The draw-down of the lake is well underway and fish of all species have fewer places to hide. This makes locating fish easier but will usually require different tactics to ensure success.
Through this wintery month, you should always be sure to have a weightless stick-bait like a Senko, Gambler Ace or one of the many others rigged and ready to go. These slow-sinking lures trick bass into thinking they’re looking at an easy feeding opportunity; that’s very important now because bass metabolisms run slower, and they don’t feed as often as they do in summer months.
Rigging options for these lures are many, but I try to keep mine simple. Texas-rigging on a wide-gap hook, without a weight, is by far the most widely used method, and for good reason. With this set-up you can cast it very long distances and directly into thick cover without snagging. The slow fall is subtle and enticing, but to create the most irresistible action possible, I like to wacky-rig it.
Extremely tough conditions and highly pressured fisheries are why wacky-rigging has been a popular technique for many years. It has provided me many bites on days when seemingly nothing else would work. Simply tie a small 2/0 to 4/0 octopus style hook to your line and you’re ready. Hook the stick bait through the center or use an O-ring around the center of the bait, and attach the hook there. Light line and spinning rods are most commonly used but I often use a forgiving baitcasting reel, a med-light action rod and 10 lb. test fluorocarbon. Cast it, let it sink to the desired depth, and slowly work it back with short little twitches of the rod. The goal is to get the bait to wiggle and squirm as much as you can without actually moving very far back towards you. Bass that see this find it hard to resist. My personal best catch, an 11.2 lb. toad, came on a wacky rig using 6 lb. test line…it works!
CAPT. RANDY “C-NOTE” CNOTA
C-note Charters
Panama City, FL
cnotecharters.com
(229) 834-7880