Entries for July 2008

The jig head determines how fast the lure sinks, how well it will hook fish and the lure's action.

Using a long-handled baitcasting rod, make a sidearm lob-cast-to avoid tangling the leader. After the sinker hits bottom, begin a slow, steady retrieve.

Byron Velvick didn’t invent swimbait fishing. Fabled California anglers like Dave Rush and Russ Meyer were the first to explore the allure of the big pieces of wood and soft plastic on spawning bass in Western waters.

The technique produces some of the biggest largemouths Stone catches all year. He relies on two patterns, one for hard cover, and another for submerged, aquatic vegetation.

The crank hit the water with a splash, dove a few inches, head-butted a submerged tree and careened to one side like an intoxicated bluegill.

Rewind to 35 years ago. I’d just moved to Tennessee and had never caught a smallmouth. From what I’d heard, these fish were supposed to be bad dudes, and I was dying to tie into them.

Smallmouth lures, such as jigs and crankbaits, are often intended to mimic crayfish in both action and color.

Diehard anglers, those true fish heads, are often accused of sideways thinking by non-fishing family and friends. But it usually has to do with their general outlook on life and the priorities they set, especially when it comes to a hot bite.

Hellgrammites (dobson fly larvae) are a favorite bait among stream fishermen. Simply hook the bait under the collar and weight it with a split shot or two.

Some structures that attract bass are clearly visible to the naked eye, and practically scream, “Fish me!” Points are a prime example.