Largemouth Bass Fishing would have to be the premiere freshwater sport in the United States and a sport which drives a multi billion dollar freshwater bait, tackle and fishing gear industry in America alone.

Being helped along with the likes of Alton Jones and Kevin VanDam and many other bass fishing pros the sport has gone from strength to strength with bass champions earning some serious money and lucrative sponsorship from being the best of the best at this great sport.


So what are some vital tips to help any serious bass fisherman become successful at local tournaments and have the chance to go pro.




Great tips for anyone looking to compete in bass fishing tournaments.


Know your bass during winter.

Bass of course are cold blooded creatures, so when the water temperature drops their metabolism slows and they tend not to eat so much. Therefore during the winter when the water is much colder, its best to use smaller baits with more subtle colors.

Bass also usually stay around shallower water during the colder months, during the winter deep water holds less oxygen so bass will keep in shallower water not more than 10 feet deep where there is still a good amount of oxygen to keep them comfortable.

Bass are very sensitive to temperature and weather changes and are very attuned to the environment, they tend to sense when there is an oncoming cold front and will often go on a feeding frenzy to stock up on energy before a cold front arrives.


Where to find trophy bass

As with any freshwater predator fish, fishing around structure and cover is a good start though its really good to fish close to or amongst good healthy areas of vegetation. Aquatic plant life provide ample sources of oxygen, shade, and food for bass to survive as well as providing perfect cover to ambush prey as well as hide from predators.

The perfect place to fish at the edges of deep water vegetation, its where where bass are at their most confident. Another great tip is to fish along the edges of banks where trees overhang on a sunny day, the shade provided by the trees make a perfect hangout for local bass.


Find your trophy bass anytime of the day

In the early hours of the morning and late in the day you will find bass in shallow waters where they look for their morning meal to start the day and search for their dinner before bedding down for the night. During the middle of the day when the sun is at its brightest bass will seek deeper water where things are much darker as the bright midday sun has trouble penetrating deeper water.

During the middle of the day its these deeper areas where you want to concentrate your efforts and where freshwater lures such as well weighted worms and deep diving crankbaits come into their own. During this hotter part of the day you want to work the deep water edges and the transit zones between deep and shallow water.



Know what freshwater fishing lures to use.

Bass will strike on a wide variety of baits and lures although in cooler temperatures when bass are less active jigs with a good trailer are a good option. Just like with any freshwater lures use lighter jigs with a lighter color in clearer waters and heavier jigs and darker colors in heavily colored or stained waters, a 3/8 to 5/8 weight range should have you covered.

When fishing during the bass's preferred feeding times, its a great idea to try and match the color of your freshwater lures to the color of the baitfish and the bottom dwelling animals in the area. If a certain color very familiar to a local bass and the bass associates that color to its usual food, there's a much greater chance that it will strike at that color.

Only use a rod that you feel comfortable whith fishing, confidence is everything in bass fishing and anything that takes away from your confidence is 'poison'. Many people prefer lighter rods while some people prefer heavier rods, though the general rule of thumb is try to stick with the lightest rod you feel comfortable using. Although if your fishing around thick cover or weeds you might want to opt for a slightly heavier rods to give you more leverage and control to maneuver fish away from obstacles.


Keep a fishing log

At the and of every fishing day you want to take away as much from the days experience as you can. Documenting your actions, habits and the days events is a great way analyze your performance and will help you identify the things you are doing right, things you may be doing wrong, what areas of your fishing you need to improve on and what you can do to become better at this fantastic and highly rewarding sport.


Maintain enjoyment

For anyone to excel at anything it is essential that they enjoy it, though there is always the risk that no matter how much you enjoy something if you do it too often things become a chore and you lose the joy and enthusiasm.

If this happens it doesn't hurt to step back, take a deep breath and take some time off. Don't worry there will still be plenty of fish to catch when you get back on the water!

Have fun, tight lines and be sure to click on the links at the top of this page to check out the latest sale items at Bass Pro Shops!

Top Ten Soft Plastic Worms for Largemouth Bass Fishing

Soft Plastic Worms are without doubt one of the best producers of Largemouth Bass as well as many other freshwater fish so its absolutely essential to have a good range of these freshwater fishing lures to get the most out out any fishing trip.




So what are the best soft plastic worms for largemouth bass fishing?

Will this largely depends on the particular situation as there are not only many ways to rig soft plastic lures of the worm variety but also there are a number of retrieval techniques you can use when fishing soft plastic worms.

Probably the most popular way to rig your worm is Texas Rig style, as rigging your worm this way will provide you with the most retieve options which makes this style of rigging the most versatile. If your fishing a soft plastic worm texas style and you need to add some weight to the rig its a good idea to use a wieghted offset worm hook for best results.


Of course there are certain worm baits that perform better than others when Largemouth Bass Fishing in specific conditions and locations so its always best to experiment to find what works best for you.

That said here is a list of the most versatile and productive soft plastic worm freshwater lures when largemouth bass fishing.

1. Yamamoto Senko
2. Zoom Finesse Worm
3. Gene Larew Sinking Slugger
4. Zoom Trick Worm
5. Yamamoto Single or Double Tail Hula Grub
6. Zoom Super Fluke
7. Zoom Brush Hog
8. Strike King Coffee Tube
9. Bass Assassin Shad Assassin
10. Berkley Power Bait Original Power Worm

Selecting worms for largemouth bass fishing.

If you havn't fished soft plastic worms, you are missing out because the fact is worms catch fish!

If your not sure what to be on the look out for when purchasing worms here is a few pointers.

Generally worms seem to work best with natural colors, shades of brown, grey, black and olive seem to work better than bright colors as bass along with many other species can often be scared off with chartreuse and pink coloured worms.

Without doubt the best soft plastic worm is the Yamamoto Senko, the combination of width profile, great colors and texture, weight, excellent natural squirming motion on retrieve as well as the impregnated salt scent make this worm a standout favourite with experienced bass fisherman and is widely accepted as the best general purpose soft plastic lure you can have.

Largemouth Bass, the single most popular fish targeted in America.

Without doubt Largemouth Bass Fishing provides for a thrilling experience, Largemouth Bass have the fight of a Lion and can strike freshwater lures with the explosion of a canon blast; so its little wonder that Largemouth Bass Fishing is so popular.

Although you don't have to be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist to catch one these amazing fish, many would agree the real art to largemouth bass fishing is locating a genuine Largemouth bass hotspot.


Some things to be on the look out when identifying possible largemouth bass fishing hotspots

Shaded areas with overhanging trees, Largemouth Bass love to hang out among the roots and logs which often litter these areas, land a surface freshwater lure into these areas and work them over the shade.

Feeder streams which lead into a larger pond are like room service for largemouth bass, small feeder streams often carry some of the favourite food of largemouth bass. Like earth worms, grubs and bugs. Fish near where a feeder stream runs into a main 'larger' pond with a plastic worm, spinner or even a fly.

Fish around lily pads, grass beds and at the edge of drop offs or at a shallow area where the is a deep drop off nearby. Largemouth Bass are natural ambush predators so its always best to fish in and around their ideal ambush spots.




Best Times for Largemouth Bass fishing

As a general rule the best times to fish for Largemouth Bass is early morning and late afternoon as Largemouth Bass tend to shy away from bright light, during the better part of the day Largemouth Bass will either retreat to heavy cover or find deeper water where bright light can't penetrate.

So if your Largemouth Bass fishing in the middle of a bright sunny day, best set yourself up with a deep diving crankbait which has a nice loud rattle.


Largemouth Bass Fishing at Night.

Fishing for largemouth bass at night can land you some excellent fish especially in a popular fishing area where the largemouth bass have become all to familair with the usual freshwater lures. During the night Largemouth Bass will often be more comfortable in venturing further out for a potential meal.

Under the cover of darkness these fish will be more likely to strike instinctively at an unidentified silouhette or even vibration rather than waiting to get a detailed look at any potential prey.

This can can mean that you have a much greater chance of catching a 'wised up' trophy Hawg during the night than you would during daylight hours.

A good tip for night fishing for largemouth bass is to fish near and around piers where there is an artificial light source. The light will penertrate a long distance through the water column and light your lure up like a christmas tree.

Also when night fishing be sure to use a dark coloured lure with a rattle.

The one quality swimbait that won't break the bank.

Swimbaits are becoming all the more popular among Bass fisherman as freshwater anglers today are more ready to try new freshwater lures and other great new products in order to give them that edge or just to help them catch those trophy sized fish.

Though one of the major concerns with some of the latest and greatest swimbaits that have come onto the market has been their price. With some of the most expensive Swimbaits setting you back up to fifty dollars, it is possible to get a hold of some really good swimbaits products that work just as good as the high premium priced swimbaits for a fraction of the cost.

The Megabait Charlie Swimbait is just one of those swimbaits that works like a charm, yet won't cost you the earth, perfect for largemouth bass fishing.  


The Megabait Charlie Swimbait is a true hybrid freshwater lure, the Megabit Charlie has a lip just like you would find on a crankbait and  its design is centred around a soft plastic shell over a hard hollow core.  Whithin its core is a hollow sound chamber which has a number of tungsten balls which create a suprisingly low pitched knocking sound specifically designed to attract real trophy sized bass.


The exterior finish of this swimbait is very lifelike and has a very shiny holographic appearance which reflects light through the water from a great distance which makes its great for alerting hungry largemouth bass to its presence in the water.

Being a soft plastic bait the Megabait Charlie swimbait provides a more lifelike feel and therefore entices big bass to give a more committed strike. This will help stop Bass from 'short striking' or spitting out the bait before you get the chance of setting the hook.

The swimming action of this swimbait is very realistic, although as with any swimbait a bit of experimentation will help you decide what retrieve speed works best for you and produces the best results.

One of the best things about this swimbait is its versatility, you can use the lip to make the lure dive about three feet below the surface, with a pause you can let the bait suspend and on the slow retrieve you can let this swimbait work its magic with its low pitched knock and extremely lifelike swimming action, bass find the temptation irresistable.


Whether you use a slow or fast retrieve or jerk and stop this swimbait caters well for all techniques, so if one technique doesn't seem to work you can easily change your game plan without changing your lure.

With this swimbait I was a little worried about durability, with so many slits in the tail its understandable that this swimbait might not last as long as more expensive baits, though the Megabait Charlie has held up pretty well having fished with it for over a few months now, the color of these baits are impregnated into the plastic and although the bait has lost some of the glitter since I have purchased it, the swimming action of this swimbait along with its excellent ability to attract and catch large fish, especially in clear water has yet to fail me.


All in all the Megabait Charlie Swimbait is a great lure if your looking to add a few in-expensive swimbaits to your freshwater lure collection to help you with your Largemouth Bass Fishing.

P.S. If your looking for a true premium swimbait be sure to read this post.

Swimbaits The Latest Bass Fishing Craze

Buzzbait Tips and Tricks of the Elite Pros

Many weekend anglers don't get the full use of their buzzbaits and often will give an egg beater a quick few rips and opt for another freshwater lure.

This can be a big mistake!

Three times Toyota Tundra Master Kevin Van Dam says "When the fish are using shallow water cover, the buzzbait will flush them out."

Buzzbaits are a great tool for finding Bass in the shallows and are a great bait for checking out new areas to see if there are fish about.

Though its important to make a lot of casts over a large area before giving this bait away completely and going to other freshwater lures or moving on to areas areas, as some times it will take Bass a little while to respond to the ripping of a buzz.

Buzz Baits are a such a great bait to fish because they offer three of the four elements which lure Bass in and make them strike. Sound, sight and vibration, the only one missing is scent.

Buzz Bait Pro Secrets

Experiment: experiment by varying the ripping speeds and also don't be afraid of tweaking the blades, by cupping the blades more you can slow down your buzz bait or if you want to speed up your buzz bait then straighten the blades up slightly. Once you get a strike take note of the speed of the Buzz bait and try to keep it at that speed.


Nightime Buzzing: The great thing about Buzzbait fishing at night is that Bass feel more secure without the light of day so they are more comfortable in traveling a greater distance to hit a buzzbait than they would during the daytime. Tip: put a slight bend in your wired to prevent Bass short striking your bait.


Buzz all Seasons: Buzzbaits are not only just a hot heather lures, you can fish buzz baits in the very early spring and even during the winter. The trick is to fish late in the afternoon and use a super slow retrieve.

Clear water Buzzing: Buzzbaits are primarily used for shallow stained water, although with a little dressing up of your bait you can just as effectively buzz in clear water by using a smaller single bladed bait and select a bait with a lighter and brighter color.

Also use a faster speed and trim off half of the skirt, by using a faster speed and trimming off half the skirt of your buzzbait you distort the true image of the bait which gives Bass the impression of a tasty critter trying to get away. Also choose a Buzzbait with a more translucent lure for clearer water.

Change Directions: By bending your Buzzbaits wire your can make your bait track different directions. Bait fish don't always swim in a straight line so to better imitate a natural baitfish action you can bend the wire of your buzzbait to make it track left or right or straighten the wire to make your Buzzbait track true.

Do away with the skirt: In windy conditions the skirt can catch the wind and make it difficult to cast, in this case you can do away with the skirt and replace it with a soft plastic body as a trailer. A great thing to try is adding a 6 or 8 inch Lizard as a trailer on a buzzbait.

The one freshwater lure which catches more fish than any other is the soft plastics worm.

There have been studies which have shown that pound for pound, the humble worm catches more fish than any other bait bar none.

But what's really weird is that soft plastic worm baits are without doubt one of the cheapest freshwater lures to purchase which makes them extremely good value.

So what are some of the better soft plastic worms out there and what should you look for if your looking to make additions to your tackle gear or if your just starting out and looking for a good soft plastic worms to help round off your your initial collection.

Having fished Senko worms for some time and not afraid of change, I asked the question on a few freshwater fishing forums I lurk in; if there was anything better? Well apparently when your onto a good thing it pays to stick with it; as it turns out there seems to be unanimous support for these little suckers the Senko Worms.

Senko Worms come in a wide variety of colors but the most popular colors used are watermelon and pumpkin. Just like any bait choose the darker colors for fishing on overcast days or fishing in murky water and go for the more colorful worms for clearer water or when the is plenty of light around.

The Senko soft plastic worms have been salt impregnated which provides an alluring scent for any nearby bass, also they are very weighty for a soft plastic so they are fine to fish with without any added weight in fact they seem to work much better this way especially if your fishing in less than 10 feet of water. If you really need to fish these worms weighted (deeper water) then using a jighead and rigged Texas Style is the easiest way to go although weighting the worm does take away some of its natural squirming action which Bass find so irresistible.


Another great way to rig this worm is 'Whacky Style' as rigging the Senko bait this way give you the full affect of the unique squirming action of this bait. If your looking to weight a Whacky Style rigged Senko worm then it's best to use a few nail weights at either end of the worm.


Although most people expect strikes to come from this bait being on the bottom, your bound to get many hits while the bait is on the fall which is why patience is the key to success with fishing with any worm.

The trick is to let the bait fall to the bottom and leave it for a while and only use a very slow retrieve. After letting the worm settle on the bottom for a little while give it a little jerk and let it fall back to the bottom, after a little experimenting you will quickly find out what works best.

The great thing about using a plastic worms as bait is that you will catch fish on these suckers all year round, which make plastic worms an essential freshwater bait for your collection.

The Senko Worm doesn't just work for bass, you can get Pike and Muskie blow up on them when you would least expect it.

This is just an all 'round' good bait.

Click the product links below for more details on Senko Worms and other great soft plastics and freshwater lures.

A resident who lives at Lake Conroe which is about 50 miles north of Houston saw a small red basketball bouncing around kind of strange like on the surface of the lake.

It turned out that a flathead catfish had just tried to ambush the ball and had the ball stuck in its mouth. The catfish was trying its hardest to dive to get out of harms way but couldn't because of the ball.

In the end the concerned resident of Lake Conroe had his wife pierce the ball with a knife so the husband could remove it and allow the hungry catfish to swim free.







If you have some weird or wonderful fishing pics that you would like featured on this blog feel free to send me your happy snaps.

Email me at freshwaterlures@gmail.com

Soft Plastic Fishing

I have covered swimbaits here on my blog before but there seems to be more and more hybrid freshwater lures coming out of the woodwork.

One such hybrid bait is the Big Bait Special Bulldog from Lucky Craft.

These hybrid freshwater lures like many wake baits and swim baits are very large, at first glance you can straight away tell that this lure is designed to catch some really, really big fish. This floating behemoth weighs in at 2 oz and is 4 inches in length, it comes in 13 different colors and has an interchangeable prop/spinner blade.

The Big Bulldog Wake Bait does exactly what the name implies, it leaves are very large (train wreck) wake at the water's surface. Once you have seen the commotion that these lures create on retrieve, you can quickly appreciate how attractive this lure may seem to any 'really large' bass which may be lurking anywhere nearby.




Everything about these lures targets the truly huge trophy bass every fisherman dreams about.

From their larger than life knocker which must be the size of Toyota Prius given the sound, to its neat rear propeller blade or if you prefer the spinner blade which adds just that extra bit of top water commotion. The sheer size of the lure and its lip creates a Nuclear Submarine Class wake, though whats really impressive about this lure is the quality finish. The Bulldogs shiny mirror like finish is manufactured perfectly to reflect light through the water to agitate the most stubborn bass to strike.

To get the most from this lure a slow retrieve is best though you can also give the lure a short jerk and it will perform a 180 on cue. The motion of this law is very convincing, looking just like an injured Shad or other baitfish swimming along the surface.

At $24.99 this freshwater lure is pretty reasonable value given its size and quality of finish and really suits the pro looking to haul in that ever elusive trophy largemouth bass.

Most anglers take their fishing very seriously but the British take things to a whole new level with their Carp Fishing Tackle and Toys.

Carp Fishing has yet to become popular in the US but in Britain and even Australia where people fish for carp for environmental reasons as much as for sport, carp fishing has been enormously popular.

Most people in the States see Carp as a 'junk fish' but more and more people are fishing for these fish for entertainment and game value as well as the fact you can catch carp at some really monstrous sizes.

Carp are fairly easy to catch, though you do have to be patient and it pays to not play with your rod too much as carp have very good senses when it comes to vibration and they can be easily frightened from taking bait when there is a lot of commotion near your cast. Also keep the tension off on your line, if a carp senses tension on the bait chances are it will become spooked.



The best bait to use are pre-prepared dough, although you can make your own dough for carp from a huge number of recipes that are available online, Creamed corn also works very well too and its probably a good idea to bring a few different baits to experiment with and see which works best for you.

The British are totally crazy about their carp fishing and some of their toys are a little over the top, but for someone who is really serious about their fishing gadgets like the bite indicators can be an extremely handy little tool to have.

In the way of Carp Fishing Tackle, it really depends on the size and species of carp you are looking to catch. As carp can be easily spooked the smallest hook and the lightest test line possible as if a carp sees the line it may think twice before taking your bait.

The trick with selecting the best Carp Fishing Tackle is a fine balance between having the lightest line and smallest hook as to not frighten carp off as well as having a strong enough line to cope with a fair size fish as well as a strong enough hook to withstand the punishment a carp can give. If your looking to land a true monster Carp, try and use a low visibility line to prevent any fish being spooked .

Typically carp are not a fast or explosive type of fish once hooked although they are very strong and can provide a good sustained struggle which is why they make great game fish.

One thing that is probably most important when trying for Carp is to be patient, let the fish suck and nibble at the bait as it takes a little while for a Carp to feel completely comfortable and fully take a bait.

Hooking a Peacock Bass is like snagging your lure on a passing nuclear attack submarine.

Peacock Bass Fishing is steadily becoming more and more popular with fresh water anglers. This is without any doubt due to the species insatiable and ferocious feeding habits and the amazing fight they put out when hooked.

The sheer ferociousness and strength of these species have inspired the top lure makers to design and produce super strong specialized peacock bass lures to withstand the extreme punishment these fish dish out, such punishment would leave your average Largemouth Bass lure a little worse for wear.

Once you have caught a large Peacock you quickly appreciate the pure excitement and thrill of the sheer power of these fish. I have heard people describe it as hooking a runaway freight train. All too often you have to play a Peacock Bass for quite a while before they finally submit to defeat.

And it's not unusual to have your line or even your rod snap, your hooks bent and mangled or even your lure looking like it had just been used to plough a farmer's field, after going five rounds with a good sized Peacock Bass.



Because Peacock Bass are so rough on your equipment and lures, it is well advised to have a spare rod and plenty of good quality Peacock Bass Lures close by.

Everyone who I have talked to who has caught Peacocks around Southern Florida always brings up in conversation the prospect of a Peacock fishing pilgrimage to the Amazon, where the largest and most exciting Peacock Bass fishing on earth takes place. Some catches on the Amazon River have been reported at 27 pounds the largest fish of this species weighing in at 35 pounds which is really beyond monstrous.

But there is no doubt some much larger record breakers in the more isolated reaches of this great river system.



These fish are voracious feeders and not particularly fussy which is great for anglers because chances are, if there are Peacocks about you will get hit, and get hit hard!

If you have never fished for these exotic fish before then it's a good idea to do a little research before you venture out. But even then no amount of reading will prepare you for the truly colossal battle you'll fight when a Peacock Bass claims your lure for its own, which is why it's a great idea to have an experienced Peacock Bass angler on hand for the first time you go on a hunt for these predators on steroids.

For anyone who considers them self a seasoned Largemouth Bass angler and is looking for a new and exciting challenge, targeting this amazing species of fish will give you a new found appreciation of fresh water fishing and without doubt make you a much better fisherman.

Freshwater fisherman are always looking for an added edge, the one small advantage that will increase their chances of landing the catch of a lifetime.

Though gaining this edge just got a whole lot more expensive with the increasing trend in freshwater fishing lures of pricier swimbait type baits.

During the last twelve months swim bait lures have been gaining popularity as far as fresh water lures go. Unfortunately the costs of such lures have yet to come down as some of the new swimbaits on the market fetch $50 a pop.



One such swim bait is the Tru Life Swimbait by Tru Tungsten and although this lure would have to be one of the latest and greatest of swim bait lures currently available, just the same losing a just a few of these babies could make for a very expensive fishing trip.

Although as the old adage goes ‘you get what you pay for’ that goes double for True Life Swim Baits.

If one thing is strikingly obvious about these baits, it’s their size. One could entertain the idea that these lures were made in the Land of the Giants they are that large. Although True Life Swimbaits come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and species, the largest models of these lures have drawn the most appeal.



Simply because the larger model lures are obviously designed to catch the truly monstrous fish often sought after in pro tournaments.

Some of the standout features of this line of swim bait lures are there extremely life like appearance, their natural swimming motion through the water on retrieve and their unique adjustable weight system enabling a custom fall rate.



The makers of the Tru Life Swimbait, Tru Tungsten have collaborated with Ish Monroe and Matt Newman to produce the ideal competition grade swimbait lure having the characteristics of three different swimbait lures in a single product with the unique customizable weighting system.

Although this seems to be a great lure to help you land those freshwater monsters, the price of these lures may put just a few people off.

In any case these lures as with any other lure won’t guarantee you will catch more fish, just bigger ones!

When it comes to custom tackle nothing is more important than attention to detail.

That’s why Omega jigs are regarded as the best custom tackle producers bar none!

Their jigs are as close as you can get to perfection for freshwater fishing lures and their attention to detail would almost put the Mona Lisa to shame.

Omega jigs are quite literally a piece of artwork!

Omega has a number of jigs of various flavors but probably the most favored and most versatile is the Pro-Mega.

This jig is perfect for deep water structure fishing though it’s perfectly at home fishing through grass and weeds as well. A more versatile jig you’ll be hard pressed to find.

Omega custom tackle developed the Pro – Mega jig together with Todd Barnes and Roger Fitzpatrick, a deep water specialist.

Fitzpatrick says....

“The ever popular football jig still has its place on rocky structures, however, the new Pro-Mega structure jig has no limitations,” says Fitzpatrick.

“The football jig is one of the greatest tools ever designed for fishing structure, but it has a tendency to hang up around wood.”

The new Pro-Mega Jig by OMEGA Custom Tackle is available in 3/8, 5/8, and 7/8 oz. versions.


The Pro Mega jig is also equipped with the same standard features as the rest of Omega Custom Tackle’s line.

Such as an over sized skirt collar with a rattle band for holding two Omega rattles, collared skirts a trailer keeper for holding any type of soft plastic, and an optimum-angled fiber weed guard.

Rapala Fishing Lures would have to be the most trusted brand of fishing lures on the planet and for good reason, their quality, lifelike realism and attention to detail are second to none in comparison to any other lures on the market.

Though what really makes Rapala Fishing Lures stand out from the pack and perform that much better than all the other freshwater fishing lures is there legendary lifelike swimming action.

But to maintain the edge that these elite freshwater fishing lures provide, there are a few cardinal rules when fishing with the Rapala Brand.



The Cardinal rules when using Rapala Lures.....


Use the lightest terminal tackle possible and tie your line directly to the eye of the your Rapala Lure

Why you should do this is simple! All Rapala Fishing Lures has been crafted to achieve perfect lightness and balance in order to yield the most natural simulated motion of bait fish swimming through the water.


Use your sinkers as far as practicable from the lure as possible.

When using three-way rigs involving extra weight, we recommend at least 18 inches of mono or line between swivel and lure. We can recommend much more, and for good reason: a sinker close to the natural eye of the Rapala impedes action as much as extra snaps and swivels.



You never want to burden the valuable fish catching action of your Rapala Lures with heavy hardware and sinkers located close to the lure.



Test your Rapala Lures’ action and optimal retrieval speed visually from the shore to confirm the best possible retrieve and rigging to maintain its lifelike action.

If you have used weight and line properly, the only other variable to be concerned with is speed. As you watch, vary the speed of the retrieve, noticing that there is an optimum rate at which the Rapala looks exactly like a bait fish struggling for its life! Of course, as you gain in experience and confidence, you might want to vary the speed, modifying the action for certain conditions and species.


Generally, the Rapala catches game fish like no other artificial lure because it imitates bait fish better than any other.

Observe these three simple rules and you are bound to get the most out of these great Freshwater Fishing Lures.

Every good freshwater fisherman knows that the better he or she understand his quarry and its environment the better the chances of fooling the fish to strike at what appears to be food.

For Largemouth Bass in particular, their sense of smell is highly developed. In fact the commercialization of million dollar Bass fishing tournaments has led to leading scientific breakthroughs in the understanding of how well Largemouth Bass can smell and sense chemicals in the water and how they react to these smells.

Recently, Dr. John Caprio of Louisiana State University measured the nervous response of bass to a variety of amino acids; the amino acids L-arginine and L-Lysine were especially potent. Funnily enough theses two amino acids are potently present in baitfish; furthermore Dr. Caprio also showed that bass can sense a dilution of four ounces of L-arginine mixed with 6,000 gallons of water.

Dr. Caprio’s research has found that when bass encounter the smell of something they believe to be food, they go through four stages.

• Arousal: bass detects the smell of something that they perceive to be food.
• Search, the bass attempts to find the object.
• Analyze: the Bass analyzes the object with its eyes,
• Taste: and the final the taste test.

Among many of Dr. Caprio’s findings are what smells and chemicals Bass find repulsive which may prevent you from making your catch.

One of the top chemicals which repel Bass is a chemical called L-Serine which is a amino acid secreted by human skin, other serious offenders are DEET which is most prevalent in insect repellents.

Dr. Caprio has found that Bass can detect levels of DEET and L-Serine as low as 1 part per million in the water. Other bass-offending substances commonly used by anglers include many food and lotion preservatives, especially derived from benzene which forms the active ingredient of many sunscreens.

So it goes without saying, be careful what you put on your hands before you handle your freshwater fishing lures or set live baits, because many fish species can literally smell you coming!

Some of these freshwater fishing tips you may well know and practice without giving a second thought, but for those of who are relatively new to the sport or if you’re looking for a few extra tips.

When fishing in murky waters, use a vibrating lure so as to not rely on the visual attractant of your lure. A Vibrating lure will have a better chance of attracting fish to a visual and striking range in water which has poor visibility.

Shallow timber and brush that is close to deep water will generally hold more Bass. In visible timber, begin looking for fish in deep pockets and along distinct tree or brush lines. Point’s pockets and bends are better than straight portions.


Look for docks which has planted cover and deep water close by, sometimes the pier owner will have placed treetops and artificial attractors around them to attract game fish.


Work a plastic worm slowly, many people get use to working the plastic worm as they do a Crankbait or Buzzbait. Remind yourself when fishing with a plastic worm to slow the tempo down and fish plastic worms methodically.

On rising water, look for new opened water areas, chances are bait fish will have moved to large newly flooded areas and Bass usually follow. Look for large newly flooded areas a few feet deep and look for the activity of bait fish on the surface.

Overall confidence can’t be purchased at your sporting goods store or acquired from a veteran angler, confidence in fishing is something which is earned from practice and experience and developing an understanding of your quarry and its habitat. You will probably never know all there is to know about fresh water fishing. But as you put more and more pieces of the puzzle together, you’ll soon see why confidence is the most important lure in your tackle box. Source: Google Books Get these tips and more great Tips and Tricks from the Fresh Water Fisherman Bible IGFA's 101 Freshwater Fishing Tips & Tricks

Hooking a Peacock Bass is often akin to snagging your rig on a passing nuclear attack submarine.

These fish can provide for a mighty fight and have a reputation for breaking rods and bending hooks so it’s essential to have a spare rig handy when fishing for this species. In fact sometimes its worthwhile replacing the hooks on your lures with heavy duty treble hooks when Peacock Bass Fishing.

Select a lure which is several sizes larger than you would expect to use when targeting a similar sized Largemouth Bass. Although it’s easier said than done, try not to flinch when you get a strike from a Peacock Bass, a strike from this wonderful fish is usually violent and ferocious and it sometimes is easy to jerk the bait away out of excitement in all of the commotion before the fish has a chance to properly take the lure.

Once you have hooked a Peacock Bass, you may need to play the fish for a little while, pound for pound Peacock Bass put up a much stronger fight than a similar sized Largemouth Bass.

Much like with any fish, be prepared to experiment with different techniques as conditions can dictate their behavior.

As far as selecting lures specifically for Peacock Bass Fishing, there are a number of manufactures which specialize in making lures for this species.

Things to look for when purchasing a lure for Peacock Bass

• Triple wrapped split pins
• Strong large treble hooks
• Long screw eyes
• Hook hangers deep within the body of the lure

Some of the best specialized Peacock Bass Baits to use would be Luhr Jensen’s Big Game Wood Chopper, Ripper and Peacock Special, Eatem-Up Monster Prop, Temptress and Sam Griffin’s Super Zip.

Any Propeller Baits should be worked with a medium to rapid paced aggressive rip of the rod, to impart an audible ripping sound and leave a visible bubble trail; the bubble trail is a vital attractant.

After a long cast reel up any slack and then use your wrists to snap the rod tip towards the water. Using short, aggressive rips to move the bait in a series of quick successions is much more productive than long gliding rips.

Usually the faster and more aggressive you rip your bait the more Peacock Bass will be enticed to strike.

Walleye are most active in the morning and evening it’s obvious this is the best time to fish for them. They usually feed on small yellow perch, trout, small mouth bass, northern pike or sunfish so you can often find them around schools of these fish. Walleye eat a lot and they a very aggressive fish and are not very picky, which is good news for fisherman targeting these species.

Fish for Walleyes around submerged rocks, weedy flats and other underwater structure, Walleye have great eyesight and they use it. They often retreat to darker shadowed areas or deeper darker areas where they can lay in wait and ambush prey. So the use of brightly colored lures is a must.

Walleyes like to suspend in water at temperatures between 55 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit so in the cooler months you will find them in shallow waters, while in the warmer months you will find them in deeper water though usually not deeper than 50 feet.





Freshwater Lures for Fishing Walleye

Jigs

Jigs would have to be the number one choice walleye lures as there a simple bait to fish and jigs provide a presentation that is close to the bottom where Walleye spend most of their time foraging.

A good all round Jig for Walleye would be a leaded head jig which can be tipped with a number of different options. Some of the most popular are twister tails, plastic grubs and shad bodies. Also you will want to find a happy medium between a small enough jig for the walleye to inhale and a jig which has enough weight to stay near the bottom.

For shallow water less than 10 feet a 1/8 oz jig should be fine, though if the conditions are windy or the water is a bit deeper you may want to use a ¼ oz jig. Maintaining contact with the bottom is the key to catching walleye, and experimenting with different lifts, and drags of the bait, will upgrade your catch significantly.

If the fish are inactive; this is common in colder weather, you are better off tipping with live bait like live minnows, worms or leeches, though if the fish are in an aggressive mood a plastic body will do the trick. For water between 10 – 25 feet it’s better to use a ½ oz jig.




Crankbaits

Choosing a Crankbait can be difficult, but there are a few points to keep in mind when specifically targeting walleye. Pick thin-profile bait that averages between three and five-inches in length. Stay away from the short stubby baits that are generally used for bass, as the walleyes natural forage species is typically thin and long.

Choosing Walleye Lures with built-in rattles can help a walleye hone in on your lure, and will produce sound that can be beneficial in murky water. Color combination's can be endless, but the rule of thumb is to present a natural colored bait when faced with clear water, and turn to brighter colors when fishing stained or deep water. My best success has come on the natural perch and baby bass finishes, as well as chartreuse, red and green. Experimentation is the key in deciding what the resident walleye prefer.


Spinnerbaits

Spinners are the old favourites for Walleye Lures and they continue to still catch fish. They are a versatile lure in that they can be cast or trolled, and exhibit flash and sound characteristics that walleye seem to love.

The standard size spinner to throw for walleye is the # 3, although upgrading to a # 4 can be beneficial if the water is very fast moving or murky. Tipping the treble hook with a piece of worm will produce a scent trail that can garner strikes from inactive or skittery fish.

Some of the better-known brands of spinners are manufactured by Mepps and Blue Fox and are available in a multitude of colors. Black, silver and chartreuse are my top three producers and have become my "go to" baits when faced with tough conditions.