Westernbass Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - December 2012, Page 25

Westernbass Magazine - Bass Fishing Tips And Techniques - December 2012, Page 25

F

ishing is a dynamic sport with variables and complexities that defy summa- tion. That being said, it’s tough to expect even the most ac- complished lure mak- ers to come up with baits that perfectly fit every possible sce- nario right out of the box. There’s certainly no lack of versatile baits on the market and you can indeed successfully employ them with zero prep or alteration. How- ever, when the tough times arise – and they will arise – savvy anglers shift into problem-solving mode and com- bining seasoned analysis with insightful creativity often delivers that elusive “difference-maker” upon which success hinges. Fishermen of all skill levels are constantly coming up with different looks, actions and sounds based on a “what if?” mentality. Here are a handful of examples:

Personal Creativity + Problem Solving Skills = Ingenious Developments

the center and slides the homemade skirt up the shank and over the eye, where it sits snug between the hook and weight.

kEEP IT STRAIGHT

terry “Big Show” Scroggins hails from Florida, but travels the country to chase largemouth bass on the elite Series. He fashions his own flipping hooks by starting with a basic spinnerbait hook - noted for its strength - and then clipping a ¼-inch piece of spinnerbait wire to form a keeper. (For ease of operation, he bends the wire at a keeper angle prior to clipping off the piece he needs.) Scroggins then positions the wire on the hook shank with sufficient space for his snell knot and fastens it with a ¼-inch piece of heat shrink tubing (the kind with interior glue). He slides the tubing over the bottom half of the keeper and heats it with a cigarette lighter.

PuncHInG PRO

Charlie Weyer of West Hills, Calif. is a big fan of sending heavy rigs through thick cover so he’s no stranger to the concept of letting a punch skirt escort his bait through the mats. Weyer fashions his own version of the punch skirt by gathering a clump of jig skirt strands and tying them together with braided line. Flaring out the strands, he runs his hook through

cRAnkBAIT RATTLES

Sometimes a rattling bait gets attention, sometimes it repels fish. When the rattles in his favored crankbait become a liability, Bassmaster elite pro John Crews drills a small hole in the bait’s throat, squirts a little two-part epoxy, tilts the bait forward so the sticky stuff grips the noise maker and lets the epoxy set and neutralize the rattle. (on the water, Super Glue works in a pinch.)

Issue 6

December 2012

25