Quick Tips and Tricks

• When the bass are feeding on the top near dusk, try using a top water like a Zara Spook. It can be fished several different ways. First try a speedy, jerky retrieve that causes a lot of commotion and really gets their attention. Then slow and only twitch the lure about every 10 seconds to make it look like an injured floating fish.
  
  
• Avoid spooking the fish. Know the conditions so that you can predict where the fish will be, before you pass through the best spots, ruining them.
  
  
• Did you know that bass prefer shallow water? Why not limit your fishing to water less than 15 feet deep? You’ll save yourself a lot of wasted time, casting into deep water with no bass.
  
  
• Everyone knows that tying up a Carolina rig can be slow. So here’s a quick tip to speed it up next time. When you go to cut off your Carloina rig, don’t remove all of the components from the line. Just cut the line a few feet up from the sinker and keep all the stuff on the line. Then tie the ends together, to keep the pieces from sliding off. Now you won’t have to search through your tackle box for all of the pieces next time. Just cut off the knot and tie this whole rig onto your main line. You may want to drop it into a pill bottle in your tackle box so it won’t get tangled.
  
  
• On those weekends when you are forced to fish right next to other fishermen, the fish feel pressured and sometimes get spooked and hard to catch. When they don’t seem to be responding to anything, in open water, especially along a sloping point, you can always resort to the "Fisherman’s Friend", the Carolina rig. This heavy rig will really help you to get a realistic presentation for those weary, spooked fish. On the sloping point, the heavy weight really pulls the rig along nicely. It usually works great, catching fish after fish while others just can’t get anything. Be sure to experiment with different leader lengths in order to work slightly different depths. This can make a world of difference.
  
  Also, avoid using dark-colored lures or jigs. These dark colors often seem to intimidate the skittish fish. When the fish are scared, present them with light-colored or even transparent jig skirts.
  
  
• After you have familiarized yourself with a topo map of a lake or reservoir, you can find the fish more easily. Once you locate the fish, note the characteristics. Are they in the shallows? Are they along a sloping point? Match the conditions, and you’ll probably find more fish. That’s to say, if you found the fish, find a similar area when you are ready to move. Your chances of catching more fish are greatly improved.
  
  
• Obviously, nobody wants to lose 'the big one', so be prepared. Use a 12-pound rig setup, and the right-sized hook. That way you'll always be ready for that trophy fish, should you find him.
  
  
• You can increase your number of catches, by using more rods, where allowed by law. Why not use a second rod with a small shiner minnow, lip hooked, several feet below a bobber. This rod won't require any work. Just let it sit there while you continue casting your other rod.