Fred Raby
Volbasser@att.net
Pensacola Blue
Angels
Bass Page
hook.
com
"FISHING WITH FRED"
covering tidal waters and impoundments
Tune in to Catch More Bass
As, is usually the case in a recent tournament, I found less than the best fishing conditions. It was a December day (warm for December) with the temperature in the low 50's in the morning and rising to near 70 by midday. This followed some 30's and 40's with rain for the previous week. There were thunderstorms in the area, the river was high and muddy with a low tide expected at 9:00 a.m.?
My partner and I discussed a 'plan', but were pretty aprehensive about the validity. With the falling tide we agreed to go south into the grass to see if we could find some active fish. Reports for the previous two weeks had said the fish were on in the grass. Our second plan was to move north into some of the creeks and lakes we had confidence in.
The grass proved not to produce even a bite in the first hour, so we moved into a deep water creek. I caught a short fish on the second or third cast, and shortly thereafter boated a 2.25# keeper, both on a crankbait. As we worked further back into the creek I continued to catch fish with an occasional keeper and managed to finish second and take lunker.
The fish were tenative in taking the bait but I was hooking with the front set of hooks every time. This told me I had the right color and pattern. I had missed several strikes, the fish were slow and the strikes were very light and few and far between. I found myself really "tuning in" to the action of the bait, paying close attention to every branch in the lay-downs I was fishing. The strikes and the fish I put in the boat felt like a blade of grass on the crankbait, usually following a bump into the tops and only a slight pressure or change in the wobble told me a fish had the bait. The final clue was that the bass had moved off the shore and into the middle of the creek with the low tide.
There are many patterns that will work to catch bass, the winner had also used crankbaits and found the hits to be light. The key is pay close attention to what the fish tell you, and utilize a plan that you are confident with. If the fish are only taking the back hook on a crank you should probably change color, if the crank seems to be running a little differently…set the hook, that might just help you catch more bass.
Keep your worm wet
Fred Raby
