your bait doesn't need to be alive and kickin' to catch hybrids. These bruisers can be caught on the bottom with a variety of dead baits as well.

Hybrids, wipers, hybrid stripers, sunshine bass -- whatever you call 'em, these bad boys will put a serious bend in your rod. A laboratory cross between the landlocked striper and the white bass, they're the meanest, hardest-pullin' freshwater gamefish that swims.

By angling standards, hybrid fishing is a brand new sport. These fish are the result of fisheries management, not Mother Nature. Most states didn't even begin their hybrid stocking programs until the Seventies. Little wonder most anglers are just now beginning to figure out how to catch them.

The vast majority of hybrid fishermen use bait, but a growing number love to tempt 'em with artificials. But why be satisfied with just one approach? If you've fished for wipers with live bait in the past, what I'm about to tell you may shock you, and hopefully tempt you to try some revolutionary bait approaches. If you prefer artificials, you're about to learn some exciting topwater techniques that'll have your heart pounding and your adrenaline pumping.
     
Bottom-Fishing Bonanza
Popular bait techniques for hybrids are much like those used for reservoir stripers. The most common presentation involves slow-drifting live shad on weighted "down lines" for suspended fish. A good approach, true, but the catch rate falls off dramatically during frontal passages. Another popular method is to use a bow-mounted trolling motor to pull live baitfish on long lines behind the boat, alternately stopping and speeding up so the bait falls and rises enticingly -- not a bad way to catch a 'brid, but again, it's best in stable weather.

Here's a news flash: contrary to popular belief, your bait doesn't need to be alive and kickin' to catch hybrids -- or even on life support, for that matter! Like northern pike, these bruisers can be caught on the bottom with a variety of dead baits as well.

Expert Birmingham, Ala. angler Chris Stephenson was the first to clue me in on bottom-fishing for wipers. An avid hybrid and striper hunter with a degree in fisheries biology, Stephenson has three National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame catch-and-release hybrid line class world records to his credit, including a 31-incher from Pickwick Lake, Ala. on 14 lb. line.

Stephenson stumbled onto what has to be the strangest hybrid pattern of all one morning while drifting live shad for white bass in the swift Tennessee River current below Wilson Dam, Ala. "I noticed another fisherman's boat was anchored on a nearby hump, and every time I'd drift past him, he'd be fighting a big fish and cussing his brains out," Chris told North American Fisherman.  "I finally asked him what was up; he said he was catfishing on the bottom with chicken livers, but big hybrids kept taking his bait -- I saw him boat one that had to be 15 pounds."

Stephenson was back at the Wilson Dam launch ramp before daylight the following morning, but this time, he wasn't gunning for white bass. Motoring to a series of shallow humps washed by fast current, and armed with a box of hooks and sinkers, he dropped anchor and set out two lines baited with chicken livers. Within minutes he was fast into two big hybrids at the same time. "I went through a bucket of livers in less than an hour, and had to run to town and get more," he recalled. "I couldn't believe it -- the hybrids were eating it off the bottom like candy!"

Stephenson began experimenting with his bait menu. He tried beef liver, cut pieces of gizzard shad and skipjack herring, whole dead threadfin shad -- it seemed whatever offering he set out, hybrids gobbled it up eagerly. He caught wipers up to a whopping 17 pounds using dead bait on the bottom, as well as big stripers and chunky catfish.

Citing fisheries studies, Stephenson said, "Hybrids have a huge appetite for their size. When not busting shad on the surface or chasing suspended baitfish schools, they'll often roam close to bottom and gorge themselves on dead fish. This feeding behavior is especially prevalent below dams, where turbines act like a Cuisinart to slice and dice baitfish. Taking advantage of this little-known fact can greatly extend your angling opportunities when hybrids aren't feeding in the upper section of the water column, such as during temperature extremes and frontal passages."
     
Where to Bottom-Fish
"Most anglers think of bottom fishing as being best in deep holes and on dropoffs, but where current is present, hybrids are likely to be surprisingly shallow," Stephenson indicated. "In April and May, for example, I often find them in 10 feet of water. In slack-water lakes, or in tailraces when current is not present, they'll be deeper -- 15 to 25 feet is typical."
Here are some bottom-fishing hotspots Stephenson recommends: 

Big flats  -- "Think of bottom-feeding hybrids like grazing cattle -- they roam big, flat, obstruction-free expanses of bottom with little slope. In a river-run reservoir, look for flats in the 10- to 18-foot zone swept by moderate to strong current. In slack-water fisheries, look for big main-lake flats with 15 to 25 feet of water on their outer edges."

Submerged humps -- "The most productive humps are moderately shallow -- 10 to 12 feet on top is perfect. Look for humps close to a deep creek or river channel; these will pull in hybrids that were suspending in open water."

Slow-tapering points -- "Points are universally appealing to hybrids because wandering baitfish schools often gather there. The points most conducive to bottom-foraging are long, with an extremely slow taper into a deep channel. Flat points at the mouths of inflowing tributaries are especially productive."

Shell mounds -- "I became aware that hybrids forage on areas where shellfish congregate when commercial mussel divers told me of seeing huge concentrations of these fish. Shell mounds are common in river-run reservoirs."

Warm-water discharge areas -- "Excellent cold-water hybrid spots -- often you'll find 65-degree water directly below a 'stream plant' even when the rest of the lake is in the low 50's. The water here is like chowder -- there are zillions of baitfish, and hybrids can get a grand slam breakfast merely by swimming along bottom and sucking in dead shad. Good place to hang a giant striper, too."
     

Stephenson's bottom rig uses a #4 Gamakatsu Octopus hook at the business end -- perfect for baiting chicken livers, cut skipjack herring or whole dead threadfin shad. Bottom-Fishing Savvy
Stephenson highly recommends tackle with maximum shock absorption built in to handle scrappy hybrids. "Never use a stiff-action rod like a bass flipping stick!" he cautioned. "These fish pull so hard, with a stiff rod, they'll either break your line or straighten the hook when they make their famous powerhouse run. For bottom fishing, I like medium-action 7-foot baitcasting rods, coupled with wide-spool reels spooled with abrasion-resistant 14-pound mono. Don't use braided line; it lacks the stretch needed for these powerful fish. And although I may use lines up to 50 pounds for river stripers, I find my hybrid catch rate decreases when I use heavier line."

Stephenson's bottom rig is much like the bass angler's Carolina rig. He slides a 1 to 3 ounce egg sinker, depending on the amount of current, over his line, adds a plastic bead for knot protection, then ties a stout swivel to the tag end. He then attaches two feet of 14 pound mono to the opposite end of the swivel as a leader, and ties a stout live bait hook like a #4 Gamakatsu Octopus to the tag end.  After positioning his boat above the structure he wishes to fish and anchoring both ends, he baits up with chicken livers, cut pieces of skipjack herring or whole dead threadfin shad, and casts his offering onto the structure. "I try to engage the reel spool right before the bait hits the water, to prevent it from being swept too far off the structure as it's sinking," he added. "Once it's on bottom, I adjust the reel drag so it slips under pressure and place the rod in a holder. I don't like to use clicker reels with the spool open; these result in too many hybrids swallowing the hook before you can get the rod out of the holder."

As spring transitions into summer, bottom-fishing becomes more productive -- and tolerable -- at night. "It's just too darn hot where I live to anchor down on a hole on an August day, but it's very comfortable at night. Hybrids are more active after dark in hot weather anyway, and you're liable to hang into a big flathead catfish now as well."
     
Topwater Time
Ready to switch gears and for a bruiser 'brid on top? Veteran Goodlettsville, Tenn. angler Jack Christian's the man with the plan. "I've yet to meet a fishermen who didn't get a rush out of catching schooling hybrids on topwater lures," the former Priest Lake guide insisted. "These fish can feed so ferociously, it can be downright scary. I've seen acres of them boiling the surface to a froth, with shad jumping clear onto the bank trying to escape!"

Topwater action typically begins when the surface temp hits 70 degrees, usually late April or early May in Jack's region. "Hybrids often school by size, and usually the first fish to get 'in the jumps' are smaller, maybe up to 8 pounds," he noted. "The bigger fish are often on a later schedule; you'll start picking up the 10+ pounders a week or two after the smaller ones. The bigger fish are lazier. They instinctively know they can find more abundant forage when the water warms sufficiently for the lake's shad population to complete its spring spawning activity, gang up in massive schools and head out to the main lake. When the surface temp reaches 75 degrees, you'd better make sure the drag on your reel is loose, 'cause you're about to do battle with some major-league fish on the surface!" Jack should know -- he's caught hybrids pushing 18 pounds on surface plugs.
     
Hotspots for Surfacing Hybrids
Surface schooling is often a main-lake phenomenon, Christian emphasized. Wolfpacks of hybrids typically swim under big schools of shad, gradually pushing them toward the surface. Exactly where the feeding frenzy will take place can never be predicted with certainty, but Jack suggests that anglers position themselves near the following areas:

Points at the mouths of tributaries -- "Baitfish schools moving from their spawning grounds in tributaries will eventually gravitate to points at the mouths of creek arms, only to be ambushed by schools of hybrids. Watch for surfacing fish in open water between two opposing points, as well as over the points themselves."

Underwater roadbeds -- "These are major structures in many reservoirs. Hybrids suspend over them, and when a school of shad happens by, they'll force 'em to the surface and put on the feed bag. I like to fish roads because they receive less angling pressure, being less obvious than points."

Submerged humps -- "The best hybrid humps are close to the mouths of feeder creeks. Hybrids hold there when inactive, then force passing shad schools to the surface when feeding. I've seen 'em school on top of humps as shallow as 5 feet."

Anything that pops, spits or sputters will do the trick with schooling hybrids. Smithwick's Devil's Horse is a long-time favorite prop bait among anglers.

Surface feeding can take place in early morning, late evening, or all day long, depending on weather and water conditions. "Generally on calm, sunny days, I do best with topwaters early and late, but on cloudy days with a light chop on the water, I've caught hybrids surfacing throughout the day," Christian said. "Often you'll spot breaking fish just by cruising the lake or watching for schools of birds circling above the water -- they're picking up the scraps from a recent hybrid feeding frenzy. If you don't see fish schooling on top, park around one of the structures mentioned above and hang out for awhile -- you usually won't have to wait long for the action to begin."
     
Topwater Tackle, Lures and Tactics
Christian favors long, shock-absorbing baitcasting rods for topwater fishing; like Chris Stephenson, he's respectful of this species' awesome pulling power. His favorite is a 7-foot fiberglass bass cranking stick; it enables him to make extra-long casts to reach surfacing fish and is very forgiving. He couples this with a slow-retrieve bass baitcasting reel (slow = more winching power) and 12 pound mono.

Jack uses a varied menu of surface offerings, most of which are bass lures: "Hybrids don't have a big mouth, so I avoid large striper plugs like Red Fins and stick to medium-sized bass topwater plugs instead." Poppers, stick baits and prop baits rule. Among his favorites: the Zara Spook, Pop-R, Rattlin' Chug Bug and Devil's Horse. "Hybrids aren't nearly as picky about what you throw at 'em as bass are. Anything that pops, spits or sputters should catch 'em."

Presentation is basic -- remember, surfacing hybrids are out for blood. "Cast a little beyond the fish, then start the retrieve. I like to keep the lure moving pretty aggressively, like a fleeing baitfish. The fish will tell you what to do -- if you aren't getting strikes, try speeding up, slowing down or using a stop-and-go retrieve. Keep your drag loose; it's not uncommon to have two hybrids strike a lure at once."

Christian always keeps a rod rigged with a 3/4-ounce metal jigging spoon handy when chasing after schooling wipers. "When they're surfacing out of topwater plug casting range, you can often reach 'em with a heavy spoon. Cast beyond surfacing fish and immediately start reeling quickly with the rod held high so the spoon skips and tumble over the surface. And once the feeding frenzy stops, let the spoon sink on a tight line -- often a big hybrid will nail it while it's fluttering down like a dying shad."