Fishing River Current for Bass

Fishing in river current can be challenging, but it's also a great way to test your skills as an angler. By understanding how the current affects the behavior of the fish and adapting your techniques accordingly, you can increase your chances of success and make the most of your time on the water.

Following are several tips for fishing river current for bass:

Locate the current breaks: Bass are usually found near areas where the current is flowing. Look for areas where the water is moving faster, such as around rocks, logs, or other structures that create eddies, current seams, or other forms of turbulence. These areas can create pockets of slower-moving or stagnant water conditions where bass will congregate and stage to feed.

Use the right presentation: When fishing in river currents, it's essential to use the right technique. The most effective technique is to cast upstream and let the lure drift downstream naturally. Maintain contact with the lure and be ready for a strike at any moment. Try to vary the speed and action of the retrieve until you find the right retrieve combination.

Select the right bait: Depending on the conditions, different types of bait can be effective for fishing in river current. Soft plastic lures, such as worms or grubs, can be rigged to drift naturally with the current in low flow situations. On the other hand, reaction baits like crankbaits or spinnerbaits can also be effective in faster-moving water.

Be alert: When fishing in river current, you need to stay alert at all times. River current can be unpredictable, so be prepared to adjust your technique as needed. Watch for changes in the water flow or any signs of fish activity such as breaking bait or feeding birds.

Stay safe: Finally, always prioritize safety when fishing in river current. Wear a life jacket, stay aware of your surroundings, and be careful when wading in the water.

Take a few moments and watch the following video as bass pro Patrick Walters discusses his approach to fishing in current:

Lure Selections For Winter Bass

If you are fortunate enough to live in southern areas of the US and your local waters do not freeze over during the winter, piling on the clothing and hitting the water for a little bass fishing helps reduce cabin fever.

Even though a fair number of hearty souls brave the cold winter chill and head out for a little winter bass fishing, many struggle with the “catching” part of the success equation.

One question instantly springs into mind …

Are you using the right lures when searching for those elusive winter bass?

Key Winter Bass Fishing Lure Selections …

Fishing Algae-stained Lakes with KVD

Fishing a new lake always presents numerous questions when an angler hits the water for the first time. 

Add in a complication of an ongoing algae bloom turning the water color the pea soup green and breaking down the lake cover for an effective day on the water becomes even more challenging.

In this next video, bass pro Kevin VanDam (KVD) explains his apporach to fishing lakes underoging an algae bloon and why a swim jig is often his bait of choice when he finds the bass holding near shallow cover...

Making Crankbaits Suspend

When most anglers hear the term suspending baits they likely think of the most common suspending lure type, the jerkbait. 

But many savvy bass anglers realize there are limitations to what can be accomplished with a standard minnow-style jerkbait and have modified different types on billed crankbaits to suspend as well.

The most common floating to suspending crankbait modification is usually performed on one of the best cool/cold water crankbaits on the market, the Rapala Shad Rap (<== post link).

Some of those same methods can be applied to other diving crankbaits as bass pro Matt Stefan illustrates in this insightful video:

In additon to the methods Matt discusses in the video, the addition of Storm's Suspend Strips or Dots also helps with crankbait modifications as well.

It definitely provides some food for thought when out trying to entice cold water bass into biting!

Need additional components to modify baits or make your own fishing lures? 

Check out the wide variety of bait making and modifying items available at Lure Parts Online by clicking on the following image!

Fall Flipping Tips

Many anglers feel fishing in the fall can be one of the most rewarding yet frustrating seasons during the year.

Why?

Because the bass tend to be scattered from shallow to deep as they transition from their summer patterns. 

One thing for sure however, there will always be some of the bass around shallow cover and a great presentation when fishing shallow... flipping!

Given the wide range of flipping bait sizes and styles, selecting the right combinations is often critical for triggering strikes. 

Take a moment and watch as 2022 Bassmaster Classic champ Jason Christie explains his approach to flipping in the fall.

Hook Sets Are Free

Forty-some years ago I had the pleasure to watch a documentary film created by legendary underwater videographer Glen Lau on the life cycle of the largemouth bass ... "Bigmouth". 

Though there were many informative clips throughout the film, one of the most memorable was watching another legend in the outdoor sports world, Homer Circle work his double treble hook crankbait by some logs holding huge bass and entice a strike...

Enticing a strike from a huge bass was cool but what happened next became etched in my mind since I first witnessed it as shown in this short video excerpt...

Selecting Line Sizes When Fishing Crankbaits

When fishing a moving bait like crankbaits, new crankbait anglers often miss the subtlities of gear selection to maximize the performance of the bait. 

Beyond the fact that different types of crankbaits (squarebills, medium diving crankbaits, deep diving baits) present the first mystery to decipher when trying to master crankbaits, line selection also plays a key roll on how each crankbait performs during the retrieve.

Take a moment and listen as bass pro Chris Zaldain explains his approach to optimize crankbait performance by selecting the right type and size line to match the conditions being fished...

The two main points Chris makes in his video:

• Fluorocarbon line is preferred when fishing crankbaits
• Use heavier lines when fishing shallow running baits and decrease line size when fishing deeper running crankbaits especially in clear water

Making Your Own Custom Vibrating Jigs

Are you one of those DIY folks that loves creating baits and catching bass on them? Are you looking to make your own chatterbaits with the blades connected directly to the jighead with quality components and save some $$$?

Then take a moment and watch the following video that describes the molds and materials you need to start making your own custom chatterbaits at home...

Catching bass is always great but catching them on baits you've created and customized takes the exhiliration to a whole new level.

New to the idea of making your own lures like those shown in the chatterbait tutorial above, all of the stuff you need from molds, pre-poured jig heads, blades, skirts, split rings and snaps is available via the Lure Parts Online web store. 

Click on the image below and see what they have to offer!

Have fun and as always, tight lines especially with your new DIY custom chatterbaits!

Modifying Jerkbaits

Throughout the open water bassin' season, jerkbaits can be one of the most effective pressentations for catching bass especially when they are scattered, chasing bait or suspended.

Although most bass anglers always have a few jerkbaits in the box, what happens if the bass are triggering on baits running at specific depths; that suspend, rise or fall a certain way or suspend in a certain orientation and the baits you have don't cut it? 

Are you out of luck oon a great jerkbait bite?

Thoughts on Frog Selection

Watching a bass blow up on a hollow belly frog worked through cover is one on the most exhilarating moments bass anglers experience. It's little wonder why frog fishing is so popular in the bass fishing world!

One issue many new frog fisherman have is the variety of hollow belly frog body styles, sizes and colors usually leaves us perplexed about which frog to use to match the conditions on the water (water clarity, cover type, fishing pressure, etc.).

Fortunately 2022 Bassmaster Classic winner Jason Christie took the time to provide his approach to selecting the right frog to match the conditions encountered when on the water. Take a few minutes and watch as he explains his system in the following short video...

Need to add a frog oor two to your collection? Click on the following link to see the frog selection offered at Omnia Fishing:

Hollow Belly Frog Selection

A Bass Pro's Top 2 Year-round Baits

Ever wonder if pro tournament anglers have favorite or confidence baits they fish any time, any where?

Well in Gerald "G-Man" Swindle's case the answer is a loud n proud Yes!

Take a moment and watch this short video as G-Man explains his reasons for selecting two baits that are always on the deck of his boat:

Pretty interesting but in my case I can't seem to limit it to two; maybe perhaps four:

• Texas rigged soft plastic (usually a soft stickbait)
• Spinnerbait
• Chatterbait
• Rigged jighead (usually a paddletail swimbait or grub)

:)

Tips for Junk Fishing Rivers

There is no doubt that some days and some waters where junk fishing is the key to success. 

One type of water where junk fishing shines is small to medium sized rivers.

Take a moment and hear what bass pro Gerald "G-man" Swindle has to say about his approach when junk fishing rivers:

G-man's key points for junk fishing rivers:

• Use your confidence baits
• Don't rely on fishing "history"
• Slow down and be thorough
• Use your eyes to ID targets as you move down the bank

Tight lines all!

Try Swim Jigs Around Wood for Fall Bass

When most bass anglers think of lures for fall bass fishing their attention usually targets spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, jerkbaits and shallow-running crankbaits. 

What's one bait that is often overlooked? A swim jig especially when fishing around shallow wood in the backs of creeks or on points!

Cobining it's extremely snagless design, the range of weights available and the ability to use a variety of different trailers, a swim jig, the swim jig can be the perfect choice for a presentation to work through woody cover that many fall bass never see!

Take a moment and watch the following short video discussing the use of swim jigs for fall bassin'

Though the video discusses one company's swim jig, the same principle can be applied to your favorite swim jig brand as well!

Check out Omnia Fishing's great selection of swim jig gear by clicking on the following link!

Omnia's Swim Jig Gear

Fall Bassin' with Big Bladed Chatterbaits

When it comes to chatterbaits, I have always been a little late joining the party (like it was almost a decade after it hit the market before I fished one!). So I guess it's no surprise it took me almost a year to finally buy a couple of ZMan Big Blade Chatterbaits this past summer.

Since I often use a 3/8 oz for much of my chatterbait fishing, I purchased the smallest size available, the 1/2 oz in green pumpkin candy and black n blue candy; two staple color patterns for all my blade baits as well as jigs. Shortly after receiving the order, I rigged one up to try at one of my favorite bank fishing ponds. 

After a few casts with my new Zman Big Blade Chatterbait I noticed a couple of key features almost instantly: 1) the vibration is much more intense then other chatterbaits I use and 2) though the bait weighs 1/2 oz it rides high in the water column even on a medium speed retrieve. I quickly thought of several conditions where this bait should shine particularly through the spring and early summer.

As I was scanning YouTube today, I came across a cool video from the folks at W2F regarding an application for the big blade I hadn't considered; fishing it around receding vegetation patches in the early to mid fall. 

Going Old School with a Split Shot Rig

A little innovation with one of the oldest bait rigging methods can he highly effective for catching bass under a variety of conditions. Most of us likely started fishing with bait like nightcrawlers by simply tying on a hook, adding a split shot weight a short way up the line then rigging the worm when fishing for anything that bit!

By simply changing the hook style, the split shot rig can be adapted to a wide variety of soft plastic baits sush as the "trick" style worm in the following rigging video from the folks at Big Bite Baits:

I first started fishing soft plastics (a Creme 6" Scoundrel in "Live" color) using a straight shank, light wire worm hook in the spring for bass moving into the shallows as they prepped to spawn. 

In later years I've used a similar approach with lizard and hellgrammite baits or changed out the hook for a Gamakatsu split shot hook and nose hooking 4" and 5" grubs with great success!

Your own split shot rig adaptations are just aquick experiment away...

If interested, links to Big Bite Baits, the Creme Scoundrel, Gamakatsu Split Shot hook and grubs are provided in the description above!

What Is a Chicken Rig?

It's amazing how a little intuition can help develop new rigging techniques for soft plastic baits!

Here's a newer soft plastic rigging method with a name that definitely grabs your attention :)

Check oit this short video tutorial on the "chicken rig"

Tips for Fishing Bluff Banks

None of us like the thought of winterizing the boat or hanging up the rods, so a few hearty souls will jump at the chance for a little winter bass fishing.  One drawback, however, fishing for bass in the winter can often be a hit or miss affair, especially for the weekend bass angler.

So in my case, I am always open to a few winter specific bass fishing tips (for those brrrry trips). One of the best winter bass fishing tips I came across long ago is how fishing bluffs this time of year can provide a number of distinct advantages to help catch bass.

As winter approaches, many bass retreat from the shallower bays and creek and head out to the main lake areas where conditions are often more stable (a definite environmental condition bass seek during winter).  They also display a tendency to stage in areas where there is ready access to deep water (stable conditions) and their movements to shallower depths tends to be more vertical than horizontal.

What structural feature present in many lakes and reservoirs that fits the bill almost perfectly? …

Optimizing Drop Shot Leader Length

For more than a decade, the drop shot has been one of the most consistent producing techniques for many species of fish especially bass.

One factor many new drop shot anglers struggle with is choosing the best leader length between the hook and weight for increased success when using the drop shot. 

Fortunately one of the best drop shot anglers on the Bass Pro Tour, Josh Bertrand decided to offer his advice for setting the best leader length when fishing a drop shot. Take a moment and watch this short video to see what I mean...

Early Fall Bass Baits and Locations

With bass being scattered from shallow to deep water, early fall bass fishing can be one of the toughest times of the year to consistently catch fish.

There are a few things you can do to increase your cast to catch ratio as bass pro Luke Palmer explains in this short video from the folks at Falcon Rods...

So remember a few tips to increase your early fall bassin' success:

• Keep moving and cover water
• Have a variety of baits covering the water column ready to use thoughout the day
• Always be on the lookout for bait (or birds indicating bait is around)
• Work the shallow areas with deeper water access close by

Tight lines all!

Rigging Soft Plastics for Bass

Now that the bass fishing season is going hot and heavy, it maybe time to review a few rigging techniques and tips for your next fishing adventure!.

Many bass anglers rely on plastic baits (worms, grubs, lizards, craws, etc.) as a big part of their bass fishing arsenal, therefore it’s always good to remind ourselves of the different rigging methods for soft plastics.

Different types of soft plastic baits are designed to imitate the various types of forage bass and many of these rigs were created to combine a life-like presentation as well as creating a lure that is relatively snag-less.

I recently stumbled across a great web-page where the author prepared a wonderful series of posts and images describing the different rigging techniques.

Selecting The Right Soft Plastic Lure Color

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned or newbie bass angler, selecting the right soft plastic lure colors is often a difficult task.  When you consider the variety of colors lure manufacturer’s offer, it’s no wonder we sometimes feel perplexed.  This is definitely the case for the new bass angler, especially one trying to build their tackle assortment for the first time …

After coming across this video from Yamamoto Custom Baits (YCB), it seemed a great way to introduce all of us to a fairly simple approach to soft plastic lure color selection.

For those of you unfamiliar with Yamamoto Custom Baits, they develop a fantastic array of baits for the bass fisherman (as well as other species) in a wide variety of color options (definitely a need for the system).

Old Roadbeds Are Bass Hotspots

Spring and fall are times of transition, especially in the bass’ world.

During the change from winter to spring and summer to fall, many bass move up from their deep water haunts towards the shallows to feed and partake in their annual species renewal rituals, either the spawn or feeding for winter…

Even during transitions from spring to summer and fall to winter, many bass reverse the process, migrating away from shallow cover towards deeper water havens.

During these shallow to deep transition periods, bass and many other fish follow pre-determined pathways such as points or inundated roadbeds (in man-made reservoirs) as migration routes…

In the following video and images, we take a look at different ways to identify these underwater bass highways using imagery, maps not to mention your eyes when exploring the shoreline of your favorite, man-made fishing holes…

Early Fall Buzzbait Tips

Early fall bass fishing can be one of the more frustrating times to catch bass. Not because they aren't biting; because they are almost constantly on the move as they make the transition from summer to fall.

Though the water temps are finally starting to cool temps are still on the warm side therefore one of the best presentations for early fall bass involves topwater baits.

Since bass are moving and often scattered, one of the best topwater baits for early fall bass is often a buzzbait!

Take a moment and watch as bass pro Jason Christie describes his approach to using buzzbaits to find and catch early fall bass on waters across the country...

Looking to increase your buzzbait arsenal? Click on the link below to see the variety of buzzbaits offered by the folks at Omnia Fishing...

Buzzbaits for Early Fall