The Spinnerbait: A Bass Angler's Multi-Tool?

As an avid bass fisherman, I'm always looking for lures that can handle a variety of situations and catch fish under diverse conditions. That's why the spinnerbait is one of my absolute favorite baits to tie on when chasing both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The versatility of a spinnerbait makes it one of the most valuable tools that should be in all bass angler's tackle box.

A spinnerbait is essentially a safety-pin shaped wire frame with a lead head, dressed hook, and spinning blade or blades. This simple but effective bait can be retrieved steadily, fished with a stop and go retrieve, ripped through vegetation, slow rolled,  fluttered or bounced along the bottom. And it will catch bass relating to cover, suspended in open water, cruising the shallows, or holding tight to cover/structure.

One of the best things about spinnerbaits is that they can be fished at just about any depth. Want to burn a spinnerbait high in the water column? Go for it. Need to bump a bait along rocky bottom? The spinnerbait has you covered. Even working a spinnerbait through thick grass or wood is no problem with the right blade configuration and retrieve.

Of course, choosing the right spinnerbait for the job is important for success. Colorado, Indiana and willow leaf blades are the most common blade types and each one have different flash/vibration profiles when being retrieved. Double willow leaf spinnerbaits have an incredibly fast thumping motion with lots of flash that mimics shad, while big Colorado blades produce maximum vibration. And spinnerbaits can be purchased in a rainbow of colors to match any water clarity conditions or selected to "match the hatch" when bass a being picky and feeding on certain types of forage.

Light wire models are perfect for clear water finesse situations, while heavy wire 1oz+ spinnerbaits let you bulldoze through the nastiest cover as well as probe the depths for bass relating to structure. I make sure to carry a variety of blade configurations, wire frame types (standard, compact, finesse, etc.) and weights in my tackle box to adapt to changing conditions on the water.

Though often thought of as a soft plastics expert, bass pro Larry Nixon has leaned on the effectiveness of the spinnerbait to hone his success while out on tour. Take a few moments and listen as he shares his views on how the versatility of the spinnerbait has helped him win some of the biggest events of his career...

The next time you hit the water for some heart-pounding topwater blows or find the bass tucked up in vegetation, tie on a spinnerbait. The ability to quickly change things up by modifying your retrieve and spinnerbait type is the key to maximizing your efficiency while out on the water. This do-it-all bass catcher should be a go-to in every angler's tool kit!

The Floating Drop Shot: A Unique Rigging Option

The drop shot rig is a versatile and effective finesse fishing technique that is particularly well-suited for catching bass in a variety of situations. 

The basic setup consists of a main line, a leader, a drop shot weight, and a hook. The leader is tied to the main line, and the drop shot weight is attached to the leader a few feet below the hook. The hook is baited with a soft plastic bait, such as a worm or a minnow.

Traditional drop shot rigs, while effective in many situations, have some drawbacks that anglers should be aware of.

Potential for line twist and tangles: The drop shot rig can be prone to Line twist/tangles, especially if the line is not properly spooled or if the bait is not rigged properly. This can be a major frustration when fishing, and it can often lead to lost bait, fish and time.

Prone to line breaks at hook: Due to the content tension fron the fish and weight, the is a fairly high potential for the line to break at the hook knot when fighting fish.

Time-consuming setup: Drop shot rigs can be time-consuming to set up, especially for anglers who are not familiar with the technique (think about the previous point).

As luck would have it however, there's at least one drop shot rigging option that not only simplifies the preparation but also enables the bait to be presented in a unique way most bass have likely not seen.

Enter the floating drop shot rig!

As a follow-up to his introduction to the reverse wacky rig, bass pro Matt Stefan lets the "cat out of the bag" in the following video where he discusses setup and advantages of the floating drop shot rig. Enjoy!

The Reverse Wacky Rig: A Unique Way to Catch Bass

The wacky rig is a popular bass fishing technique that involves rigging a soft plastic worm with the hook point inserted into the middle of the bait. This creates an erratic, darting action that is irresistible to bass. 

However, the wacky rig can be difficult to fish in deeper water and is a popular rig bass are exposed to on almost a daily basis. So is there a way to change up the standard wacky rig and address these issues? Absolutely, enter the reverse wacky rig.

What is the Reverse Wacky Rig?

The reverse wacky rig is a variation of the wacky rig that allows you to fish a soft plastic worm deeper in the water column using a unique presentation bass likely have not seen. To rig a reverse wacky rig, you will need a highly buoyant soft plastic worm, a light wire hook, and a small weight.

How to Rig a Reverse Wacky Rig

• Thread a closed-eye, drop shot styles weight onto your line.
• Tie a light wire hook onto the end of your line.
• Insert the hook point into the middle of the soft plastic worm.

How to Fish a Reverse Wacky Rig

• Cast your bait into the water around cruising bass or submerged cover.
• Allow the bait to sink to the bottom.
• Twitch the bait by adding and releasing tension to the line pulling the worm down to the weight and then float back toward the surface.
• Work your bait slowly by the bass or cover.

Tips for Fishing a Reverse Wacky Rig

• Use a highly buoyant soft plastic worm that is designed for the wacky rig.
• Use a light wire hook so that the worm will readily float when line tension is released.
• Use a small weight when possible so that the bait will not sink too quickly.
• Twitch the bait erratically to increase action.
• Reel in your bait slowly so that the bass has time to strike.

Take a few minutes and watch as bass pro Matt Stefan discusses the conditions he uses the reverse wacky rig as well as his approach to rigging and the gear he uses in the following video…

Beyond using the reversed wacky rig as a sight fiishing tool, it interests me even more as a wacky rig option when fishing heavily pressured waters. I believe that when lurking bass see the bait slowly rise to the surface with an undulating motion will trigger more strikes from fish wary of typical falling wacky presentation.

Fishing for Bass from Shore in November

November marks the end of the open water fishing season in many parts of the northern U.S. As water temperatures drop into the 40s and 50s, bass become less active and head for deeper water. 

While bass fishing gets tougher this time of year, you can still catch fish from shore if you adjust your techniques. 

Follow these tips to improve your chances of hooking up with fall bass from the bank:

Slow Down Your Presentation

When water temps are cold, bass metabolism and activity levels decline. They are not going to chase fast-moving lures. Slow down your retrieves and allow baits like soft stickbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerbaits, and spinnerbaits time to get in front of lethargic fish. Use occasional pauses and twitches to trigger sluggish bass into striking.

Downsize Your Offerings

Big baits tend to work better when bass are actively feeding. In November, you’ll often catch more bass on smaller presentations that require less energy to inhale. Good options include 2-3 inch curl tail grubs on 1/16 or 1/8 ounce jig heads, finesse worms rigged wacky style, underspins, and finesse presentations like the Ned Rig. Stay away from large spinnerbaits and big swimbaits unless larger baitfish are the primary forage in your local waters.

Fish Slow-Tapering Points

Look for long, gradually sloping points that extend into deeper water. Use castable sonar pods (if you own one) and/or contour maps to find areas that drop into 10+ feet of water near the bank. Bass will move shallow early and late in the day to feed up on baitfish using these steeper transition features. Position yourself for casts that run parallel to the slope.

Target Areas with Darker Bottoms

In cooling water, you want to find the warmest, and likely most productive areas. Darker bottom types like mud, darker rocks and sand soak up more solar radiation and warm faster than lighter colored bottoms. Focus your effort fishing from shorelines with these bottom compositions. The warmer water draws baitfish and therefore oredators like bass to feed on them.

Fish On Sunny, Warmer Days

Cold fronts really shut down shoreline bites in November. Target fishing on warmer, sunny days in the 50+ degree range when possible. The sun helps warm shallows drawing more baitfish and bass tend to be more active. Overcast, windy, rainy days make fishing tough. Watch the weather and try hitting the water on the best weather days.

Try Live Bait

Sometimes finicky fall bass want the real rather than artificial baits. Live bait like minnows, shiners, crawfish, and leeches can entice big bites when the fishing is slow. Hook minnows through the lips on #6 hooks and fish under a float or add a few split shots to your line slowly work them along the bottom. Pitch craws and leeches into productive areas and let them sit to draw the attention of cruising bass.

Think Simple

Now is not the time to break out complicated techniques and presentations meant for more aggressive fish. Stick to simple offerings like jigs, Texas rigs, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, and paddletail swimbaits and make repeated casts to productive areas. Keep moving until you locate actively feeding fish. A combination of patience and persistence will help you locate, trigger and catch more bass during the last weeks of the open water in your area.

Following these tips will help you find and catch more bass in November, even when fishing from shore. Finding the right location and using the right bait and presentation, more bass including a few big bass can still be caught during the fall to winter transitional period. Do your homework, dress for the elements, and you can extend the open water fishing season well into late fall.

Best Bass Lures for Fishing the Mid Fall

November is a great mid fall month for bass fishing across the U.S. since the fish are starting to fatten up for winter. Keep in mind, however, mid fall brings colder water temperatures making bass more lethargic, so it's important to choose the right lures and presentations for the greatest success.

Strike King bass pro Steve Rogers loves fishing for fall bass and has some interesting thoughts on the best baits to use for the best results. Take a few minutes and watch as Steve describes the baits and the reasons behind his selections:

In addition to the baits Steve mentions, I have three additional lures at the ready when fishing the mid fall period:

1. A finesse sized suspending jerkbait typically in a perch or shiner pattern to mimic local forage;
2. A 4" soft stickbait in a pattern suitable for the water color in the body of water being fished; &
3. A compact or finesse style spinnerbait usually in color patterns similat to the jerkbait.

Each of these have been proven bass catchers as the mid fall water temps slide from the low 50s and into the mid to upper 40s in my local waters here in the northeastern U.S.