 | Walking the dog
- Baitfish
- Baitfish can be any type of smaller fish that smallmouth feed upon. In the South this
generally refers to Threadfin Shad, Gizzard Shad and bluegills. In the West usually
Gizzard Shad, minnows,bluegills or even small trout. In the North usually minnows,
Alewives and bluegills. In all locations this includes other species of fish which are
smaller than the bass, even smaller bass.
- Spinner Bait
- A spinnerbait is a hard lure generally consisting of a large single hook, a lead head, a
rubber or vinyl skirt, wire and a spinning blade. These are one of the most versatile of
all the lures made for bass fishing. They can be buzzed along the surface, worked with a
steady or erratic retrieve at any depth and slowly crawled along the bottom with the blade
just barely turning.
- Crankbait
- This term refers to a huge array of lures and lure designs. A crankbait is
generally described to be a hard lure in the shape of a baitfish with a lip or bill
attached to the front. Usually there will be at least two sets of treble hooks attached,
one in the front and one at the back.
- Lipless Crankbait
- As the name implies this is a crankbait that doesn't have a lip or bill. They are
designed with a sloping front and large treble hooks to be retrieved through a variety of
cover. They range in sizes from about 1/8 ounce to one ounce. They are usually worked
around weeds, rocks and other types of shallow cover.
- Worm
- A soft thin plastic bait that is in the shape of your garden variety earthworm. However
the shape is about the only thing that resembles them. Their sizes range from about 3
inches to over twelve inches! Their colors are every color imaginable and unimaginable.
You can fish these as topwater, using floating worms or on the bottom using any number of
methods.
- Jig
- A jig is a hard type of lure usually made of a lead head, a single large hook and a
skirt made of rubber, plastic, vinyl or of some other type of manmade or natural fibers. This is made to resemble one of the bass's most favorite food - the
crayfish (or crawfish). Sizes range from extremely small (in the 32's of an ounce) to one
ounce or more. Jigs almost always have a trailer bait attached to them. Usually a pork
rind or a plastic trailer. You can fish these baits in any depth or under any type of
water conditions.
- Topwater
- Topwater baits are generally referring to hard (usually balsa wood) or soft baits
(plastic worms) that float when they are at rest. They can be as small as one inch up to
around 10 to 12 inches. They are designed with no action built into them. The angler
(being you) must make the bass believe that what you are presenting them is a crippled
shad, a small snake or a scared baitfish. These are generally used in shallow water but
can draw up bass from deep water in clearwater lakes.
- Jerkbait
- Jerkbaits can be either hard or soft bodied. They are generally designed like topwater
baits, relatively thin and long with two or three sets of treble hooks. Also like topwater
baits, jerkbaits have no built in movement, the angler has to provide all the action, that
of a crippled baitfish. These baits can be either floating at rest or suspending at a
depth of 1 to about 10 feet. The method that these baits are retrieved is what gives them
their name. To use them properly you give them a vigorous twitch or "jerk", let
them sit for a second or two then another jerk. The soft bodied baits are not worked so
hard as their design requires a much less vigorous twitch or "jerk".
- Drops/Drop-offs/Ledges
- Drops, drop-offs and ledges although are different names they are referring to the same
type of structure. The terminology depends on what part of the country you are from. A
drop-off to somebody from New York might mean a rapid change in water depth from at least
15 feet to 20 feet. While is South Carolina fishing a drop might mean from 5 to 7 feet.
- Blowdowns/fallen trees
- Blowdowns, trees and fallen trees are referring to the same thing. Trees that have
fallen from near the waters edge into the lake. They are usually a good structure to start
fishing within two or three days after they fall in.
- Strike Zone
- The term strike zone is the area of water that the fish is in and is willing to travel
and chase after any available bait/lure that passes through that area. This is usually a
relatively small area as far as depth is concerned. If a bass is in 8 feet of water its
strike zone would be considered from about 4 to 8 feet. Depending on the water clarity it
could go all the way to the surface. To keep your lure in the strike zone you have to
remember that to get your lure to that depth you have to cast past where you want your
lure to go, consider the distance that the lure has to travel as it's diving to get to
that depth and then as it nears your rod it starts to travel back out of the strike zone.
It sounds likes it's pretty complicated to do this but it really isn't and only takes
about a fraction of a second to think about it.
- Cover
- Cover refers to anything that a bass can hide in, behind or underneath. That includes
weeds, rocks, trees, boat docks, boats, stumps, anything in the water that improves their
chances to ambush unsuspecting baitfish.
- Carolina Rig
- A "Carolina rig" consists of an egg shaped sinker (usually one ounce), a
swivel, a leader of about 4 feet and a large single hook. The size of the sinker and hook
can vary depending on the type of cover and how deep you are fishing. The usual type of
bait to fish with is a plastic lizard or large plastic worm. This is an excellent method
to fish drop-offs and other deep[ water cover. It also works good in the Spring for
shallow water bass.
- Finesse
- The term "finesse" first originated from the Western United States bass
fishermen. The lakes and reservoirs out there are extremely clear and deep. Plus the the
fisherman population seems to exceed the bass population. So they developed a method of
fishing to overcome this situation. It involves using very light line (8 LB test or less),
split shot sinkers (instead of heavy egg or bullet sinkers) and a small plastic bait
(usually a 2 or 3 inch straight worm). This is rigged using the same configuration as a
Carolina rig only that you substitute the finess materials for the heavy Carolina
materials. The method of fishing is also similar in that you slowly work your bait
along the bottom. For this type of fishing an extremely sensitive rod is required in
that you must be able to tell the difference between the bottom and the subtle hits from a
bass. Also you must remember not to set the hook as aggressively as you would using a
regular Carolina rig since you are using a much lighter line.
- Texas rig
- The "Texas rig" is probably the most popular and most recognized method of
fishing plastic worms. This rig consists of a bullet shaped sinker (of any size), a single
hook (called a Sproat, Offset or Worm hook). This rig can be used in any depth of in any
type of cover. The type of plastic bait that you attach is usually a plastic worm or
lizard of some size.
- Flipping
- The term "Flipping" comes from the method of presentation that you use when
fishing a jig or worm in heavy shallow cover. The equipment needed for this are as
follows: A heavy action 6 or 7 foot baitcasting rod, heavy line 17lb test minimum, and a
jig or worm attached to the end of your line. The method of presentation used is to let
out enough line so that the bait is hanging down by the reel handle, swing or
"flip" out your rod hand and let go of the bait at the same time. Then as your
bait nears its target ease back on the rod and engage your reel so that the bait enters
the water without spooking the bass. This is how it's supposed to be done in theory. It
takes allot of practice to get this down to perfection.
- Trailers/Trailer hook
- A trailer in fishing terms is an extra piece of plastic that you attach to the end of
the hook of your spinnerbait or jig. It makes your bait look bigger and gives more action.
A trailer hook is an extra single hook that you attach to your lure (more commonly a
spinnerbait) if the bass are striking at the skirt of the bait and are missing the main
hook.
- Hawg/hog
- A hawg is a term used for a bragging size bass. For Smallmouth that
would be over 5 pounds.
- PFD/Personal Floatation Device
- A personal floatation device is another name for a life jacket or life
preserver. EVERYBODY! should wear these at least when your boat is moving.
- PH
- PH is the term used to measure the acidity (or base alkaline) of water. For bass the
optimum range is a PH of 7.5 to 7.9. They will usually try to stay in this range if
possible but this is just one of the many factors that determine where the bass will be on
any given day.
- Walking the Dog
- "Walking the dog" is a term given to a type of retrieve used with certain
types of topwater baits. To perform this type of retrieve you hold your rod tip down and
give it a little twitch, this causes your bait to turn one direction. Reel up the slack
just a little then you then give it another twitch and this causes your bait to turn to
the opposite direction. You continue this type of motion until you get your bait coming to
you in a zig-zag pattern. Not all topwater lures can be retrieved this way.
The most famous and popular lure for this is the Zara Spook.
- Texposed
- A Texas rigged plastic bait that has the point of the hook going through the plastic,
thus esposing the point of the hook. This is a good rig to use in relatively brush
or weed free water conditions.
- Dead Sticking
- A technique that is primarily used with the Slug-Go or other soft jerk baits but you can
use this with other lures or plastic worms. You cast out your lure and let it sit on
the bottom without moving it for as long as you can standi it and then let it sit even
longer. When you do move it move it just ever so slightly.
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