Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 268 – Josh Bertrand
November 15, 2017
Bass Edge Radio, presented by MegaWare KeelGuard is ready to understand more about desert lakes and how BASS Elite Series angler Josh Bertrand excels fishing them in their latest podcast. Bass Edge Radio hosts Aaron Martin and Kurt Dove talk with Josh about his transition to fishing different types of waterways and several of his fall tactics that keep him at the top of the game.
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When bass go deep in late fall and early winter, long casts are usually unnecessary because most of the action will be right below the boat. So break out the light line and spinning tackle and drop your lure straight down to reach bass hugging bottom or suspended over deep structure. It’s time for some vertical jigging.
By fine tuning your electronics, you can see all the action below when vertical jigging your lures. Vertical jigging for wintertime bass requires a heavy enough lure for probing deep and one that mimics the available forage. Here are five baits that produce best for this tactic.
Source: YouTube
A 2 1/2-inch soft plastic minnow-style bait such as the Berkley Gulp Alive Minnow (smelt color) attached to a number 2 or 4 hook with a drop shot rig works great for vertical jigging bottom-hugging smallmouth bass. The drop shot rig should include a 1/4- or 1/2-ounce cylindrical weight set 2 to 10 inches below your minnow bait.
Drop the rig all the way to the bottom in depths of 20 feet or more and shake it on a tight line to trigger strikes.
When vertical jigging for early winter smallmouth bass, slide a 1/8-ounce football jig into a 4-inch tube bait to give the lure a bulky head similar to a goby (a smallmouth’s favorite forage).
The mood of the fish determines whether you should shake the tube vigorously or let it sit for long spells.
The twisting tail action and full-body look of a plastic grub makes this lure ideal for vertical jigging. Try a 3 1/2-inch grub on a 3/8- or 1/2-ounce ball jighead to reach wintertime bass on steep drop-offs.
When vertical jigging this lure, you don’t have to impart any action at all because boat movement from wind and waves is enough to make the grub’s tail twirl.
Drop a 1/4- or 1/2-ounce chrome slab spoon to the bottom and start vertical jigging with your rod held at the 10 o’clock position. Jerk it to 12 o’clock a couple of times before slowly lowering it to follow the fall of the spoon.
A favorite vertical jigging bait of Table Rock Lake guides is the Rapala Jigging Rap, which is normally used for ice fishing. You can vertical jig this bait by raising your rod 2 to 3 feet and then slowly dropping it.
Do you want to get better at fishing, try new lures, or just surprise yourself with something fun every month? Then be sure to check out a Mystery Tackle Box Subscription for at least one month. You’ll get the best new baits plus tips, how-to videos, decals and more. With over 70,000 members this is one service you can’t pass up!
Picture: Zack Keller from Northern Va. with a nice largemouth bass, caught last month, while fishing with Captain Dale at Smith Mtn. Lake.
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OVERVIEW– The bass fishing has been good the past several weeks! This is a transitional time of the year for fishing! The water temperature is dropping. Fishing overall has been fair to good this past month! Water temperature will be in the upper 40’s to lower 50’s. Best times will be early morning, late afternoon and cloudy days. Night fishing can be fair this month. Fishing for stripers usually picks up later during the month of December.
Largemouth Bass– Fishing for largemouth bass has been very good this month. Best lures will be large plastic worms, shaky heads, medium running crank baits, jigs, spinner baits, spoons and Carolina rigs. Main channel points, brush piles, rocky areas, ledges, stumps and deep docks will be the best areas to try your luck. Best depths will be from the 5 to 30 feet deep. Remember to take care of the bass and release them! Bass fishing should continue to be good with the cooler water temperatures. Most bass will star follow schools of shad as they migrate back into the coves and up stream. Crawfish are a big part of their diet during the winter.
Smallmouth Bass- Fishing will be good. Best areas will be ledges, humps, stumpy areas, and rocky points. Best lures will be tubes, jig & pig, hair jigs, drop shots, blade baits and medium running crank baits. Best areas will be in the mid to the lower sections of the lake. Cloudy days with wind are good times to try your luck! Look for areas with rocks and ledges close to the deep water. Look for isolated rock piles near deep water. Smallmouth bass feed heavily on crawfish this time of the year. They will also suspend around schools of bait in the main lake.
Striped Bass- Fishing will continue to improve this month. Stripers will be caught in the mid to upper sections of the lake and in the large creeks. Best lures will be swim baits, buck tails, spoons, Alabama rigs and Zoom flukes fished on 3/8 to 1/2 oz. lead heads. Best time to fish is cloudy days, early mornings and late afternoons. Night fishing will be fair. The best depths will be from the surface to 45 feet deep. Live bait fished on down lines and planner boards work good this month. This is also a good month to troll as the stripers will be shallower. The stripers will constantly be on the move. Look for large schools of stripers with your electronics. Some schools of stripers will surface this month. Seagulls will start to show up this month. The seagulls will help locate feeding stripers.
Crappie- Fishing for crappie will be good this month. The best depths will be 5 to 20 ft. deep. Crappie will be found around docks, brush piles, and fallen trees. Docks with brush piles are usually good areas to hold crappie. Small live minnows and 1½ to 2 inch tubes or shad shaped plastic lures fished on 1/32 to 1/16 oz. lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month. Best areas are the main creeks and the upper sections of the lake.
TIP OF THE Month- Don’t fish alone during the cold months! Remember to always wear your life jacket!!! Fishing will improve as the water temperatures fall! Schools of shad are migrating up stream and into the creeks. Make sure your running lights are on after dark!!! You can also hear reports about local fishing on the website: THE BASS CAST RADIO SHOW & WSLK 98.3 radio. Remember: TAKE A KID FISHING! SEE YOU ON THE LAKE!!! GOOD FISHING!
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We all dream of catching huge bass all the time, but the reality is it doesn’t happen that way. For whatever reason, we become accustom to catching bass a certain way and then we go somewhere new and struggle. But why do we struggle? I was reminded of that Saturday as I went out with Tiffany Risch to explore a pond that Outdoor Access, a new player in the land management field for landowners, manages. We went with dreams of big bass like we can usually catch.
The weather had been up and down, high on Thursday was in the 60s. Friday in the 50s, and Saturday was supposed to be in the 60s again. But the high at 7 am was 30 degrees and the wind was a true force. We launched the boat and proceeded to the deepest part of the pond at the dam. The depth finder showed some really nice bass were holding along the bottom, but the wind blew us off them before we could even blink. Back on the trolling motor we go, going past them and then dropping an anchor in 17 feet of water. We worked a lipless crankbait along the bottom in every direction, but nothing. We worked deep diving crankbaits along the bottom, spinnerbaits, suspending jerkbaits, a jig n’ pig, soft plastics, everything, but nothing was working. What were we doing wrong?
Deciding to make a move to the bank we went, going back to the lipless, we worked the outside weed line and drop offs, but nothing early in the area we were working. Another move towards the back seemed like a great idea. Tiffany decided to throw out the lipless and troll it as we moved along. Suddenly, the rod tip bends as a fish loaded up. A happy dance in the front of the boat as she reeled in the first bass of the day. It wasn’t huge, but it was a bass. Not what we were looking for but it was a start.
To the back and the shallows, working a 7’ straight tailed worm and a weightless t-rigged strait worm working them around the pads and grass line, but nothing. We worked around the two beaver huts, and still nothing, not even a little one. We would go up and let the wind carry us back down. Not the best way to fish, but it was what we had to work with. Frustration was setting in to say the least. So we decided to move back to the lower part of the lake, working the shoreline as we went. And we still worked our baits out into the deeper water, searching for that bite.
As we neared the dam we decided to move to the shallows off to the far side. Tiffany works the lipless along the drop off at the weed line and lands the second bass of the day. Granted, it was still small, but it was the desired species we were hunting for on this day. We continued to struggle along, fighting the strong wind and finding more small bass, even a nice size crappie. But the more we struggled, the more frustrated we became.
Then it dawned on me, we were struggling, not because we couldn’t find bass, but because we couldn’t find BIG bass. We went there to catch big bass, not to find bass in general. We set our goals high and were failing. We were having a great day of fellowship and laughter even with the struggle. But we were finding fish on new water, we were slowly figuring out what was going on and we would have found those big bass if only.
If only the battery had not just about died fighting the wind. If only daylight was starting to give way to darkness. If only we had just trusted in our abilities and stayed where we had found the bass holding near the bottom in deeper water. If only we had brought the beef jerky that day. If only….if only.
We all face days where we struggle, and the transition from fall to winter can be one of those times. Weather conditions that force us to make adjustments, bass that are tight lipped, and the idea that we can always catch big bass all make for a long day. Its how we deal with those days and what we learn from them that help us grow as people and anglers. If only I had gotten….if only.
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We wrapped up the last 2017 Kerr Fall Qualifier with 19 boats entered! Fishing seems to be good at Kerr!
Tyler & Ricky Trent brought in the heaviest bag of the tournament weighing up at 18.91 lbs! They took home the 1st BONUS $ pushing their total winnings to $1,385.00!
2nd went to Mike Dinterman & Scott Smith with 5 bass weighing 16.34 lbs. They weighed in the 2nd BF at 5.71 lbs and took home $727.00!
Joey Talbot & Michael Deen claimed 3rd with 15.98 lbs. They also weighed in the 1st BF at 6.04 lbs and took home a total of $333.00! Joey & Michael also won the Kerr Fall points and will fish the Final free!
We have 51 teams eligible to enter the December 2nd Final at Occoneechee Park!
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The fall is the perfect time to start working one of our favorite, outside the box, innovative setups: The Donkey Rig. Essentially, the Donkey Rig is a dual-fluke setup used to imitate multiple shad on the run. It is made up of two leaders, two hooks and a pair swivels.
One swivel goes to the end of the mainline, with an 8-12 inch leader tied to one of your hooks. The other swivel is tied to a 12 to 16 inch leader, and moves on it’s own up and down the leader line. This varied line length reduces twist, and is the basis of the erratic double-fluke action bass in the fall can’t resist.
Using bigger (4/0 or 5/0) hooks give a little added weight to allow you to cast past your target and reel back through, avoiding spooking finicky bass.
When choosing flukes, also known as soft plastic jerkbaits, you can mix and match colors to find what’s working. Another tip to test is working in floating and sinking plastics. If one sinks and the other floats, the erratic action will get even wilder.
Try choosing lifelike shad colors to skip the rig under docks, where bass are feeding on schools of baitfish. Because of the bigger hooks you are using on this rig, opting for a bigger soft plastic is also a good choice. Color changing lures like the Smartbaits Mighty Minnow will adjust to water temperature and keep bass on their toes depending on the depths you are fishing.
When bass are feeding at the surface and you’re swimming this rig through the surface, mix up your twitch/twitch/pause cadence until you start to produce bites. If bass are suspended and schooling, you’ll still want to fish the Donkey Rig like a regular jerkbait, mixing up your twitches and pauses, but allowing it to sink a few feet and working it back to the boat beneath the surface. Ben Milliken of Milliken Fishing gives some more tips on the Donkey Rig and other cold water tactics here:
“It’s absolutely one of the funniest ways of fishing. If you’re not catching any, you’ll amuse yourself the whole day because the action is so erratic and so different.” – Mark Menendez, creator of the Donkey Rig, via Bassmaster
It’s almost holiday season! Do you want to give the gift of fishing this year? Or just looking to treat yourself to the gift you have always wanted? Either way a Mystery Tackle Box Subscription is an incredible gift idea. You’ll get the best new baits plus tips, how-to videos, decals and more. With baits delivered to your door at up to 40% off retail price, this is one service every angler needs to try!
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Late winter and early spring are usually the best times to catch bass when heavyweight female bass laden with eggs move shallower in preparation for the spawn. However, the biggest trophy bass I ever caught on my home waters of Lake of the Ozarks was during a Thanksgiving weekend tournament.
I was fortunate to win the tournament’s big bass pot with my 8-pound, 1-ounce largemouth bass because I had heard that two 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouths were caught the same day in other tournaments at Lake of the Ozarks.
Despite falling water temperatures in late autumn, big bass are still feeding heavily in preparation for winter. Here are three tips on how to catch late fall trophy bass.
Source: FinsNTales
I caught my big bass at Lake of the Ozarks on a clown-colored Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogue. The suspending stickbait has always been a productive big bass bait during the winter, but I decided to use it in late fall because I thought a big fish might not have seen this particular lure yet. I knew Lake of the Ozarks bass had been pounded by anglers throwing spinnerbaits and buzz baits so I tempted that big fish with a different-looking shad imitator.
Waking a 3/4-ounce double willowleaf spinnerbait or slowly retrieving a buzz bait across the surface are two other productive tactics for trophy bass hunting in late fall. Jigs are always noted for catching big bass so try pitching a flipping or finesse style jig around shallow cover or dragging a football jig in deep water.
Bumping a Texas-rigged creature bait along the bottom is another effective technique for tricking heavyweight bass in the fall. Rig the creature bait on a 6/0 hook and match it with a 5/16-ounce tungsten worm weight for the best results.
When searching for big bass in late fall, look for deep structure. You can occasionally catch big bass on isolated shallow cover, but there are always going to be trophy bass on deep structure that time of year holding anywhere from 12 to 25 feet deep. Key on spots in or near the main channel of the lower end of a lake where bigger fish seem to dwell. Humps and deep isolated pieces of cover that are hard to find with electronics are also top targets for bigger bass.
While checking out creek and river channels with your electronics search for isolated boulders, brush piles or anything irregular along the deep structure. Bigger bass always hang out around isolated cover because big fish would rather be by themselves. So when you look down a bank or a bluff and it is straight and then you have something that is irregular, there is going to be a big fish holding there.
On shallow lowland reservoirs trophy bass set up ambush points in the late fall along stumps less than 2 feet deep, yet the cover is still near deeper water of a creek channel. On lakes filled with aquatic vegetation, some of the weeds start dying in late fall, so key on the greenest plants to find the biggest bass then.
The presence of baitfish is also critical in hunting for late fall big bass whether you are fishing shallow or deep. Bass of all sizes relate to the massive schools of baitfish that usually migrate to the creeks and coves in the fall.
Baitfish and juvenile bass can still be found anywhere in a creek or cove during late fall, but big bass still seek an edge. The key feature to pinpoint for bigger bass is the creek channel or any ditch running through a cove or bay. Trophy bass are going to be associated with the baitfish schools that are hanging around the channel or ditch.
Patience is the ultimate virtue when chasing a big bass anytime, but especially in the late fall. You must expect getting fewer bites when hunting for a trophy bass. In fact the bite from that big fish might be the only one you get that day.
Whenever I report on a bass tournament in late fall and I interview the winner who caught a five-fish limit of heavyweight bass I always ask him how many bites he had throughout the day. The most common answer is five bites.
Sometimes you will land a quality bass mixed in with your frequent catches of smaller bass, but most of the time you have to hunt for loners if you want that once-in-a-lifetime catch. You have to become disciplined enough to leave an area where you are catching 2-pounders on almost every cast, and head for a spot where you might have to wait an hour before you get a bite. But that one bite will be well worth the wait.
Do you want to get better at fishing, try new lures, or just surprise yourself with something fun every month? Then be sure to check out a Mystery Tackle Box Subscription for at least one month. You’ll get the best new baits plus tips, how-to videos, decals and more. With over 70,000 members this is one service you can’t pass up!
Navico® Expands Track Offerings
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Egersund, Norway – Navico – parent company to the leading marine electronics brands Lowrance, Simrad and B&G – has expanded the range of options for marine-based reporting and connectivity, with the all-new Track HD telemetry system.
Historically, Track has provided instant access to marine-vessel location and status through a mobile app and online dashboard. Now with Track HD, users can take remote control of lights, pumps, HVAC or other systems. Track HD also enables cloud storage for key vessel documents, and TripReplay to capture and share details of previous trips. With multiple connectivity options including WiFi and cellular and satellite connectivity coming soon – consumers can choose the option that best meets their needs. These new plans are available now, and existing customers can upgrade their subscriptions online.
To learn more about the Track HD telemetry system, please visit track.gofreemarine.com. For more information on the Navico brands, visit www.lowrance.com, www.simrad-yachting.com, www.navico-commercial.com/ and www.bandg.com. To find out more about the Navico Group of companies, visit www.navico.com.
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PORTUGAL ANNOUNCED AS LATEST COUNTRY TO JOIN FLW INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONING
JOSÉ NEVES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE LICENSING AGREEMENT TO RUN FLW BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS IN PORTUGAL
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MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 15, 2017) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced Wednesday that Portugal has become the latest country to sign an exclusive licensing agreement and will begin offering Portuguese anglers the opportunity to compete in FLW-sanctioned bass fishing tournaments in 2018. The agreement was signed by FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel and José Neves, CEO and President of FLW Portugal.
Portugal will run a series of FLW tournaments that advance anglers, who are citizens of Portugal, to the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship beginning in 2018. One angler will compete as a pro, with FLW providing a fully-rigged Ranger boat, and one angler will compete as a co-angler.
“Bass fishing in Portugal is gaining more and more followers each year, and I strongly believe that the opportunities that FLW provides for international competitors make them the right partner for our anglers,” said Neves. “Largemouth bass are considered an invasive species in our country, so the more the fishing community can do for the sport of competitive angling the more bass will gain in popularity and in importance to tourism. We are excited to send our anglers to compete in Guntersville, Alabama at the 2018 Costa FLW Series Championship.”
The top pro award at the Costa FLW Series Championship is $95,000, including a Ranger Z518C boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard if the pro is Ranger Cup qualified, and the top co-angler award is a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude outboard. The highest finishing pro from the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship will advance to the following year’s Forrest Wood Cup for the chance to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
South Africa’s Michael Matthee was the highest finishing International pro at the 2017 Costa FLW Series Championship and will now represent the FLW International Division at the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Matthee is also the first International pro to finish in the top 10 at the Costs FLW Series Championship. He finished ninth.
“Since the launch of the International program three years ago we have showcased multiple anglers from around the world competing at the FLW Series Championship,” said Fennel. “We are happy to announce that Portugal will be joining us in 2018 and the talented Portuguese anglers will have world-class tournaments to demonstrate their skill. We look forward to welcoming them to the FLW family.”
Portugal is now the seventh country to sign on for the international sanctioning program, joining Canada, China, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.
Additional FLW qualifying tournaments in other countries will continue to be forthcoming. Watch FLWFishing.com for details. For more information about FLW Portugal visit Facebook.com/FLWPortugal.
