I caught this monster on a YUM DINGER Pearl Silver Flake.

Let me tell ya the story…

It was a ruff day, no one on the pond (I counted 8 people fishing) had caught much, only seen 2 small bass all day. So I took the trusty DINGER and tried a color I just bought Pearl Silver Flake, and started walking around the pond with one small splitshot about 6 inches above the dinger. Of course being a YUM DINGER it was the ultimate weedless lure i have. I started getting little hits from the 6 inch bass right away. But nothing substantial. Then I walked over to some heavy heavy weed, algae and wood cover and figured 3 or 4 casts I’d loose my hook.

I tosesed it out to the open water beyond the weeds very lightly a few times. All of a sudden I felf the unmistakeable shock strike ( the one where a preying bass hits the prey from the side flat out to stun them), and I got ready, I let my yum drop all the way slowly with as little movement as possible and reeled in the slack as much as I could without making more than the tinest of twitches in the YUM, sure enough about 6 secs later my 9 foot rod slams down instanly!!!

HES GOT SUPPER!
HE RUNS!

I GOT ADRENALINE!!!!
I HAMMER HIM !!!!

Whoomp there he is!!!!!!!

The rod buckles!
I wOOt!
It buckles alot more!

The BASS dives to oblivion in a desperate attempt to get to a something to tear my hook out. I thought oh #@$% hes going down to a log to do the usual pop this hook out thing. So I jam the end of the rod in my size 24 (canucks will get that one) belly and wrench the rod up with all my might, BOY could he fight I thought, he tugged back hard and tried to run deeper.

SORRY!
Not Today, Today is,
MY DAY!!!!

Thanks to Berkley for the 12lb test Trilene Ironsilk as I crank the drag up and force his nose up instead of down, he responds and runs for the surface, I think what have I done, if he jumps hes gone! He rips the crap outta the surface of the water smashing and thrashing like a good bass should. BUT, no jumps

AMEN BRUDDA!

I think to myself

The New Berkley Trilene Ironsilk 12lb, The new YUM DINGER Pearl Silver Flake, The New 9 foot Diawa Firewolf Rod, there all hlding out!!!!!!

I holler to RED “GET OVER HERE I NEED THE CAMERA ITS #@$%@ MONSTER”

I finish the battle with a gentle tug up to the shoreline and approach him nice and slow to not spook him and have to fight him more and tire him out more.(Tis been a valiant battle worthy of chunky old bass and old smelly fisherman). I grab him by the jaw and viola MY personal best trophy 8lb largemouth bass.
I didnt measure him unfortunatley cause I was worried about stressing him, we had not changed the batteries in the cam and that took a good 30 secs, way to long in my books, and then 20 secs for pics. I was concerned at this point. funniest part is it woulda took 5 secs to do as the ruler is in the scales handle, DOH, oh well who cares I loved it!!!!!

I ran him back to the water and gentley put him in about 4 inches of water, he kinda sat there for about 3 secs, then slowly headed for the 12 inch area, soon as he hit it FLASH he was a like a mean bulldog again and gone right back into the weedbeds.

I bet he said to himself as he was swimming away, oh well I got his lure the last 50 times, I’m sure i’ll get it the next 50, cant win em all.

I think to myself I AM FISHING GOD!

I’ve caught some pretty fiesty fish in my day and some monster fiesty carp, atlantic slamon in whitewater rivers in newfoundland. Cod in the Atlanitc ocean, etc… But boy, did that Largie put on a show for me! No big jumps which is fine by me cause he’d just throw the hook, but more than once he ripped the ponds surface apart with his head, and when he dove he dove with the power and determination of a WW2 Dive Bomber.

My only regret (which isnt a regret really cause maybe I’ll hit him again next yr when hes 8 1/2 to 9 pounds), is I didn’t keep it, cause it woulda been a awesome wall mount.
Cybrspin

This video demonstrates how to correctly rig a drop shot by 10-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Alton Jones.

Personally I use drop shots on a regular basis, when fishing Yum, Bollies, Worms, Corn, or just about any other free floating/bottom bouncing type bait. I have even used minnows on a drop shot with some success in the past.

I recommend that you add your bait about 2- 4 inches from the shot and then see if you get any hits. If this doesn’t seem to be working try to move the bait up a couple inches at a time until you find the zone.

My personal favourite bait for this method is live Canadian night crawlers. But you can try whatever you like, maybe even something odd and new. Hey I’ve caught fish on used bubble gum, orange peels, cat treats, and some more odd stuff.

When fishing drop shot from shore. I tend to like to perch my rod up nice and straight, get as much slack out as possible then leave the rod for 10-20 mins untouched. This allows for some of the skittish larger fish to take a look without as much suspicion.

Hopefully with some luck and a little patience you’ll be pulling in the beast in no time.
Cheers
cybrspin

Bass Fishing Tips – Best Bass Fishing Lures And Bait

Bass fishing is a really popular sport that can be enjoyed by anyone with the knowledge of a few Bass fishing basics. All species of Bass are some of the most sought after fish, as they are great fun to catch, and offer some of the best sport, both from the shore and from a boat.

One of the first Bass fishing basics to learn will obviously be the bait. This can be live bait such as peeler or soft back crabs, these are really fine baits for Bass. A crab is a peeler when it is in the process of losing its old shell, (to test if a crab is a peeler, try lifting the rear end of its shell; it should come away easily). A crab is a soft back when it has already discarded its old shell but before its new shell has hardened.

Other good Bass fishing baits include sand-eels, lugworm, and rag worm. Sand-eels can be collected from wet sand where they lie buried on a receding tide. They can be used as a dead bait but are more effective as live bait. Both lugworm and rag worm can be dug at low tide and will keep for a couple of days wrapped in damp newspaper. You could also try what is called a bait cocktail, which consists of both crab and worm on the same hook.

Other popular baits are artificial lures, and these should be part of any Bass fishing basics kit. There are so many of these artificial baits available that you could spend a fortune on them. My best advice would be to take a trip to your local tackle store, and ask for the most popular types for your local area. Start off simple with just a handful, which should include a couple of (top water baits) a couple of (spinner baits) and a couple of (plastic or rubber lures). As with the live baits these should all be retrieved slowly when fishing for Bass.

The next of the Bass fishing basics is the cast. If fishing from the shore you should try to cover as big an area as possible. To do this you should cast in a fan shape, start with a cast to the left of where you are standing and retrieve your bait, slowly pausing every ten to fifteen feet. On your next cast aim slightly to the right of the last cast and repeat this process until you have covered a fan shaped area. Try this a couple of times and if you have no luck simply walk twenty or thirty yards down the shore and start again.

Night fishing for Bass can be very productive, some of my best Bass fishing has been at night. For this you will need a lure that makes a lot of noise in the water when being retrieved. There are some excellent lures available for this (again ask at your local tackle store) and the Bass will find them irresistible. These are just a few of the Bass fishing basics, you will pick up more as you go along, but the best advice I can give is to get out there and have a go, I guarantee you will soon be hooked.

YUM Quick Tips

Use Excalibur Tg Weights when fishing a YUM Shakin’ Worm in super clear water because the smaller size of the Tg weight does not hinder the Shakin’ Worm’s action of fish appeal. If fish are extremely finicky try painting the Tg weights to match the color of the worm.

When flipping heavy grass try to use as large of a soft plastic bait as possible and spray the lure with Yum attractant. The larger bait displaces more water, while YUM’s Live Prey Technology triggers the fish and helps lubricate the worm so it slides through the grass easier, helping the fish locate and strike the lure.

To be a successful angler, one must develop confidence in specific lures and patterns. Flipping a Yum 4″ Rib Worm can pay high yields in difficult fishing situations. The Rib Worm has a large silhouette for a small bait. This makes the Rib Worm an appealing bait even for large bass. Ribbed segments, salt, and Live Prey Technology gives the angler a new edge for big bass.

Topwater fishing can be the most exciting way to catch a bass. Most often this is done with hard plastic baits like Rebel Pop-R’s and Heddon Zara Spook’s. A favorite soft plastic topwater application is to use a Yum 4″ Wooly Curltail. A Texas Rig featuring an Excalibur Tx3 5/0 wide gap hook, 1/8 oz Excalibur Tg weight (Tg because it is tungsten, which is smaller than lead and it will come through cover better) and 20 lb. Silver Thread Excalibur Line make up your Yum topwater lure. The most important trick to this rig is to make sure the Yum soft plastic bait is rigged with the tail rigged down. Cast the topwater bait in and around weedy edges, pockets and holes. Keeping your rod tip high, swim the Wooly Curltail on the surface to make the tail buzz across the surface. This will result in explosive strikes.

Power Fishing a Yum Garrett Mega Tube

By TOM BRAATEN

Docks are one of the most common places that anglers try their luck for big bass. Rarely will you see me finesse fishing a dock. When I fish tournaments I usually try to avoid them because of the heavy pressure they receive from both tournament anglers and every day fishermen.

However, when the time is right for those big bass to be in shallow cover, I’m headed for the docks. My first choice will always be my seven and a half foot flipping rod, with a 4-inch Yum Garrett Mega Tube. That’s right… power fishing a tube. For myself, I am more confident pitching and flipping this big bite tube into the exact places big bass hide than skipping something under the dock hoping that my bait lands in a potentially good spot.

The Mega Tube is loaded with heavy grain salt to give it a lot of bulk, but it still maintains a slim profile to coax those leery lunkers. The Garrett Mega Tube also has Yum scent with Live Prey Technology. This technology triggers the feeding response in bass. And, because bass think its real they hold onto the bait longer.

Let me explain how I rig my Mega Tube. First of all, I spool up with 20 lb Silver Thread Excalibur, or in clear water, 17 lb Silver Thread Fluorocarbon. Excalibur Tg tungsten weights are a must! Conditions vary, so choose the smallest size allowable to maintain good contact with the bottom. I then tie on a 4/0 Tx3 Wide Gap hook. The tube is Texas Rigged, and the hook point is skin hooked for solid hook sets. Be sure to peg the weight about 1/4 inch above the tube. This allows you to stay in contact with the bait and still allows the lure to present itself naturally. Remember, this presentation requires accurate and soft entries to the targeted spot. Practice makes perfect. Poles, ladders and even the sides of moored boats are potential hot spots.

Solid hook sets are critical. You have to control the fish to avoid them wrapping you up in the dock. Pay attention to details. Water depths, bottom content and weather conditions will determine where the bass position on the dock. I always say, “The first one is luck, second one is a pattern.”

When you figure out a dock pattern the bites will come very easy. You can almost call your next bite when power fishing the Yum Garrett Mega Tube in the docks.

Hang on, I got a bite!

Tom Braaten, of Lakeville, Minn., is one of the most respected professional bass anglers in the upper Midwest.

Double Trouble

By MIKE ECHOLS

Pick up the Houdini Shad and what you are looking at is not a fishing lure – it’s a catching lure. One glance at this lure and it’s immediately apparent that for all these years anglers have been missing out when they fished soft plastic jerkbaits. With a body that mimics that of a shad, and a tail that is revolutionary in the product category, the Houdini Shad is one of the best baits to hit the market in a long time. But don’t believe me. Tie one (or two) on and see for yourself.

When fishing the Houdini Shad, I usually employ what I call the “Houdini Double-Rig.” It incorporates the use of two baits and is a great rig to use in late spring through summer.

To assemble the rig, I slide a two-way swivel over the main line, but I don’t tie the swivel to the line. I allow it to move freely. Then I attach another two-way swivel to the end of the main line, which will then prevent the first swivel from exiting the line. On the main line I attach about 12 inches of Silver Thread Fluorocarbon, then I attach a 5/0 Excalibur Tx3 hook. On the second swivel I attach about 10 inches of Silver Thread and another 5/0 Tx3 hook. Then, on each hook, I add a Houdini Shad.

The great thing about this rig is that when you twitch the tip of the rod the Houdini Shads seem to swim around in an erratic fashion, similar to that of two shad that are chasing one another. This is a killer rig for schooling fish.

In late spring, I throw this rig near emergent grass beds or to schooling fish that are on top feeding. I’ve also caught fish in shallow, sandy pockets as they prepare to leave the spawning site and return to the main lake. Just cast the rig out and after it hits the water, begin slowly twitching the tip of the rod. The erratic action can often draw strikes from inactive largemouth and spotted bass.

In summer and fall the rig can be just as deadly, however. I throw it to any surface activity or to any visible cover, including stumps or rocks, both of which provide cover for ambush predators like bass. The key with the double-rig is realizing there is no wrong way to fish it. There really isn’t a time when a largemouth or spotted bass won’t eat two shad that seem to have lost their way from the school.

Mike Echols, of Athens, GA, is a Bassmaster pro who has also enjoyed great success in the Angler’s Paradise tournament trail.