Bass Lure Presentations
Bass Fishing Lure Basics.
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Crankbaits
Be one with the crankbait. It’s imperative that you really concentrate on how you are operating crankbaits in the water. If a crankbait suspends at a depth, use that feature to its advantage and dominate that depth with different retrieves of pause-and-reel. The bait will stay right there in the strike zone. If a crankbait is jointed or broke-back, master its lively wounded action with a rod with x-fast action. The more sensitive rod tip will provide ultimate control over finessing the lure. Slow your presentation down to match the metabolism of the bass. Bass in very warm or very cold water will be more lethargic and will only take slower presentations. Also, remember you are trying to mimic a wounded fish. Make that lure as enticing as possible. If you are having difficulty with crankbait retrieves, try closing your eyes and letting your hands feel what the lure is doing. You’ll be amazed at how this will make you focus.Spinnerbaits
There are two main presentations for spinnerbaits that I use. Here are the methods that will fill your livewells:
Steady Retrieve:
A steady retrieve is often the method that is most productive. Because of the quickness of the method of retrieval, it often sparks a reaction bite from the fish. Using different weight spinnerbaits will help you quickly locate where the bass are suspending in the water column. Find out the depth to retrieve at and use the appropriate weight so that your retrieval is suspended in the strike zone. In fact, the spinnerbait is most often used as a search-lure because it is so effective in causing strikes and is also a quick lure to work over the water. Also, the wire of the spinnerbait protects the hook and makes it more-or-less weedless.
Reel-Pause-Reel Retrieve:
If a constant retrieve is not proving productive, try the reel-pause-reel method. This approach is similar to jigging but does not necessitate that the bait hit the ground. You will find that on the pause the spinnerbait will flutter downward and often draw a strike on the fall. Some smaller, rounder blades even tend to generate a helicopter effect. Try short pauses by flicking the rod tip during a retrieve. I often times flick to the beat of a song I have in my head.
For more information on spinnerbaits refer to my extensive article on Spinnerbait Basics: "How To Choose A Spinnerbait"Jigs
Jigs are designed to be hopped off the bottom of the water you are fishing and because of their inherent weight they tend to create a large splash upon breaking the surface. When conditions permit, try pitching your jig on the bank of a shore and dragging it into the water. If the bank is not particularly friendly to casting or just not available, try to keep your bait as low to the water as possible to minimize the splash and cast well beyond your targeted area to fish. This will greatly reduce your chances of frightening the fish.Topwater
There are many types of topwater lures: floating plastics, poppers, propbaits. With all topwater baits it is often smart to overcast your targeted location and retrieve your baits through the hot spot for the hit. However, topwater baits can often trigger immediate strikes upon first breaking the surface of the water. These baits should not be used by the weary. Be bold with these baits and make them spit and chatter and chug across the surface. Pitch floating worms on top of lily pads and crawl them into the water, only to have them scamper across the surface and get destroyed by a bass. Topwaters are definitely the most enjoyable baits to use. I’ve landed some of my best bass on topwaters. Hold on tight.Plastics
Plastic baits open up an entire realm of fishing possibilities once in the water. But the challenge begins before the baits hit the surface. The best way to present a plastic is the most natural approach. To get into the tight cover such as shallow water under low branches or in a pocket of weeds, try skipping the bait across the surface and let it sink where it lands. The skipping method is much more natural than allowing the bait to splash upon a cast, as it mimics the manor of a skittering critter or a frog and won’t spook the fish nearly as easily. Skipping baits also keeps it low and can allow you to get deeper into cover. When fishing really shallow water, to prevent spooking the fish you may want to consider casting the bait to the shoreline and dragging it into the water, swimming it from the shallows to the deeper water. This will eliminate scaring the fish and make your presentation much more enticing. You can also pitch off of stumps and cover to allow baits to limit splash. These techniques are most successful with Texas-rigged baits as the hook won’t catch on the debris or structure you cast to in the approach.How to Fish Docks
Stickbaits such as dingers or senkos tend to dart side to side as they descend in the water column. These baits are ideal for targeting below docks, when they are not elevated above the surface of the water because they will descend deep below the area of the dock. Now if the dock is elevated above the water level, skipping may be ideal so you can get your baits deep below those docks to the bass dodging the sun.
- Come chat with me, the Lucky BASStard, on the BASStard Forum.
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