Latest Articles by Dan Thomas

How to Catch Bass with the Drop Shot Rig

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:29:10 -0500

The drop shot rig first became popular with bass fisherman on the west coast. It was primarily used as a deep-water finesse technique for catching finicky or pressured bass in clear deep-water lakes and reservoirs. The popularity soon spread to the east when tournament anglers started having success with this technique in other parts of the country.

To tie a drop shot rig start buy feeding your line through the eye of a small thin wire hook from the barbed side. I like using a 1/0 hook size. Tie the hook to your line using a polymer knot leaving a tag end of 16-20 inches long.

Tie either a drop shot sinker or a bell sinker to the tag end. The weight of the sinker used depends on the type of water being fished and how windy the conditions are. You will want to use the lightest weight you can get away with and still keep in constant contact with the bottom. I usually use between 1/8 oz. to 3/8 oz. sinkers.

When tied properly the hook should stand out horizontally to the line with the open end of the hook facing up. Most of the time I fish this rig with a small 4 inch straight tail worm, however just about any small soft plastic bait will work. My advice is to change baits until you find one you are confident with using. I prefer to use a medium light or light action-spinning rod with a fast taper. This rig works best with 6lb. or 8lb. fluorocarbon line.

The drop shot is very effective when fished on deep-water ledges and creek channels. Idle slowly a long the creek channel edge or the edge of the ledge watching your electronics until you find an irregularity such as a bend in the creek, or some kind of structure such as a rock pile or brush pile.

Lower your lure vertically into the structure or as close as possible to the structure. Hold the rod with the tip at a slit angle down keeping constant pressure on your bait. Try to hold the bait relatively still; the motion of the waves will give your lure all the action it needs to be effective. Typically when the fish strikes the lure all you will feel is a slight sluggish or heavy feeling on your line. When you feel this sluggish feeling set your hook with a steady upward hook set keeping pressure on the fish. Do not set the hook with a sharp snap or you will risk breaking your line or pulling your lure out of the fish’s mouth.

The distance between the lure and the sinker can be adjusted to match the depth the fish are holding. Experiment with the drop shot rig to fit your style of fishing. Some anglers are finding the drop shot rig to be very effective in shallow water fishing as well.

When fished in shallow water cast to your target hold tension on the line and lightly shake the rod tip to give your lure action. If you do not get a strike reel in a little stop and repeat shaking the rod tip. Sometimes in shallow water, the bass will slowly swim off with the lure in its mouth. Keep a close watch for line movement, if the line starts to slack, move to the side, or you feel a slight heavy feeling set the hook with a steady pull keeping tension on your line.

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Dan Thomas has been a successful tournament and recreational angler for many years and has spent countless hours researching fish and wildlife habits and habitat. For more information like this visit http://www.cornertackleshop.com or for information about hunting visit http://www.outdoorssupply.net

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Early Spring Crappie Locations

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:24:33 -0500

The key to finding crappie consistently is to understand their seasonal movements. Early spring when the water begins to warm, crappie will migrate from their wintertime holding areas in deep water to the shallows preparing for the spawn.

This migration may last from a few days to as much as several weeks depending on the body of water and the weather conditions. In early spring shortly after ice out, the crappie will begin to move from their main lake winter holding areas to the back of the coves.

During the early part of their migration, you will find crappie holding on the ends of the main lake points suspended on cover such as brush piles, rock piles, or standing timber.

A good strategy to catch these fish is to start at the ends of the main lake points at the mouths of the spawning coves. Systematically work your way back into the cove. Use your electronics to locate the cover and vertical jig with the smallest size jig the wind and depth will allow you to use. Which is typically between 1/32 oz. and a 1/16 oz..

On windy days or in very deep water a 1/8 to even a1/4 oz. jig may be necessary to keep in contact with your jig. This time of year, the bites will be very subtle. It is important to fish very slowly.

Another good place to find early season crappie holding is south facing steep rock walls at the north end of the lake. The sun will heat the rock face and will retain heat longer.

Steep rock walls will allow the crappie to move up and down vertically in the water column to find their comfort level in unstable weather, which is common in the springtime. This can also be a good place to find crappie in the winter months on bright sunny days.

Fish these areas by vertically jigging and varying the depth until you locate how deep the Crappie are holding. Once you locate the depth the crappie are holding, you can repeat this pattern on similar areas of the lake as long as the conditions remain stable. In unstable weather, you may need to vary the depth you are fishing, as the crappie will change the depth they are holding as the conditions change.

Typically, this time a year the weather is unstable with a few short cold fronts moving through. When this happens, the crappie will tend to move to the nearest deep water and suspend either tight to or just above cover such as rock piles or standing timber.

If the weather front last for more then a couple days start where you last caught them and fish your way out back the same route you followed them in on. Fish the same cover you caught them on as you did on their way into the shallows. Fish the entire area very thoroughly. The crappie may be suspended out away from the cover but they will be somewhere close to the same areas they used on their way in.

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Source: http://www.articletrader.com

How to Catch Bass with a Jig

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:59:44 -0500

The first areas I start looking for mid to late spring bass is in the upper end of the lake back in the tributary creeks. These sections of the lake tend to heat up sooner and are usually a little off color. The off color water will hold heat longer maintaining more stability in inclement weather. If the water is extremely off color, I will use a flipping technique. To flip I will use a 7-1/2’ heavy action flipping rod and a bait-casting reel spooled with 30 lb. To 50 lb. braided line. You will need the heavy equipment to force the bass out of the cover very quickly to avoid getting hung up.

With approximately 6’ of line out grab the line with your fingertips between the reel and the first guide. Press the button on the reel keeping tension on the spool with your thumb. Move your hand with the line in it straight out to your side pulling line with it. Engage the reel. Swing the rod back and then forward with a pendulum motion. As the jig swings forward slowly release the line on the forward swing. Try to do so in a smooth fluid movement so the jig will enter the water with as little splash as possible.

Flip the jig directly into the thickset part of cover such as fallen trees, brush piles, standing timber, or boulders. Let the jig sink straight down. Once the jig stops falling or you hit the depth you are targeting hold the jig in one place and shake the rod. Usually when the fish hits, particularly large fish they have a tendency to pick up the bait and slowly swim off with it. Keep a close eye on your line. If your line starts to move off in one direction, reel down and set the hook hard. Pull the fish from the cover as quickly as possible to keep the bass from wrapping your line around the cover.

Pitching is a very effective method of fishing jigs in slightly off colored water where you may spook the bass by getting to close. To pitch a jig release enough line to hold the jig in your hand. Release the spool and control the line with your thumb on the spool. As you swing the rod forward in a pendulum motion toward your target release the jig in your other hand. Be careful not to hook yourself. As the rod swings forward and the jig is traveling toward your target, feather line out with your thumb. As the jig reaches your target and just before it enters the water stop the line with your thumb. This will allow your jig to enter the water with minimum splash.

In clear water, I will move further away from the cover and make long under hand cast. Keeping the jig low to the water as it is traveling to the target, again try to keep your jig from making a big splash and spooking the bass. A trick I use often in clear water is to cast on to the bank and pull the jig into the water. This works very well when fishing lay downs. Bass in clear water can be very skittish and spook easily. A breeze creating a ripple on the water will affect the bass’ visibility and can improve your strike ratio considerably.

When flipping or pitching a jig around wood cover I will use an Arky jig or flipping jig in a 3/8 oz. to a ½ oz. Size. When fishing weeds I will use a bullet shaped head in a ½ oz. to ¾ oz. Size to penetrate the weeds better. In deep water such as fishing deep rocky drop offs and creek channels my favorite jig is the football head in ¼ oz. all the way up to ¾ oz. Depending on how deep I am fishing. As far as jig trailers a good rule of thumb is to use pork trailers in the cold months and plastics in the warmer months.

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Source: http://www.articletrader.com

How to Find and Catch Pre-Spawn Crappie

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:46:12 -0500

In early spring when the water temperature reaches the mid 50s, the crappie will go into their pre spawn mode. To find crappies this time of year look for the warmest sections of the lake. Generally shallow areas on the north side of the lake in the backs of protected coves.

The ideal spawning areas will consist of a sandy or semi soft bottom. If the bottom is hard, it is difficult for the crappie to fan out a proper nest. If the bottom is soft such as a soft muck it will not hold the shape of the nest very well and will be difficult to keep the nest clean. The best spawning areas will also be in close proximity to cover such as tree stumps, brush piles, fallen logs, or standing timber.

Another consideration is wind. Crappie prefer to spawn in areas protected from excessive wind and wave action. Extended periods of high winds and cold weather will force the crappie to move out of the shallows and back out to deeper water. , usually they will move to the first drop off or edges of the creek channels.

Crappie tend to spawn in the same areas as largemouth bass. The bass will spawn before the crappie so if you find an area in which the bass are spawning. Move out to the first deep-water drop off and scan the area with your electronics. Once you find a concentration of suspended crappie cast past the school with a 1/16-ounce jig on 4-lb test line. Count down as the jig sinks to the same depth as you found the crappie. Once your jig reaches the depth they are holding begin your retrieve through the suspended crappie. It is better to keep your jig slightly above them then below them. Crappie have a tendency to feed up rather then down.

Another strategy is to position your boat directly above the crappie. Lower your jig down while counting until your offering is directly above the fish and hold it there with very little movement.
In the early stages of the crappie’s pre spawn movement, they are not very aggressive. However, they will take a jig presented directly in front of them but will not chase the bait. Once you catch the first crappie make note of the depth you caught the fish. Then repeat the count down until you reach the same depth where the first fish was caught.

When a fish is caught, play the fish for a few seconds at the depth it hit. This will sometimes trigger the competitive instinct in other crappie and they will become more aggressive. A bobber setup can also be effective at keeping your bait at the right depth, however only when the crappie are holding at 8’ or less. Any deeper then 8’ and the bobber setup will be ineffective. Crappie tend to bite very softly at this time of year.

As the weather warms, the crappie will start their movement to the shallows. The shallower they are holding the more aggressive they will become. Move your boat shallow in a position where as not to cast your shadow on the area you are fishing. I like to use a 10’ – 12’ rod when the crappie are holding in 3’ to 4’ of water. Lower jig down into the cover or along the side of stumps. Hold there for a while and if you do not get a bite lift the rod, move a little and lower it back down. Fish the piece of cover from all sides and very thoroughly.

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Dan Thomas has been a successful tournament and recreational angler for many
years and has spent countless hours researching fish and wildlife habits and
habitat. For more information like this visit http://www.cornertackleshop.com or
for information about hunting visit http://www.outdoorssupply.net

Source: http://www.articletrader.com