Increasing Jerkbait Hook-ups Using by Fish Scents

Fishing jerkbaits for smallmouth bass in the cool to cold water periods can be productive one trip and frustrating the next. I know from personal experience my jerkbait hook-up ratio on smallmouths is usually significantly lower through the winter months.

To be honest, I was never really sure why this was happening but after hearing an explanation from river smallie expert Jeff Little, I not only began to realize why but also how to put the odds back in my favor…

Watch the video below where I’ll explain what I mean and how the solution works…

By adding a little scent, not just as a possible olfactory trigger but more importantly as a lubricant! :D

Keeping Crankbait Colors Simple

So you’ve decided to up your bassin’ game and increase your crankbait collection as well as the amount of time you spend fishing them…

Off you go to your local bass tackle shop turning to the crankbait portion of their lure section and poof … your eyes instantly widen and you stop dead in your tracks with the classic “deer in the headlight look”

The color pattern possibilities seem endless!

Even though you’ve already decided on the type of crankbaits that will work best in the waters you fish, the color pattern selection is enough to knock you off your feet…

But does it really have to be that complicated?

Not according to the folks at Wired2Fish!

Just take a moment and watch the following video to see what I mean :D

Although I generally agree with Walker’s color selections, I will add that a slight alternation to color patterns matching predominate bait fish in your area (golden shiner as opposed to shad for example) might be in order…

But always remember … simple is usually better than making things like color selection complicated!

Slow Rolling During Pre-Spawn

Cool water and pre-spawn conditions call for one retrieve when fishing a spinnerbait… slow rolling!

In this video, FLW Pro Terry Bolton details his thoughts on the gear and approach to making this presentation work when water temperatures are < 50 degrees F!

Did the ice just go out?

Perhaps it's time to break out those spinnerbaits for a little pre-spawn bassin' fun? :D

Winter Smallmouths Like Small Profile Baits

Though there are times when large profile baits work great during the winter, smaller baits are often the key to winter bassin' success...

Here’s another video tip to help get those sluggish winter smallmouths into the boat by using small profile baits…

Small tubes, reapers, or paddle-tailed grubs anyone?

Optimized Cold Weather Crankbait Fishing

Though many bass anglers key on one particular crankbait style for wintertime fishing, John Crews thinks you may want to broaden your selection to catch more cold water bass...

Take a moment to watch this video and see what John is talking about!

In addition to traditional squarebill cranks, thin-bodied crankbaits like the Rapala Shad Rap and Spro Little John rock during the cold weather period...

Are you stocked with crankbaits for cold water conditions?