The winners of the first Region 2 event of 2013 were the team of M & M Bradshaw with five fish and a total weight of 17.75 Lbs. Congratulations to them on this great win.
Region 2 Lake Gaston Reults – 3.10.13
The Missile Baits Fuse 4.4 with John Crews By Josiah Gaza
The Missile Baits Fuse 4.4 with John Crews
By
Josiah Gaza
Shaky head fishing has become immensely popular at nearly every level of fishing in the last few years. It basically consists of a plastic worm rigged Texas-style on a jighead, and its simplicity is one reason for its popularity. However, the main reason fishermen have taken to fishing a shaky head is that it catches fish, in any conditions and at nearly any water depth.
The difference between a shaky head and a regular Texas rig is that while the worm on a Texas rig will lay down on the bottom when paused, that same worm on a jighead designed for shaky head fishing will stand up off the bottom. This means that any water movement, current, or the fisherman lightly shaking the jighead will cause the worm to dance and quiver in the water without actually moving horizontally. This is why it is called ‘shaky head fishing.’
A shaky head is a finesse bait, which means fishing it involves using light line (6-10lb test) and a spinning rod. It is particularly deadly when the fish are in a negative mood or when nothing else seems to be working. The sight of that worm standing off the bottom with the tail quivering seems to scream ‘eat me’ to a bass. It is a very natural looking presentation.
I have had great success using a shaky head in the last few years since I first learned about the technique, but I have never really used anything except a Zoom Trick Worm. However, I recently had the privilege of using a brand new bait designed primarily for shaky head fishing called the Fuse 4.4 by Missile Baits. I caught several fish in 35-degree water using the bait, and its action really impressed me. I also had the opportunity to interview John Crews, who is a Bassmaster Elite Series pro, the founder of Missile Baits, and the creator of the Fuse 4.4. He most recently fished the 2013 Bassmaster Classic, ending in a very respectable 22nd place, and credits the Fuse for much of his success. Whether you are devoted shaky head fisherman or are just learning the technique, the following insights are a must-read.
Josiah – Why did you design the fuse, and what makes it so special?
John – I realized that I fish a shaky head a fair amount, and I needed to design a bait that was better than what was already out there. I needed a slim-profile bait with proper profile proportions so that you could rig it properly, and something that had a lot of action without moving the bait a lot. What we came up with at Missile Baits is the Fuse 4.4. The action of the Fuse has a lot to do with the bait’s middle portion, which is slimmer than most traditional shaky head worms. That middle section is what imparts a lot of the action to the bait. We also wanted the slimmest portion of the bait to be the part that the hook goes through, and that is exactly what you find with the Fuse. That helps tremendously with the hook-up ratio. Although the Fuse is primarily designed for shaky head fishing, it also works great on a dropshot or just a regular Texas rig.
Josiah – How did you come up with the idea for those claws? I was very impressed with their action when I used the Fuse.
John – The Fuse is basically a longer version of the drop craw, so those claws are something that’s a staple here at Missile Baits. The claws themselves are oversized and they impart a lot of subtle, realistic action to the bait.
Josiah – You used this bait in the Bassmaster Classic recently, and so did several other pros. How big a player was it in your success?
John – it was a fallback bait for me. When the fishing got tough or when I really needed a bite it was something I used, and I actually ended up catching some of my better fish on it.
Josiah – Are there conditions where the Fuse really shines?
John – Yes, its really good as a tough conditions bait.
Josiah – Do you do anything different with the bait compared to a traditional shaky head worm?
John – Most people overwork a shaky head and try to give the bait too much action, when they really should let the bait sit a little bit and let the natural action of a shaky head attract the fish.
Josiah – What size hook do you usually use for this bait when you are shaky head fishing?
John -The Fuse works perfectly with the Missile Baits Warlock Head, which has a size 3 hook.
Josiah – So what’s special about the new Warlock Head?
John – Its got a really unique head shape, and it has a size 3 Gamakatsu hook with a wider gap than a lot of shaky head hooks on the market. There is also a larger than average gap between the spring and hook, which really increases hookup percentage. That unique head shape makes the bait come through cover like brush or rocks really well, and it also makes the bait rest at a 45-degree angle off the bottom, which gives it a very natural looking action.
Josiah – What colors do you usually use with the Fuse?
John – it basically starts with green pumkin, and moves from there depending on water color. P. funk red and green pumpkin purple are good colors to use in a little cloudier water, and there’s also our pinkalicious color, which is great for spotted bass.
Josiah – What kind of rod, reel, and line do you usually use to fish a shaky head?
John – I use a 6’8” Pinnacle Perfecta spinning rod, a Pinnacle Optimus size 40 spinning reel, and Vicious Pro-Elite 8lb test Fluorocarbon.
Josiah – Are there any new baits that are in the works at Missile baits that we should be looking forward to?
John – Of course! We have a lot of baits in the pipelines and a lot of great ideas, but I want to take my time coming out with each bait so that we get the design exactly right, and so that I can really educate anglers about our baits so that they are fishing them correctly and so they understand exactly what they do and how effective they are.
Josiah – Any final comments?
John – As far as the Fuse and Warlock go, it’s a combination that’s really great to always have tied on. Whether you’re fishing it behind other anglers or fishing late in the day when you need to finish out a limit, it’s a great way pick up that extra fish or two.
One Stop Mart Bass Tournament Series – Lake Gaston – 3/9/13 Results
The first stop of the 2013 season for the One Stop Mart Bass Tournament trail netted a great victory for Mr
Steve West with a total weight of 7lbs 14.5 oz. Check out the rest of the days results below.
2nd – Cale Jefferson / Tim Thompson 6 lbs. 3oz.
3rd – Steve Dalton Sr. / Steve Dalton Jr. 6 lbs. 3 oz.
4th – Tim Davis / Rodney Irving 5 lbs. 8 oz.
Lunker –Cale Jefferson / Tim Thompson 6 lbs. 3oz.
Next Tournament – SML Sat. 3/30/1 Penhook 7-3
Hold Fast Marine Tip of the Month – Routine Trailer Checks
This months tip from the guys at Hold Fast marine is all about taking care of your trailer. Follow these easy steps to keeping your boat secure and safe the next trip to the lake.
Enjoy this great video and don’t forget these tips before heading out on the water
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Fishing Camp Volunteers Needed – HOLIDAY LAKE 4-H EDUCATIONAL CENTER, INC. – 2013
HOLIDAY LAKE 4-H EDUCATIONAL CENTER, INC.
Dear Sirs:
I am volunteering in 2013 to assist with a Fishing Camp for area youth, 9-13 years old. The Holiday Lake 4-H Center has been doing this camp for many years and this will be my first assisting with. I have been fishing over 50 years and lucky enough to introduce all seven of my grandchildren to the thrills of fishing. In April I am looking forward to the opportunity to help educate 30-40 more young people about the joys of fishing. I have been a 4-H volunteer for 20 years and also volunteer on the Board of Directors for the Holiday Lake 4-H Education Center.
I am seeking donations of fishing equipment to help with the 2013 Fishing Camp. We expect to have prizes for largest fish caught during Camp, smallest fish, longest cast, etc. All tackle donations will be distributed among the Camp attendees and all money donated will be spent on fishing tackle and given to the children.
The Camp will be April 26 through April 28, 2013 with 35-40 children expected to attend, boys and girls age 9-13. Please make any checks payable to “Holiday Lake 4-H Education Center” and include note “For 2013 Fishing Camp”. Please send any donations to “Attn: 2013 Fishing Camp” at the Centers address at the top of this page.
If you have any questions I can be reached by email, gregory.a.heath@williams.com or by phone, 434-664-7079
You can check out 2012 program page at: http://holidaylake4h.com/fishingcamp.php .
Please consider us for a donation, this is a very worthy cause and it will certainly be appreciated and have a lasting impact. With your help we can get more young people involved with this sport we all love. Please help us get these young people started on a lifetime journey of enjoyment.
Sincerely,
Greg Heath
2013 Fishing Camp Volunteer
CLICK ON THE LINK TO LEARN MORE
1267 4-H CAMP ROAD
APPOMATTOX, VA 24522
PHONE (434)248-6917
FAX (434)248-6749
Fishing Camp Volunteers Needed – HOLIDAY LAKE 4-H EDUCATIONAL CENTER, INC. – 2013
HOLIDAY LAKE 4-H EDUCATIONAL CENTER, INC.
Dear Sirs:
I am volunteering in 2013 to assist with a Fishing Camp for area youth, 9-13 years old. The Holiday Lake 4-H Center has been doing this camp for many years and this will be my first assisting with. I have been fishing over 50 years and lucky enough to introduce all seven of my grandchildren to the thrills of fishing. In April I am looking forward to the opportunity to help educate 30-40 more young people about the joys of fishing. I have been a 4-H volunteer for 20 years and also volunteer on the Board of Directors for the Holiday Lake 4-H Education Center.
I am seeking donations of fishing equipment to help with the 2013 Fishing Camp. We expect to have prizes for largest fish caught during Camp, smallest fish, longest cast, etc. All tackle donations will be distributed among the Camp attendees and all money donated will be spent on fishing tackle and given to the children.
The Camp will be April 26 through April 28, 2013 with 35-40 children expected to attend, boys and girls age 9-13. Please make any checks payable to “Holiday Lake 4-H Education Center” and include note “For 2013 Fishing Camp”. Please send any donations to “Attn: 2013 Fishing Camp” at the Centers address at the top of this page.
If you have any questions I can be reached by email, gregory.a.heath@williams.com or by phone, 434-664-7079
You can check out 2012 program page at: http://holidaylake4h.com/fishingcamp.php .
Please consider us for a donation, this is a very worthy cause and it will certainly be appreciated and have a lasting impact. With your help we can get more young people involved with this sport we all love. Please help us get these young people started on a lifetime journey of enjoyment.
Sincerely,
Greg Heath
2013 Fishing Camp Volunteer
CLICK ON THE LINK TO LEARN MORE
1267 4-H CAMP ROAD
APPOMATTOX, VA 24522
PHONE (434)248-6917
FAX (434)248-6749
Anglers Choice Team Tournament Trail March 3, 2013 Smith Mountain Lake – VA Division
The first event of the 2013 season started off on a cold Saturday on SML with 204 teams competing for an amazing pay day. The win went to the team of CHAD GREEN & DEAN WOOD with 5 fish and a total weight of 23.18lbs plus they also had the winning large mouth weighing in at 6.92lbs. A great way to start out the 2013 season. Good luck to everyone at the next event.
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Lake Anna March 2013 Lake Report
Monthly Outlook for March
The month of March kicks of the start to the fishing season. Bass tournaments will begin with the first weekend and the crappie anglers will return to the lake in search of the tastiest fish that swims in Lake Anna. Fish Tales is almost fully stocked back up and they look forward to seeing you this month.
The LAPR 150 Series kicks off on March 3, this popular, growing series of bass tournaments has a 150HP limit for the anglers. Get in touch with Dave Fauntleroy if you are interested in fishing any of the LAPR Tournaments. 540-840-6772
BASS– The largemouth are making their late winter, early spring move to the shallows on sunny days. One of the best techniques to get these fish to bite is with a suspending jerkbait. Main lake points close to deep water are producing numerous fish for anglers.
Look for the most active fish to be from the splits all the way down to the dam early this month. from mid month on, the up lake fish should start to get a little more aggressive. Up lake I like to throw 1/2oz spinnerbaits in the will grass. This time of year it is brown and dormant, but still holds fish. The grass beds will warm up a few degrees from the surrounding water and the bass will pull into it.
Later in the month, soft jerkbaits like Zoom Super Flukes and Burton Minnows will start to produce better than the suspending hard jerkbait. Fish these around docks, laydowns, grass beds and rocks. Patience is the key with these baits in March. Let the baits slowly sink and watch your line for the subtle strike.
CRAPPIE– The specks are slowly making their move out of deep water. They are still around deep brush piles and bridge pilings. Early this month, small minnows rigged on slip bobber rigs will work best. Towards the end of the month, artificial presentations will be HOT!!!!! 1/16oz jig heads with 2″ curly tail grubs are my number one way to catch these tasty fish.
STRIPER- The linesides are acting a little stuborn so far this month. Towards the end of the month, look for them up in the rivers. Cast 1/2oz jig heads rigged with Bass Assassin Sea Shads to them.
Lake Level- FULL POOL
Water Temps
Dike 3- 52
Down Lake- 45-49
Mid Lake- 40-46
Up Lake- 37-41
Chris Craft
CCBASSN Lake Anna Guide Service
www.ccbassnlakeanna.blogspot.
ccbassn@aol.com
540-894-6195
540-895-5900
540-895-5770
Fishing The Late Winter Into Pre-spawn – Power Team Lures – Story 3.3.13
Fishing The Late Winter Into Pre-spawn
February fishing has its ups and downs, that is a fact. We go outside and it might be 20 degrees or it might be 70 degrees. But just because you are bundling up or taking it off doesn’t mean that the fish are feeling what you are. I’ve gone out when it has been 76 degrees and when it has been 30 degrees all in the last month. The difference in the water temperature has been 3 degrees from both days. Why is this important you ask? Well I know for me, and for most bass anglers out there, we tend to move faster and fish faster when it is warm out. A 2 degree jump in water temp isn’t going to put those fish on the feed bag and fire up their metabolism. They might move slightly shallower, but they aren’t in the back of the coves or creeks getting ready to spawn (YET!) Fish are sluggish when the water is still cold regardless of the air temperature. They don’t want to move fast or far for a meal. And when they do move for a meal, they want it to be substantial enough to sustain them for a good while before they have to eat again. All you have to do right now is look onto wherever you get your fishing information from, and you will see that there are some HAWGS being caught right now and most are taken on bigger baits. So how do you get yourself one of those hawgs? Simple, SLOW DOWN and think outside the box. Finesse techniques may work for numbers right now, but that isn’t going to get you that big bag or that kicker fish you need to take that tournament or your personal best. You should be throwing something big enough for a bass to want to eat it and not have to eat again really soon. If you are reading this blog, you are probably a big fan of Power Team Lures already, and here’s what I would be throwing if I were out there right now.
#1- PowerTeam Lures 10” Ribbon Hinge worm. This worm has the right action that says “I’m alive, so eat me” but still doesn’t put fish off by being too active like a lot of ribbon tail worms. The subtle action that’s halfway between a straight tail worm and a ribbon tail will call them in with water displacement and won’t appear out of its natural cold water element. Pair it up with some Hog Tonic to get them enticed and really think its FOOD! Texas rigging with a slow drag or subtle hop on the main lake points, creek channel swings, and the first 1/3 of creeks are where you are going to find those big fish right now that are looking to eat. Don’t neglect steep rip rap banks either. If you have temperatures that are fluctuating, the bass will move up on the rocks to warm up because the rip rap will hold heat better than other types of structure. The bottom of the banks where the rocks meet the lake bottom can be a great place to catch them!
#2- 4.5” Conviction Craws and 4.5” Texas Rig Jigs. The subtle action on the appendages of these baits won’t look out of place because the craws are cold this time of the year too! I fish these 2 baits multiple ways. I like them on a football jig as a trailer and on a Carolina rig too. But the best way I’ve found to fish them is on a football shaky head, dragged along the same places as the Ribbon Hinge worm. I pair mine up with a ½ oz to a ¾ oz jig head and a 7’3” MH rod, 6.4:1 reel and get a good distance off the bank so I have plenty of area to cover. If you think the fish want more subtle bait, I like to cut or pinch the top skirt half off the Texas Rig Jigs so the skirt is only underneath the bait and it looks like the little legs underneath the tail section of a live crawdad.
Just experiment with retrieve speed, hops and shakes, or straight dragging speed until you find what the fish want. Fluorocarbon will help out a lot when it comes to these techniques. I prefer 14 lb for these techniques. The limited stretch will help you feel the subtle bites this time of the year. It also helps to “fool” the fish into thinking its live bait, as they can’t see the line.
Contributed by:
Chris Allard
Power Team Lures Pro Staff
Fight Your Way To Bigger and Better Bass By: Scott M. Petersen – Big Bite Baits F
Fight Your Way To Bigger and Better Bass
By: Scott M. Petersen
Here at Big Bite, February is frog month so we are going to talk about the Fighting Frog in this month’s newsletter. If you have fished this bait before you will have a good idea what I am talking about, but for the new anglers that have not had a chance to rig a Fighting Frog onto a hook or on the back of your favorite jig you are in for a treat. So grab a baitcaster, spinning rod and hop in the boat we are going frog fishing that is Fighting Frog fishing.
The Fighting Frog comes in two different sizes 3.5″ and 4″. When you take a closer look at the bait it has many uses and today we are going to cover just a few. If you have a favorite way to rig and fish the Fighting Frog that we did not cover log onto the Big Bite Face book page and let us know how you fish your Fighting Frogs.
Start Small – For those of you who are looking for a different look and want to go on the finesse side the 3.5″ Fighting Frog is an excellent choice to get the job done. I have many times just rigged the Fighting Frog on a 1/4oz shaky head jig or on a 3/8oz football jig, rigged with no skirt and fished weed edges or open water rocky areas when the bass bite is on the slow side. This is a great option to throw also when fishing in pressured conditions, maybe on the second day of a two day tournament. This is a smaller profile to the bass than a fully rigged football jig or weedline jig and I can tell you if you downsize your jig head size and line size you will get more bites even in the toughest of conditions.
As another option do not be afraid to rig the Fighting Frog Texas style and fish the inside weedline during the early season. Bass are in the shallows looking for food before the spawn and will welcome an easy meal when on the prowl looking for a mate and a place to spawn.
Flipping – Whenever I put a Flipping stick in my hands one of the first baits that I grab is a Fighting Frog. I use this bait for two reasons one, it is a bigger profile bait that the bass can easily see from a distance and two, the action. The Fighting Frog craws give off a lot of action when moved even a short distance, just lift the frog off of the bottom a foot and the craws will swim all the way on the lift and back to the bottom. When I am looking to make the bait a little more visible; or when fishing in dirty water conditions; I will dye the craws on my Fighting Frog either chartreuse or orange in color for added attraction.
When it comes to battle, I will grab a 7’6″ flipping stick that is rigged with a 6-3:1 or 7:1 baitcaster reel that is either spooled with Sunline 20lb to 25lb Shooter or Sunline FX-2 60lb braid. Now let me clarify here a little, if I am going toe to toe with bass that are buried deep in heavy cover, I will use a reel that is spooled with the Sunline FX-2 braid hands down. But let’s say I am pitching my Fighting Frog around docks and I am fishing in clear water conditions, many times with braid in these conditions the bass can see the line and will not bite, so if I am fishing in clear water conditions I will rely on Sunline Shooter as my line choice. 20lb to 25lb can pretty much handle all I can dish out so do not worry about breaking off fish or loosing bass either.
To rig the Fighting Frog I use two different presentations one is a 4/0 Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Hook with keeper and I will peg my weight, I use either a Bullet Weight Screw Lock Tungsten Weight or use a regular Bullet Weight and use a bobber stop to keep the weight in place against the hook. The reason for pegging the sinker is to keep the bait as one; I do not want the sinker to separate from the Fighting Frog as it is going through the weeds and fall to the bottom. I want my offering to stay together. Another option to use is a jig head with a Fighting Frog as a trailer. You make the decision as to what works best for you.
Bulk Up – When fishing a jig you have many trailer choices that you can team your jig with. One of my favorite choices when I am looking for bigger bass and need a bigger profile bait is to team my jig with a Fighting Frog as its trailer. When I need a slower fall during tough bite conditions the Fighting Frog trailer is my first choice. The Fighting Frog when threaded onto the jig creates a bigger, wider profile than a slimmer craw option that will fall faster through the water column. This combination is a good choice to use when the bass are not in a chasing or neutral mood and will not chase a bait. The slow fall of the jig keeps the bait in the strike zone longer many times triggering more strikes.
I also have started to replace my twin tail trailer option on my football jig and have started to use the Fighting Frog more. Let’s face it when you are dragging your football jig over and through the rocks looking for bites you are many times after some of the biggest bass that are in the system so why give them a bait that has a smaller profile, it’s time to bulk up and to do this start to rig your football jig with a Fighting Frog. The action that the craws put off is just as good; or even better than your favorite twin tail grub and the bigger profile of the Fighting Frog will trigger more bites from bigger bass at the same time. Once again if I am looking to make my offering a little more visible in off color water conditions I will color the craws either chartreuse or orange in color.
When it comes to fishing this option I many times just grab my flipping stick setup that is spooled with 20lb to 25lb Sunline Shooter and go to work. Many times you are fishing this presentation on open, deep water rock areas where the biggest bass of the system spend the summer months. Deep open water rocks, 20lb to 25lb test line Shooter Line, 1oz football jig rigged with a Big Bite Fighting Frog trailer being pulled across the rocks that is hawg fishing at its best!!!
One option to always keep in your back pocket is to try to fish the Fighting Frog on a football jig with no skirt; I call this fishing the Fighting Frog naked. Make your cast and the let the jig settle to the bottom, work the jig along the bottom until you feel a good rock. When you get the jig against the rock try to rock the jig back and forth a few times, this action will get the jig to stand up and look like the craw is taking a fighting position.
So as you can see the Big Bite Fighting Frog has many options to fish it all the way from being rigged on a shaky head jig to a flipping hook or a trailer on a jig with or without a skirt, you make the choice. Keep your Fighting Frog options open and make adjustments as you fish. To see all of the Big Bite Fighting Frog colors please log onto www.bigbitebaits.com