Just How Soon Is Long Enough?
By Roger "The Bass Coach" Lee Brown
Northeastern Staff Writer
Mar. 5, 2008
I know that the title of this article can mean a great many things to a lot of different people, i.e. . . . How soon is long enough visiting with your in-laws, or how soon is long enough being engaged to your honey before the big commitment, etc. What I’m talking about is a question that I probably have been asked more times by either my bass fishing school students, bass charters, emails, and even some phone calls concerning, "how soon is long enough" spending time with a certain bait or location when fishing for bass.
I guess the best place to start is at the beginning, right? Let's say that we are planning a day on the water and we want to catch as many bass as time will allow. Doesn't every angler share those same "high hopes?"
There are several factors to consider before you even hit the water:
- Season
- Water temp
- Knowing your natural forage
- Daily conditions
- Size of the body of water
- Choosing the right baits
- Using the proper equipment
- Locating structure
- Keeping it FUN! Always!
Basics are a good place to start when it comes to putting the "high hopes" plan together.
Let's start by saying that we want to fish a body of water as big as the Santee Cooper System located in South Carolina (which is made up of Lake Marion & Lake Moultrie.) If we have an impoundment of 186,000 acres of water with this system and just one day to fish, where do we start and how much time do we spend in one place?
The first thing I’d do is get a map of the lake and study it. By looking at a map such as a Hot Spots Map or a Topographical Map (the most commonly used among today's anglers) these maps will generally show you the contours, depths, points and your boat launching areas. By studying this first you can section a certain spot on the map that looks appealing to you and in the same process eliminate a good portion of the body of water that you just don't have the time to fish in one day.
Secondly, study the area on the map which you sectioned off, looking for key areas such as contours, points, structure, and irregular bottoms. Next, keeping in mind the factors listed above I would circle a half dozen or so areas that look good in the section and start looking for a good working pattern. Here are a few hints of what to look for during the different seasons:
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In the spring, summer, and fall, look more in the shallows for warmer water temps, hard packed (or sandy) bottoms, structure (of any type), and especially vegetation areas. The key factor is to look for shallow water close to deep water areas: Points, drops, roadbeds, channels etc.
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During the winter months, look for the opposite in most cases! Deeper water close to areas with structure.
Here is a good rule of thumb when choosing the right baits and equipment. Choose baits that cover top water, the bottom and everything in-between, also keeping in mind that the proper equipment such as rods, reels, and line is just as important as the baits selections.
Normally, the difference between fishing cold water areas and warm water areas is to know the activity levels of the bass. In cold water the bass tend to get more sluggish and inactive because their metabolism changes with the water temps. On the other side of the coin, warmer water temps means more active bass. Remember that the more active the bass are, the more often they feed than in colder water conditions.
Here are some tips on certain baits that normally work anywhere you can find a bass habitat.
Top Water
Floating Worms, Hula Poppers, Tournament Frogs, Soft and Hard Jerk Baits, Zara Spooks, and Torpedo's. There are many more, but I have been just about everywhere in the US and have had success with these particular baits.
In Between Bottom & Surface
Crank baits, Spinner baits, Soft and Hard Jerk Baits, Jigging Spoons, and Swim baits.
Bottom Baits
Jig & Pig Combos, Senkos (always work!), Carolina Rigged Baits, My "Mo-Wak" Rigged Baits, Texas Rigged Baits, and Gitzits (or tube baits).
I’ve used these baits under most every condition possible, and in every season with success.
So, "How long is soon enough," to put certain bait down and try something else? When it's overcast or in low light conditions I’ll start out in an area where I'm quite certain that bass are holding in with a top water pattern. Bass won't be in so tight to structure areas quite as much as they would be in a bluebird (or sunny) sky condition. I start with at least two different patterns using topwater baits like a Zara Spook or a Stick Bait (hard jerk bait). From experience, I’ve found that if a fish will hit a topwater bait either of these two will do a fine job. Make at least a good dozen or so casts using each of these two baits trying different retrieves to see what may trigger a strike.
If you don't get any action off of top water patterns then try a Crankbait or Spinnerbait. Again, allow a couple of dozen casts with each of these two different baits, using different retrieves (or techniques). A great feature of the Spinnerbait is that there are many different ways to use it. I teach my three-day bass fishing school students at least six different presentations on this bait because it is so versatile.
If all else fails, "Hit the Bottom!" One thing to consider before I begin bottom fishing is that it is the importance of using the right equipment. I'm mostly talking about fishing rods in general. An angler has to feel the little ticks, slight pulls, bottom nicks and bites with his rod to even know that he has a strike (or a bite). There are many good rods on the market today and I'm sure that they are very comparative within price ranges, but for me there is only one rod; the Kistler “Helium Series” Custom Rod is lighter, stronger, and more durable than any rod I have ever used. You can feel every little THING on the bottom with these rods, and better yet, I don't even have to use solid line with these rods. I always use Silver Thread copolymer clear line for all my applications.
When fishing the bottom, you need to know exactly where your bait is and what it’s doing to be more successful. I use at least three different patterns fishing the bottom before I move on to the next spot. Keep in mind that we covered top water, then the in-between area, so next we go to the bottom with the following patterns. I like to use a rig I kind of thought up a few years back called the Mo-Wak Rig. It’s simply a Mo-Jo rig using a Yamamoto Senko bait wacky rigged with very little weight above the bait.
Secondly, I will use a Carolina Rig because if rigged right, you can cover a lot of areas that you can't with a Texas rig. I normally use a soft plastic bait such as a Yamamoto 6" Lizard, but you can use many different baits on this rig. Next, I’ll work with a flippin' or pitchin' bait such as a jig & pig combo or a craw by itself, pegged with a weight. Give each one of these patterns about a dozen casts and if none of these presentations trigger a strike, MOVE TO THE NEXT SPOT!
If you’re interested in learning more or just want to go out for a fun day of fishing please inquire about my three-day bass fishing school or my bass charter service on Lake Champlain. I can teach on my lake or yours. You can reach me at: (518) 597-4240 or email me at rlbrown@capital.net, or visit my site at www.capital.net/~rlbrown.