1st Cast Fishing Lures

These days there are so many lures to choose from that it can be very confusing and definitely very expensive!  Bass Fisherman can be very particular about their baits.  If they have a certain lure in a certain color that they have caught more than a couple of fish with then they will stick with it.  Makes sense.  The problem these days is that most of the lures that are on the market have gone through the roof when it comes to price. 

If you will take the time and search the Internet you can still find some great values on Bass Fishing lures.  You can find soft plastics at a discount price that will out perform some of the big name high dollar soft plastics.  As I said earlier, bass fisherman (including yours truly) are a particular group when it comes the our equipment which includes lures.  We find it hard to change sometimes if there isn’t a big name endorsing the product.  I can tell you that if you want a bigger bang for your hard earned buck, then shop around and you will find it.

When the water rises, what should you look for to find the bass, or better yet where should you look?

In my part of the country we have experienced some extremely high water this past spring and now during the mid summer months.  The weather has not been cooporating with the fishing.  High water is a hard time to fish for most of us.  There are a couple of things you can do to make it easier on your self.  If the water has been at the same level for a few days, then typically the fish will move up and possibly be as shallow as 6 inches.  I know it is hard to believe but it does happen.  This is especially true if the water is muddy at all.  Look in the flooded brush, around picnic tables, or walls with either Spinner Baits or a creature bait such as the Brush Bug (two of my favorites).  You want lures that will cover a lot of water fast until you locate the fish.  Then slow down and work your pattern out.

When the water starts to fall, then the bass will typically pull back and be a little tough to catch for a day or so.  No matter the conditions, make sure you are safe and that you have the right Bass Fishing tackle.

I don’t know about where you are right now, but in my part of the country pretty much every lake is high due to all of the rain we have had this year.  This presents it’s own set of issues when you are trying to find the bass.  One of the best bass fishing lures that I have found for this is the Spinner Bait.  The reason this works so well is that you are able to cover a lot of water quickly.  When the lake is so high that you are fishing in the state park or someones back yard bushes, you need to cover water quickly to find the fish and establish a pattern.  When you do locate them, slow down and use a Halo Jig or Brush Bug to cover the area very thoroughly.

Most people who fish have a certain bait that they call their confidence or go to bait.  I know that I actually have two.  I wonder sometimes though if one of them is just because I like catching fish this way or is it really one of my go to baits.  I think there is a difference.  For example, when fishing gets tough, I will usually turn to my #1 go to bait which is a jig of some sort.  Lately I have been using a new jig called the Halo Jig.  Believe me it is worth checking out at www.1stcastfishinglures.com.   I have a lot of confidence in the jig, always have.  They make you slow down and pay more attention.  My other go to bait is a crank bait.  I absolutely love throwing them and have a lot of faith in the fact that I can catch fish on them.  Most mornings during a tournament this is what I will turn to.  You can cover a large amount of water and find active fish.  Once you have found them you can slow down and cover the water thoroughly with the crank bait or a soft plastic bait to make sure you are covering the entire water column.

What do you turn to for your Confidence Bait?

These days you have plenty of options when it comes to bass fishing tackle.  I don’t know about you but I have more than I could use on any given day (but it still doesn’t seem like enough).  The question always comes up though, what if they aren’t biting on a particular bait or color.  So as bass fisherman, we like to be prepared for anything.  To me, tackle covers the whole selection process.  This is from rods & reels to line, to lures and the net.

Are they biting on soft plastics today?  Would a Brush bug work or a Beaver Craw and what color are they looking for?

If the conditions are right, what spinner bait am I going to throw and do I need to burn it or just slow roll it down to 8 feet?  What blade should I be using?

 Maybe it is a day when the lizard bite is on or you should be throwing a Jig.

The point is that we all go through this whether we are in a tournament or just out with our family having a good time.  Bass Fishing Tackle and Bass Fishing lures can be confusing and expensive.  In todays economy, we need tackle that will perform and last.  We need quality products at a good value. Read the rest of this entry »

In the midwest we are almost to one of my favorite times of the year.  Spring, which brings with it my favorite times to bass fish, pre-spawn, spawn and post spawn.  There are many techniques that can and should be used during these periods.  The one that I am going to talk about now is Carolina Rigging.  My bait of choice is a 6 inch pro style lizard.  If you have the good fortune of finding the spot where the bass are staging for the spawn, you can be in for one of the best days of your fishing life.  Bass can’t stand lizards and will do just about anything to get rid of them.  Just make sure you don’t miss the hook set.  I have found that the sweeping hook set works best for me.  I will also reel down and take slack out of the line if there is any.  You can’t wait too long though or they will be gone.  I use a Carolina Keeper while fishing this rig.  I know it may not be traditional but it works and if I break off, it doesn’t take as long to re-rig and get back in the water.  The other bait that I like to throw on a Carolina rig is a 5 inch Brush Bug in Green Pumpkin.  Either one of these baits can and will work given the right situation.  Depending on the water clarity, I will use 12 pound fluorocarbon line for clear water.  It is low stretch and virtually invisible.

Whats your favorite technique this time of year?

Get the Right Competition Bass Lures for Your Next Trip

By Ronald F. Dodson, Ph.D.

   There are several reasons that a bass strikes a lure. These include instinct reaction, agitation, defense of territory, or because they are hungry or think that they are hungry. I have often been asked by beginner anglers which of these are the most important. That’s easy since striking in protection of territory is pretty much limited to defending a nest it therefore represents only a small window of time in the life of a female bass.

   On the other hand, instinct reaction and feeding are really interlocked as they are in most predators. Because it is my strong belief that these are the reasons that I catch most of my fish, I have spent a considerable amount of time studying what they eat and likewise the color and patterns of those creatures.

   If I were to ask what you consider the most important type of food for bass, I should get an answer from a from a fisherman that returns the answer with a question. Or I should say questions of where? what time of year? and even some specific points like what time of day? and at what depth? Not to mention factors that add other complications such as - what is the size of the lake?

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