Fred Raby
Volbasser@att.net
Pensacola
Blue
Angels
Bass Page
hook.
com
"FISHING WITH FRED"
covering tidal waters and impoundments
The Little Things that mean Bass in the livewell
Where to go, what to throw, what size bait, what color,
how to work the bait, which rod and reel, what size line,
when to move, when to try something else. Great questions, questions we all ask ourselves every time we go fishing.
In this article I will share some of my thoughts and hopefully help you put more fish in the livewell.
Before I go fishing there are certain things I always do,
first I check my batteries, and tires and bearings
I want to be sure I get to the water and have power.
I watch the weather conditions and tide table (or the dam flow on reservoirs) I then consider the time of year and check my past fishing log for similar conditions and past success.
These facts tell me what type baits, line, and rod and reel I need to take to the water. For example,
if the water is stained and we are expecting a cold front to arrive the day we fish or the day after I carry heavier tackle, bigger baits, brighter colors. If I am following a cold front I take lighter tackle and more subtle baits.
There are always staples, a favorite crankbait, plastic worms, a variety of jigs, and spinnerbaits, but I do have a plan.
In fact I usually have two "A" plans, depending on the exact water condition at the ramp, one for high water one for low. In all probability on tidal rivers if the water is high I will fish down river nearer the delta and vice versa on low water. I also back these up with a "B" and sometimes a "C".
Once on the water I decide on which "A" plan I will go with. I go to the planned spot and try to figure what it will take to put one in the livewell.
On my last trip I threw a 'Shad Rap' the first few minutes and caught a 4.1 lb. Bass on my third cast. Nice fish, but he didn't want the bait, he was hooked in the top of the head. I had been working the bait down a grass line in about eight feet of water,
as the bait ticked the grass I felt a mushy weight and set the hook. The hook in the top of the head told me the fish just swiped at the lure. I made a few more casts anyway but knew it was time to change, so I switched to a small spinnerbait and slow rolled it over the grass, again I felt something, but I wasn't sure it was a fish.
Time to change again, I went to a jig. I fished it slow, working it through the grass and shaking it under the upper vegetation. Again the strike was only a mushy feel, not a hard hit, but in the next 45 minutes I landed 3 more nice 2 plus pounders.
I felt great, I had found fish, and found something they wanted. By this time it was an hour past low tide and there was no water movement. I continued to fish the same area for another hour but no more action. I changed baits several times all to no avail. The day was still young, I needed one more keeper for our tournament , but I really wanted a big fish to round out my limit. I ran up river and stopped on a main river bend with heavy cover, pulled out my seven foot flippin stick and a ¾ oz jig looking for Mr. Big. Two hours later and not a hit. I moved to a spring fed tributary and fished a six inch Saltraker worm for the last couple of hours and managed to round out my limit with a 13 incher.
The changes I made in my approach, my tackle, and my baits were all based on the conditions mentioned earlier. I went to spots I knew held fish and was lucky enough to get a limit. There were four other fishermen who fished in front and behind me on the first spot then left in disgust because 'there were no fish there'. I chose that spot because I knew the falling tide would pull bait fish over the grass toward the main river. The first fish told me they were not aggressive, the ghost strikes I thought I got on the spinnerbait also gave me a clue that they wanted something different. The water color (stained) led me to a black and blue rattle jig and it was the right choice.
There were very few fish caught that day, everyone seemed amazed that I had a limit. The little things had given me the clues of what to do and I was lucky enough to read them correctly.
Plan your day, plan your tackle and stick to your plan. Pay attention to the things nature and weather conditions tell you to do. Especially pay attention to the 'different' feel of your bait in the water, learn to tell the difference between bumping the grass and a fish swimming with the lure to the boat, it is not always easy but it will pay off.
Keep Your Line In The Water
Fred Raby
