Bass Fishing

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.

Hunters call it patterning—they pour over photos and topo maps and spend countless hours scouting to identify travel routes of animals, on both daily and seasonal timelines.

Ohio bass pro Frank Scalish is a hard guy to interview. He’s a heck of a nice guy and a phenomenal angler, but he cranks out so many cool tactics that it’s hard to keep up.

Largemouth bite best when water temperatures are in the 60s and 70s. They're most active under dim - light conditions.