A sad attempt at humor, I know.

O.K., let’s get down to business. The first worm rig was developed by Nick Creme from guess where, that’s right, Texas in 1949. As it spread throughout the fishing industry the weed-less method of hooking the worm was developed, this is how the Texas rig was started and the rest of the styles followed in its wake. The Texas rig was the first rig that brought me into the world of soft lure fishing.

All of these methods contain similar elements that can be explained in one shot. The first thing is no matter which rig you are using, you should attach a barrel swivel of appropriate size to the end of your line. This will prevent your line from becoming twisted and tangled.

I like to use a Surgeons loop to attach things. To tie this knot, double the line back on itself once and knot the loop twice. Make the loop about two inches long. Pull tight and snip the excess and you’re done. This is one of the strongest and most efficient ways of attaching terminal tackle to your line.

To hitch a barrel swivel or a snap swivel (I prefer small & black) using the Surgeons loop, push the loop through the eye of the barrel, then open the loop and pass the barrel through the loop. Fold the loop all the way back to the line and pull tight. The end of the loop should be below the knot.

Sometimes this way of switching rigs and lures, unless you use a snap swivel, can be a hassle when using multi-hook baits. The more you use the loop method though, the better you will become. If it’s too much for you then the regular ol’ clinch or “Fisherman’s” knot might be better for you. If you need more assistance ask a clerk, at you favorite outdoor, shop for help or research “knots” online.

When it comes to weed-less rigs, the leaders are set up basically the same way. However the length of the leader depends on conditions and on the sizes of the soft-baits. Attach an offset style or “worm” hook, of the appropriate size, to your leader. If you want to use the Texas method, thread the leader through a bullet before you tie or hitch the other end of the leader to the empty end of the barrel or snap swivel. The pointed end of the sinker should be pointing toward the barrel swivel.

Attaching the worm or soft creature bait, in a weed-less fashion, to the hook can be a bit tricky, however with some practice it’s not very hard to accomplish successfully. First, hold the hook by the long curve and impale the nose while pointing the eye of the hook toward the tail. Stop the hook about a ¼ of an inch into the bait or until the straight part turns to a curve and push the point through the bottom side of the bait.

Swing the bait around the hook until the long curve is facing away form the bottom side of the bait. Now push the nose up to the eyelet. Some anglers prefer to hide the eyelet in the nose. Lay the hook along one side of the bait, pinch the bait where the hook ends, run the point straight up through the bottom of the bait just ahead of the pinch and centered until the bottom curve is perpendicular to the bait. The point should be facing the nose. Now, run the point just under the “skin” along the back until the barb disappears. You’re done.

The Texas rig is best used thrown into a weed or Lilly-pad bed and bounced or drug slightly along the bottom and over structure such as logs, sunken brush and rocks. This weed-less “prey” works great for locating that big Bass (and other fish) waitin’ in ambush under cover. You might want to use larger line with this rig no matter the size of the worm. Some fish will get tangled due to darting. You can also reel this rig a little faster to bring it up from the bottom. To get more control, use a split shot sinker or stick the end of a toothpick in the hole of the slip sinker and break it off to make it stationary. The closer you position the sinker to the nose, the more control you get.

If you’re going to use the Carolina method, thread the main line into the pointed end and trough a bullet sinker before attaching the barrel. If you use a split shot sinker, just attach the sinker to the line above the barrel swivel. The Carolina rig is used to find fish in large areas of open water relatively fast, by retrieving the rig, trolling or leaving it to “swim” in a current. Attaching the sinker above the barrel swivel gives the bait a more life-like movement and improves the handling of the rig.

Beads and blades are used on the Carolina rig more than others, especially in currents. However, they can be used on other rigs also. The beads are on the leader between the hook, blade or blades and the sinker. In stained water or during overcast conditions, the beads and blades add noise and vibration to your presentation.

With the Florida rig, a weighted jig-head is used instead of an offset hook. This method is commonly not weed-less and does not use a line sinker. Fish this rig along the bottom of flats and rocky bottoms. It does not work well with cover and on rip-rap. Attach the soft bait by using the same impaling method as the offset hook except the point is protruded through the top of the bait, the bait is slid up to the jig-head and the hook is left exposed.

One very diverse rig is the Drop Shot rig. With this rig you attach a three way barrel swivel to your line, the leader of choice to one eyelet and another leader with a sinker (usually a Bell type) to the last eyelet. As always, the length of the leader and weight of the sinker depends upon how far from the bottom you want your lure and how you want you lure to swim.

The Drop Shot rig is use in a few ways, however for basically the same purpose. The most common is to keep your bait a specific distance from the bottom or as an anchor in a current. It can be used to keep Crank-baits straight and level while retrieving in which the sinker does not touch the bottom.

All of these rigs, except for the Florida and the weighted leader on the Drop Shot, can be used in a weightless bait manner, but the oldest and least used style of weightless soft-bait rigging is the “Swimming” worm rig. The reason I call it the Indiana rig is one; there currently isn’t an Indiana rig and it works really well (deadly in fact) here in Indiana. You may have seen this pre-made rig on the shelf in the tackle shop or fishing section, it’s usually called a “Trick Worm”. The major difference with this rig is that it is a double Snelled, exposed bait-holder hook style.

The ones they sell in the stores have the hooks imbedded in a very small worm. These are great for Bluegill and Rock-bass and even small Catfish. However, they’re usually not available bigger than 3 inches. If you want to attract bigger fish, you need a bigger rig and will have to create one.

Double Snelling is a bit involved and single Snelling should be taught fist. So on that note, to Snell a hook, thread the leader line through the eye of the bait-holder hook (I usually use the #6 size bait-holder) from the point side of the eye towards the bottom of the hook and loop it back around, following the curve of the hook. Thread the line back through again the same way and a little past the length of the hook. Now wrap the loop around the shaft of the hook about five times, hold the hook by its shaft wrapped loop and pull the extra tight and trim.

Wasn’t that easy? Don’t worry if you said no, it really isn’t easy and takes some practice to master. Again, you may want to find a diagram of how to do this or ask for some one-on-one help.
To double Snell is to do this to two hooks on the same line. Sounds like fun, huh? Once you get Snelling one hook down, two is basically the same. When you Snell the first hook, make the extra a little longer than the length of your worm. When you Snell the second hook, position the eye of the second hook half the distance of the length or your worm from the eye of the first hook. After wrapping the loop around the shaft, pull the extra tight and trim it off.

Attach the bait by running the first hook through the nose the same way as the weed-less method except, pull the line through until you get close to the second hook. Run the second hook through the same way, this time keep running the hook into the bait until the nose reaches the eyelet and then protrude the point through the side. I like to hide the eyelet in this particular rig. Take the first hook and stick the point directly through the side of the bait ¼ of the distance from the tail. The bait should make a lazy “L” Shape when held up by the leader.

You know now hold in your hand one of the most effective lures I’ve ever used and continue to use. When pulled through the water, it swims in a spiral motion, which is very attractive to fish and can cut down on snags as well. I can’t remember the fishing T.V. show host or pro angler I got this from, it was an instructional DVD demo. When you get a strike using this rig, you know it. Especially if you use a soft bait made from fish food, say Berkley Brand’s Gulp line of soft-bait lures. Hands down, it is the most effective rig that my buddy and I regularly use to this day.

I’ve caught a wide variety of fish on this rig as well.

Most experienced angles have little secrets that make their rigs work better in different areas, some of which I’m sure are being exposed here. Generally I will leave a barrel attached to my line and set up a couple of extra rigs of each type to make the changing process easier. Using the Surgeon’s Loop method makes it even quicker.

When retrieving these rigs, remember to use a very soft touch for all the varying types of reeling methods. Always set the hook by whipping the rod-tip down, nice and hard, to one side or the other, depending on were you’re buddy is standing. NEVER jerk hard or straight back when setting the hook, or anytime, no matter what kind of rigging method you’re using. Soft-bait lures and crank-baits can be pulled right out of the water if yanked to hard, even to the side. Hooks and “bullet” weights can be imbedded in the skin. Probably the best tool any angler should have is a pair of Polarized, shatterproof sun glasses.

So there you have it, a brief explanation of various types of soft bait rigging. With experience comes success and rigs and lures can be confusing to begin with, so don’t get discouraged and some day you’ll be as deft as Grandpa or that T.V. host. As always, keep happy thoughts and good fishing to ya.

Chris Curley lives in Indianapolis, IN. with his dogs, Puranah and Princess and his cat Sylvester.

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Berkley does not stop with just creating and selling baits. They also make a point of ensuring that all their soft baits are a great value for money by having them tested by some of the top fishing professionals in the world. Because of the meticulous processing and testing of their baits, it is no wonder why more and more anglers are using and approving this for your fishing trips.

Now that you have a background on what the hype about Berkley baits is all about, it’s time to learn how to properly rig and use them for your fishing adventures. Begin rigging your gulp baits by tying a hook that is slightly smaller than that of your chosen bait. By doing a clinch knot, tie the hook just a few inches below the tip of your rod. Take your rigged soft baits along with the hook and thread it through in a downward motion in order to allow the barb to emerge just below the bait and pointing towards your rod. For smaller baits, you can rig two or more at the same time to both sides of the hook. For other types of Berkley soft baits, you can also try to look up the net on how they can be rigged.

When rigging them, keep in mind that the kind of jig head being used can ultimately affect the performance of your gulp baits. There are various types of jig heads and each of these causes your soft baits to move differently when already in the water. Another thing to keep in mind is to always ensure that your baits sufficiently covers your hook. By doing this you are disguising the hook thus ensuring that once the fish bites on to your bait the hook will be able to successfully pierce through the fish’s mouth. Once you’re done rigging, you may now proceed with your fishing activities.

Fishing is a great activity for anyone, but it can easily become disappointing especially if you will not be able to get a good catch. And a good catch is almost always dependent with the type of fishing equipment and tools you use. Berkley soft baits are among the easiest to use and they have a good reputation to back up their claim of increasing your catch rate simply by using their baits. True enough, with their advanced scent and delectable flavor any fish will keep coming back in case you don’t get them in the first bite.

All Berkley Gulp soft baits have been fish tested and approved by anglers. Each Berkley Gulp soft bait has an advanced scent and flavor that are bound to be irresistible for fishes, big or small.

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1. Top Water Lures – when it comes to smallmouth bass lures top water lures are some of the most effective. The big thing to keep in mind with top water lures is there needs to be flat, or almost flat, water. Top water lures fished on flat water, early in the morning or late in the evening, can be one of the most fun and exciting forms of smallmouth bass fishing. Top water lures are among the most effective smallmouth bass lures. Some of the most popular are the Jitterbug and the Tiny Torpedo.
2. Soft Baits – soft baits come in the form of plastic worms, twister tails, and slog-o’s. There are many methods of fishing soft baits for smallmouth bass with one of the most effective being using a jig head and a twister tail. Soft baits used to be made from exclusively rubber, but are now made from all sorts of man-made products that actually help attract fish. Some of the most popular of these soft baits for smallmouth bass are the Berkley Power and Gulp products. The Berkley soft baits are made in every shape imaginable from worms to crawfish.
3. Spinnerbaits – Spinnerbaits are an effective smallmouth bass lure and is designed to attract the bass with the flash of the spinner and then “seal the deal” with the jig looking hook. These baits are very effective around weed beds and underwater trees. Some of the most popular Spinnerbaits are Terminator® Tiny T Spinnerbaits and Strike King® Compact Premier(TM) Pro-Model® Spinnerbaits.
4. Crank Baits – crank baits are among the best known and most used smallmouth bass baits. Crank baits are normally made to imitate minnows or shad. There are also crank baits that imitate crayfish, but the small fish imitations are the most popular. When it comes to smallmouth bass lures crank baits may be the best choice. Some of the most popular crank baits are the KickTail minnow and the Rapala minnow.

The fishing lures just mentioned are among the best to use when fishing for smallmouth bass. Is one the best? That’s impossible to say. They all have their place when fishing for these bass. The one caveat I would add from my 25 years of smallmouth fishing experience, is that the more realistic your smallmouth bass lures are the better. The more your lure looks like what the bass normally eat, the more effective that lure will be.

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One of the main things to remember when it comes to fishing for largemouth bass is that these fish love cover. Some types of “bass fishing cover” would include: lily pads, submerged trees or brush, flooded creek channels, and drop offs. They use cover to ambush their prey, and all of the baits below are prey for largemouth bass.

Large Aquatic & Terrestrial Insects – Large insects of all kinds are great largemouth bass bait. Depending on the body of water you’re fishing in, the insects will change, but some of the more common are: hellgrammites, dragon flies, and large nymphs. The most popular artificial largemouth bass baits that imitate large insects are soft plastics, or Berkley’s Gulp products (which are just like soft plastics, just more effective).

Crayfish – Crayfish are a very effective bait for largemouth bass. These freshwater crustaceans are like candy for our silver friends. Large crayfish are an excellent bait for large bass. Live crayfish are difficult to fish with, but it can be done effectively with gang hooks. Some of the most popular artificial lures would include: The bush bug, Paca Craws, and the GYCD Fat Baby Craw.

Bait Fish – Bait fish are great bait for these bass, and the bait fish that’s most prevalent in the body of water that you’re fishing is your best bet. Bait fish can be used live or as artificial lures. Some of the more popular live bait fish for largemouth would include: scuds, shad, minnows or shiners and sunfish. Some of the more popular artificial versions that can be used as largemouth bass bait would include: The KickTail Minnow, Rapala’s, Smithwick Rogues, and the Bomber Model A.

Frogs – Frogs are a great bait for these predators. As a matter of fact, largemouth bass are so predatory there don’t even have to be a lot of frogs present in your fishing water for frogs to be effective. Live frogs are very difficult to fish with, but can be extremely effective. Some of the more popular artificial frogs would include: The Spro Brozeye Frog, Mann’s Superfrog, and Berkley’s Power frogs. All of these artificial frogs are very effective largemouth bass baits.

So, what are the best baits for largemouth bass? Any of the above will work very well, and should be added to your bass fishing arsenal sooner rather than later. At the end of the day, the “best” bait for largemouth will vary from situation to situation. Hence the reason fishing for largemouth bass is so addictive and enjoyable, it’s a puzzle that never truly gets solved.

More Largemouth Bass Bait Choices – http://www.jrwfishing.com/fishing_lures.html

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Keep in mind that just going to a tackle shop and asking the clerk is not the best way to choose a lure. You need to assess the spot you are fishing and know the water type, temperature, weed beds, native aquatic life and such. Using a plastic leech where leeches are not native is not going to produce.

Top water “surface” lures

These are the ones that stay on top of the water and you can actually see a strike. Some look like minnows or baitfish while others may resemble insects or bugs. Some may make noise or just mimic a swimming prey.

Spinner baits

These lures are designed to be cast and retrieved at a moderate speed. Metal blades attached to it spin and attract the bass on a visual level.

Soft plastics

This is probably the widest category of bass fishing lure anywhere. These can be made to look like worms, lizards, snakes or even small bait fish. The vast color selection is unbelievable. Soft plastics can be bought Texas rigged (with hooks already in them) or plain (no hooks).

Swim baits

Swim baits are soft plastic bass fishing lures that are designed to look like small prey fish. Most have tails that “wave” as they are retrieved. Usually, swimmers are retrieved like plugs; either at a steady pace or brought to a full stop, then retrieved again at a high speed.

Spoons

Spoon lures look like the inside of a spoon, hence the name. They are metal, have a color side and a plain, shiny side. As a spoon is retrieved, it spins and attracts the bass visually.

Jigs

This is a simple one, folks. Jigs are weighted hooks that are normally combined with a soft plastic worm. The weight causes the hook to fall to the bottom, so the angler needs to jerk, or jig, the rod tip to make it move. Done properly, it will resemble an injured prey fish. Most of the time, bass hit these on the fall. This is a particularly deadly bass fishing lure choice.

Plugs

Plugs are also known as crankbaits. Typically made of either wood or hard plastic, they are designed to move in a specific way. Some will resemble small fish or other prey attractive to bass. These are classified as floaters, shallow divers or deep divers. I think you can figure out what those terms mean without too much discussion, right?

In theory, any lure can produce fish, given the proper conditions and lure selection. Bass are especially territorial and aggressive, so will attack just about any thing that moves through the water near them. This is especially true of things that look like a meal to them. The best advice is to make your bass fishing lure look like a tasty treat and you will eat fish for dinner that evening!

For more insights and additional information about Bass Fishing Lures as well as wealth of information related to bass fishing, please visit our web site at http://www.bassfishingtipsguide.com

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If you want to explore bass fishing, one of the things you must consider is finding out the best largemouth bass lures. Different kinds of lures are used by fishermen in getting those largemouth bass lures, and they differ from sizes and colors and may resemble much of what are usually found in the waters.

Largemouth bass lures are often ’specialized’ for a certain location or the depth of the water where you want to go fishing, although all lures help you catch these fishes, you can maximize your catch by using the appropriate lure in certain waters or locations. If you are going out bass fishing in shallow waters, you have to go for lures best for shallow waters. Among the lures good for shallow water fishing are hair-bugs, buzz baits, surface plugs, poppers and other soft plastic lures. Mouse imitations are also good if you are under trees.

If you are going fishing in not too shallow waters, and slightly deeper waters, artificial worms that are a little heavier can be effective. Among the lures that are effective in this kind of setting are spoons, spinner baits, crank baits, minnow plugs, and streamers, although spoons are great for bass fishing at any depths. Crank baits are better in rock ledges. Suspending crank baits and spinner baits are also great in these not so shallow nor too deep waters.

If you love going out to deeper waters for fishing largemouth bass, you can however use largemouth bass lures efficient for deeper water such as the jigging spoons with pork rind dressing. Plastic worms, lead-heads and other soft-bodied lures are also great for deep water bass fishing. You can also explore deep diving crank baits and rattle traps in deep water fishing.

Among the considered most effective lures that you may want to bring in going out fishing are the buck tail jigs that you can treat with pork rind. Using these lure in heavy cover is one great way to get a good catch when it comes to bass fishing. The Kicktail minnow is also another great one to buy and bring with you. In fact, a good bass fisherman always has a Kicktail minnow in his fishing equipment as this type of lure has been proven to be very effective in bass fishing.

However, you have to keep in mind too that the effectiveness of your largemouth bass lures may depend on its quality and on how you effectively use them. Don’t just let the lure do everything for you. You have to determine which type of lure is best for certain time and conditions and of course, practice in using them can play a big role in making them effective and in making yourself a wise largemouth bass fishing enthusiast.

Carolyn Anderson is an avid reader and a book reviewer. If you are a fishing enthusiast who wants to make your own lures, check out this great guide on Wooden Lure Making. Also check out Surf Fishing Sport, a great guide to help you learn the exciting sport of surf fishing that you can also include in your hobbies.

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Perhaps the best reason to use rubber worms is their relatively low cost. Very likely, you will spend less money using this bait option as any other bass artificial, and perhaps even save verses live bait options. In this article, I will cover rigging techniques for the Texas Rig. In subsequent articles I will discuss the Carolina Rig and others.

Perhaps the most commonly used of the rigging options is the Texas Rig. It is very simple to use and offers the advantage that it is a weedless rig and be cast almost anywhere without getting hung up. It is as simple as putting a bullet sinker (smaller is better in most cases) on your line, the wider end facing the tag line of your fishing line, and tagging an offset worm hook on the end. Cut off excess line. Mount the worm on the hook by sliding approximately the same length as the hook’s offset over the hook and then coming back out of the worm.

Then slide the worm up the hook until the head of the worm is approximately even with, or even a little bit covering the eye of the hook. Finally, penetrate the hook into the belly of the worm just enough that the barbs are into the worm but so the sharp end does not come out the other side. If the barbs come out the other side you will get hung up. The placement of the hook in the belly should be done so the worm’s body is almost straight between the offset and the place where it is hooked into the worm’s belly.

If you will be dragging this rig through very heavy cover, consider pinning the bullet sinker in place with a small toothpick. This prevents the scenario where your bait comes over an obstruction and the sinker slides up the line prior to the worm. This will greatly lower your chances of attracting fish as the movement is unnatural.

Another option, especially attractive when fishing for finicky bass or when you wish to fish off the bottom is to go without a sinker. In some situations I have found bass to be put off even with the lightest of weights. Simply rig everything exactly as previously mentioned, just without the bullet sinker.

Generally speaking the Texas Rig is fished slowly along the bottom and across structure. My experience has been that 95% of the time, you cannot fish it too slowly. I typically fish from a small boat and cast into structure or as close to shore as possible. Some of my best retrieves occurs when I cast 6 inches or so onto shore and drag the bait slowly into the water. Hits can occur anywhere on the retrieve and come in all varieties. Some times there is no doubt- you get slammed and setting the hook is an obvious reaction. Perhaps more often, you might not even feel a hit. If you are fishing with your rod tip up, as you should, first you will see that your line is moving sideways through the water. At this stage I suggest reeling down to a 3 o’clock position and thin affecting a firm hookset.

Rubber worms are available in a variety of sizes, made by many manufacturers, and are available in most any color or scent. For color, some believe (including myself) that you should match the situation. When there is a light day, consider using a light color and darken things up as the day gets darker, progressing to black at night. Use natural colors in highly clear water. I very much like the pumpkin seed colors made by Zoom in a variety of sizes. At night, or in more turbid water, a 7 inch Black Berkley Power worm works well.

Texas rigged plastic worms generally work best when fished in relatively shallow water. Woody and rocky cover in water of two to ten feet tend to be the best to places to cast the worm. Sometimes, it pays to fish deeper water a few feet off the shore. Generally, the best way to do this is to position you boat parallel to the bank, and cast straight out of the bow. You’ll have to let it sink a little longer, and reel a little slower in order to keep the worm on the bottom.

Plastic worms are truly one of the most versatile baits for black bass. They work in almost every situation, and in almost every body of water. Once you learn how to use plastic worms, you won’t want to use other methods very often. So give them a try, and you just might find your new favorite way to fish.

Davidson Manning is an avid outdoorsman spending over 100 days per year pursuing his passion for fishing, many of them in the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas. He details many of his favorite spots on his website Family-Outdoors where he writes articles not only on fishing, but also camping and hunting. Visit his fishing section at Family-Outdoors Fishing where Manning has information on fishing in general plus links to information on fishing guides, fishing reports, places to go, gear reviews, and more fishing tips.

His other pursuits include many days spent in the field camping and hunting. Davidson loves to share his knowledge of the outdoors in the hope of helping others to find their own connection to the outdoors.

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So, the bottom line is that of all the fishing lures available to bass fishermen the ones outlined in this article need to be a part of your bass fishing arsenal. If you don’t have any of these lures in your tackle box, they should be added sooner rather than later. The best lure for fishing is subjective and will vary from angler to angler, but if there is one single choice that stands above all of the rest it is among these choices, there’s no doubt about it.

1. Crank Bait Classics – Classic crankbaits such as the Model A and the Fat Free Shad made by Bomber are some very popular and effective classic lip crank baits. These crank baits catch bass in a variety of situations. These baits are often used to cover large areas of water quickly to locate hungry bass.
2. Swimbaits – In recent years Swimbaits have become a staple fishing lure for trophy-size large and small mouthed bass. This unique type of fishing lure has become very popular on “Big Bass” waters in both Texas and California in recent years. This type of fishing lure definitely needs to be a part of your bass fishing arsenal.
3. Tube Baits – Soft Plastic tube baits are one the most versatile bass lures available. This fishing type of lure catches large and small mouth alike and can be used in any water at almost any temperature to catch bass. The way to rig this bass bait is a Texas-Rig with a tungsten weight. The tungsten weight makes a clicking noise as it bounces across structure, the sound helps bass search the bait out.
4. Plastic Worms – This fishing lure is considered the best fishing lure for bass fishing by many bass fishermen. Soft plastic worms come in many shapes and sizes, all of which have a place. They’re far and away the most versatile lure on the market. They are effective on their own or as trailers on other bass fishing lures. Plastic worms are extremely versatile and effective.

If you want top find your own personal “best” lure for bass fishing, the choice is more than likely among these lure choices above. As I said, if any of these bass baits aren’t in your tackle box, add them sooner, rather than later.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.

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In the past few years, tournament anglers have adopted this technique to put hard to catch fish into the boat. It is an excellent technique for catching deep bass, and bass that are highly pressured in many of the tournament waters all over the US. The techniques that are used today have been refined, but the basic technique has remained the same for 30 years.

BASIC TECHNIQUE

The most simple explanation of this technique is that drop-shotting is a vertical presentation using light line, over top of fairly snag free structures.

A sinker is tied to the line, which is usually 8-12 pound test, and a hook is tied on the line, about 1-3 feet above the weight. A soft plastic bait is usually nose hooked, and the rig is lowered to the depth of the fish. Most anglers use their electronics to locate the structure, baitfish, and bass, and the rig is brought into the area where the strikes are suspected. The baits action is controlled by a slight shaking, or gentle twitching of the rod tip.

This is a very simple explanation, but drop-shotting can be much more refined and more complicated.

The types of hooks used for this technique vary greatly with each individual anglers preference. There are many anglers out there today that prefer the short shanked style of hooks for drop-shotting. These are called “Octopus” hooks. Many times these hooks are colored red, which many anglers believe bass see as a wounded bait. There are also many companies who manufacture pre-rigged drop-shot rigs, so you don’t have to waste a lot of time tying them when you get on the water. Others prefer to tie the rigs themselves, but this is something that most do ahead of time, so they can save valuable time on the water for fishing.

Most bass fisherman, myself included, prefer a straight shanked hook, because in places where there is current, these styles resist some of the line twisting that occurs in these situations. I like to use a ball-bearing swivel myself, which prevents most of the line twisting that can occur. I tie on a swivel as a connection between the line and leader. I always use a black swivel for this and other techniques in clearer water, as I believe it doesn’t spook wary bass.

I also use the smallest swivel I can get away with. I use a Superline for these techniques also, as I believe it aids in detecting subtle strikes in deeper water. I like a braided line such as “Spiderline” for this. I always use the “Spiderline” in stained water, but at places like Table Rock Lake in Missouri, and some other clear water areas around the country, I use a Fluorocarbon line, as the braids are easier for the bass to see. In most of the clear, deep, highland reservoirs that we fish, this is very important. Also, by using a fluorocarbon line, I can go up in size to a higher pound test without the bass being able to detect it.

This type of fishing is really a “Finesse” technique, a term which has been abused in recent years by many anglers. If you aren’t delivering a small bait, on light line, in fairly deep water, then I don’t really consider it finesse fishing.

WEIGHTS

You can use almost any kind of sinker for this technique, but I really like to use the “quick release” style of weights. If the conditions on the water change, such as the wind picking up, the current increasing, or if you move to deeper water, you can quickly change to a heavier weight without having to retie. Some examples of this type of weight are the Duel Quick Change Lead Sinker, and the Zappu. These rigs are specifically tailored for drop-shotting techniques. Another really good type sinker that we found recently, is the Bakudan. This weight is ball shaped, as has a swivel-like line tie that reduces line twist.

Line twist can sometimes be a problem with these rigs in wind, or deep water situations, and anything that helps reduce this is a definite plus. This type of weight also has something the others don’t. It has a line clip that lets you change the distance between the lure and the weight, without having to retie. Another method for changing the sinker quickly is to simply tie a loop at the end of the drop-shot leader using an overhand surgeon’s loop. To properly fish this, and other rigs, a knowledge of many different knots is recommended. Practice tying these knots in the off season, and it will increase the time you spend fishing, instead of tying.

Another technique for drop-shotting, is to tie a regular bass jig, (usually a 1/4 to 3/4 of an ounce), at the leader end instead of the lead weight. With a surgeon’s loop, different weight jigs can be changed quickly. Sometimes, the bass will hit the jig while you are using the drop-shot rig in your usual areas. Some anglers like to use a “pinch-on” split shot also. You can also thread a bullet weight on the drop-shot leader, below the hook and lure, with a split shot squeezed on below the bullet weight to hold it in place. More weight can easily be added to this rig quickly, and you can spend more time fishing.

TYING THE HOOKS

Tying the hooks on drop-shots is a refined technique, and can be done a couple of ways. I always use a Palomar knot, beginning the knot on the hook point side. This is done before tying the rig on the sinker. This is done so that the hook lays at a right angle to the leader. This is a better way to get a good hookset on light biters. Another way can be to take the leader end, after the Palomar is tied, and thread it back through the hook eye, then attach the rig lead. This way the hook shank lays against the line, which I believe, improves hookups.

PLASTIC BAITS

I like to use a variety of soft plastics on these rigs, but most of the time, I use a small 4″ finesse worm, or a Yamamoto “Senko,” in the 4 inch size. Another good choice is the French Fry worm, and other types of hand poured plastic baits, such as a Roboworm. A small tube can also be effective, as can a Yamamoto spider grub. This is only one of many great finesse fishing techniques that produce bass when they are deep, or highly pressured. Learning the many different techniques available today, will help you put more bass into the boat when they are hard to catch.

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Water Clarity:

To professional anglers, water clarity is the most fundamental guide in choosing the right lure color. Selection is determined by whether the water they are fishing is clear or dirty. In clear water use clearer, lightly colored worms, shad colored crankbaits and white spinnerbaits. In dingy water, use more chartreuse, more spinnerbaits with hammered blades, brighter chartreuse crankbaits and purple or black worms. For stained or muddy water, throw some sort of dark or bright colored lure.

A plastic worm or crankbait in purple, black, brown or chartreuse usually presents a better silhouette for bass to notice in dirty water. In contrast, lures in lighter shades such as white, yellow, gray or silver typically draw more strikes in clearer water. Let it be noted, however, not all lures are simply divided into shades of light verses dark. For example, there are subtle variations in the component of a spinnerbait in which only the leadhead portion of the lure is painted. In this situation, the bass angler must scrutinize, the most prominent feature of the spinnerbait: the skirt.

Here again, the basic light-dark distinction usually applies in skirt selection; throw white skirted spinnerbaits in clear water conditions, switch to darker colors or chartreuse for stained or muddy water. As for metal surfaces, like those of a spinnerbait blade, the light-dark dimension also holds. Most veteran bass anglers prefer to throw nickel colored blades in clear water, and brass, bronze, copper or painted blades in off-colored conditions.

Climactic Conditions:

Accomplished anglers also consider the weather in selecting the most effective lure color. If the sky is dark and cloudy, then choose a color that, once again, presents a prominent silhouette as the bass looks at it from below. Lures in black, brown and purple are an excellent choice for a dark, cloudy day, whether it’s plastic worm, crankbait or topwater lure. Conversely, for bright sunny days, switch to lighter, more translucent lures that present a subtle silhouette to fish. Baits in shades of white, gray, yellow, silver, smoke or clear are recommended for this type of whether.

Color and Forage Bait:

Another clue in lure selection is the coloration of natural forage in a given body of water. Traditionally, the two dominant types of prey found in most bass lakes and rivers are crayfish and shad minnows. The formula for matching artificial lures with these forage baits is fairly simple. For hard baits (like crankbaits, topwater lures, and spinners) the various natural crayfish finishes on today’s market continue to generate results. Bear in mind, however, that on heavily pressured waters, bass may become bombarded by this crayfish imitation pattern and a less popular shading may prove a better choice.

Here is where spinnerbaits, crankbaits and surface lures may be an effective alternative to lures in the natural crayfish pattern. Consider those in the “earth tone” shades featuring a mixture of brown, black, purple, green and orange. A similar choice commonly occurs in matching hard baits with shad minnows. The most popular lures selected for this type of forage are those with either Tennessee shad or silver body with black back cosmetics. Here again, experiment with subtle color options.

A number of manufacturers market surface plugs and crankbaits in white, bone, charcoal gray and a prism like clear finish. Throw these as an alternative to widely used Tennessee shad colored baits. Similarly, there are some intriguing innovations in spinnerbaits in which the traditional solid white skirt, representing shad, has been replaced by glittery, translucent versions with sparkling glitter and mylar. There is more opportunity when selecting the right color for soft plastic lures. With hand poured or injected molded worms, grubs, reapers, crayfish or shad, the shape of the lure is duplicated in precise detail.

Today, for instance, a multitude of soft plastics bring out the delicate mottled brown and green hues of a spring crayfish, while another bait features the bright red and black of the same bass forage in summer colors. It is important, however, not to limit your proper choice of lure color solely to mimic either a crayfish or shad minnow. Many reservoirs and rivers have other forms of natural prey that may require a precise color match. Some other secondary patterns featured in many lure catalogues include baby bass, rainbow trout, frog, perch, bluegill, shiner, bullhead, salamander and even mice. All of these different patterns attempt to match the particular shade or color of other forms of bass forage apart from shad or crayfish. You have at least a minor selection of lures in these more insightful patterns to throw when traditional colors fail to produce.

Be Innovative:

Quite frequently, anglers are caught in the field without the proper color in a particular lure. But with a small collection of felt tip marking pens and a pocket knife, you can use a few simple tricks to custom color baits while on the water. Keep permanent markers in black, brown, green and chartreuse in the tackle box at all times. These can be purchased at most stationary or art supply stores. The black pen probably has the greatest utility. In a pinch, practically any light colored plug, spinnerbait, or soft plastic lure can be changed to a darker shade.

A dark dorsal fin or ventral vein can be added to both soft and hard plastic lures for a contrast effect the manufacturer may have overlooked. Use markers in brown and green to create the mottled tones on hard and soft plastic lures. This particular coloration has been widely popularized in the West as the “green weenie” look. And it’s one of the best combinations of color and shade to duplicate crayfish anywhere in the country. A chartreuse marker also can be a real boon when fishing in stained or muddy water.

If a crankbait or plastic worm can’t be found in this more brilliant pattern, add a slight trace of chartreuse to the bait with the marking pen. In stained water, a small band of chartreuse along the underbelly of the plug often can transform an otherwise bland, ineffective lure into a potent bait. The same custom coloring works when a chartreuse tail is added to a lightly colored worm. A small pocket knife can create similar miracles in the field for hard baits that aren’t getting bit.

A subtle change can make the different. As mentioned earlier, bass in pressured waters frequently become accustomed to seeing the same parade of lure colors day after day. Take a pocket knife and scrape away some of the paint from a stickbait, chugger, popper or crankbait. Most likely, you will be now throwing a lure with your own customized paint and shade, offering bass something new and interesting.

Unfortunately, many anglers overlook the importance of color and shade as it affects proper lure selection. A lot of times, color makes the difference. For more interesting and informative tips visit us at ExtremeBassLures.com.

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