TABLE OF CONTENTS

Bass Fishing Is Not About Luck Pg. 3

Have You Tried “Shaky Head” Bass Fishing? Pg. 9

What Kind of Fishing Line to Use Pg. 14

How to Catch Spring to Summer Smallmouth Pg. 19

Lake Erie Smallmouth Pg. 22

Green Bay Area Smallmouth Pg. 25

Fishing Smallmouth River Bass Pg. 28

Here are My Lure Choices… Pg. 30

Bass Stew Recipe Pg. 34

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Bass Fishing Is Not About LuckIf you’re making these mistakes, you’re depending

on luck to fill your livewell.

I’ve been wetting lines since I was old enough to hold a fishin’ pole. At about ageseven I caught my first big bass while fishing for bluegills. Using a dried-up piece ofnightcrawler on a rusty hook tied to kinky monofilament line on a clunky push-buttonreel taped to a beat-up spinning rod, a 20-inch largemouth swam by and pulled mybobber under. I jerked on the rod, the reel jammed, and I grabbed the line to pull thebass onto the bank. I can’t imagine being so lucky today if I attempted to repeatthose same circumstances. Nothing but the fortunes of a young boy allowed that fishto be landed.

With over 50 years of hands-on angling under my belt, I’ve likely made every possiblemistake – but learned to be a better bass angler in the process. That’s why I can saywith confidence that reducing these errors will boost your catch-rate substantially.Here’s how to avoid seven of the most common pitfalls in bass angling.

Be sure to use a properly balanced rod action/power and pound-test line for a particular lure. You don’t need a 10 rod arsenal as this bass angler carries, but mismatching rod, line and lure will result in

missed bass. Use lures suited to your rod and line combination.

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1. Dull HooksDull or bent hook points may be the angler’snumber one equipment error. Certainhook manufactures love the pitch that theirtrebles and soft plastic rigging hooks don’tneed sharpening. True, some of the latest high-tech hooks don’t need sharpened right out ofthe package – but they cost more. Rather thanpay dearly for those top end hooks, you maydecide to use quality standard wire hooks –which definitely require sharpening.

Either way, even the sharpest point becomes dull or bent after scraping rocks,hanging snags and catching fish. Inspect hook points frequently (including new onesright from the package) and either sharpen or replace any that seem questionable.

Here’s how to test sharpness: First check hook points visually. If its sharpness is indoubt, then lightly press it against the side of a finger. If the point doesn’t prick orstick to the skin, it isn’t sharp enough. Using a quality fine-tooth hook file, evenlystroke the edges on cutting point hooks. Or, use a grooved sharpening stone to bringa needle point hook to full sharpness.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Greatly reduce the number of missed strikes and lost

fish by being sure your hooks are sharp.

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2. Mismatched Lure-Line-Reel-RodSince lures for bass fishing rangefrom as small as 1/16-ounce to morethan 1 ounce, one of the mostcommon equipment mistakes ismismatched lure and rodcombinations. Rods are designed tobe used with specific range of pound-test lines and lure weights, with theinformation imprinted on the blank.Varying too far beyond theseparameters can impede efficientcasting or even hook-setting ability.

For example, attempting to fish alightweight balsa minnow for creeksmallmouth with a medium-heavyaction casting rod spooled with 20-pound test will yield very short castsand possibly a line backlash on thereel.

On the other hand, if an angler ties a3/4-ounce flipping jig with stout hookon a light-action spinning rod with 8-pound test (a balanced combo forthat lightweight balsa), the result willbe ineffective hooksets or perhaps abroken line.

3. Kinky, Improperly Spooled LineIt’s an easy mistake to make when spooling on line on a spinning reel. You fill thespool with line right up to the very edge, thinking it will allow you to cast farther.Instead, the too-full spool creates problems with line looping and tangling. To avoidthis, keep the line between 1/8 and 1/4 inch below the spool lip.

Monofilament and fluorocarbon will gradually deteriorate when exposed to sun overtime, so replace it annually. Also, line should be replaced anytime it shows signs oftaking on a “set” or becomes severely twisted due to certain lure presentations.Superlines (braid & gel spun lines) have a longer life on the spool than mono orfluorocarbon, but will eventually require replacement, too.

Don’t fill your spinning reel spool to the brink with line. Doing so is an invitation to line spilling off the spool leading to tangles

and loops.

A properly filled spool should have at least 1/8″ clearance. When spooling fluorocarbon, it’s best to leave 1/4″ clearance on spool lip.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Dull hooks, mismatched equipment, and worn-out line might be obvious mistakes.You might be less likely to think about the following four mistakes, but they’re notless likely to be made.

4. “Cross His Eyes” Hook SetsThe old adage of “cross their eyes” with a powerful hookset is responsible for manymissed bass. Utilizing a flipping jig on heavy line for thick cover is one instance wherea power-set may be the best hookset. But fishing relatively open water with lighterline and smaller hooks requires an appropriate reduction in force; attempting to“cross their eyes” may snap the line.

Furthermore, certain presentations like drop-shotting or constant-motion baits likecrankbaits are best served with a slow sweep rather than a snap-set. Adjust yourhookset to the situation and you’ll connect with more bass.

5. Improper Use of a Landing NetI have witnessed numerous bass lost beside the boat because of poor nettingtechnique. First, for reasons of safety, I elect to net any bass with multi-hook baithanging from its mouth. It’s a matter of respecting those trebles – it only takes onehead shake from a bass or slip of the hand as you attempt to grab it from the water toruin your day.

I use a rubber mesh landing net which eliminates hook entanglement as well asreduces the chance of injury to fish which may occur when using abrasive knottednylon bag nets. Granted, rubber mesh nets are slow-moving in the water, but thatdoes not matter because the first two rules of netting are: (1) don’t chase the basswith a net; (2) don’t jab and swoop.

Many bass are lost at side of boat due to improper netting procedure. Never chase a fish with the net or jab at it; lead

the fish into the net head first.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Proper netting involves first gainingcontrol of the bass on the line besidethe boat. Have your boat partnerposition the landing net at a 45-degreeangle with about three-quarters of thebag below the surface. Guide the bassinto the net, head first, and then yourpartner lifts the net.

6. Being Oblivious toYour SurroundingsFailure to recognize what is going onaround you can cost you fish. Often, it’snoticing the little things which will steeryou to active feeding fish. Everyone’shead turns when they hear a big splash,imagining it’s a bass jumping; but theodds favor a carp breaking the surface.

On the other hand, a minnow skippingon the surface with a barely noticeablewake following is an indication of apredator – cast several feet in front ofthe wake. Watch for gulls hovering anddiving into the water; this is a signbaitfish have been forced to the surface– perhaps by a wolf pack of bass.

Also, tune in to minor weather changes,such as a pause in wind from onedirection with the breeze shifting to anew direction. If bass have been closedmouth up to this point, a wind shift isnot the time to quit. Rather, it may betime to head to one of your prime bass-holding locations because the changecould trigger bass into feeding.

Small, lightweight lures can be very effective, but they must be fished on lighter tackle. You can’t fish a 4″ Slider Worm on the same

outfit you fish a 3/4-ounce Carolina rig.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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7. Letting Technology Control YouTechnology has overrun the simple sport of fishing. There are products ranging fromhigh-definition imaging sonar scans and underwater cameras to electronic feedingsimulators installed on high-speed bass boats, along with this or that piece ofelectronics for a tech-crazed society. Granted, these items may be useful products,but they are not required to catch bass. As a kayak-fishing buddy reminds meconstantly, “You can’t catch a bass going 50 mph down the lake.”

I recommend obtaining moderately-priced quality fishing equipment to fill your basicneeds, thereby enabling you to fish and have a great time without incurring a hugedebt. Your biggest asset to successful angling rests on top of your shoulders – use it.Don’t let machines be the sole decision makers as to where and when you cast a lure.Instead, rely more on your gut and less on the gizmos.

If you’re wondering what you can do differently, I hope you’ve found some answers. Ican tell you from experience, when you avoid these seven mistakes you’ll put morebass in your boat.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Have You Tried “Shaky Head” Bass Fishing?Why Shaky Head Fishing Has

Pro Bass Anglers All Shook-Up!

In today’s high-tech angling, one newly popular presentation is uncomplicated –shaky head fishing. Rig a soft plastic worm on a lightweight jighead, cast it out, let itsettle to the bottom and begin shaking your rod tip.

Well, that’s the Cliff Notes version. The complete story of shaky head fishing is muchricher and full-bodied with plot twists not covered in the quick summary.

Shaky Head History

While the present day shaky head technique hit itsstride within the last few years, the back story canbe traced to the 1970s and 1980s as similar smallworm techniques developed in various geographicareas. In Tennessee, southern gentleman CharlieBrewer was promoting his Sliderheads and 4-inchSlider Worms with a light-line technique he called“polishing the rock.” He’d slowly drag thejighead/worm along the bottom, and crawl it overeach object. In the upper Mid-West, bass anglerswere using a small worm on a lightweightmushroom jighead to feel where hard bottommeets the deep weed edge on natural lakes.Meanwhile, light-line West Coast bass anglerswere using small worms on darter jigheads in abottom dancing presentation they call Californiashaking.

The melding of these regional approaches occurred on the national level duringB.A.S.S. and FLW tournaments as pro anglers sometimes struggled to find techniquesto catch pressured bass in “used water” under less than ideal fishing conditions. Itwas back-seat competitors (i.e. riders) who most often made headlines with the smallworm/jighead shaking-dragging technique.

Largemouth bass are a frequent target of shaky

head anglers.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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The Technique Evolves

When fishing offshore water, the back-seat tournament angler doesn’t have theluxury of viewing possible lake bottom targets on the sonar like the front seat guydoes. However, dragging a worm on the bottom allows them to independently locateisolated targets, and tease a bass into striking. Soon the pros also realized theeffectiveness of shaky head fishing, and that’s when specifically designed worms andleadheads began showing up.

Today, manufacturers who offer soft plastic all have shaky worms in their lineup, andjig manufacturers have their own particular styles of shaky head jigs. I’ve witnessedshaky head fishing while accompanying pro bass anglers and regional experts aroundthe country. Everyone does it a slightly different way, and the technique continues toevolve.

Shaky Head Designs

Shaky heads come in various shapes – round, football and wedge. But the specificdesign of these heads has the line tie coming off the nose or forward part of theleadhead at roughly a 45-degree angle, as opposed to the top center of a traditionalleadhead. The design creates a pivot point allowing the jig to rotate forward when itencounters a small object on the bottom of the lake. That pivoting of the leadheadcauses the soft plastic trailer to stand nearly erect while pressure is maintained onthe jig.

Examples of Shaky Head lures, including

samples of rigged baits and individual shaky

head jigheads.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Typical head weights range from 1/8-ounce to 1/4-ounce on 6- to 8-pound line, butheavier heads are now being used on deep structure. Head design may include aspike or coil to provide for weed-free rigging of the shaky bait, or anglers may rig withhook point exposed.

Shaky Head Examples• Jewel Bait Squirrel Heads• Gambler Giggy Heads• Yum Pumkin’Ed Jighead• Booyah “Big Show” Shaky Head Jigs• Strike King KVD Premier Jighead• Rapala/VMC Dominator Shakey Head Jig

Shaky Bait Designs

Shaky baits typically are flexible, thin-body worms usually 5- to 6-inches in length.With the technique evolving however, some anglers are now using much longerworms for extremely deepwater jigging. And the trailer is no longer limited to worms.Anglers are shaking ’craws, creatures and shad-shape soft plastic lures. The shakingpresentation mimics either shad or minnows feeding on the bottom with head downand tail up, or the defensive position of a crayfish – take your pick.

Shaky Bait Examples:• Gene Larew 5″ Salt Head Shaky Worm• Gambler Giggy Stick and Shakey Shad• Yum Shakalicious Worm• Strike King KVD Finesse Worm• Lunker City Ribster Worm• Berkley Power Shaky Worm• Skippy Fish 4″ Shad

You should now understand where the concept of shaky head bass fishing came from,how it evolved, and why it’s so successful. Now, here’s how to put it into practice.

Offshore smallmouth bass fall for the same shaky head presentation.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Aspects of Location

Guidelines on where to fish a shaky head are fairly broad but the focus is mainly onrelatively clean bottom areas – at depths from four feet to as deep as you care to go.Possible locations include:

•inside weedlines•outside weedlines•docks, ramps and marina basins•mid-lake humps•gentle contour breaklines

The shaky head approach is particularly effective on sections of shoreline or deeperflats which appear to lack bottom cover – some fishermen refer to these as “nothingbanks.” In reality, these areas are likely to host some inactive bass which are holdingtight to isolated cover such as large rock, outcropping of gravel, a sunken tire, a half-buried log, etc. The shaky head presentation helps you find those bottom featuresand entice a strike.

Shaky head fishing is a favorite summer technique for angler Bryan Stuyvesant. Note he keeps his rod low as he slowly retrieves a shaky head along the bottom

attempting to intercept a piece of cover – then the shaking begins.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Elements of Presentation

Whether you’re fishing shallow of deep, and regardless the soft plastic trailer choice, the retrieve is pretty much the same. It should involve these six elements:

1. Cast out and allow the shaky head jig to find bottom.2. Engage line – take up slack line as you lower the rod tip in the direction of the jig.3. Begin slowly reeling the bait, maintaining contact with the bottom at all times.4. When the jig encounters resistance from a bottom object such as a single large

rock, small area of cobble or gravel, a small ledge, a alog, branch or whatever –stop reeling but maintain light pressure on the jig.

5. With the shaky head/bait pinned against an unknown object, begin to lightly shake your rod tip. At this point you don’t want the jig to dislodge from the object, so don’t shake too violently. The goal is to maintain the lure’s position while having the soft plastic worm or creature bait dance with its tail in an upward position.

6. After a brief period of shaking, pause and then shake again. If a fish does not pick it up, gently lift the shaky head over the object and continue the bottom crawl until it encounters the next object, and repeat the process.

Two Ways to Respond to Pick-Ups

When shaky head fishing, you have to be ready to set the hook, but not every strike will be the same. You’ll need to get a feel for how to respond.

• Sometimes strikes may be a detected with that distinct tick of an aggressive bass, which generally requires a quick snap hookset before the bass spits the lure.

• At other times the bite may be so light that it goes undetected except for unusual pressure on the line or sideways movement of the line as the bass moves off with the bait. These pressure bites are best handled with a less aggressive hookset –simply reel quickly and forcefully pull upward.

Once you start having success at shaky head fishing, you’ll start catching bass others can’t, filling your livewell more often, and shaking your own head in amazement.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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What Kind of Fishing Line to Use – Solving the Line Puzzle

Simplify your fishing line decision….monofilament, fluorocarbon or braid?

Empty spools being mounted on a commercialline-winding machine.

You’ve likely heard the expression “during simpler times,” referring to an earlierperiod when life was less complicated and we had fewer choices. Well, fishing linechoice certainly was simpler in the 1960s and 1970s when nylon monofilament wasthe only type of line seriously considered by anglers. Today, in addition to nylonmonofilament, two entirely new line materials have come into play: fluorocarbon andbraided/fused superline.

Dale Black*, president of Black Knight Industries of Oil City, Pennsylvania, is anentrepreneur in today’s fishing line market. Black Knight Industries owns GammaFishing Line, offering all three products: copolymer monofilament, fluorocarbon andbraid (i.e. superline). Having knowledge about all three types of line, Dale’s expertisewill help you figure out today’s line puzzle.

*No relation to author Darl Black.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Unlocking the Puzzle

“These unique line products enable anglers to address lure presentations better thanever before,” says Black. “Although all are fishing line, each product is made fromdifferent material with particular properties. Anglers need to understand the pros andcons of each material in order to make an informed decision.”

For most topwaterbaits, nylon

monofilament lineis recommended.

The original monofilament everyone is familiar with is an extruded nylon product.Dale is quick to point out that today’s copolymer line is simply a “kissing cousin” tonylon monofilament. Copolymer line is a formulation of multiple resins to create anew and improved nylon line, with a slicker finish, slightly more abrasion resistance,and a little less memory.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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While technically a single strand line,fluorocarbon is made from polyvinylidenefluoride rather than nylon resins. Developedduring the 1970s in Japan, fluorocarbon didnot rise to prominence as a fishing line inthe US until the 1990s.

Superlines are made of gel spunDyneema® or Spectra® fibers, either braidedor fused together creating a line that is fardifferent from nylon-copolymer orfluorocarbon.

Black stresses no single type of line issatisfactory for all lure and live baitpresentations. Here is his description of thepros and cons of the three types of line:

Superline – “The popularity of superlinerests with very low stretch (about 3%),extremely supple for long casts, nomemory, durability, sensitivity and anincredibly high break strength for itsdiameter. A superline testing 20 pounds hasa diameter similar to that of 6 or 8 poundmonofilament,” details Black. “Thedrawbacks are: highly visible in clear water,difficulty with wind knots and backlashes,and impossible to slingshot-loose fromsnags due to lack of elasticity in the line.Until recently, all superlines would float;however some manufacturers are nowweaving the braid around a dense materialthereby making it sink. The desirability ofsinking or floating depends on the intendedpresentation.”

For bottom bumping baits, fast-sinking

fluorocarbon is preferred by most anglers.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Fluorocarbon – “Fluorocarbon, on the other hand, is very dense so it sinks quicklyand is virtually invisible in water because its refractive index is close to that ofwater,” continues Black. “Fluorocarbon is more sensitive than nylon resin lines, butless sensitive than superlines. Many first time users of fluorocarbon encounter linemanagement problems because fluorocarbon is stiffer than monofilament – if aspinning reel spool is filled too close to the lip, fluorocarbon will jump off creatingline tangles.”

Nylon monofilament and copolymer – “Nylon monofilament and copolymer lineshave the greatest amount of stretch and the least amount of sensitivity. But nylonline is regarded as ‘angler friendly’ compared to the handling properties offluorocarbon and superline. Nylon based lines sink slowly compared to quick-sinkfluorocarbon. The elasticity of nylon monofilament and copolymer lines can beviewed as negative or positive depending on the intended use. If you are employinga crankbait, you may desire that delay in a hookset with nylon line, to allow a fish totake the bait better.”

Superline (braid) is the perfect line for fishing floating frog

lures in vegetation.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Ya Gotta Know When To Use ‘Em“In certain presentations there is a clear choice as to which fishing line to use. Inother situations, it may not be as clear,” says Black. “To compensate for the highvisibility of a superline, the trend is to tie a monofilament or fluorocarbon leader ofthree to six feet on the end of the superline, and attaching the bait to the leader.”

To make your choice easy, here’s a handy reference chart linking types ofpresentation with the type of line that will be effective:

Presentation Suggested Line

Most Topwater Baits Monofilament/copolymer, or fine diameter superline with a leader.

Weedless Frog Baits Superlines float and slice through vegetation when fish is hooked; vegetation camouflages the highly visible superline. No Leader.

Buzzbaits Superlines enable long cast with no-stretch power when setting hooks; no leader used.

Flipping/pitchingFlexibility in choice; some anglers like copolymer or flourocarbonwhen flipping wood cover, but prefer a superline without leader for fishing strictly vegetation.

Drop-shot, jigs, worms

For lure presentations which involve bottom-bumping, slack-line presentations, fluorocarbon is the hands down favorite because the line sinks quickly and is sensitive. But there is a trend to using a sinking superline with fluorocarbon leader in many of these presentations; getting unsnagged is a problem due to lack of stretch in superlines.

Dead-drift soft plastic Superline with monofilament or fluorocarbon leader.

Crankbaits/spinnerbaitsBecause successful hook-ups with constant tension motion baits require some delay in the hookset, the stretch of monofilament/copolymer is a big advantage.

Suspending jerkbait Copolymer or superline with leader.

Live baitPersonal choice based on the cover or depth you are fishing, keeping in mind that a fluorocarbon leader is invisible underwater.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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How to Catch Spring to Summer SmallmouthSurefire Smallmouth Tactics

Come along on a tour of three great places to fish for smallmouth basswhile revealing expert techniques and tricks worth trying in your favoritesmallmouth waters.

“Over there… wanna bet there’s a smallmouth guarding fry around that submerged bush?” queries Jim Duckworth while making a gesture of his rod towards a fishy looking spot in the back of a pocket on the lower end of Center Hill Lake.

“Jim, you’re the guide and this is your lake. I’m not going to make that sucker bet,” I respond with a smile.

“Bet? That was a rhetorical question, not a bet,” explains Jim. “I don’t want to take your money on a sure thing!”

Throw topwater plugs past cover in late spring - early summer to catch smallmouth like this bass.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Center Hill Lake, TN

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Jim fires his surface plug beyond the bushand works the bait up to the cover. When theplug edges around the right side of the bushwithout incident, I’m beginning to think Ishould have made the bet. But then, abouttwo feet past the cover, a large swirl appearson the surface and the prop bait disappearsas if being flushed down a toilet. Jim rearsback on his rod, and the water explodes as abrown fish rockets skyward.

“Got him! I got him!” shouts an elatedDuckworth as if this was his first smallmouthever, even though he has taken thousands ofsmallies from Center Hill – including one over8 pounds.

Bass Fishing Tip: Late Spring into Early Summer Means Topwater ActionI first met Jim Duckworth during a trip toDale Hollow Lake near Tennessee’s borderwith Kentucky about a decade ago. Heinvited me down to fish smallmouth onCenter Hill, a little farther south, thefollowing spring and we caught brown basson Bandit crankbaits until our wrists hurt.I’ve been back several times, always enjoyingthe smallmouth experience.

This most recent trip to central Tennessee included the opportunity to test Jim’s new handcrafted topwater baits – the Splashing Pup prop bait and the Duck’s Dawg walking bait.

The water level in the reservoir was higher than normal due to an unusually rainy spring. The first wave of smallmouth had already spawned, eggs had hatched and males were guarding bunches of fry.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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“This is the ideal situation for a prop bait,” explains Jim. “When smallmouths areguarding their offspring in shallow water before fry dispersal, they are nervouslyaggressive. If you go with too large or too loud of a lure presentation, fish will spook.A finesse topwater presentation is the answer. The single rear propeller along withthe Bleeding Red treble hooks on my Splash Pup are key triggers. Unlike similarmolded plastic topwater baits, my wood bait will cast a long distance and danceperfectly on the surface with a slight twitch. It’s just the right combination for shallowsmallmouth. My clients absolutely love fishing topwater all day long at this time ofyear!”

Pack These Lures for Center Hill Lake, Tennessee

Early Spring•Road Runner Pro 2.0 in Firetiger (www.roadrunnerlures.com)•Rapala Husky Jerk in Clown (www.rapala.com)•Bandit 300 in Rootbeer with Storm SuspenStrips (www.banditlures.com)

Post Spawn•Splashing Pup topwater (www.jimduckworth.com)

Summer•Duck’s Dawg topwater (www.jimduckworth.com)•Bandit 200 in Chartreuse Blue Splatterback (www.banditlures.com)•Bandit Ledge in Chartreuse Black (www.banditlures.com)•Berkley Havoc Tube in Watermelon (www.purefishing.com)

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Lake Erie Smallmouth

When conditions are right in May or June – a sun-filled day during a multiple-daywarming trend with a south or west breeze of between 8 mph and 12 mph – I headfor Lake Erie’s Eastern Basin for smallmouth. If I’m accompanied by a new friend onhis first Erie smallmouth outing, I’ll begin humming theme music from the movie“Jaws” as we work lures on a known big bass area waiting for that first solid thump.Newbies may wonder what the deal is… until confronted with the biggest smallmouthbass they have ever seen on the end of their line.

Likened to the line from Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars, “All of Gaul is divided into threeparts…” – only in this case, Lake Erie is divided into three basins: Western, Central andEastern. The Eastern Basin covers the portion of the lake from Pennsylvania’s PresqueIsle Peninsula eastward to Buffalo.

Today, this is the basin where “the Big Bass” grow – lots of 5- to 7-pound smallmouth.The back story on these oversized smallies involves zebra mussels, gobies and globalwarming, but it’s too involved to detail here. Suffice to say if you are interested incatching multiple big smallmouths, you need to make the trip to the Eastern Basinduring the spring or early summer.

Want to catch husky bass like this? Fish the eastern basin of Lake Erie for smallmouth.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

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Hot Fishing Tips for Late Spring into Early Summer

The earliest shallow-water movementof smallmouth occurs at Pennsylvania’sPresque Isle Bay, which is the naturalharbor for the city of Erie. Smalliestypically move onto the flats in earlyMay to begin their spawning routine.Meanwhile, things are just starting towarm up farther east on the Lake nearBuffalo. Waves of smallmouth move inand out of spawning habitat up anddown the southern shoreline of Erieduring May and June.

In the main lake, spawning generally occurs deeper than the protected bays, harborsand inlet areas along the shoreline. Out in the Lake, I’ve witnessed smallmouth onbeds in 20 feet of water as late as early July. Yes, some years the water is clearenough to see bass in 20 feet, but sandy silt stirred by storms and algae growth oftenreduce visibility.

I’ve never endorsed targeting bass on beds. Ample pre-spawn and post-spawnsmallmouths roam the Erie waters throughout this period, making that unnecessary.

My Favorite Patterns for Pre- and Post-Spawn Bass, and How to Use Them:

(1) Pre-Spawn Deepwater: Call me old fashioned, but my early season vote goes toa 4″ tube jig or 5″ swimming grub for bass in 18 to 30 feet of water. Run a few passesover a deep flat or extended point to spot check, but don’t be upset if you don’tactually see bass on the screen. Many times they hug the bottom so tightly besiderocks that you miss them. Either drop visible structure markers or GPS icons atinteresting sites, then set up a drift that allows you to fish by these icons or markers.Use a sufficiently heavy jig head to occasionally bump bottom on the drift, andremember to deploy a drift sock if breezy.

(2) Immediate Pre-Spawn: As water temps warm and waves of smallmouth beginmoving toward shallower water (less than 18 feet), suspending jerkbaits often reignsupreme. Be sure to carry both normal models (dives to 3 to 5 feet) and deepsuspending models (dives to 6 feet or deeper). Fish your favorite colors, but be sureto bring Clown.

Make sure you have a tube jig; it's killer bait on Lake Erie.

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(3) Shallow Roamers During Pre- and Post-Spawn: Only need two baits for shallowsmallies – a Green Pumpkin sinking worm rigged wacky style and a Hot Pink softjerkbait. Wow, what a fun time to fish!

(4) Post-Spawn Moderate and Deep Smallies: Very often in bays, harbors andinlets, smallmouth will hold on offshore humps to feed before actually migrating outto the main lake. This is crankbait time, thereby allowing you to fish fast and check alot of territory. You want baits that have a sharp dive plane and reach 10 to 12 feet.

(5) Post-Spawn/Summer Deepwater: This is the best time for the increasinglypopular drop-shot method. Gobies are very active by now and smallmouths arefeeding heavily on them. Rig a goby-like fish shape, tube or 4-inch worm on a dropshot rig and probe rock piles, sharp drop-offs and odd rocky bottom structures atdepths from 15 to 30 feet.

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Lake Erie at a Glance

• Where the fish are: Roughly 100 miles of nearshore waters to fish between Erie,PA and Buffalo, NY. Vital depth for bass in spring and early summer ranges fromshallows to about 40 feet.

• Season: The Lake Erie spring smallmouth season is geared to catch & release withminimal harvest. PA: 1 bass, 20-inches from mid-April to mid-June; NY: 1 bass, 20-inch minimum from early May to late June. Regulations are subject to change, socheck before you fish.

• Safety: Lake Erie can quickly become a very dangerous place when winds shift orincrease in velocity. Be sure your boat is big-water seaworthy with all requiredsafety equipment including Coast Guard Approved Signaling Devices for GreatLakes.

• Launching: Safe harbor launch sites are limited, but adequate. In Pennsylvania,launch sites include several in Presque Isle Bay at city of Erie, Shades Beach Park(small boats only) and North East Marina near town of North East. In New York,safe harbor launch sites include Barcelona, Dunkirk, Angola and Buffalo Small BoatHarbor.

• Lodging: Variety of lodging near the lake. Contact www.visiterie.com for PAinfo;www.tourchautauqua.com and www.visitbuffaloniagara.com for NY info.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Green Bay Area Smallmouth

Sturgeon Bay, Little Sturgeon, Sister Bay, Sand Bay, Fish Creek, Egg Harbor, Eagle Bay,and others were simply names on a map. Well, actually names I had read over theyears in articles about smallmouth bass fishing in Wisconsin’s Green Bay area.

That’s why I was so excited about heading to Green Bay for the first time last June. Ididn’t even take time to study a map in order to understand the lay of the land – orshould I say lay of the water. That was a rookie mistake. I was confused for three daysas to where I was and where I was going. Fortunately, I was with a group of hardcoreanglers under the guidance of one of Wisconsin’s most reliable fishing hosts – MattBichanich. Matt knew exactly which of the many bays and inlets we should be fishingand what we should be using.

Being a Lake Erie bass angler, I am accustomed to clear water and windy conditions –that was good because both were in ample supply on this trip to the Green Bay area.High winds and waves battered us on day one, keeping us penned in where we didnot want to be.

I also learned that the passage between the northern tip of Door County peninsulaand Washington Island has a treacherous history of wrecking ships. (No, I didn’t learnthat by firsthand experience!) So many ships went down in this strait that earlyexplorers named it “Death’s Door” – a name that doesn’t encourage tourism!Fortunately, when the wind died, we found the smallmouth to be sassy and thescenery of Door County to be picture perfect.

Wisconsin's Green Bay holds a great population

of smallmouth bass.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

The #1 Bass Presentation for Green Bay

One lure has claimed the top spot among Green Bay smallmouth fanatics for yearsduring the spring and early summer period – the curl-tail swimming grub. Actually,one brand name dominates all tackle sales in the area: Kalin’s Lunker Grub. Cast itout on a jighead, let it find bottom and then slowly swim it back – “slow rolling,” welike to call it. Head weight will range from 1/16-ounce to 1/4-ounce depending ondepth and wave conditions. And don’t forget to include 3/16-oz size in the mix – it’smy favorite all-around jig weight.

Swimming grubs is one of my favorite tactics at this time of year, so I was verycomfortable with it. This technique produces smallmouth moving up towardsspawning flats as well as smallmouth moving away from beds, covering depths from 4to 20 feet. Every angler has his go-to color, but I like to experiment with an array ofnatural-like preyfish hues to let the smallmouth pick the one they want on anyparticular day. But be sure to always have never-fail Smoke with you!

Wisconsin's Green Bay is famous for cheeseheads as well asfast and furious smallmouth bass fishing.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Additional Presentations forGreen Bay Smallmouth

• With the water slow to warm in themore northern inlets on the west sideand all the inlets on the east side of theDoor County peninsula, smallmouthsgenerally do not begin bedding untilJune. Although not my cup of tea, bedfishing appears popular with many areaanglers. An effective clear waterpresentation is to pinpoint a cleanswept nesting site, toss out a white orchartreuse tube jig and drag it overthe bed.

You'll enjoy great smallmouth bass fishing

and a few beautiful sunsets like this over

Green Bay.

• As bass finish up spawning chores, Matt Bichanich begins slinging a baitfish coloredswim jig to isolated rocks and weed clumps on the flats.

• Once bass have moved to offshore deeper water structure towards in the later partof June, Bichanich switches to a drop shot rig with a minnow-imitating small worm.

Door County at a Glance

• Location: The northeastern peninsula of Wisconsin extending into Lake Michigan and creating Green Bay.

• Where to Fish: Spring and early summer smallmouth fishing takes place in relatively shallow, somewhat protected bays and inlets primarily on the west side of the peninsula.

• What to Expect: Extraordinary options for fishing in both inlet bays and on the shallow shelf of Green Bay proper. We found incredible numbers of 2- to 4-pound smallmouth; however, beasties over 5½ pounds were not to be found.

• Smallmouth Season: Green Bay is open to smallmouth fishing from early May to March of the following year; check the specific dates each year.

• Lodging: An extremely popular tourist destination, Door County offers a wide variety of places to stay including small hotels, quaint inns, bed & breakfast lodging, waterfront condos, rental homes or cottages, and campgrounds. Visit www.doorcounty.com for more information.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Fishing Smallmouth River Bass Summer Bite on a Smallmouth River

“You get a line and I’ll get a pole, we’ll go fishin’ in the crawdad hole, honey, baby mine.”

Every time I hear that line from theCrawdad Song, my mind immediatelyvisualizes my favorite summer pastime.

Although smallmouth bass never comesup in the song, just the mere mention ofan olive-colored crustacean stimulates anauto response in this Yankee that goeslike this: Crayfish + Rod + Summer = RiverSmallmouth Bass Fishing. Ironically, riversmallmouths rarely inhabit the type ofmuddy creek hole described in the song.Instead, bronzebacks in the summer arefound primarily in relatively shallow,relatively strong current sections of ariver or large creek. The bottomsubstrate will be comprised of rock,gravel and sand rather than mud. It’s alsothe same environment that northerncrayfish species inhabit.

These smallmouths were stuffed with crawdads.

While crayfish certainly comprise a portion of a river smallmouth’s diet, there areadditional prey species which must also be considered. Without question, insect larvaeof stoneflies and mayflies as well as winged adults are consumed by smallies. Oneparticular bottom critter which smallmouths love to gulp down is the hellgrammite, the3″ to 4″ leathery larvae of a dobsonfly.

In any river or major creek, there are a wide assortment of minnows, dace, darters,shiners, chubs and madtoms (stone cats) that are critically important. Depending onthe bait species, they may be found along the shallow rocky bottom, suspended incurrent seams or milling around eddies just off the faster moving water. With theexception of shiner species, most river preyfish species are darker in color than thetypical silver patterns most fishermen imagine for baitfish.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

These three anglers cast crankbaits to the

flooded shoreline during a high water

period during the summer.

Throw in frogs or even the occasional small mammal that falls into the river and youhave a good insight into a river smallmouth’s diet during the summer. As you can see,it is rather extensive – far beyond simple crayfish.

Now, don’t fret. To consistently catch summertime smallmouth’s does not require aspecific, detailed lure to imitate each different prey. Unlike our fly-fishing friends whobelieve they must have precise bug representations of 50 or more insect species inorder to catch trout, flowing-water smallmouths are not so discriminating.

Bronzebacks see food, and if hungry, they eat it. Sure, a lure must give the illusion offamiliar prey in terms of size, action and perhaps color – but it does not need to be anexact replica. Heck, there are times when non-feeding smallmouth strikes the oddlure simply because they find it irritating.

How many readers remember the “Name That Tune” game show on television? Well,in my version of that game, I’ll state that: “I can catch summertime riverinesmallmouth with only six lures.”

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Here are My Lure Choices -Plus Where and When to Fish Them

Tube Jig – The ultimate universal river bait is a 3″ to 4″ tube lure on an insert head. Adark colored tube with its multiple-strand tentacle tail represents a wide variety ofbottom-dwelling creepy-crawlers and baitfish. Keep in mind there are more dark-colored preyfish in a river smallmouth’s world than shad-colored bait.

Whereas an external jighead is likely to lodge in a rocky crevice on every other cast,by inserting a teardrop jighead into the body cavity, the thick, soft plastic head of thetube greatly reduces hang-ups. Select a jig weight (1/16, 1/8, 3/16 or 1/4 oz) thatallows the bait to trickle along the bottom rather than becoming anchored.

Hop and drag a tube on hard substrate, swim it slowly like a minnow, or in certaininstances streak a tube just under the surface – it is truly the most versatile lure inyour river arsenal that can be fished in current seams, pocket eddies, tail-outs ofpools, riffles and dredge holes.

In a river or creek, I fish tubes on 6 or 8lb. test Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line and6.5′ to 7′ fast action spinning rod.

The author has sufficient confidence in these six lures to catch creek & river smallmouth all

summer long.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Stick worm – Touring bass pros sometimes refer to this bait as a heavy worm orsinking worm – but to me, this blunt-end worm is more appropriately named a stickworm. For river fishing, I use a weightless stick worm as drift-bait, relying on thelure’s own slow-sink design to meander to the bottom in the downstream flow.

Darl Black happily lifts a smallmouth taken on a

stick worm.

In strong current situations, smallmouthtypically set up an ambush point in aslackwater pocket waiting for a dislodgedcrayfish, hellgrammite or disorientedminnow to drift by. It’s the best way tosecure a meal while conserving energy. Irig a 4″ Dinger (my favorite of the manystick worms on the market) Texposed ona 2/0 Mustad Mega Lite Hook.

I fish a stick worm on a spinning outfit spooled with 10 lb. Power Pro Braid and a 3′leader of 8 or 10 lb. fluorocarbon. The braid helps to float the worm while also actingas a visible bite indicator, even when slack forms during the drift – i.e. a bobber builtinto the line!

Soft Jerkbait – These slow-sink 4″ to 6″ soft plastic lures feature a representativebaitfish profile. This bait delivers the best return on rivers when fished in areas withcurrent.

Soft jerks can be fished both aggressively and passively on the same retrieve.Following a cast, apply a series of sharp rod snaps to make the bait dart just underthe surface. This gets the attention of nearby smallmouth. Then incorporate a longpause in the retrieve as the bait drifts freely, acting like an injured baitfish.

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Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Using a rod and reel with braid helps insure long casts and positive hook-ups. Instained water, I typically go with 15 lb. braid on a baitcasting outfit and tie direct to 5″soft jerk rigged Texposed on a 3/0 Mustad Mega Lite Hook.

But for low, clear water more typical of summer fishing, I use spinning gear with 10lb. braid and a 3′ fluorocarbon leader. In this instance, I tie on a #1 VMC drop-shothook and nose hook a 3″ to 5″ soft jerkbait.

Hard Minnow Bait – I would feel incomplete in my flowing-water tackle selection if Idid not have the Original Floating Rapala. I caught my first river smallmouth on thisbait as a youngster, and I’ve continued to count on it over the next five decades. Inparticular, it is my go-to choice for the smaller waters – a smallmouth “creek” versusa “river”. I can twitch the Rapala to make it dance on the surface in place of atopwater bait along a quiet water bank; fish it more aggressively with long pulls andpauses in faster moving riffle water; or use a steady retrieve. Forget all the fancy newcolors – just use the original silver or gold pattern. A moderate action spinning rodwith 6 lb. co-polymer line (rather than fluorocarbon) is the proper outfit for this bait.

Buzzbait – I’m willing to bet that few river anglers fish a buzzbait in the manner that Ilearned from Kevin Turner, famed Upper Mississippi River smallmouth angler andowner of River Pro jet boats. After one trip with Kevin, I became a believer.

Marilyn Black lands a smallmouth near

a bridge while wading.

Select a ⅜ or ½ oz. buzzbait, such as BooyahBuzz with the extra ‘clacker’ blade. Strip off thesilicone skirt and substitute a 3″ or 4″ softjerkbait or simply a piece of plastic worm.(Substituting soft plastic body for the skirtincreases casting distance considerably.) Tiedirect to 30 lb. Power Pro Braid on an outfitwith a high-speed casting reel.

33

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Select a river section featuring extremely fastflow with lots of current breaks (created byrocks, sunken logs, etc.) for smallmouth to hold.Make long casts to the shore and return baitwith a steady retrieve at 90 degrees to waterflow. Oh yes – hold on tight! Executed properlyin fast flows and your catch rate for smallmouthwill climb dramatically.

Crankbait – When the level rises and a normallyclear-water river becomes dirty from heavysummer rains, established patterns will change.Most of the above baits become less effective.Fortunately, feeding bass tend to move shallowwith the rising water and spread out more alongsomewhat slack water areas. It’s cranking time!

In the dingy water, the vibration and boldercolors of a crankbait will draw vicious strikesfrom bronzebacks that normally would find sucha presentation unappealing. You should betargeting shorelines with slower moving waterbut with some type of cover – large rocks, logs,grass beds or eddies formed by inflowingtributary water.

In most instances I’ll select a crankbait whichdives to no more than 4′, preferably with asquare lip to deflect off submerged cover.However, if confronted with a particularly steepbank where water depth may be 6′ to 10′, acrank that dives into the 6′ plus depth is desired.Fish it on 10 lb. test co-polymer or fluorocarbonline.

I typically go with a crayfish pattern – somethingdark brown, black, red or with strong chartreusein it. Bomber Model A, Cordell Big O, or BanditSeries are among my picks. Cast and retrieve,and keep moving to find the scattered bass.

Now Go Fish!

CrankbaitSuccess!

34

Bass Fishing – Insanely Simple & Effective Ways to Catch More Bass

Bass Stew

Here’s a recipe from long-time fishing buddy Worth Hammond, who is no longer withus. Normally, I would not keep bass to eat, but on this occasion we were on a fishingtrip to the Ottawa River near Pembroke. Our menu called for fresh walleye each dayfor a week, but walleye were less than cooperative. So we found it necessary tosubstitute the plentiful 12″ to 14″ smallmouth from the river. When Worth and I wenton an extended fishing trip, we packed all necessary ingredients to prepare mealsfrom scratch.

• 2 pounds skinned and boned fish fillets cut into chunks• 1 medium onion, diced• 2 cloves garlic, diced• 1 bay leaf• 2 tablespoons of crushed basil• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes• Salt and pepper• 1 carrot, sliced• 2 stalks celery, diced• 3 potatoes, diced• 2 cups chopped cabbage• 1 quart water• 1 cup tomato puree• 1 ounce Cajun-style hot sauce

Cover the bottom of a 4 quart pot with cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add fishchunks. Stir and break fish into smaller pieces as it cooks. Remove any remainingbones. Add onion and garlic, stir for one minute, then add bay leaf, basil, parsley and2 cups water. Simmer 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.Add all remaining ingredients, using only enough water to make a soupy-stewthickness. Salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until vegetables are all tender.

About the Author

© Havalon Knives, 2013

35

Darl Black is a lifelong freshwater angler and veteran writer and photographer. Darl tackles a wide variety of fishing related stories for print publications and websites. Of all fishing, angling for smallmouth bass is his favorite pastime. He may be reached for assignment at darlblack@windstream.net.