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The topwater bite is great during low light conditions and with low water regardless of sunlight. A mix of poppers and Mann’s Super Frogs…and the HardNose frogs. Braid is the only way to go! I like Spiderwire 65 pound Stealth Ultra cast. Also a good stiff rod with a slightly softer tip for better casting and a solid reel and hold on!!!!! I’m adding rabbit fur to all of my Mann’s Super Frogs! It’s easy…a drop of Pro’s Soft Bait Glue…JannsNetcraft.com has rabbit fur strips in many colors! Mann’s has a new Weasel!!! This is a hollow frog with a lip to allow the bait to dive about a foot in between the weeds! Really COOL! BTW, Warbirds sponsors Thursday evening tournaments from 5:00pm to 9:00pm at Leesylvania state park. Call store for details 703-878-3111 Also, try walking topwaters like Lucky Craft Gunfish in shad patterns.
All other conditions require a mix of spinnerbaits. I am using ¼ ounce baits with a ¼ ounce water Gremlin rubber core weight to the hook shank to add weight and give more depth with speed for Willow/Colorado Mann’s Classic spinnerbaits! Open the weight, put it on the hook shaft and replace the rubber. Close with pliers. It won’t slide and allows you to use a smaller profile bait. White skirts are working, but I have also gone to a red/craw and firetiger pattern. Get a great selection of skirts at Jannsnetcraft.com!!!! Try to fish near and not in clear water, unless you have cloud cover or a lot of wind chop!
Contact grass with Mann’s Baby 1-Minus and rip free. Also, “waking” baits like the Mann’s Waker or even the Mann’s Mid-Minus in citrus colors or shad patterns are working over grass and around docks and wood! Vary speeds...in clearest water, burn baits! In stained water, slow down. Fish stained water, near clear water, unless there is a chop on the surface or low light conditions, fish clearer water.
By the way, congratulations go out to boater Peter Yanni of Gaithersburg, Md., winning the Walmart Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Super Tournament on the Potomac River with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned Yanni $4,315 plus a $761 Ranger bonus! Peter is a great guy and I probably should pick his brain for an article!
I still like punching small mats. Best on flat calm, hot sunny days. Tru-Tungsten weights with Tru-Tungsten Smart Pegs are the best way to go! Article coming soon to Sportsman’s Magazine (thesportsmansmag.com)! Interviews with Kelly Jordon, Greg Hackney, and Pete Gluszek!!!!!
Just about all of us use ETHANOL!!!! I added a YAMAHA 10 micron fuel water separator in my boat to filter gas before it gets to the filter in my Yamaha HPDI! You should too, but also stop by my website to find out more about the DANGERS of Ethanol on your outboard! Go to REPORTS then to BOAT US: The Problem with Ethanol Fuel: Phase Separation.
I prefer the new chatterbait style bait, the Rock N Runner…a Road Runner on steroids complete with small silver willow blade on the underside giving a unique action and more flash! This thumper combined with Mann’s HardNose Craw is killer! I’m using green pumpkin and watermelon skirts with contrasting or matching craws! Various retrieves in the grass are working. Look for clear water close to deeper water and stained water for the best bites. I’m playing with a new one from KAOTIK Lures. Tank tossed me a few of these…quality components and a “new” concept…holes in the blades…different disturbance and allows baits to run deeper!
I’m also fishing a lot of Mizmo tubes now! Pitching to marsh clumps in creeks to grass clumps and hard cover. Mann’s HardNose 9-inch worms offer a bigger target to fish with a huge food supply all around. The Spoils area is also a good place for Mizmos! I’m pitching them Texas rigged and with the Gerkin insert heads. I have been using the Gerkin head for 6 years! Made with a Mustad Ultra Point hook...it has a wire weed guard and an elongated lead head…this makes the bait glide. The Gerkin tube head, now owned by R&R Custom Baits can be found at Dance’s Sporting Goods in Colonial Heights, VA or by calling…804-541-4162. Also, hair jigs like the Punisher work too. Jack’s Juice really soaks into the plastics or into the hair on a Punisher jig!
On all moving baits, I recommend replacing hooks with Mustad Ultra Point trebles. BTW! The BEST split ring pliers ever, from Texas Tackle! http://texastackle.com/pliers.htm none like it anywhere! For cranks, I like the 7” medium action rod, perfect to feel cover and hookset! Not too limber or too stiff to keep you from landing fish.
How about pouring your own swimbaits? Senkos? Now you can! Lure Craft makes it EASY!!! Now they have a DVD that explains and demonstrates the entire process! Now they offer durable and exact aluminum molds that enable you to make “round” baits! You can customize your swimbaits and for a huge savings. Pour some great finesse worms and other soft plastics with precise and easy to use molds from lurecraft.com. They have all of the supplies and plastic mixes for floating and for softness. Go on–line to find out more! (www.lurecraft.com 1-800-925-9088 for a free catalog). Make straight tail finesse worms for shaky head fishing, drop shots, and split shots! They can even make a mold for your design! Take a look at some of the baits I have made on: www.nationalbass.com (articles/lure-craft.htm)…call now to put your orders in! 1-800-925-9088
Captain Steve Chaconas/National Bass Guide Service/SEOPA
"Take me fishing!"
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