| |
| |
|
Fishing Information |
|
|
|
Spinnerbait Fishing Tactics for Spotted Bay Bass
Like most fishermen my age I originally learned about spinnerbait fishing for largemouth bass with my Dad. My class room was the back of an aluminum rental boat drifting the brush flats and rocky points of Irvine Lake in Orange County and Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara, CA. Both lakes were renowned southern California bass fisheries in the 1960's and 70's. Later I refined my techniques from the business end of a Nitro bass boat fishing team tournaments in the waters of the mid west for Smallmouth bass and Muskie. In the last 30 years I have managed to refined my spinnerbait technique quite a bit. I now do most of my fishing from my kayak or a float tube but the target fish is still a bass albeit a distant saltwater cousin, the Spotted Bay Bass. The proving grounds are now Newport Harbor, the LA Breakwall and Mission Bay, San Diego. Most of the large harbors of Southern California's coast are filled with hungry spotted bass or sand bass that are just waiting to try this tasty treat. Keep your tackle choices simple I fish a 7' IM7 graphite baitcasting rod from Infinity Fishing Products, nothing fancy $49.95 retail. The rod is rated 8-15# test and has a 11" cork butt with a trigger grip and 4" cork fore grip. It's built with 1 foot Fugi SIC guides. I use an inexpensive Daiwa, low profile baitcasting reel. Basically the same setup you would use to throw spinnerbaits for largemouth bass with maybe slightly heavier line. Spotted bass have very sharp teeth and side plates on their heads. With a spinnerbait you don't have to worry about the teeth but you do have to worry about their head platting. Spots have a tendency to trash and roll on the bait. For this reason the money you spend on line is more important than any other expenditure. I use 10# P-line. I like its overall characteristics, stretch, knot strength, visibility and its tuff! Sometimes if I am going outside to fish the breakers or kelp beds for Calicos I will step up to 12# test. Other good lines i've tried include Stren, Trilene XT and the new Cuda line. Check your line and Re-Tie your spinnerbaits often! I can not stress this enough. At $6 a pop for quality saltwater spinnerbaits one mistake is to many. For bait colors, I choose the basics. In most cases it's a chart/white 1/2oz. with a small gold colorado and a #5 willow or indiana/willow blade combo. I also carry natural Shad for clear water and a Fire Tiger color for stained water and overcast days. Black/red and Purple/blue are good night colors. When fishing the bays the average casting distance is short so I find the 1/2 oz. works in most all situations but I do carry a few 3/4oz. just in case the current is faster and a few 1 oz. models for fishing deep structure. A few basic tips to catch more fish: Being a tournament fisherman I am constantly looking for a new edge or technique. And like most serious kayak anglers I try most of the new techniques mentioned on the discussion boards and other kayak publications. But, like the Highlander, I am never far from my blade. For those of you who are new to spinnerbait fishing I have included a few important and easy to remember tactics to catch more Spinnerbait fish in the bays. If you are tossing into rock piles and shallow structure such as docks and weeds beds the bass will often times slam the bait within moments of it hitting the water. This is due to their predatory instincts and defense mechanisms. For this reason I try to have my reel engaged (in gear)the moment the bait hits its target. There is nothing more frustrating than missing an opportunity to set the hook cleanly because of a birds nest or to much slack. A gentle arch cast will put enough slack into my cast to give me the depth I am looking for. So with this in mind I engage my reel just after the spinnerbait starts its decent. Then, hopefully, when it gently plops into the water next to the dock or rock pile I just count it down quickly 1,2,3 . . and start my retrieve. Practice this method and you will eliminate most of the small overcast birds nets that plaque even the most skilled spinnerbait fishermen. Make an accurate cast the first time and don't be afraid to bump the rocks and momentarily kill the bait. You can let it fall all the way to the bottom and then burn it back to the surface. Fishing visible structure: empty docks, pilings, etc. When possible cast your bait up under the docks or piers and always parallel to the docks. Cast as far back as possible into the shallow water and work your way out. If your not getting bit try letting the bait sink on the cast and dead stick it for a few moments then a few twitch movements and then burn it back. This method just may aggravate the fish into striking. Be sure to hit both sides of all pilings, rocks and any visible structure breaks. (Hit the shadow side first if possible) Fishing the eelgrass beds and deep cover Spotted Bass Love eelgrass! It affords them the three most important elements, Cover from the sun, Protection from the elements and other predictors and an abundance of food. I have found that the best eelgrass beds are those in about 6' of water. I also find that this area is better on the incoming tide. This depth leaves about 4' of water over the eelgrass. The fish are coming into the area with a new attitude with the sole purpose of feeding. Cast your spinnerbait into the shallower area and pull it out towards the deep area. Let it get right into the grass. A twitches and a couple of cranks on the handle and your bait will be sliding through the eelgrass with an enticing vibration and a "Bite Me" attitude. Don't get discouraged if you don't get bit quickly just keep at it, the fish are there. Hint; wear a pair of Polaroid glasses to take the sun's glare off the water. This will allow you to keep better track of your baits. Fishing Deep cover for your Kicker Fish I have picked up some very nice fish in deep cover situations. If you have metered deep cover such as a rock pile this is a prime spot for a Big Grump to kick your limit into the top 5 positions. Usually areas like this will hold only a couple fish but their size is usually bigger. Position your kayak so you can cast past the structure up current and let your spinnerbait get deep enough before starting your slow steady retrieve. Make a long cast and count your spinnerbait down. This is where the heavier model comes in handy. Work your spinnerbait using a lift and drop action. It is best if you can drag bottom or at least bump the structure. Be Careful here; two things can happen and one will cost you a good lure. The other will raise your blood pressure slightly, but only until she's in the net. I've lost a few good baits with this technique but I've landed more than enough real nice fish to make up for the lose. Spinnerbaits also work quite well on sandbass. For this reason I will also cast into areas that hold moored sailboats and areas where the bay splits into two directions. Sandbass will hold tight to the bottom so try a long cast and keep bottom contact with a lift and pull type action. Remember, sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between a fish and structure. When in doubt set the hook, swings are free. Learning to fish a spinnerbait effectively is not hard it only sounds like it. Practice is all it takes to become a proficient spinnerbait fisherman. There are a number of good spinnerbait articles available on the internet. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and that it helps you catch and land more fish. If I can be of further assistance just make a post on the http://www.FKPFishing.net website discussion board and I'll be sure to answer. Michael Klasno was born and raised in SoCal and is an expert freshwater and saltwater float tube and kayak fisherman. Michael is the webmaster for FKPFishing.net a southern California float tube and kayak fishing network and the shore fishing website Cyberfishhead.com. For more fishing articles by this author please visit these fishing websites.
MORE RESOURCES:
Fishing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Drop-Shotting For Picky-Overfished Bass There is a fairly new technique when it comes to bass fishing but it works great especially when bass are under a lot of pressure, it's called drop-shotting. When you see other fishermen using worms and fishing the edges of creek channels, try this and fish the bottom of the channels instead of the edges. Night Fishing Preparation I have to admit this subject bores me to tears. Amazingly, the simple fact is that every time I interviewed a fisherman about night fishing tips he mentioned preparation at the top of the list. A Technique To Catch Trophy Size Bass There is a craze going on that produces big bass, it's called flippin. Flippin puts the lure where the big bass are. Care And Repair Of Fishing Lures Making fishing lures may be easy for the seasoned do-it-yourself angler. But the maintenance of these lures is just as important to ensure a tip-top condition. Erie Steelhead Flies As we stated in our article on Pacific Steelhead flies, the steelhead fisheries of the Great Lakes region has developed differently. First off the Erie steelhead has only been around a little over a hundred years. North to Alaska For many fishermen Alaska is the ultimate "mecca" of fishing. Early childhood dreams of Salmon choked rivers and Bears of every shape and size basking in the sun, their bellys full of fish- and the occasional "slow" fisherman- help to fuel the vision that is Alaska. How Do You Bring The Freshest Fish to The Table? Fish is one of earth's natural wonders and has satisfied our palates since the beginning of man. Their flesh is light and delicate, lean and is packed with protein, the anti-oxidant vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. Fly Fishing Small Streams Picture this; you've spent some time hiking into a small stream in the back country. It's early morning, mist is rising and the midges that have been swarming around you are breakfast for the small browns you have come to catch. Interesting Features of The Speckled Trout For those who are interested in speckled trout, you will be happy to know that these fish are some great catches. One of the most interesting features of this fish is the actual speckled trout fishing you will get to do. Just What Is the Stream Trout? The term stream trout is actually a term used to encompass any of the stream trout. Brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout are all called stream trout because they like the running waters. Cabo Sport Fishing is Like a Box of Chocolates As Forrest Gump would say, you never know what you're going to get.Not too many things get me more excited than the prospect of hooking and landing big fish. We Can Put A Fish On The Moon This aint exactly rocket scientry boys.. Get Ready For Bed....Bedding Bass That Is! It's getting near the time bass will be on their beds. Not just any bass, but trophy size bass in Ohio. Challenges of Nymph Fly Fishing When nymph fly fishing, the angler is imitating the juvenile stage of aquatic insects. As such, all fly fishing is done underwater, not on top of it. Swordfish and Swordfishing Generally an oceanic species, the swordfish is primarily a midwater fish at depths of 650-1970 feet (200-600 m) and water temperatures of 64 to 71F (18-22C). Although mainly a warm-water species, the swordfish has the widest temperature tolerance of any billfish, and can be found in waters from 41-80F (5-27C). Understanding the Effects Moonlight on Swordfishing In order to better understand why swordfish concentrate their feeding habits in certain depths on any given night or why the bite is better during different times of the month requires you to better understand how the effects of moonlight influence swordfish.Before you can understand how moonlight affects swordfish, you must understand the moon and its phases. The Yellowfins from HELL! Hi Lee Palm/Red Rooster crew(San Diego - California).. Night Fishing Preparation, The Key To Success Preparation is the Key To Successful Night Fishing, You Better Have These.. The Major Benefit Of Night Fishing Number One Benefit to Night FishingI think the best thing about night fishing is that the conditions are generally the same as day fishing, but the results are much better.If you find a good spot where the fish are really hitting during the day, you can go to that same spot at night and get even better results!The fish seem to hit harder at night as well, so it is almost easier to hook them at night than it is during the day, even though it is harder to see the line. The Hendrickson Mayfly Mayflies are essential to trout fly fishing. There are still ultra purists who consider casting dry mayfly patterns upstream to rising trout the ONLY form of fly fishing.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
