1st Cast Fishing Lures

I’ll start with a question.  Is there a perfect bait?  If you are a fishing addict like myself and so many others, you may say yes to that question.  I have another opinion that I would like to share.  Many of the baits that I have used over the years are perfect for certain situations.  As I mentioned last time, I think a bait that is to be considered perfect should be able to be used in different situations and at different times of the year.  I have many baits that I have considered my favorite bait at any given time.  Usually this relates to confidence more than anything.

One thing for sure, to find the perfect bait you will have to use quite a few to see how they measure up.  Ask yourself this question:  If I could only use one bait, what would it be?

I read an article a couple of years ago covering this very question as it was ask to a panel of pro’s in one of the bass fishing publications.  Of course there were several answers, but what came up more than anything was the Jig.

In the world of fishing, there are so many baits/lures to choose from.  The question is, which one to choose and when do you use it?  If you have put any time at all on the water chasing your favorite prey, you know what I am talking about.  I have said before that I have at least 3 favorite techniques that I use, Cranking, Jigs, Texas rigged soft plastics.

I have my opinion about what the perfect bait is, but I would be really interested in hearing what you think.  I like a bait that can be used in more than one technique or situation.  I am not necessarily talking about color here.  I am talking about taking a soft plastic like a Beaver Craw and using it as a Jig trailer or Texas rigging it.  Of using a Trick Stick weightless Texas rigged and then Wacky rigging it with a jig head, either fishing shallow or deep.  Take a Brush Bug and Texas rig it with a 3/8 oz weight then turn around and through it on a Carolina rig.

Just click on the pictures above for a better view.

Until next time, Keep Fishing!

To make any fishing experience more productive you need to make adjustments throughout the day.   For example, you may start the day with a top water lure such as a buzz bait or you might use a crank bait.  Both are great lures for searching for fish.  If neither one of these lures are not producing then you need to make the adjustment to something slower.  This will typically happen throughout the day as the sun gets higher and brighter.  Of course on days where there is plenty of cloud cover, this may not be the case.  When I mention making the adjustment to a slower lure it could be a soft plastic such as the 5 inch Trick Stick or a Beaver Craw on the back of a Halo Jig.

There are many reasons to make adjustments during your fishing trips.  It could be due to a weather front moving through.  As I mentioned during the heat of the day you need to make adjustments and find out where the fish are hiding in the shade.  You may also have to make adjustments going into the evening with your lure selection.  Fishing pressure is also another reason to make adjustments in your presentation.

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.

What you’ll need:A fishing rod and reel.

Fishing bait.

You will need a fishing license and a copy of the local fishing laws to follow.

You will want to dress comfortably in clothes not easily snagged by hooks.

Once you have your equipment and have found a suitable place where fishing is permitted, you will want to get set up. Place the bobber on the line by pushing the button in on it that allows the wire to come out that wraps around the line. You’ll see what I mean. Position the bobber about 3 feet above your hook. Bait the hook with a worm by piercing the worm and working it over the whole hook to cover the hook completely. If you are using a lure you won’t need the bobber.

You will need to have your area around you clear so as not to hook anyone. Push in and hold the button on the reel, draw back the pole and snap the end like a whip sending the hook out into the water and releasing the button as the hook is being propelled forward. You may want to practice with an object like a lure on the line before trying this with a hook to avoid complications, till you get the hang of it.

When you believe you have a fish on the line, either by the bobber being pulled under or the line going out, draw up the line a little so that it will draw tight when you secure the hook in the fish’s mouth. Now be ready to wind the reel and jerk back tight on the pole securing the hook into the fish’s mouth. Keep the line tight and try to tire the fish out before bringing it all the way in.

You can unhook the fish by hand or with a special tool if you want to purchase one. By hand you will hold the fish above the fins so as not to be stabbed by them. Squeeze the fish in such a way that the mouth opens wider. Look at how the hook is located in the mouth of the fish. Push the hook in till free then take it out of the fish’s mouth.

If catching a big bass is what you’ve always desired, you will surely find one reliable bass fishing lure that would put the big ones in your boat.  The line of bass fishing jigs from this catalog is one of the best lures I just found at a very reasonable price; it would definitely catch those big bass in no time.
Bass fishing is a sport that requires a certain level of skills, thanks to this fishing jig, I now fish like a pro and just really having a great time getting my perfect catch!

One of the hottest baits today on the market because of their presentation at night or in slightly murky water as well as their ability to grab the attention of concealed fish. Jig fishing requires the attention of your pole movements at all times.

As you drop the line to the bottom and feel it hit, drop your rod tip and reel up the slack as you drop it back slightly. Most strikes when initially dropped with only feel like a slight line twitch and in certain conditions when you cannot maintain a line tension you may want to change to a heavier jig. Jigs can be used as both drop bait, casting and swimming lure. Depending on the ground cover a weed guard is mostly not necessary with bass fishing jigs but is recommended in dense cover.

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?

This is what can happen when you are willing to try a new bait.  This is a friend that wanted to try the new Halo Jig for a tournament last weekend.  I can tell you that the conditions were less than perfect, water as you can see is muddy and the wind was whipping up to 25 or 30 mph on occasion.  The Halo jig that he used and bought was the 3/8oz 5/0 hook in Green Pumpkin Craw color.  This happened to one of two that he landed in less than 45 minutes on the water.  Good things happen to those who are willing to try new lures and go for one fish at a time, in other words concentrate on what the fish are telling you.

Congratulations on the catch!

Go to http://www.1stcastfishinglures.com  and see why these jigs are so special!

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 »