Why Use Balsa Crankbaits When Fishing Shallow Laydowns

Laydown trees are a great shallow water fishing target, especially during the cooler water periods. Most laydowns provide bass with optimal cover, food, and ambush points. 

Balsa crankbaits are an excellent choice for fishing laydown trees, offering several advantages over other types of lures.

Buoyancy

One of the biggest advantages of balsa crankbaits is their buoyancy. Balsa is a very light wood, which makes balsa crankbaits more buoyant than plastic crankbaits. This buoyancy allows balsa crankbaits to float over cover more easily, reducing the chances of snagging.

Action

Balsa crankbaits also have a unique action that is different from plastic crankbaits. Balsa crankbaits have a softer, more subtle action that is often more appealing to bass. This is especially true in shallow water, where bass can be more wary of lures.

Sound

Balsa crankbaits also tend to be quieter than plastic crankbaits. This can be an advantage in shallow water, where bass can be more easily spooked by loud noises.

Here are a few tips for fishing balsa crankbaits for shallow laydown trees:

• Focus on casting to the edges of the laydown trees. This is where bass are most likely to be positioned.
• Don't be afraid to cast your balsa crankbait right into the laydown trees. Balsa crankbaits are very durable and can withstand a lot of abuse.
• If your balsa crankbait does snag, release the tension on the line and allow the buoyancy of the bait to float it free. 

Bass pro Seth Feider loves fishing balsa crankbaits when probing shallow cover like laydowns and submerged trees. Take a few minutes and watch as he provides an on the water demonstration and discussion listing several tips when fishing shallow wood with balsa crankbaits…

Fishing Jigs Around Flooded Trees

Flooded trees provide excellent habitat for bass, especially when located close to deeper water holding areas. The stump and exposed root system gives bass plenty of cover to ambush prey, especially important since there's usually a lot of baitfish around as well. 

Because of their snagless nature, jigs are one of the most effective lures for catching bass around flooded trees.

Here are 5 tips to help you be more successful when fishing jigs around trees:

1. Selecting the appropriate jig is crucial. For fishing around flooded trees, a 3/8 to 3/4 oz flipping or pitching jig with a weed guard is an excellent choice. It helps prevent snagging on branches and debris while allowing you to work the jig effectively.

2. Make accurate casts keeping the jig tight to the tree trunks. You want the jig to fall straight down alongside the tree and into any bottom cover where a bass is likely to be hiding. Be ready for fast strikes. 

3. Set the hook hard. When fishing around flooded trees, strikes can be subtle. Keep your line taut and be ready to set the hook at the slightest indication of a bite. Sometimes, you'll feel a subtle tap or just a change in line tension.

4. Vary your retrieve. Once your jig has fallen to the bottom, work it slowly and deliberately. You want to give the bass enough time to sense and react to your jig. You can work your jig by hopping it along the bottom or by dragging it slowly through the cover.

5. Use strong line and powerful rods. Because of the heavy cover, you'll want to use at least 40 lb test braided line. A 7'+ heavy power, fast action rod will help you wrestle fish out of the branches and roots. Don't be afraid to apply maximum pressure quickly to pull bass away from cover and prevent lost fish.

Here are some additional jig fishing tips when working flooded timber:

• Use a trailer on your jig. A trailer will add bulk and vibration to your jig, which can make it more attractive to bass.
• Experiment with different colors. Bass can be picky about color, so experiment with different colors until you find one that is working.
• Pay attention to the weather. Bass are more active on cloudy days and during low-light conditions.

Bass pro Patrick Walters loves fishing jigs through the tangles of standing timber. Take a few moments and watch as Walters gives his approach to catching bass from flooded trees...

Why the Design of the Zman TRD Matters

The TRD by Zman Fishing is a versatile and effective soft plastic bait that can be used for a variety of fish species in both freshwater and saltwater. It is known for its soft, durable ElaZtech construction, its natural swimming action, and its ability to catch fish even when they are finicky.

The TRD was specifically designed with a slender, forage-like profile with a small tail-end. This design gives the bait a natural darting action when rigged vertically, or a gliding action when rigged horizontally. The TRD is also incredibly soft, which allows it to compress easily when a fish bites down, resulting in a higher hookup ratio.

One of the key features of the TRD is its ElaZtech construction. ElaZtech is a proprietary material that is extremely durable and buoyant. This makes the TRD much more resistant to tears and punctures than traditional soft plastic baits, and it also allows the bait to float up off the bottom when rigged weightless or on a Ned-style jighead. This makes the TRD ideal for fishing in shallow to deep water and around cover when rigged weedless.

The TRD can be rigged in a variety of ways, but it is most commonly used on a Ned rig. The Ned rig is a simple but effective rig that consists of a small jig head and a soft plastic bait. The TRD is an incredibly effective bait for a variety of fish species, including bass, trout, panfish, as well as inshore saltwater fish. It is also very versatile and can be used under a variety of conditions. 

Although many anglers think the Ned rig was designed to mimic small baitfish foraging on or moving along the bottom, Drew Reese, the original TRD designer had another type of forage in mind. 

Take a few minutes and listen as Drew explains his reasons for designing the TRD and why he believes it’s the best Ned rig bait on the market…

Fall Wake Bait Secrets

As the leaves start to change color and the air turns crisp, it's time to break out the wake baits for some exciting fall bass fishing. Wake baits are excellent lures to use when bass are in a transitional feeding mode, not quite committing to topwaters but still feeding  for winter. 

Here are some tips for fishing wake baits in the fall:

- Choose wake baits in shad or baitfish patterns like silver/black, bone, perch or black/chartreuse. Select a pattern that matches the hatch with the forage species in your lake. Go with a smaller profile wake bait in the 2-3 inch size as the water continues to cool.

- Work wake baits over points, humps, grassy flats, and rocky banks; basically anywhere baitfish visit and get ambushed by hungry bass. Focus on wind-blown shorelines first since wind pushes plankton, baitfish follow and the bass do as well.

- Vary your retrieve speed to trigger reaction strikes. Sometimes a slow steady retrieve is best, other times working the wake bait quickly will get bit. Also try stopping it abruptly and letting the bait suspend motionless for a time and then continue the retrieve. 

- Try different rod angles on the retrieve. Holding the rod tip up makes the wake bait sputter side to side enticingly. Lowering the rod tip helps give it a tighter wobble. 

- Stay alert on the hookset. Bass will often swirl on a wake bait then actually eat it seconds later. Don't set too early so not to pull the bait away from them before they fully commit.

Wake baits are one of bass pro Edwin Ever's favorite fall lures, especially when bass are chasing baitfish such as shad. Take a few moments and watch as EE provides some great on the water insight and tips on his approach to using wake baits in the fall...

Wake baits can be a go-to lure for fall bass, especially when the bass are reluctant to eat a topwater bait. Follow these tips and you'll get exciting near-surface strikes when other anglers struggle to get bit on traditional topwaters.

Key Hack When Skipping Big Swimbaits Under Cover

You've heard the saying, "big baits, big bass" and there are many times when that definitely holds true. 

Over the last several years, more and more anglers are fishing big, pre-rigged swimbaits in hopes that they'll help prove out that very statement and one of the most popular pre-rigged swimbaits is Megabass' Magdraft...

Though often fished over grass covered flats and in areas with scattered cover, a simple hack can help turn the Magdraft into a deadly skipping bait for overhanging cover; definitely big bass territory!

Take a couple minutes and watch as bass pro Patrick Walters explains his simple Magdraft alteration that increases its effectiveness as a skipping tool when fishing docks and other overhanging cover...