John's Journal...
Entry 200,
Day 2
FIVE SECRETS FOR CATCHING SMALLMOUTH BASS
Bet On The Wild Shiner
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Larry Nixon has fished competitively for
more than 27 years. He's won the Angler-of-the-Year title on the BASS
Circuit twice and the BASS Master's Classic in 1983. He's appeared at
24 BASS Masters Classics. He's also won four MegaBucks tournaments.
QUESTION: Is there another bait you use to lure smallmouth?
ANSWER: Yes, the chrome blue back Wild Shiner jerkbait is deadly on smallmouth.
In most places that I fish, that flashy color really seems to attract
the smallmouth. Once again, I'll fish this bait fast. I'll jerk the bait
two or three times, pause it for about one second and then start jerking
it again. If you're going to catch smallmouth, you've really got to keep
that jerkbait moving.
QUESTION:
Where do you like to fish the jerkbait?
ANSWER: Weed lines and points and any place else I can find shallow water
and break lines is where I'll be fishing that jerkbait. Idealistically,
I want a break line where the bottom drops off from 3 to 10 feet. Many
times you'll find a break line like this just fishing down the shore.
You may be casting into really-shallow water near the bank, and as the
Wild Shiner passes from the shallow water to the deep water, there will
be one of those break lines in-between the bank and the boat. The two
things that smallmouth like the best are edges and rocks. Anywhere you
find those edges and rocks, you'll also locate smallmouth.
QUESTION:
Do you set up your jerkbait in a special way?
ANSWER: I'll be casting the Wild Shiner on 10-pound-test line. Light line
like 10-pound test gives the Wild Shiner more action and more depth than
heavier line does. Now the key to remember when fishing the jerkbait for
smallmouth is if the water is in the warming stages, I like a floating
Wild Shiner. If the water is cool, I like the suspending Wild Shiner.
In cold water I want to be able to suspend that jerkbait in the 6 to 8-foot
depth.
TOMORROW: THE TUBE = MR. CONSISTENCY
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