By Ron Anlauf

A big smallie busting a lure up on top is about as exciting as it can get and really gets your heart pounding. A lot of the fun is in the anticipation, and knowing that at any moment the surface might explode and you finally get your chance to go toe to toe with a fish that has a superb “A” game.  If there’s a downside it could be that the opportunities for nailing topwater smallmouth are rather limited, or at least that’s the accepted rule of thumb.

Team Crestliner member and bass head John Janousek of Nisswa, Minnesota has found the rule of thumb to be unacceptable and offers a different take on topwater and smallmouth principles; “Most anglers believe you have to have flat dead calm conditions to be successful with a topwater lure, but I’ve found that it can happen just about anytime, including some of the windiest days.  Sure flat dead calm is perfect but it doesn’t have to be perfect for catching smallies on top, in fact the windier the better.  Wind doesn’t stop smallies from feeding and it doesn’t stop them from inhaling your bait.  I’m always working a topwater bait when looking for fish, which can be a terrific search lure.”

John Janousek broke a rule of thumb to nail this giant smallmouth

Some of John’s favorites include the Zara Puppy Spook, Pop-R, Skitter Prop, and a buzz bait like Northland Tackle’s ¼ oz Buzzard Buzzer.  “To work the Spook properly keep your rod tip down and with a short stroke push it down sharply, reel up the slack, and do it again.  When you get the hang of it you can make the bait to swish back and forth and keep it going and “walk the dog”.  Use the same downward stroke for working the other topwaters (other than the buzzbait) and keep them moving.  The only time I’ll let a lure stall out is immediately after the strike and only if the fish has missed it.  Letting the bait sit can be more than an aggressive smallie can stand and they’ll hammer it again; you just have to be patient.  When you do get hit make sure the fish has it before you set the hook.  I’ll try to watch my lure and won’t set unless it’s disappeared, or I can actually feel the fish.  If a fish misses the bait and you set the hook you’ll yank it out of the zone and blow the chance for a second strike.  Of all the top water options it’s the buzzbait that can be worked the fastest and makes it your best bet for locating fish.”

Good topwater gear includes baitcasting equipment like St. Croix’s 6’9” Legend model TBC69MLXF rod and AC200 reel loaded with eight pound test Trilene XT.  The rod has a medium light action which will help you cast the lighter baits further, and the extra length will take up more of the slack on the hook set. 

John will sometimes double team topwater smallies that are having trouble actually connecting with the lure;  “I’ll keep a plastic bait like Northland’s Dip-Stick Worm or Slurpies Tube rigged and ready to go and will have a partner through it in by the bait as quickly as possible after a swing and a miss.   A lot of times they’ll jump on the plastic and is a great way to turn a miss into a boated fish.”

By Paul Strege

National tournament circuits have generated a great deal of publicity for jig worming as of late. With field sizes increasing, tour practice periods decreasing, and pressure on bass at an all-time high, the rise in popularity of the jig worm is not surprising. The technique, also known as shaky head worming, catches fish when others fail. Virtually every large-scale tackle manufacturer has a finesse line of soft plastics, many of those geared towards jig worming, so choosing the most effective lure for a given situation is a daunting task at best.

When looking at a specific application for the jig worm, an angler must know what characteristics make it effective. To stereotype, jig worming is a “sissy” technique, often viewed as dull and boring. It does not involve running around the lake and covering vast amounts of water to put bass in the boat. It requires patience, careful equipment and lure selection, and attention to fine detail. When one of these components is overlooked, the jig worm loses its value.

Slow is not Enough

The discipline required in fishing the jig worm is similar to that required of a competitive runner. Starting too fast will cause fatigue down the road. Although the form experienced by an angler is more mental than anything else, fatigue will lead to a lack of concentration and an unintentional acceleration in covering water. On the other hand, starting slow and attempting to work even slower will further increase the technique’s success. Often the focus of fishing is on the future and not the present, meaning that anglers frequently think ahead to the next cast or spot. And it’s not surprising that this occurs. Given the limited amount of time during a tournament or recreational outing, the pressure is on the angler to produce instantaneous results. One method to slow the cast-and-wind tendency is to make mental notes of the angling surroundings. Doing this maintains focus on the present. Water temperature, wind direction, weedline contour, bottom composition, sunlight intensity and boat position are all valuable pieces of data that will be of benefit in the long run. Covering water with electronics before placing the initial cast also forces an angler to concentrate on one particular area at a time. When the correct frame of mind is established, an angler is prepared to put the finesse equipment into action.

Sissy Sticks

Fishing a jig worm requires much of the same gear used in conventional worm fishing, however light line selection necessitates the use of a fast action rod that does not sacrifice sensitivity. Rod power is saved when utilizing a fast action rod for a given length. In turn, lesser power improves the handling of light lines, while the fast action allows the lure to be cast into the periphery of the weeds and popped free of any nuisance vegetation. The snapping serves a purpose as it imparts an abrupt, attention-grabbing movement underwater. Another important consideration when selecting a jig worming rod is length. Longer rods are advantageous in that more line is displaced in a single motion. That movement not only eases the effort in snapping, but it also generates slack and guarantees lure free fall to deep bottoms. Rogue Rods manufactures a Spin Jig line of spinning rods that combines a fast action with sensitive blanks. The medium-power Rogue Rods SJ663 model measures 6-1/2 feet and offers excellent versatility to cover most jig worm situations. Rogue’s lightweight Fuji Alconite Concept Guides impart proper rod balance and casting accuracy. In summary, selecting the most appropriate rod for a particular jig worming scenario will maximize the lure’s effectiveness.

Pictured: Jig Worming is effective on both Largemouth and Smallmouth.

The Giggy Head

Jig worm heads and lures are available in many forms. Function, design and performance varies with each manufacturer, however Gambler Lures offers a complete line of finesse plastics specifically tailored for jig worming. The namesake Giggy Head is designed exclusively for the jig worming aficionado.  Threaded with the Gambler Giggy Stick, Icesickle worm, and Giggy Finesse Snake, the jig utilizes a mushroom shaped head to assure upright landings. The Giggy Stick itself incorporates the shape of a finesse worm with the buoyancy of a hollow tube. A small diameter shaft permits air to be trapped in the body so the tail remains upright on the fall and at rest. Meanwhile, solid head construction provides for secure pegging and weedless rigging. The lure barb design allows for the bait to break free without fouling the hook – a major disadvantage with corkscrew keepers.

• Instinctively, bass go for cover when it’s sunny, and scatter when it is cloudy. When the sun is shining, it can be expected that fish will come and bite when the lure is close to cover. This is not true for cloudy days, when they can bite anywhere.
• During autumn, cast your bait down stream. This should yield better results.
• In the Spring, position yourself in shallow waters, cast deep upstream, and use a 1/8 ounce weight.
• The ideal time for bass fishing is in the early hours of the morning, or late in the evening. These are the times when bass are on the feed. However, on cloudy days or in muddy water, bass will come out to feed in mid afternoon.
• Check the surface of the water. If it’s covered with moss, try a scent - which can serve to penetrate through the thick cover.
• There is no need for flashy colors when choosing a jig. Use only the basics, such as brownish black, or blue-ish black.
• Ideally, your worm should be suspended ninety percent of the time.
• For good results, always make sure that your hooks are sharpened.  While you’re at it, check your knot on a regular basis; make sure it is tied tightly.
• It is important to learn to shake your bait, instead of dragging it. What this does is make the bass think that it is actually live bait.
• For better setting of the hook, tighten your drag.
• Although it is economical to buy in bulk, worms or tubes bought in large quantities can get smelly, even in open spaces. Keep them sealed in smaller bags, like those you buy for food storage. It is important that largemouth bass bait are stored airtight, to preserve freshness. This way, they can be kept anywhere for long periods of time.   Note, our Walking Worms come in small bags of 8.
• Planning is everything. Your bass fishing trip should begin before you even reach the water. Make sure you formulate a plan. After executing that plan for an hour or two, see if it is working, and contemplate moving on to “plan B” if it is not. Pay attention to your instincts.
• Even if you have a favorite place to fish - a “sweet spot”, be sure to try new spots often.
• It is important to study a lake map and think about the season you’re in, and consider weather conditions - each time you go out to fish. Even if you are fishing on a very familiar lake, it is always important to investigate. This way, you may find a great fishing spot that you may have previously missed. A computer or various websites can also help you discern water levels, forecasts, and wind conditions.
• Don’t give up just because a bass short-strikes behind your top water bait, and you don’t connect with it. Simply cast different bait, quickly, and try again.
• Try something smaller if you have been using larger lures and have only been getting a few nips - and non-producing bites. In this sport, bigger doesn’t always mean better.
• When fishing a stump, it is important to think about the root system. This is surprising to some people, but the roots might hold more fish than the main part of the stump itself.
• When going after large fish in a lake, it is best to use strong, sturdy rods. The food in a lake is plentiful and rich, so expect to see fish weighing upwards of twelve pounds each.   Lake fish (of the same species) can be many times bigger than those found in ponds and streams.
• It is a known fact that Bass are smarter then many other types of fish. They are going to try to do whatever it takes to rid themselves of that hook, so it is best to be prepared. To keep your catch on the hook, the best thing a fisherman can do is keep the fish in the water. Hold your rod with the tip pointed down, angled towards the water. Bring the fish this way as close to shore as possible, then onto dry land. Once on dry land, it will be easier to concentrate on getting the hook out of the fish’s mouth. The same principle works with boats as well. As soon as you can, scoop him in the net, and bring the fish out of the water and on to the boat.
• Before you release your bass, take a look inside of its mouth. Often, while fighting a lure in its jaw - a fish will try and throw up the contents of its stomach. By looking at this, you might be able to determine what food the fish are actively eating, and then choose a lure that will duplicate that.
• When using light lines or small hooks, make sure that you use a quality reel - one with a smooth drag system to protect again sudden surges by a fighting bass.
• On a regular basis, check your line right above the lure. Rocks, gravel, stumps, and other obstructions can quickly fray your line.

FISHING TIPS - CASTING

• Cast past your target when this is possible. This will help land the lure on the water with as little noise as possible.
• If it is windy, put tension on the line right before the lure touches down on the surface. What this does is straighten out the line and help prevent loose, excess line on the water.
• Lower the lure just a few inches below the rod tip before you cast. What this does is give extra momentum for the cast.
• Never overfill your spool. Ideally, you should fill the spool to an eighth of an inch of the edge of the spool.

The Money Hound looks like a Zara Spook begging for treble hooks, but is a soft-plastic torpedo that calls for Texas-rigging, just like a plastic worm, plastic frog or soft-plastic jerkbait, that allows it to be worked in and over slop, grass, duckweed, lily pads, buckbrush and, even, dock cables, according to Lawrence Taylor, public-relations manager for PRADCO Outdoor Brands.

Taylor and so many other bass fishermen are enjoying the increasing popularity of the soft plastic that can walk-the-dog in open water and create a ruckus on top in the slop. It’s an ambush bait waiting to happen.

Taylor said YUM management worked many hours and did much testing to “get (it) absolutely perfect.”

“It’s been in the making for years. It had to float a certain level in the water, be durable enough for tough duty in weeds and wood and produce a classic walk-the-dog action in open water,” Taylor said. “We wanted a weed-frog alternative with advantages, and we got it right.”

He doesn’t get an argument from Jimmy Mason of Rogersville, Ala., a BASS and FLW pro who also guides for a living in northern and central Alabama. Mason got his hands on some, and started catching with them right away in October.

Naturally, he put them away in the frigid months of winter, but dusted them off again for pre-spring, spring and summer bass fishing.

“Actually, that’s a great bait. It’s turned into one of my best baits whenever you have grass getting close to the surface,” Mason said. “There are a lot of different situations you can use it.”

For example, at Smith Lake in his home state in a pro tournament, he caught his biggest-ever bass — a 7 1/2-pounder — on a Money Hound.

“It’s turned into one of my big-fish baits in my arsenal,” said the bass angler who guides 175 days a year.

Smith Lake might be the last place you’d think a soft plastic like the Money Hound might be a go-to bait. But, he said, he likes to skip them under docks and use the walk-the-dog retrieve to trigger strikes, which proves their versatility.

Mason’s bite-to-catch ratio is about 80 percent, he said. He uses a 4/0 or 5/0 XCalibur Tx3 Wide gap hook tied to 30- to 50-pound braided line on a high-speed (16.3:1) reel seated on a 7-foot medium heavy fishing rodeo with a strong backbone and a flexible tip.

“To me, the braid’s what’s going to increase the hook-up ratio,” he said. “It’s a bait you want to hesitate just slightly before setting the hook, just like a Ribbit. What happens is they come up, go down and turn their head. You get a lot better hook-up ratio (when you hesitate before slamming home the metal).”

Taylor said he prefers using an XCalibur heavy duty wide-gap offset in 5/0 hook in the smaller (3 1/2-inch long) version and a 7/0 in the longer one (4 1/2-inch long).

“You can get away with a 5/0 in either,” he said.

There is a convenient slit in the soft plastic’s underbelly that guides anglers when they insert the hook point. The clear, pliable plastic the soft plastic itself is wrapped in (much like a skintight sausage) is easily separated with a fingernail or thumbnail.

“You’ve got to split the belly. I always pull the belly apart. I’ll push (the hook) all the way through to where the hook’s tucked in the back,” Mason said.

After that, it’s armed and dangerous and ready to deliver in close quarters.

Another feature he likes is that the tail is weighted slightly, and the soft plastic doesn’t tumble when you cast it. That trait makes it easy to cast accurately for long distance.

“It’s really a neat bait,” he said.