05/04/2000
- Article
Presenting
a Spinnerbait Like a Jig
By
Dan Galbincea
When
chasing weed-oriented bass there are times when it would be a
definite advantage to have the triggering capability of the
spinnerbait coupled with the bottom hugging ability of the jig.
To have the weedless properties of the spinnerbait integrated
with the erratic hopping and popping action of the jig.
Combine these forces and you will have the ultimate
presentation when bass are in a neutral or negative mood and using
vegetation as cover.
The
problem with using the standard spinnerbaits like a jig is they have
a tendency to drop too fast and provide little blade movement when
falling. You need a
spinnerbait that uses small blades and has a half to five-eighths
ounce maximum weight. A
twin-spin or two-armed spinnerbait is great because when the
spinnerbait is resting on the bottom it will be leaning on one arm
while the other blade dangles and turns and continues to provide
some attraction. There
are two spinnerbaits that fit this description.
One is the AmBASSaDear by Erie Dearie and the other is the
Gopher Twin Spin.
The
best time to use the spinnerbait like a jig is when you’ve been
flipping jigs in the vegetation and working the edge with plastic
worms with no success. The
mood of the bass is negative so they will lie on the bottom just
inside the edge of the vegetation and unless you can catch the
fish’s attention or trigger a strike you don’t have much of a
chance.
The
setup requires you to position your boat or float tube right at the
deepest edge of the vegetation, what is often called the weedline.
This allows you to cast the lure parallel to the weeds
instead of into them.
You
cast the spinnerbait as far as you can.
You will discover it is a big advantage to have the bait a
long distance away from you when you’re dealing with finicky
biters. Flipping the
bait out to the weedline just doesn’t get the reaction from the
bass that you need.
Let
the spinnerbait sink completely to the bottom.
You know you’re there when the line goes limp. As the lure drops, those tiny spinners on the bait spin fast
and create some great flash. Those
bass tucked into the weeds will swim out and take a look when they
see this.
After
letting the lure sit for a couple of seconds give the rod tip a good
steady pull and whip that spinnerbait off the bottom.
The blades will be flashing, the rubber skirt will be
pulsating and the bass will follow the lure.
When
the rod tip reaches the 11-o’clock position drop it quickly and
reel in any slack keeping a slight amount of tension on the line. It’s almost always when the lure is dropping that the bass
takes it. It’s a
reaction strike. The
bass thinks there’s a big minnow chasing some smaller minnows and
figures he’s in for a light snack.
The
key is to be a line watcher. When
a bass takes the bait it will try to run back into the weeds.
You don’t always feel the bite, but you will see the line
twitch when they inhale the lure or you see the line begin to move
sideways in the water. Better
be setting the hook.
The
scene was a 500-acre lake in Iowa, but it could have been anywhere
in the country. There
were two of us in the boat. A
cold front was on top of us, the skies were mile-high blue, and the
air had a slight chill to it.
My
fishing partner and I were flipping jigs right in the heavy milfoil
with no luck. He was
controlling the boat and moved us out to the weedline.
He began casting plastic worms and I went after the bass with
an AmBASSaDear.
When
the score was Me-8 bass and Him-1bass, he started calling for a lure
like mine. I have
proven this time after time that fishing a spinnerbait like a jig
when weed-oriented bass are in a neutral or negative mode will
always be the most productive presentation you can use.
The
AmBASSaDear is very new to the market and not always easy to find.
For more information you can try calling (888) 433-2743 or
checking the web site at www.eriedearie.com
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