Photos provided by Brandon Card
During the colder months a jerkbait and flat-sided crankbait are among the best ways to catch bass. With the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake, Okla. approaching, Elite Series pro Brandon Card believes these two techniques will be the best way for him to catch fish in the biggest bass tournament in the world. He has relied on these techniques over the years and always uses them when the water temperature dips.
Jerkbaits
Anytime the water drops below 55 degrees, a jerkbait will be a top option for bass anglers. Card plans to use the Yo-Zuri 3DB Jerkbait and Duel Hardcore Minnow Flat SP 110 in the upcoming Classic and recalls that the technique was a key player in the 2013 event that was held on the same body of water.
“I remember that event well and after the tournament, I watched all of the coverage to see how the top finishers did it. What surprised me most was how fast they were working the jerkbait, they hardly let it pause at all,” recalled Card.
The jerkbait is the ultimate search tool for Card this time of year and he finds that as long as there is a slight chop on the water, bass will have no problem smashing a jerkbait.
“When the water is still cold, I will look for those flatter points with some sunlight hitting them. That is key, that slightly warmer water draws them like a magnet,” he said.
He stays away from shady or deeper banks for the most part during the winter months when throwing a jerkbait due to the water temperature and where the bass suspend.
“The higher in the water they suspend, the better,” he explained. “On those sunny banks and long points they seem to suspend much higher than they do on shady banks and it is easier for them to see the jerkbait.
His preferred jerkbait setup is a 6’6”, medium action Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 paired with a Revo MGX reel. He’ll spool it up with 8- to 10-lb test Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon and notes that the two pound tests are very different for his jerkbaits.
“You can easily get it down an extra foot or two just by downsizing one pound test,” he said. He’ll use 8-lb anytime he can get away with it if he wants a little deeper diving bait.
Flat-Sided and Shad Cranks
Brandon Card grew up fishing in eastern Tennessee, a place known for throwing crankbaits in the spring, especially flat-sided and shad shaped versions. He uses a variety of crankbaits, but the Yo-Zuri 3DB Shad, Flat and Duel Hardcore Shad are his top picks.
These three baits are also part of his planned arsenal for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic.
“The key when it is cold is to get a really tight wobble from your crankbaits. It is also a time when you want to cover as much water as possible and they work well with a steady retrieve so you can cover more ground,” Card said.
When looking for places to throw the crankbaits, Card focuses on transition areas. “Rocks are going to be your best bet. Places where the rock meets gravel or where it meets clay, just somewhere where the rock or type of rock changes,” he said.
Another key for him is finding bluff walls as these tend to congregate bass and baitfish.
“Those bluff walls often have little shelves on them as they get deeper and the fish will suspend off of them,” he explained. “These are great areas to throw those mid-diving crankbaits this time of year.”
He cranks with a spinning rod for the lighter baits and chooses an Abu Garcia Villain 2.0 that is a 7’ medium. He pairs it with a size 30 Revo MGX spinning reel. When using a baitcaster, he will use the Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 Winch 7'6" MH cranking rod with a Revo STX baitcaster in the 6.4:1 gear ratio. He will spool his spinning rod with 8-lb Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon or 6-lb Berkley XT monofilament for added depth. The 10-lb fluorocarbon is his top choice for times he is using a baitcasting setup.
Color Selection
When using jerkbaits and crankbaits, Card feels that color choices are fairly easy.
Shad patterns and shad with chartreuse accents are often the only two he needs, but he also likes translucent patterns like Ghost Pro Blue offered in the Duel jerkbaits. For crankbaits, shad and crawfish patterns are his top picks. “Those colors work anywhere in the country during pre-spawn,” he said.
It is no surprise that Brandon Card plans to use a jerkbait and crankbait at Grand Lake. These two methods of catching early spring bass have proven themselves time and time again. By keeping his color choices simple and focusing on the highest percentage areas, he plans to hit Grand Lake with all of the tools he needs to contend for the win.
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