Extreme Angler TV: Tips and Tricks

Catching Monster Bass

Some anglers think there are no patterns for big fish - that simply isn’t true. Big bass aren’t like small bass. They usually aren’t found in the same places and don’t behave the same way. Big fish patterns are often more difficult to fish correctly, so many anglers don’t want to go to the trouble. But there are definite big fish patterns, and some I’ll share with you on my show Extreme Angler TV.

Anyone can catch a big bass. That’s a matter of luck. But catching lots of big bass requires skill- and some luck thrown in for good measure. The first thing you have to do is stop listening to negative attitudes about finding and catching giant bass. Ontario is jam packed with over-sized bass that are waiting to be found and caught. I am also convinced of the wisdom of the old saying, “to catch big bass, use big baits” and put them in the hardest to get to spots. The rewards for being persistent are huge!

You can change line on baitcast reels more often without spending a lot of extra money by leaving some of the old line on the spool as backing.

Use flavoured lures when fish aren’t striking aggressively. Scented soft plastic baits and fish attractants or salted lures DO NOT attract fish from great distances, but will cause fish to hold the lure longer.

If you locate numbers of fish holding on structure, investigate which characteristics of the area attracted the fish. Look for similar places elsewhere on the lake, the pattern can keep you in fish all day long and may hold up for several days.

Pay attention to the retrieve speed and cadence used by a fishing partner who is catching more fish than you are. Although your lures may be the same, you and your buddy could be imparting slightly different actions to lures as you reel.

Don’t blow the fish of a lifetime over a simple mistake. Replace rusty, broken or bent hooks, check your line frequently for frayed or nicked spots and carefully retie lures with reliable knots.

The sensitivity of braided line makes it an excellent choice for teaching the art of worm fishing. An inexperienced angler can feel subtle bites and more easily track the bait bouncing along the bottom. Braided line also reduces the power required for solid hooksets.

In Autumn, key in on the greenest, liveliest weeds. Shorter days and cooler water trigger vegetation die-off. Because there’s less oxygen in water around withered weeds, it’s an undesirable environment for baitfish and game fish.

A simple patch of sand, gravel or rock on a soft bottom has the potential to attract bass. The harder bottom creates openings in vegetation on which bass use as an ambush area. It also attracts insects, which lure baitfish to the area.

To reduce the chances of hanging up a crankbait when fishing in heavier cover, cut the leading point off each treble hook. Removing the point significantly reduces snagging and the remaining two points should be sufficient for hooking fish.

Rods 7 feet long or longer have become very popular, but that doesn’t mean short rods are out. Six-foot rods are better for working spinnerbaits around standing timber, jigging spoons vertically or fishing topwaters and jerkbaits from low-draft boats.

Tube jigs are versatile lures because they can be made to imitate both baitfish and crawfish. To imitate bait, pump the lure so it hops, then allow it to spiral to the bottom. For a crawfish action, drag the bait along the bottom. Use an erratic retrieve so the tube appears to dart like a crawfish.

When following other anglers along a shoreline or bank, observe their trial and error processes to help you eliminate unsuccessful patterns. Take note of which lures they are using, and choose something else. Cast to less obvious targets or spots they neglected.

If you want to fish a tandem spinnerbait fast, yet well beneath the surface, reduce the blade sizes on a ½ or ¾ ounce lure. Smaller blades provide less lift during a fast retrieve, but still produce adequate flash.

Moody, Bass that aren’t in a chasing mood are suckers for a weightless worm rigged wacky style. Hook a straight-tail worm through its centre so the two ends dangle. Cast, then twitch the rod tip gently after the bait sinks out of sight.

When fishing the points along a lake or creek channel, the most productive ones probably will be those that extend into the channels. Bass use the points as migration routes to and from deep water. Any cover on those points likely will hold fish.

During the heat of a summer day, bass seek cooler water, such as under matted vegetation. Swim a spoon or weedless Snag Proof frog or Rat imitation over the top of the cover. Be prepared for an explosion. If the bass misses, quickly cast a plastic worm or craw into the same spot.

Line size and casting distance play key roles in how deep a crankbait dives during retrieve. By dropping down a size in line, you gain nearly a foot of running depth, and the further you cast, the deeper it will run.

You can avoid spooking fish with your trolling motor by operating it at a slow, steady speed instead of rapid on-off bursts at high speeds. The sudden intrusion of the propeller noise and thrust of water can startle fish holding in nearby cover.

Match jigs to the line size your using. If flipping with heavy line, a jig with a sturdy hook is necessary to withstand the force of a power hook set. When fishing light line, wire hooks are better because they penetrate more easily under a less forceful hook set.

Flashing blades of a spinnerbait cranked slowly through a school or suspended bass can trigger inactive fish into a feeding frenzy. Cast the lure beyond the school, count down to the appropriate depth, then begin a steady retrieve.

Increase your success during cold-weather by being choosy about when you go out. Try a warmer day that follows a few days of stable weather. A partly cloudy day with a gentle southerly breeze is another good choice. And remember, that fish tend to be more active in the afternoon.

Here’s a great way to save time while fishing a bass tournament, especially if your fishing for smallmouth bass with tubejigs.

Pre-load your tubes onto various sizes and styles of jigheads the night before the tournament. Select the hottest styles and colors you have the most confidence in and have them loaded up and ready for use when required.

The time spent during a tournament, searching for jigheads, loading the tubejigs and re-tying your baits is lost time.

Are you a tackle-rat? Do you buy every color or every bait that becomes available?

Do you really use every color of every bait or lure you purchase?

The key to successful fishing is gaining confidence in your abilities and practicing presentations that you are comfortable with.

Let’s get serious, trying to perfect every single presentation, using every single type of lure in every single fishing condition, will only make you a master at NONE!

Find your groove and strong points and keep learning. Those are the keys to successful fishing.

Pitch like a Pro
Ok, you’ve gone on a weekend fishing trip. Saturday was overcast, with a little breeze, moderate temperature and you caught lots of fish while establishing a working pattern.

On Sunday, good old Mother Nature throws a curve ball, it becomes a bright sunny day, the wind kicks up, the temperature drops and a front has passed and the barometer is rising. The pattern you caught them on yesterday shuts off. An adjustment is in order. Chances are, the fish have not migrated a long way from yesterday’s pattern. Slow down, read your electronics carefully. The front has them tighter on the nearest structure.

Go to lighter line, smaller baits and a much more deliberate presentation. Bites will be lighter, so be on your toes. And, you might have to even have to go a little deeper than on the previous day.

Deep-Cycle Sence
One of the most important factors in fishing for bass in shallow water is casting accuracy. Missing your target not only results in an empty livewell but can be one of the biggest factors in destroying your confidence as an angler. There is no substitute for practise.

Gain confidence at home, in the backyard, by picking out a target and pitching to it until you can hit it consistently. Do this without even thinking of the fundamentals of casting or pitching and you will become a much more successful angler.

Remember, don’t always cast or pitch right on top of the targeted spot. Learn to pitch beyond this target and pull your bait to the spot. This prevents spooking the fish that lurk there.

Changing Conditions
Getting somewhere on the water is only half the fun, getting back is the other half, and to be sure that you can always get there and back requires a good, strong fully charged battery. The best battery for running an outboard motor is a good, marine “cranking battery”. For operating the trolling motor, use deep-cycle batteries and not automotive type batteries. It is always best to charge your trolling batteries immediately after returning from your fishing trip. This will certainly prolong the life. Also, remember to fully charge the battery prior to a long-term storage, such as wintertime. Protect the battery from direct sunlight, keep the connectors clean and corrosion free and use 6 gauge wire if you must replace wiring

Frogs In The Slop
A presentation that anglers use when they fish for fun, yet are scared to death to implore when they are competing in a tournament scenario. Why?
Some say it’s the low hookup percentage… hawgwash!
Why wouldn’t you want to fish in areas where most of the big bass inhabit?
Here are some vital keys to finding, casting and landing heavy cover bass with weedless plastic frogs, rats and mice.
Numero Uno, don’t use long-bomb casts- fish the fish in front of you first- this will increase the odds of strikes to hook-ups and assist you in spooking less fish.
Next, keep your hooks laser sharp- a hook file is a fisherman’s best friend.
Make repeated casts to high-potential locations- some days the strike zone is smaller than others and bigger bass have to be provoked into striking.
When a fish hits, give him time to close his mouth and turn with the bait- use rock the boat hooksets and keep the fish coming to the boat and hold your rod high.
Remember, fish the hardest-to-get-to spots and you shall be rewarded.
Weedless, soft plastic baits go into spots no other baits can!

Being An Alert Angler
Nothing is more frustrating than losing a big fish due to mechanical breakdowns.
Any time you catch a big fish or snag up you lure in heavy cover, be sure to inspect your line, lure and hook points.
Rocks, wood weeds and even a fish boney yap can cause defects in your equipment.
An alert angler checks his equipment for problems all day long.
Weather it’s a simple feel of the line above a lure knot or having a close peak at the hook point or barb on a bait, the experienced angler has taught himself to do this without even thinking about it.
Your equipment is only as strong as its weakest link.

Protective Eyewear
Show me an angler who doesn’t wear protective eyewear and I’ll show you an angler who doesn’t know what their doing on the water.
Sunglasses, good quality sunglasses, not the cheap-knock-offs, serve many purposes to the fisherman.
I won’t even consider going fishing without my Solar Bats, and even have 3 extra pair in by truck and boat just in case.
I use them because they save my eyesight from the suns harmful ultraviolet rays that can cause serious headaches and do even more permanent to your future eyesight.
Also, they help me see what’s going on beneath the surface.
I spend a lot of time in really shallow, clear water in search of wandering monster bass and my polarized sunglasses help me spot roaming fish, spooked fish, smaller isolated weedbeds or logs and all kinds of fish-holding cover others miss.
Ask any experienced jig fisherman how many big largemouths they “saw strike their bait” before they even felt any strike.
As for lens tones, these days I use the (HCY- High Contrast Yellow) lens 75% of the time I’m fishing. Try a pair on and you’ll see what you’ve been missing.
The popular grey and amber lens make up the other 25% I’m on the water.
Quality eyewear is as important as your rod, line and hooks for increased overall fishing success. Shop smart.

When Shorelines Won't Produce Largemouths
What happens when largemouth bass move off the shorelines?
The shoreline bashers catch no fish!
Why do bass do this? …who knows for sure, what I do know is when largies head out of shoreline cover, so should you.
Find the closest cover like weedlines, shoals, humps, sunken wood or anyplace they can use for cover.
Sometimes all they do is cruise the outer shorelines and the angler who is throwing long distance vertical baits like spinnerbaits, shad bodied twitchbaits or slow falling plastics and crankbaits are the ones catching the majority of bigger buckets.
My favorite two locations for off-shore largies is - isolated weedbeds and or scattered weed patches- only the size of your boat.
I fish these locations with jigs, bigger bulky worms or filppin’ tubes and work them hard and hit every weedbed or weedpatch angle, edge or slight water depth change until I find some bigger bass.
Shoreline largies are not hard to locate and to the experienced jig fisherman, they are pretty easy to catch, but when they abandon the docks, brush and overhanging trees, it’s the versatile angler who “gives in” and heads off the shoreline that catches more and bigger fish.
The pig-headed angler is usually the one with the empty livewell.

Organized Angler
Do you want a tip for maximizing time on the water? …get organized.
There is nothing worse than an angler who's un-organized, has old fishing line on their reels, has hooks and baits all over their boat, plastic worm bags scattered in every storage compartment- he has no idea where anything is…poor guy.
Every single minute you’re not fishing, your not catching…it’s that simple.
Get organized, put your high confidence lures in a easy to reach spot;
Have extra hooks, baits, hook files and pliers in easy to find locations.
Pick up some clear storage containers and store your stuff in such a ways that you always know where a certain peace of equipment is when you need it.
It's the same thing with storing baits like jigs or hooks- separate the sizes, styles, and colors – make it easy to locate the bait or hook size you’re looking for.
Nothing is more frustrating than wasting time looking for something you can’t find, and that’s when frustration sets in, your concentration gets ruined.
You might as well put the boat back onto the trailer.
Keep organized, keep your focus…and you’ll keep catching fish!

Flippin' & Pitchin' Selection
When it comes to choosing which jig is best for you - here’s a simple guideline, use the best jigs you can afford!
Forget the cheap ones with small, dull hooks- look for jigs with premium hooks, silicone skirts, loud rattles and buy lots of them in a variety of colors that you have confidence in.
As for colors - stick to the basics.
Largemouth bass aren’t smart fish- blacks, browns, and lighter shades for clearer water like green pumpkin is a good way to start.
Everyone has a favorite, find yours.
As for weight of the jig, most applications in Ontario call for a one-half ounce jig and chunk trailer. But when largies are either on deeper weedlines or in those clear water trees in 20 plus feet of water, I go to the three-quarter ounce and add a second silicone skirt to add even more bulkiness and use the finest chunk trailer I can find - which is the Strike King 3X Denny Brauer chunk.
I haven’t used pork trailers since these babies were introduced 3 years ago.
In shallower conditions or when bass seem a little sluggish, I'll tone down to the three-eights ounce sizes with the same chunk trailer so it falls a little slower and gives those sluggish or really aggressive bass an extra second to inhale my bait.
Most times the fish will tell you the mood there in. It’s up to you to adapt.

Dock Fishing Do's & Don'ts

I don’t know how many times I’ve shared a boat with another angler and stood back and watched how they approached a potential bass holding boat dock.

Some like to travel at warp speed- maybe because they want to see just how much power their 36 volt trolling motor has - or they spent way too much time on a dock that had little potential for a bigger than average bass.
Some guys looked as though they never pitched a jig in their life, or made a quick cast to the outer edges and started to move to the next dock as the "monster" lurking at the back of the dock started to show his head.

Sure, a lot of docks have potential to hold small bass… but who wants them?
I’ve made a living hunting, catching and releasing my share of monster largemouths living under boat docks and one thing I can tell you from my experience, you never stop learning about shallow water largemouth behaviour.

Just when you think you might know it all… Mr. Bucketmouth teaches you something new about habitat, strike mood or structure positioning in an ever changing variety of conditions.

When approaching a dock that looks like it has potential for a big bass, take
your time, approach it with the trolling motor on low speed, angle the boat so you glide past the dock if you have to - (a lot of times bass will come out after a jig while you retrieve the bait) - and if your boat is gliding towards or on top of the fish, he can spook and you’ll have a tougher time getting it to bite. But, if you boat is back away from the dock and the fish has the time to come out slowly and inspect it, there is a good chance he’ll grab it.

Part 2 - Dissect the Dock

If you truly believe a certain dock is harbouring a brute of a bass or if you have caught numerous big bass off a certain dock - fish it with confidence.
That means cast or pitch to all high percentage spots first, then pitch or flip to the hidden spots other anglers might miss - then try a secondary bait like a slower falling tube jig or shad bait. Sometimes big bass have to be teased into striking - other times they smash and dash before you can engage the reel. Different days call for different conditions.

Do you feel or eat the same way every single day of your life? ...neither does a bass!