KVD's Favorite Springtime Finesse Baits

When most people think of Kevin VanDam (KVD), they see the preeminent power fisherman plying his skills on the professional bass trails for several decades. Even though he may prefer working spinnerbaits, crankbaits and chatterbaits through the warming spring waters, KVD is one of the most well rounded anglers around. 

Anytime conditions call for finesse, KVD has three preffered baits he leans on when needing to trick finicky springtime bass into biting; Strike King's Ned Ocho, Baby Z-Too and the Bitsy Tube.

Take a few minutes and watch as KVD discusses each bait, when he opts for them as well as the rod combos he uses with each rig...

What Is the Cindy Rig?

The Cindy rig is a super finesse bass fishing technique that is particularly effective for catching smallmouth bass. It is named after Cindy Palmer, the wife of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Palmer, who popularized the rig.

The Cindy rig is very simple to tie and fish. It consists of a small soft plastic bait, such as a Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow, rigged on a lightweight jig head, such as a Great Lakes Finesse Stealth Ball Jig Head. The jig head weight should be chosen based on the depth of the water you are fishing and the current conditions.

To fish the Cindy rig, simply cast it out and reel it back in slowly and steadily. You can also add a slight pause to your retrieve every now and then. The goal is to keep the bait a few feet over the depth that is holding bass.

The Cindy rig is most effective in clear water and when the bass are feeding on small baitfish. It is also a good rig to use when the bass are pressured or when they are in a neutral mood.

Here are a few tips for fishing the Cindy rig:

• Use a spinning rod and reel spooled with light line, such as 6 to 8 pound test fluorocarbon.
• Cast the rig to likely bass-holding areas, such as rocky points, weed beds, and drop-offs.
• Reel the rig back in slowly and steadily, with the occasional pause.

Take a few moments and watch the following video where Luke Palmer discusses his approach when using the Cindy Rig…

The Cindy rig is a great way to catch bass when they are being finicky, highly pressured or when the conditions are challenging. It is a simple rig to tie and fish, and it is very effective at catching bass, especially smallmouth bass.

Using the Split Shot Rig for Shallow Stream Bass

The split shot rig is likely one of the first presentations used by most anglers as they start the fishing journey. No doubt the split shot rig is one of the simplest rigs to setup and rig. 

Tie a hook on the end of your line; add a small split shot several inches up the line; then thread on some sort of bait (usually a night crawler or some type of live bait) onto the hook and the new angler is on their way to catching just about any fish that swims.

Over time, bass anglers found this rig is also very effective and versatile on shallow bass just by swapping out the night crawler for a variety of small soft plastic lures such as curly tail grubs, small worms, craws and even Ned baits.

As part of their intro promotion for their new soft hellgrammite bait, the folks at Yum Baits produced the following tips video on how to use the bait on a split shot rig for shallow stream bass. 

Take a few minutes and see what they have to say...

Fishing the Ned Rig for Post Spawn Bass

The Ned rig is a finesse fishing technique that has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is a great way to catch moody bass in a variety of water conditions and it can be highly effective during the post spawn period.

The Ned rig is a simple rig that consists of a small jig head, a plastic bait, and 6 to 8-lb fluorocarbon line. The jig head is typically 1/20 or 1/5 ounce, and the plastic worm is usually 3-4 inches in length though longer baits are sometimes used. The worm is threaded onto the hook so that the hook point is exposed and the line is attached to the hook eye using your favorite fluorocarbon knot.

The Ned rig is fished slowly and methodically around a variety of cover, including rocks, docks, and vegetation. The key is to keep the bait in contact with the bottom, as well as varying your retrieve speed and cadence. Bass will often hit the Ned rig on the fall, so it is important to pay attention to your line at all times.

The Ned rig is a great way to catch post spawn bass because it is a very versatile bait. It can be fished in a variety of water depths and it can be used to target bass in a variety of moods. 

Focusing on cover situated along the first transition break-line from shallow to deeper water is often a productive approach to catching post spawn bass as Lurenet pro Frank Scalish demos in the following video:

If you are looking for a way to catch more bass during the post spawn period, the Ned rig can be a great option for catching numbers of quality bass.

What Is Hover Strolling?

Hover strolling is a finesse fishing technique that is used to target suspended bass. It is a relatively new technique that originated in Japan, but it is quickly becoming popular with bass anglers across the U.S. as well.

Image (linked) borrowed from an Aliexpress Sales Page

The hover strolling also known as the hover shot rig is simple to set up. You will need a few items including a 90-degree hook, a small nail weight, and your favorite soft plastic bait. 

Insert the hook point 1/8-1/4 inch behind the head of the bait and thread it through until the plastic is approximately halfway up the shank of the hook. Next, expose the hook point in the center of the bait's back before you finish embedding the hook completely. This positioning will help to keep the bait horizontal in the water column. Next, slide the nail weight into the nose of the bait below the hook shank, then tie the line to the eye of the hook.

When fishing the hover strolling rig, cast it out and let it sink to the desired depth. Since the nail weight is pushed back into the body of the bait, the weight balance is shifted back as opposed to being front loaded as a jig head would. This position gives the bait a spiraling action while sinking, an action that often triggers strikes. 

If a strike does not occur while sinking, start reeling it in slowly and steadily once it is at the desired depth. As you reel, twitch the rod tip occasionally to impart a subtle swimming action to the bait. This will help to attract the attention of suspended bass in the area.

Hover strolling is a great technique for fishing clear water lakes and reservoirs. It is also a good technique for fishing pressured waters or during the winter months when bass are often suspended in deeper water.

Here are some additional tips for using the hover strolling rig:

• Use light line and a small hook. This will help to keep the bait natural in the water column.
• Use a slow and steady retrieve. This will help to keep the bait in the strike zone for longer.
• Use a variety of small, soft plastic baits. Different baits will work in different situations.
• Experiment with different depths. Bass can be found at different depths, so it is important to experiment to find the depth where they are holding.

Hover strolling is a great technique for catching bass and if you are looking for a new way to catch bass, especially on clear and pressured waters, give hover strolling a try.

Is the Tiny Child Rig a Weedless Ned Rig?

If you search YouTube for information on weedless Ned rigs, one of the set ups it returns is the Tiny Child Rig (TCR). 

Unlike a traditional Ned rig however, the TCR does not actually use a Ned jig head but is constructed using a nail or Neko style weight inserted into the head of the bait and the worm hook is the Texas rigged from the tail end as demonstrated in the following video from the folks at TW…

Since the hook is rigged from the tail end of the bait and weight is located at the bottom, the TCR tends to fall more vertically during descent and the tail leads the head during retrieves making it completely different from a traditional Ned rig where the tail of the bait follows the head. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the TCR isn’t a good rig, it’s highly weedless and an excellent fish catching Ned rig alternative. Just to me, it’s not a weedless Ned rig since it doesn’t involve a Ned jig head, plus the bait descends and retrieves differently when being fished.

Yum Hellgrammite Intro and Fishing Tips

A few weeks ago, a post entitled "Using Soft Plastic Hellgrammite Baits for Bass" was added to the site as an overview of how to use this style of finesse bait when chasing our favorite finny prey.

The post listed several manufacturers producing a version of hellgrammite baits but we didn't include Yum's new hellgrammite since it was just being introduced and little information was available at the time.

Since then Yum has added their new bait to Pradco's Lurenet website and released a series of short videos about the bait; some with fishing tips.

I found one of the videos particularly interesting since it included tips on the lifecycle of a hellgrammite as well as several ways to rig and present it as you will see below:

Enjoy!

What Is the Moping Technique for Bass Fishing?

Moping (a.k.a. a Damiki rig), is a highly effective technique for catching bass, especially during the cold and warm water months when many bass move offshore; tend to hold close to bottom cover; and tend to be less active. 

This do-nothing technique involves using a soft plastic bait (often a fluke-style lure) rigged on a 3/16-oz to 3/8-oz minnow-style jighead with a 90 degree hook eye. Choose a color pattern that imitates the natural prey of bass in your area. The bait should be about 3-4 inches long with a realistic shape and color. 

Next, select a jighead that matches the depth of the water you are fishing as well as existing weather conditions. A heavier jighead is needed for deep water and windier conditions where a lighter one can be used for shallow water and lighter winds.

When fishing the rig, start by identifying fish-holding cover near the bottom, then lower jig and position it a foot or two above the bass. Next, hold the jig at that deoth and allow it to hover over the fish with minimal movement of the bait. This slow, finesse movement is key to imitating the movement of suspended baitfish and enticing the bass to strike.

Using Soft Plastic Hellgrammite Baits for Bass

Soft plastic hellgrammite lures are a great choice for bass fishing since they mimic a natural prey of bass in many bodies of water. 

These lures are designed to look like the larval stage of a dobsonfly, a common insect found in many ponds, rivers and streams.

Several bait companies produce a version of soft plastic hellgrammites designed to mimic the appearance and movement of real hellgrammites.

Crazy Hick Peach Bugs

Some popular brands of soft plastic hellgrammite-like baits include:

• Crazy Hick Bait Peach Bug
• Case Plastics Hellgrammite
• Berkley Gulp Hellgrammite
• Nikko Hellgrammite
• Mister Twister TwisterMite
• Lunker City Hellgie
• Bass Pro Shops Hellgrammite

One of the benefits of using soft plastic hellgrammite lures is rigging versatility. Hellgrammite baits can be set-up on a variety of rigs, including on a Ned jighead, split shot, drop shot, finesse Neko rig, Carolina rig, or Texas rig. They can also be rigged as a trailer on a finesse jig allowing you to fish them in and around heavier cover where bass may be lurking.

Fishing the Zman Hula Stickz

The Zman Fishing Hula Stickz is a soft plastic bait that has gained popularity among anglers for its versatility and effectiveness in catching various species of fish. This bait is designed with a unique hula skirt that adds a lifelike movement to its already impressive action in the water.

One of the key features of the Zman Fishing Hula Stickz is its buoyancy, which allows the bait to stand up on the bottom and create a more realistic presentation. This is especially effective when fishing in clear water where fish can get a good look at the bait.

Two common rigging methods used with the Zman Fishing Hula Stickz; a Texas rig or a Ned jig head. When using a Texas rig, simply insert the hook into the head of the bait and slide it through until the hook is exposed and your favorite bullet weight. This will allow the bait to slide through cover without getting hung up.

Split Shot Rigging for Bass Fishing

Today, the pressure from both tournament anglers and weekend bass fishermen can quickly add up and result in damaging consequences to the bass stocks in many water bodies.

With increasing emphasis on intelligent harvest and catch and release practices, the savvy bass angler is always on the look-out for tools and tips that help preserve this precious resource.

Conservation-minded bass anglers wishing to optimize the number of bass they catch and release alive, have found using circle-type hooks for techniques like the split shot a true gem.

So take a moment and watch the video to learn how this split shot technique (modified) catches more fish in the jaw, not in the gullet and helps conserve our bass populations …

You will be glad you did! …

We hope you enjoyed the video.

Watch for more tutorial videos from the Dave in future posts!

What Is the Tiny Child Rig?

When I first heard the term "tiny child rig" I envisioned a snoopy closed face combo with a bobber, hook and nightcrawler not a finesse bassin' rig that looks more like an upside-down Ned or screwed up Neko rig!

No matter what it looks like, most bass anglers who fish the tiny child rig agree it can be a fish catching machine especially on highly pressured lakes.

Take a few moments as bass fishing enthusiast Steve Rogers describes the tiny child rig and when to fish it...

KVD on Suspended Bass and the Damiki Rig

Anytime the G.O.A.T. of bass fishing, Kevin VanDam speaks it's probably best to listen!

If you've ever been challenged by suspended bass, KVD has some great insight about one of his approaches to evaluating the mood of the bass and how to trigger them into striking!

Okay, great if you have the modern forward facing live sonar technology. 

How about a way to up the odds with traditional sonar tech?

Deep Water Ned Rigging

Take a stubby little soft stickbait; rig it on a "mushroom-style", lightwire jighead; work it around bank structures and cover and what do you get? 

One of the most intriguing, fish catching bait rigs around, the Ned rig!

During my time using the Ned rig, I've primarily used it rigged on a fairly light (1/15 to 1/10 oz) Ned head in water depths less than 10 feet where where bottom cover (vegetation and brush) is sparse to patchy.

It is highly effective especially when fishing conditions are tough.

I never gave the Ned rig much thought when probing deeper depths (>15-20 ft) for smallmouths.

After seeing this video from B-Lat and the folks at Z-Man Fishing that will change this coming season!

Take a moment and watch as B-Lat overviews the system he developed for chasing deep water smallies and spots with a Ned rig!

What Is the Petey Rig?

Looking to try a different finesse, shallow water presentation to present soft plastics in a way bass on your favorite waters haven't seen?

Give the "Petey Rig" a try!

You probably already have the gear you need in your terminal tackle box 😉

I actually have used a down-sized Carolina rig (1/16 to 3/16 oz sinker & smaller swivel/beads) throughout the season in the past but the Petey rig would definitely be quicker to assemble!

Is This the Next Generation Shaky Head?

What do you get when you Texas rig a plastic worm on a jighead? 

One of the growing number of finesse bait systems: the shaky head rig!

But are all shaky head rigs created equal?

According the Z-Man fishing bass pro Brian Latimer (B-Lat), nope. 

So for the past few years, B-Lat has been working with the folks at Z-Man to create a better "fish trap" so to speak 😉

Introducing the Z-Man/B-Lat SMH worm and jighead!

Take a moment and listen to B-Lat describe what drove him to help Z-Man develop and bring this rig to market...

After seeing that worm in action the thought of split-shot rigs, Neko rigs, finesse Tokyo rigs, hot shot rigs, Petey rigs, and more sprang into my mind, oh my!

Here's a cool graphic from the folks at Zman highlighting the SMH system...

Want to check out the ZMan SMH components? 

Click on the following links:

ZMan SMH Worms

ZMan SMH Jigheads