I'm fishing with 6 # test line and I'm using zoom finesse worms rigged wacky style...
they were pretty good except I haven't caught anything over 2.5 pounds.
Got two speculations about this:
the first, could it be i'm catching the little bass that are stragglers in the shallows? should I cast in deeper water?
could it be i'm using the wrong lure or something? should i use a trick worm with the 6# test line?
what exactly defines "finesse fishing"?
is it the tackle or just the bait size? both?
thanks,
-Mike
finesse fishing
-
johnnie crain outdoors
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
Mike, it appears from your post that you're catching buck bass, young males. At this time of year when the females are either spawning or have already spawned, finesse fishing isn't needed. The fish are looking for a full meal. The Zoom worm-wacky style and 6# line is great, but I feel it's the wrong time of year in Florida to finesse.
Fineese fishing by definition is downsizing line, bait size and is mostly used under difficult conditions like cold fronts. very clear water, times when everyday offerings fail. The idea is to present a small unintrusive bait and impart very little action, sometimes just shaking the bait on the bottom works best. Fineese fishing can also be used when bass are actually on beds. Bed fishing anglers will takle a bait and toss it onto or close to a bed and then play a waiting game with the fish, maybe never even moving the bait or only slight movements. They try to get the fish to pick it up to move it off the nest. You're on the right track, but maybe at the wrong time. Hope this helps a little and good luck. Johnnie
Fineese fishing by definition is downsizing line, bait size and is mostly used under difficult conditions like cold fronts. very clear water, times when everyday offerings fail. The idea is to present a small unintrusive bait and impart very little action, sometimes just shaking the bait on the bottom works best. Fineese fishing can also be used when bass are actually on beds. Bed fishing anglers will takle a bait and toss it onto or close to a bed and then play a waiting game with the fish, maybe never even moving the bait or only slight movements. They try to get the fish to pick it up to move it off the nest. You're on the right track, but maybe at the wrong time. Hope this helps a little and good luck. Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
-
MMT
- Posts: 487
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2002 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
Mike here is a little article I wrote a couple of years ago. I've enjoyed our correspondence the last few days, hope this can help you out.-C
Finesse Fishing Insanity
Technique: Using Small Worms To Increase Your Catch
I wasn't always a jig guy. When I first got serious about bass fishing, I threw a worm of some sort almost all the time. I cut my teeth fishing Gator tails, Phenoms, Culprits, and Bandit worms. As time grew on, I slowly adapted from the traditional Texas rig to other more capable rigs. My worming took an abrupt change of course in March of 1991. I spent a week in the Ocala National Forest and was turned on to the Slider worm. I found that this bait, fished on a Slider head, was a deadly set up that nobody around my area was using. That season I took notice as NY bass ate it up. The small 4" Straight tail worm was deadly. I immediately sought out new ways to use the worm. My attention was turned to California where the finesse movement was now steadily gaining popularity. I became extremely lucky when I learned that my God Mother was Bob Crupi's aunt. Yes, THAT Bob Crupi! He set me up with Michael Jones who is a finesse master. He wrote a book on most of the popular finesse methods that has been like a bible to me.
The Weenie Worm:
By definition a Weenie worm is any small, thin diameter worm. Finesse methods a la California, always employ handpoured worms, but you can get away with a Slider worm, Kalin's Weenies, or Lucky Strike Razor worm. I actually had to rely on these worms for quite sometime because I couldn't find a manufacturer that would do business on the East coast. These days I have no problems finding custom handpours thanks to Tom Kail from Northern Handpoured. All of the baits are custom color, scent, and glitter. "Your imagination is the only limitation"! Tom has several models of small worms and is really good at unique colored poured. His Honey Melon is one of my favorites.
The worm itself is a very slim 4" model with a smooth, flat bottom indicative to it being a hand pour. There are so many awesome colors, but I rely on just a few; Pumpkin Chartreuse tail, Purple Red flake, Watermelon, Junebug, Rainbow Trout, and Motor Oil Green Glitter. Yes, I know Oxblood, Cinnamon, and Green Weenie are traditional California favorites, but I keep it simple. As for scent, I always use it and lucky for me the companies whoes baits I use mold it into the plastic. I opt for either crawfish or shad. Handpoured worms are softer than injection molded worms. Bass most likely hold a handpour longer because it feels natural. The addition of scent increases my chance of a successful hookset. I only use straight tail worms. I believe that these mimic baitfish better than baits with a curly tail.
The thin diameter of the worm requires the use of a thin diameter hook. I utilize TTI X-Point hooks which have a stronger temper, better steel, and a smaller diameter than most other hooks. Needless to say, it is also one of the sharpest hooks available. For mini worms, I almost always opt for a 1/0 offset hook. When rigging Texas style, I push the point of the hook just under the surface of the round side of the worm. Usually I push it completely through and back it up so it is buried. Not that hooking bass on these soft worms is a problem.
The weenie worm appeals to a larger base of fish. It is also very natural and tends to attract strikes when other baits get zeroed. It works great for heavily pressured bass.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All of these finesse methods have proven themselves to me. I didn't invent any of them. I've just modified them a bit to suit me better. They are not all little fish techniques and guys who refer to them as sissy baits have obviously never tried them. They surely will get you onto fish and in capable hands are simply devastating."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tackle:
I prefer to use brass or steel weights. Top Brass Tackle makes a great weenie weight. This is a shorter, fatter version of the traditional bullet weight. I like to paint mine black or brown. I'm a huge fan of Mojo weights. These are skinny cylindrical weights that are good for using in grass. They have a thin diameter and are a great alternative to split shot. Most of my finesse worming is done in 0 to 8ft of water. I rely on a few sizes of weights; 1/64oz, 1/32oz, 1/16oz, 1/8oz, and 3/16oz. Brass weights, besides being environmentally friendly, resonate sound better than most other metals. I use glass beads with them for optimum noise. These must be faceted fire polished so as not to damage your line. Glass beads come in a wide array of colors to match the bait you use. I've recently started to experiment with Acrylic beads. The ultra hard plastic faceted beads come in some excellent colors and look every bit as good as Glass. They are less expensive and weigh comparable to glass. Best of all, they are more durable and resonate sound to the point that I can't tell the difference between them.
For finesse worming, I rely on a 5-6" or 6ft spinning rod with solid backbone. A fast action light power rod suits my needs. You all know I am fond of BPS Bionic Blade series rods. I use the smaller rod when wading or fishing in my Float Cat. The larger rod is strictly for my boat. Here leverage is the key. My reel of choice is the Pinnacle DNF25 Deadbolt. It is a smooth dependable reel with 5BB, instant anti-reverse, front drag, and 5.3 to 1 ratio. Worms are the only light tackle lures where I even consider using my drag over back reeling. This is only because I keep the anti-reverse engaged for the hookset. For other techniques, the exception being jigs, I prefer to fish without it. If I hook into GUS, I will backreel as that is the safest way to play a big bass.
My favorite light line is Silver Thread. It has a thin diameter, good abrasion resistance, low memory, and is supple. I opt for 6 or 8lb test. DR has turned me onto Power Pro Braid and I love it. My only concern is the lines color, which I think may turn fish off in clear water. All in all, I've been doing really well with the 10lb line. Pro friend Terry Baksay of CT has me using Triple Fish Camo which satisfies my concern for line color. I have found it to be a great line and its color is first rate.
Methods:
Mojo Rig - Perhaps one of my all time favorite worm rigs, the Mojo is just an advanced version of the ever popular split shot rig and alternative to the Carolina rig. A great feature about this rig is that there is no swivel and only one knot to tie. The Mojo weight is pegged securely on the line above the bait by using a piece of silicone filament. A simple tool similiar to a needle threader is used for this. You can add a glass bead if you want sound. I usually prefer it. The best thing about this rig is that it only requires one knot, not three like the Carolina set up. This can mean alot if you fish rocks and lose a few rigs in a day. An advantage over split shotting, you no longer crimp the weight to the line. This could damage it. The filament protects the line and keeps the integrity of the line intact.
Just like its predecessors, the Mojo is best used with a slow steady retrieve. It is a true search bait as it methodically plods the bottom on a seek and destroy mission to find bass. It is a subtle presentation that can be used in every season. I have scored with it in the heat of the Summer to the cold of Winter. You can also use it in clear or stained water. The elongated sinker comes through grass and rock better than traditional bullet weights. This rig is successful because it keeps the bait close to the bottom mimicing a sculpin or other bottom dwelling baitfish. I usually rig the weight about 24 inches above the hook. This is a contact bait in that you must keep in touch with the bottom. I never pick the bait up. I just slide the rig along trying to feel the bottom at all times. You will notice tha
t most strikes feel like you snagged a wet rag. A mushy heavy sensation is often all that you will detect. I prefer a sweep set of the hook.
The Mojo rig lends itself nicely as a rig that a guy can fish in the back of the boat and still take a limit. The rig is notorious for producing numbers over giants. I have taken a few big fish on it, but not enough to call it a big fish technique.
Earthworm's Modified Shaking Rig - Most of the California finesse techniques are tailored for deep water verticle presentation. Shaking is one such technique. I modified it a bit to meet my shallow water needs and it has become a deadly asset to me. The shaking rig is quite simple. It is merely a Texas rigged worm fished with a heavy weight and either a brass clacker or glass bead. Also called a doodle rig, this set up was devised with suspended bass in mind. Don Iovino perfected it. It is little more than this- an angler locates a pod of fish in deeper water and drops the bait on top of them. Here the angler shakes the rod tip to make the brass and glass slap together, literally making the bass strike out of anger. Precise placement of the bait is key as I know guys who are so in tune with their electronics that I've seen them actually hit the fish with the bait. The traditional set up was meant to be fished on baitcasting gear.
I have found a use for this rig in my arsenal. I scale down on the weight and utilize spinning gear. This now becomes a horizontal and shallow to mid depth presentation. I opt for 1/4oz weights or lighter. I like to use this set up around docksupports or bridge pilings. Those that I can find in deeper water are ideal. I constantly jiggle the rod tip to keep the bait sounding off. Again, I'm using a small 4" worm or 3" reaper. I utilize this set up in dingy water where visibility is poor. I feel that the noise is the attracting characteristic of the bait. It can pull fish in from a distance. For this technique, it is important that you learn to "weigh the line". This means become accustomed to what the bait feels like under normal circumstances. Anything heavier or lighter is a fish. I normally use 8lb test with this rig as the dirty water allows me to upgrade. It also has a knack for producing big fish so the extra strength is welcomed. Try not to give the bait too much action. A simple jiggling of the rod tip is all you need. Figure about 2 or 3 inches of movement. Late Fall and Early Spring are my preferred times to use this rig.
Weightless Skipping - Here is a deadly way to fish weenie worms that I rely on more than any other method. The rig is simple- a weightless Texas rigged 4" worm with a 1/0 or 2/0 offset Owner hook. The placement of the bait is what makes the rig so successful. Using a side arm backhand motion, I release the cast with my rod parallel to the water. The bait will skitter and skip along the surface like a frantic baitfish. You can skip the bait like a flat stone into and through cover. This is nothing new, just an exceptional way to catch bass. The skipping gets fish looking skyward, which is about the time that the bait slowly descends upon them. The biggest reason I rely on skipping is because it helps me get my bait far under docks and overhead snags. Usually to places that people would never even think of casting into. I choose a Slider worm for this. It is a bit heavier than most other weenie worms and skips well. Even though you are using the bait in dangerous places, you will usually get it back. Often I will use this rig when I'm fishing behind another boat. I've taken 4 bass over 8lbs on it only moments after other boats worked the same areas. This includes a 9-3 that creamed a black grape Slider worm with a glass Venom rattle hidden inside. I prefer a shorter rod for skipping. A 5-6" fast action rod is cherry for this. I caught the 9-3 on a Cabela's 5ft Tourney Trail UL rod. What a battle that was!!! This rig is awesome for sight fishing.
Split Shot Grubs - With the inception of the Mojo rig I rarely do any splitshotting anymore. The only exception is with a small 3 inch grub. For the rig, I crimp a piece of tabless shot about 18 inches above the bait. The tabless shot won't snag on the weeds. I prefer to use the rig on sandy flats or around hard bottoms. These areas won't foul the shot. A slow steady retrieve drives bass wild. This is also a great search bait. I use it on many of the small creeks I frequent for smallmouth and it is deadly! If you take the time to gain confidence with this rig, you will take a ton of bass with it. You can upgrade to a larger hook and grub to try to attract some bigger bass. I stick with 6lb test. You must rig the grub perfectly to prevent line twist. Rig the grub Texas style along the seem with the tail down. This will act as a keel to keep the grub from rolling over on itself. Make sure you maintain bottom contact with this bait.
Wacky Rigging - Wacky rigging goes against the grain of traditional worm fishing. Many anglers look at this set up and snicker as it really does look quite stupid. Their smirks quickly turn to frowns as they get spanked silly out on the water with this odd looking rig. Once you get past the unorthodox appearance of this set up, you will see that it's clearly a unique tool that belong in your arsenal.
The Wacky rig is best in water from 70 to 80 degrees. I prefer clear to slightly stained water. It is one of my top sight fishing rigs, as those of you who fished the NYBASS 2000 Mahopac get together saw how effective it was for me. This rig has a knack for enticing cruising seemingly uninterested bass when other baits fail. I use it in shallow water from 0 to 5 feet deep. You can use a small nail in the worm for a spiraling fall effect. I prefer to fish it weightless. My set up consists of a small 3 or 4 inch worm or Senko rigged down the middle in half on a small size 4 or 6 splitshot hook from Gamakatsu. I really like the Jersey Rig worm for this tactic. Many guys use a larger hook. Size 1 or 1/0 Mutu light or cirlce hooks are very popular for this technique. This shallow water rig is great around boat docks, boat houses, and sparse vegetation. Simply cast the bait to cover and keep your line semi-taunt. The bait will slowly flutter to the bottom. I don't give it any action except to move it to a new position. My experience with the bait finds most bass suck the bait in and move off with it. I never feel a bite on this rig. I see the fish take the worm or I observe the line slowly moving off. The rig has no negative cues so fish don't drop it that often. When you detect that a bass has the worm apply steady pressure to hook the fish. The hook is small so you can't swing set. I used a larger hook in the past, but realized that I was dropping about 30% of bigger fish at boatside because they were never hooked. Maintaining steady pressue on the fish will allow the small hook to slide along until it finds a place to stick in. It is a hard thing to see a large bass hit your bait and not set up right away. If you can get past this and use the pressure method, you won't lose many bass. I was skeptical, but with practice I learned to do it and it has benefitted me greatly. Thank you, Jerry Puckett and Pat Xiques!!!
Downsizing Soft Jekbaits - For years, I have relied on soft jerkbaits to catch boatloads of bass. I first got my hands on Bass Assassins Super Finesse Twitch Worm which is a thin diameter 4" Slug Go type bait in 1990. Little did I realize that it would become a major player in my tackle box. I picked this bait up in Florida and brought back several hundred to NY. I used them religiously here and found them to be awesome. I quickly learned that I could deadstick it, walk the dog, twitch it, and skip it. I was able to place it deeper into cover than any other bait. It was so natural and fish never saw it before. Deadly. I still use them today. I like Slug Go 3", Snoozers 5" Thrasher, and a 4" model that my buddy, Chris from Al's Worms, handpours for me from California as well as Northern Handpours 4 1/2" Shad. I rig the bait Texas style. Man
y baits have a hook slot where you can pop the point through. This helps because you no longer have to penetrate the plastic on the hookset. I've been using Sugoi or EWG Gamakatsu hooks in 2/0. I stick with gold or silver shiner patterns.The 3" Slug Go is deadly for creek smallies. I've had more than a few 100 bass days on it. I like to skip the bait under overhead cover and snags to get to places most people by-pass. Next, I just kill it and let it deadstick or slowly get pulled by the current. My buddy, Tom Kail, has hit paydirt with his smaller Shad. The 4 1/2" model is just the right size and he has it available in some wicked colors. My absolute favorite is Fool's Gold/Black back.
Light Tackle Tubing - You all know that I love to Texas rig tubes, but I cut my teeth fishing 2 3/4 inch Gitzits for small stream smallies. I use the original 1/16oz Gitzit head which allows the bait to seductively spiral down. The bait is open hooked so it isn't at all weedless. I prefer it around rock cover. I let it fall on a tight line so I can detct hits. The open hooks sticks fish pretty easily. I like the new Bitsy Tube and Gary Klein's Salty Tube. Both are 2 3/4 inches long. I use a 5-6" light action spinning rod with a fast backbone. Normally I'll go with 6lb mono. A few years ago I thought I hooked a state record smallmouth. A big fish freight trained my tube on 4lb line. It turned out to be a 15lb carp. I have also been known to Mojo a tube with a Gamakatsu G-Lock hook. The tube shimmies back and forth far behind the weight. It is a unique look that fish just don't see all that often. As far as tubes are concerned you only need these colors: Black/Blue, Junebug, Watermelon, Green Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Smoke/Purple Flake, Bluegill, and Roadkill. As of this writing, micro munch tackle has just introduced a 2.75" mini tube that is deadly for stream smallies and cold water largemouth. You could also try your luck for slab crappies with them. After fishing with this tube for nearly a complete season, I have come to believe it is the finest small tube out there. All of the characteristics that amde the larger tubes successful are in this smaller "Turd".
All of these finesse methods have proven themselves to me. I didn't invent any of them. I've just modified them a bit to suit me better. They are not all little fish techniques and guys who refer to them as sissy baits have obviously never tried them. They surely will get you onto fish and in capable hands are simply devastating.
Copyright © 2001 Craig DeFronzo
__________________
Finesse Fishing Insanity
Technique: Using Small Worms To Increase Your Catch
I wasn't always a jig guy. When I first got serious about bass fishing, I threw a worm of some sort almost all the time. I cut my teeth fishing Gator tails, Phenoms, Culprits, and Bandit worms. As time grew on, I slowly adapted from the traditional Texas rig to other more capable rigs. My worming took an abrupt change of course in March of 1991. I spent a week in the Ocala National Forest and was turned on to the Slider worm. I found that this bait, fished on a Slider head, was a deadly set up that nobody around my area was using. That season I took notice as NY bass ate it up. The small 4" Straight tail worm was deadly. I immediately sought out new ways to use the worm. My attention was turned to California where the finesse movement was now steadily gaining popularity. I became extremely lucky when I learned that my God Mother was Bob Crupi's aunt. Yes, THAT Bob Crupi! He set me up with Michael Jones who is a finesse master. He wrote a book on most of the popular finesse methods that has been like a bible to me.
The Weenie Worm:
By definition a Weenie worm is any small, thin diameter worm. Finesse methods a la California, always employ handpoured worms, but you can get away with a Slider worm, Kalin's Weenies, or Lucky Strike Razor worm. I actually had to rely on these worms for quite sometime because I couldn't find a manufacturer that would do business on the East coast. These days I have no problems finding custom handpours thanks to Tom Kail from Northern Handpoured. All of the baits are custom color, scent, and glitter. "Your imagination is the only limitation"! Tom has several models of small worms and is really good at unique colored poured. His Honey Melon is one of my favorites.
The worm itself is a very slim 4" model with a smooth, flat bottom indicative to it being a hand pour. There are so many awesome colors, but I rely on just a few; Pumpkin Chartreuse tail, Purple Red flake, Watermelon, Junebug, Rainbow Trout, and Motor Oil Green Glitter. Yes, I know Oxblood, Cinnamon, and Green Weenie are traditional California favorites, but I keep it simple. As for scent, I always use it and lucky for me the companies whoes baits I use mold it into the plastic. I opt for either crawfish or shad. Handpoured worms are softer than injection molded worms. Bass most likely hold a handpour longer because it feels natural. The addition of scent increases my chance of a successful hookset. I only use straight tail worms. I believe that these mimic baitfish better than baits with a curly tail.
The thin diameter of the worm requires the use of a thin diameter hook. I utilize TTI X-Point hooks which have a stronger temper, better steel, and a smaller diameter than most other hooks. Needless to say, it is also one of the sharpest hooks available. For mini worms, I almost always opt for a 1/0 offset hook. When rigging Texas style, I push the point of the hook just under the surface of the round side of the worm. Usually I push it completely through and back it up so it is buried. Not that hooking bass on these soft worms is a problem.
The weenie worm appeals to a larger base of fish. It is also very natural and tends to attract strikes when other baits get zeroed. It works great for heavily pressured bass.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All of these finesse methods have proven themselves to me. I didn't invent any of them. I've just modified them a bit to suit me better. They are not all little fish techniques and guys who refer to them as sissy baits have obviously never tried them. They surely will get you onto fish and in capable hands are simply devastating."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tackle:
I prefer to use brass or steel weights. Top Brass Tackle makes a great weenie weight. This is a shorter, fatter version of the traditional bullet weight. I like to paint mine black or brown. I'm a huge fan of Mojo weights. These are skinny cylindrical weights that are good for using in grass. They have a thin diameter and are a great alternative to split shot. Most of my finesse worming is done in 0 to 8ft of water. I rely on a few sizes of weights; 1/64oz, 1/32oz, 1/16oz, 1/8oz, and 3/16oz. Brass weights, besides being environmentally friendly, resonate sound better than most other metals. I use glass beads with them for optimum noise. These must be faceted fire polished so as not to damage your line. Glass beads come in a wide array of colors to match the bait you use. I've recently started to experiment with Acrylic beads. The ultra hard plastic faceted beads come in some excellent colors and look every bit as good as Glass. They are less expensive and weigh comparable to glass. Best of all, they are more durable and resonate sound to the point that I can't tell the difference between them.
For finesse worming, I rely on a 5-6" or 6ft spinning rod with solid backbone. A fast action light power rod suits my needs. You all know I am fond of BPS Bionic Blade series rods. I use the smaller rod when wading or fishing in my Float Cat. The larger rod is strictly for my boat. Here leverage is the key. My reel of choice is the Pinnacle DNF25 Deadbolt. It is a smooth dependable reel with 5BB, instant anti-reverse, front drag, and 5.3 to 1 ratio. Worms are the only light tackle lures where I even consider using my drag over back reeling. This is only because I keep the anti-reverse engaged for the hookset. For other techniques, the exception being jigs, I prefer to fish without it. If I hook into GUS, I will backreel as that is the safest way to play a big bass.
My favorite light line is Silver Thread. It has a thin diameter, good abrasion resistance, low memory, and is supple. I opt for 6 or 8lb test. DR has turned me onto Power Pro Braid and I love it. My only concern is the lines color, which I think may turn fish off in clear water. All in all, I've been doing really well with the 10lb line. Pro friend Terry Baksay of CT has me using Triple Fish Camo which satisfies my concern for line color. I have found it to be a great line and its color is first rate.
Methods:
Mojo Rig - Perhaps one of my all time favorite worm rigs, the Mojo is just an advanced version of the ever popular split shot rig and alternative to the Carolina rig. A great feature about this rig is that there is no swivel and only one knot to tie. The Mojo weight is pegged securely on the line above the bait by using a piece of silicone filament. A simple tool similiar to a needle threader is used for this. You can add a glass bead if you want sound. I usually prefer it. The best thing about this rig is that it only requires one knot, not three like the Carolina set up. This can mean alot if you fish rocks and lose a few rigs in a day. An advantage over split shotting, you no longer crimp the weight to the line. This could damage it. The filament protects the line and keeps the integrity of the line intact.
Just like its predecessors, the Mojo is best used with a slow steady retrieve. It is a true search bait as it methodically plods the bottom on a seek and destroy mission to find bass. It is a subtle presentation that can be used in every season. I have scored with it in the heat of the Summer to the cold of Winter. You can also use it in clear or stained water. The elongated sinker comes through grass and rock better than traditional bullet weights. This rig is successful because it keeps the bait close to the bottom mimicing a sculpin or other bottom dwelling baitfish. I usually rig the weight about 24 inches above the hook. This is a contact bait in that you must keep in touch with the bottom. I never pick the bait up. I just slide the rig along trying to feel the bottom at all times. You will notice tha
t most strikes feel like you snagged a wet rag. A mushy heavy sensation is often all that you will detect. I prefer a sweep set of the hook.
The Mojo rig lends itself nicely as a rig that a guy can fish in the back of the boat and still take a limit. The rig is notorious for producing numbers over giants. I have taken a few big fish on it, but not enough to call it a big fish technique.
Earthworm's Modified Shaking Rig - Most of the California finesse techniques are tailored for deep water verticle presentation. Shaking is one such technique. I modified it a bit to meet my shallow water needs and it has become a deadly asset to me. The shaking rig is quite simple. It is merely a Texas rigged worm fished with a heavy weight and either a brass clacker or glass bead. Also called a doodle rig, this set up was devised with suspended bass in mind. Don Iovino perfected it. It is little more than this- an angler locates a pod of fish in deeper water and drops the bait on top of them. Here the angler shakes the rod tip to make the brass and glass slap together, literally making the bass strike out of anger. Precise placement of the bait is key as I know guys who are so in tune with their electronics that I've seen them actually hit the fish with the bait. The traditional set up was meant to be fished on baitcasting gear.
I have found a use for this rig in my arsenal. I scale down on the weight and utilize spinning gear. This now becomes a horizontal and shallow to mid depth presentation. I opt for 1/4oz weights or lighter. I like to use this set up around docksupports or bridge pilings. Those that I can find in deeper water are ideal. I constantly jiggle the rod tip to keep the bait sounding off. Again, I'm using a small 4" worm or 3" reaper. I utilize this set up in dingy water where visibility is poor. I feel that the noise is the attracting characteristic of the bait. It can pull fish in from a distance. For this technique, it is important that you learn to "weigh the line". This means become accustomed to what the bait feels like under normal circumstances. Anything heavier or lighter is a fish. I normally use 8lb test with this rig as the dirty water allows me to upgrade. It also has a knack for producing big fish so the extra strength is welcomed. Try not to give the bait too much action. A simple jiggling of the rod tip is all you need. Figure about 2 or 3 inches of movement. Late Fall and Early Spring are my preferred times to use this rig.
Weightless Skipping - Here is a deadly way to fish weenie worms that I rely on more than any other method. The rig is simple- a weightless Texas rigged 4" worm with a 1/0 or 2/0 offset Owner hook. The placement of the bait is what makes the rig so successful. Using a side arm backhand motion, I release the cast with my rod parallel to the water. The bait will skitter and skip along the surface like a frantic baitfish. You can skip the bait like a flat stone into and through cover. This is nothing new, just an exceptional way to catch bass. The skipping gets fish looking skyward, which is about the time that the bait slowly descends upon them. The biggest reason I rely on skipping is because it helps me get my bait far under docks and overhead snags. Usually to places that people would never even think of casting into. I choose a Slider worm for this. It is a bit heavier than most other weenie worms and skips well. Even though you are using the bait in dangerous places, you will usually get it back. Often I will use this rig when I'm fishing behind another boat. I've taken 4 bass over 8lbs on it only moments after other boats worked the same areas. This includes a 9-3 that creamed a black grape Slider worm with a glass Venom rattle hidden inside. I prefer a shorter rod for skipping. A 5-6" fast action rod is cherry for this. I caught the 9-3 on a Cabela's 5ft Tourney Trail UL rod. What a battle that was!!! This rig is awesome for sight fishing.
Split Shot Grubs - With the inception of the Mojo rig I rarely do any splitshotting anymore. The only exception is with a small 3 inch grub. For the rig, I crimp a piece of tabless shot about 18 inches above the bait. The tabless shot won't snag on the weeds. I prefer to use the rig on sandy flats or around hard bottoms. These areas won't foul the shot. A slow steady retrieve drives bass wild. This is also a great search bait. I use it on many of the small creeks I frequent for smallmouth and it is deadly! If you take the time to gain confidence with this rig, you will take a ton of bass with it. You can upgrade to a larger hook and grub to try to attract some bigger bass. I stick with 6lb test. You must rig the grub perfectly to prevent line twist. Rig the grub Texas style along the seem with the tail down. This will act as a keel to keep the grub from rolling over on itself. Make sure you maintain bottom contact with this bait.
Wacky Rigging - Wacky rigging goes against the grain of traditional worm fishing. Many anglers look at this set up and snicker as it really does look quite stupid. Their smirks quickly turn to frowns as they get spanked silly out on the water with this odd looking rig. Once you get past the unorthodox appearance of this set up, you will see that it's clearly a unique tool that belong in your arsenal.
The Wacky rig is best in water from 70 to 80 degrees. I prefer clear to slightly stained water. It is one of my top sight fishing rigs, as those of you who fished the NYBASS 2000 Mahopac get together saw how effective it was for me. This rig has a knack for enticing cruising seemingly uninterested bass when other baits fail. I use it in shallow water from 0 to 5 feet deep. You can use a small nail in the worm for a spiraling fall effect. I prefer to fish it weightless. My set up consists of a small 3 or 4 inch worm or Senko rigged down the middle in half on a small size 4 or 6 splitshot hook from Gamakatsu. I really like the Jersey Rig worm for this tactic. Many guys use a larger hook. Size 1 or 1/0 Mutu light or cirlce hooks are very popular for this technique. This shallow water rig is great around boat docks, boat houses, and sparse vegetation. Simply cast the bait to cover and keep your line semi-taunt. The bait will slowly flutter to the bottom. I don't give it any action except to move it to a new position. My experience with the bait finds most bass suck the bait in and move off with it. I never feel a bite on this rig. I see the fish take the worm or I observe the line slowly moving off. The rig has no negative cues so fish don't drop it that often. When you detect that a bass has the worm apply steady pressure to hook the fish. The hook is small so you can't swing set. I used a larger hook in the past, but realized that I was dropping about 30% of bigger fish at boatside because they were never hooked. Maintaining steady pressue on the fish will allow the small hook to slide along until it finds a place to stick in. It is a hard thing to see a large bass hit your bait and not set up right away. If you can get past this and use the pressure method, you won't lose many bass. I was skeptical, but with practice I learned to do it and it has benefitted me greatly. Thank you, Jerry Puckett and Pat Xiques!!!
Downsizing Soft Jekbaits - For years, I have relied on soft jerkbaits to catch boatloads of bass. I first got my hands on Bass Assassins Super Finesse Twitch Worm which is a thin diameter 4" Slug Go type bait in 1990. Little did I realize that it would become a major player in my tackle box. I picked this bait up in Florida and brought back several hundred to NY. I used them religiously here and found them to be awesome. I quickly learned that I could deadstick it, walk the dog, twitch it, and skip it. I was able to place it deeper into cover than any other bait. It was so natural and fish never saw it before. Deadly. I still use them today. I like Slug Go 3", Snoozers 5" Thrasher, and a 4" model that my buddy, Chris from Al's Worms, handpours for me from California as well as Northern Handpours 4 1/2" Shad. I rig the bait Texas style. Man
y baits have a hook slot where you can pop the point through. This helps because you no longer have to penetrate the plastic on the hookset. I've been using Sugoi or EWG Gamakatsu hooks in 2/0. I stick with gold or silver shiner patterns.The 3" Slug Go is deadly for creek smallies. I've had more than a few 100 bass days on it. I like to skip the bait under overhead cover and snags to get to places most people by-pass. Next, I just kill it and let it deadstick or slowly get pulled by the current. My buddy, Tom Kail, has hit paydirt with his smaller Shad. The 4 1/2" model is just the right size and he has it available in some wicked colors. My absolute favorite is Fool's Gold/Black back.
Light Tackle Tubing - You all know that I love to Texas rig tubes, but I cut my teeth fishing 2 3/4 inch Gitzits for small stream smallies. I use the original 1/16oz Gitzit head which allows the bait to seductively spiral down. The bait is open hooked so it isn't at all weedless. I prefer it around rock cover. I let it fall on a tight line so I can detct hits. The open hooks sticks fish pretty easily. I like the new Bitsy Tube and Gary Klein's Salty Tube. Both are 2 3/4 inches long. I use a 5-6" light action spinning rod with a fast backbone. Normally I'll go with 6lb mono. A few years ago I thought I hooked a state record smallmouth. A big fish freight trained my tube on 4lb line. It turned out to be a 15lb carp. I have also been known to Mojo a tube with a Gamakatsu G-Lock hook. The tube shimmies back and forth far behind the weight. It is a unique look that fish just don't see all that often. As far as tubes are concerned you only need these colors: Black/Blue, Junebug, Watermelon, Green Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Smoke/Purple Flake, Bluegill, and Roadkill. As of this writing, micro munch tackle has just introduced a 2.75" mini tube that is deadly for stream smallies and cold water largemouth. You could also try your luck for slab crappies with them. After fishing with this tube for nearly a complete season, I have come to believe it is the finest small tube out there. All of the characteristics that amde the larger tubes successful are in this smaller "Turd".
All of these finesse methods have proven themselves to me. I didn't invent any of them. I've just modified them a bit to suit me better. They are not all little fish techniques and guys who refer to them as sissy baits have obviously never tried them. They surely will get you onto fish and in capable hands are simply devastating.
Copyright © 2001 Craig DeFronzo
__________________
Craig DeFranzo
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sh03z
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
thanks Johnnie and Craig for the awesome replies...
went fishing again, caught only little ones!! again!!
Johnnie:
Tommorow I'm taking an old friend out fishing, I really want to hook him up with a big bass, I'll try the 7 inchers.
Craig:
That article was really interesting. I read most of it except a few parts.
What I got out of it is the mojo technique with the sweep hook set, the wacky worm with the pressure hook set (which I don't do, and need to do), and lastly,
I heard Johnnie say it and Craig to about my line, I'm switching all my rods to 6 # test...seems like what you guys have been saying is that in clear water termninal tackle should be downsized, not necassarily bait needs to be downsized. ALso, I think I heard you all say bait should be downsized when fish aren't biting...
Thanks!
YOu guys are AWESOME
went fishing again, caught only little ones!! again!!
Johnnie:
Tommorow I'm taking an old friend out fishing, I really want to hook him up with a big bass, I'll try the 7 inchers.
Craig:
That article was really interesting. I read most of it except a few parts.
What I got out of it is the mojo technique with the sweep hook set, the wacky worm with the pressure hook set (which I don't do, and need to do), and lastly,
I heard Johnnie say it and Craig to about my line, I'm switching all my rods to 6 # test...seems like what you guys have been saying is that in clear water termninal tackle should be downsized, not necassarily bait needs to be downsized. ALso, I think I heard you all say bait should be downsized when fish aren't biting...
Thanks!
YOu guys are AWESOME
-fishing is fun-
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MMT
- Posts: 487
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2002 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
scaling down in clear water is excellent advice. Keep in mind that this article was written 3yrs ago. Some of my favorite bait have changed.
Craig DeFranzo
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bass_assassin23
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
mike,
using light line is great for finesse worms but using light line is also great for crankbaits as well. the lighter line will allow for maximum depth of your favorite cranker
using light line is great for finesse worms but using light line is also great for crankbaits as well. the lighter line will allow for maximum depth of your favorite cranker
fishing soothes the soul
Josh Brantley
"The Bass Assassin"
Josh Brantley
"The Bass Assassin"
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sh03z
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
My internet is finally working again...=D
I went fishing today, I used two new lures...I'm sick of wacky worms (been usin' em too much).
The first was a shad type bait, soft jerk bait, but it didn't have a spot for a texas style hook. I hooked it with a baitholder hook out the back, is that the right way?
I did not get any fish in with it, but I lost what I thought were a couple nice ones.
Also, has anyone used this kind of spinner bait:
I tried it today, and it was great...I can't wait to use it next time, I only caught one, but that's good for the lake I was fishing at (I only used it for 5 minutes).
bass_assasin:
I guess you're right, I tried a crank bait on 6# test today, didn't catch anything (I was trolling).
craig:
I gave up on trick worms and finesse worms, I want to use crank baits, jigs, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits...I've been using those things exclusively for about a year now; I have to mix it up a little.
I went fishing today, I used two new lures...I'm sick of wacky worms (been usin' em too much).
The first was a shad type bait, soft jerk bait, but it didn't have a spot for a texas style hook. I hooked it with a baitholder hook out the back, is that the right way?
I did not get any fish in with it, but I lost what I thought were a couple nice ones.
Also, has anyone used this kind of spinner bait:
I tried it today, and it was great...I can't wait to use it next time, I only caught one, but that's good for the lake I was fishing at (I only used it for 5 minutes).
bass_assasin:
I guess you're right, I tried a crank bait on 6# test today, didn't catch anything (I was trolling).
craig:
I gave up on trick worms and finesse worms, I want to use crank baits, jigs, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits...I've been using those things exclusively for about a year now; I have to mix it up a little.
-fishing is fun-
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johnnie crain outdoors
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
Mike,
Strike King's Quad Shad and French Quarter Spinnerbaits are awsome (4) blades. Not only do they replicate a small school of shad, the fish can hear the vibration much farther away, see the flashes from greater distances, the blades tend to semi-de-weed themselves, each blade does a little cutting when weeds are snagged. Even if two blades become fouled, you've still got two working. I fish a lot of dark water here in the Mississippi river, and the quad blade set-up really helps, it's also very effective in current, you can really slow the bait down and still get plenty of flash and vibration.
If you really want to learn a new bait, you'll have to give it more than five minutes use though. You need to try new baits in shallow water, deeper water, current, near the surface, near the bottom, free swimming at mid depth, couldy days, rainy days, bright sunny days,-well, you get the picture.
A thousand years ago when I realized I'd have to learn to worm fish to compete, I took only worms, hooks and sinkers fishing one day. It was six hours before I landed my first fish, but ended up with five and worms have been a great tool for me ever since. Sure, using a new bait can be boring after awile if no action. Think that's boring, try fishing structure one hundred yards off shore with crankbaits. I do it all the time and love it "now". Best of luck, Johnnie
Strike King's Quad Shad and French Quarter Spinnerbaits are awsome (4) blades. Not only do they replicate a small school of shad, the fish can hear the vibration much farther away, see the flashes from greater distances, the blades tend to semi-de-weed themselves, each blade does a little cutting when weeds are snagged. Even if two blades become fouled, you've still got two working. I fish a lot of dark water here in the Mississippi river, and the quad blade set-up really helps, it's also very effective in current, you can really slow the bait down and still get plenty of flash and vibration.
If you really want to learn a new bait, you'll have to give it more than five minutes use though. You need to try new baits in shallow water, deeper water, current, near the surface, near the bottom, free swimming at mid depth, couldy days, rainy days, bright sunny days,-well, you get the picture.
A thousand years ago when I realized I'd have to learn to worm fish to compete, I took only worms, hooks and sinkers fishing one day. It was six hours before I landed my first fish, but ended up with five and worms have been a great tool for me ever since. Sure, using a new bait can be boring after awile if no action. Think that's boring, try fishing structure one hundred yards off shore with crankbaits. I do it all the time and love it "now". Best of luck, Johnnie
Johnnie Crain
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sh03z
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
hey Johnnie, I just used it until it was dark (which was 5 minutes)
I give a lure about a 30 minute try when I'm out, if it doesn't produce, I switch...
This quadro spinnerbait is obviously good if I caught one off the bat.
ANd I know what you mean; its' very frustrating fishing cranks off of deep water without bites, what do you do to maximize the numbers of fish you catch?
If you don't catch anything in the middle of the lake, and you are drifting, do you give up? I mean, what does that tell you?
Because here in FLorida, I just troll and get big fish that way, no often though, I usually get skunked when I troll with crankbaits.
I give a lure about a 30 minute try when I'm out, if it doesn't produce, I switch...
This quadro spinnerbait is obviously good if I caught one off the bat.
ANd I know what you mean; its' very frustrating fishing cranks off of deep water without bites, what do you do to maximize the numbers of fish you catch?
If you don't catch anything in the middle of the lake, and you are drifting, do you give up? I mean, what does that tell you?
Because here in FLorida, I just troll and get big fish that way, no often though, I usually get skunked when I troll with crankbaits.
-fishing is fun-
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johnnie crain outdoors
- Posts: 1504
- Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2002 5:00 pm
finesse fishing
Mike, I never troll crankbaits. It is illegal in all tournaments I fish. I find good off shore structure and make long casts beyond the structure and crash the bait across the cover whatever it may be. Often, I encounter extremely deep water that conventional cranks can't reach even on a long cast. If I'm marking fish I will do a technique called strolling. I'll troll with the trolling motor well beyond the structure and then turn around and troll back across the structure with the reel in free spool letting out line all the way, I may go fifty yards past the structure stop the boat and begin a good solid retrieve, this should allow enough line out for the bait to reach even extremely deep cover. Hope you understand what I'm saying. I also use marker buoys to mark any deep structure I have found and criss cross the area, bass may be facing any direction in deep water. I use crankbaits designed to reach 18 to 25 feet of water and some will do that if your strolling. I have taken lots of fish this way and have enough confidence in the technique to devote a good deal of time to it. Often, If I take a couple of good bass off a submerged hump or creek channel I will move right on top of the struture and drop heavy jigging spoons straight down and vertical fish, quite deadly at times. Johnnie
Johnnie Crain