Video on How to Use a Spinning Reel

https://youtu.be/CqQksLnRAS4

Why Snagging Shad Is a Good Thing

If you've been bass fishing long, chances are good that you've snagged a shad.  There are several different types of shad. The most common in my area is the gizzard shad, which has a grey color.

Shad range from the size of your finger all the way up to the size of your foot.  See below.

One thing is true about shad.  You'll always catch them by snag.  They're filter feeders.  They constantly inhale water and feed off of microscopic plankton and organisms.

Don't get me wrong, you may hook one in the mouth area, like this.

That's not because the shad decided to strike.  It simply got close enough to the lure to inhale the business end of the hook.  Of course, this begs the question of why.

The answer is simple.  Be it a shad crank bait or a shad swim bait, your lure looked real enough to fool the actual shad into schooling up with it.  If it can trick a shad into doing that, the lure can definitely trick a bass into striking.  So if you have a lure that seems to snag a lot of shad, KEEP THROWING IT!

Plus there's one other thing.  Shad make fantastic catfish bait.  The shad pictured here were released unharmed because I didn't have my catfishing pole at the time.

Tight lines!

Best Way to Identify Crappie

Crappie, bluegill, and sunfish are all included in a group of called panfish. They have a lot of similarities in appearance, but it's important to know when you have a crappie versus another type of panfish.

This is especially true here in Texas, where crappie are considered game fish but bluegill and sunfish are not.  Bluegill and sunfish are good cut bait for catfish.  It is absolutely illegal to use crappie as bait.

Let's start with comparing a crappie and a sunfish.  In the photo below, the crappie is on top and the sunfish is on bottom.

Now let's compare a crappie and a bluegill.  Again, the crappie is on top.

Notice that in the case of sunfish and bluegill, there is a distinctive black spot on the bottom rear corner of the dorsal fin that the crappie does not have.  I'll let you study the pictures to note other differences.  Now you can catch panfish with confidence!

The fish pictured were released.  Tight lines!

Turtle Fight!

https://youtu.be/WVW8nHCoLok

Five Best Bass Lures

Bass fishing can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be.  Especially for those new to the sport, lure choices can leave you feeling overwhelmed.  Visit a Bass Pro or a Cabella's, and you might end up in the corner in a fetal position due to choice overload.

The truth is that you only need a handful of those lures to be off to a good start.  The first and absolutely most important, in my opinion, is a crankbait.  Go with natural colors for clearer water, and go with darker colors or red colors for more stained water.

Next up, you need a swim bait.  Don't forget to rig it with a slip sinker aka bullet weight.  I have a separate post that will go into more detail.

The number three spot goes to a spinner bait.  The same color rule for crank baits applies to spinners.

Next up, have a jig and a good trailer.  You can't go wrong putting a craw trailer on a jig.  Again, the same color rule for cranks and spinners applies to jigs.

Last but by no means least, get yourself a Rattle-L-Trap.  Sometimes bass prefer the tight action of a trap to the more eradic action of a crank.

Tight lines in 2016!

Bass Fishing: Swim Baits

When it comes to bass lures, a lot of the focus tends to be on crank baits and spinners.  There's good reason.  They're both very effective.

That said, we've all had days where we struck out with one or both.  On those days, don't forget about another option:  swim baits.  Take a look.

These baits look like something a bass would hit.  This design is red on the bottom, which helps them show up in stained water.  However, there are numerous designs, including a realistic gizzard shad.  Here's what they look like out of the package.

That large tail is key.  The action on it mimicks the way a minnow swims.  I recommend sliding a bullet weight onto your line first and then tying this bait on.  This will greatly increase your casting range.

Here's the bass I caught with my swim lure.

I released her to fight another day.  Tight lines!

Best Way to Guarantee a Catch (Almost)

Here in the U.S., the pecking order of coveted game fish goes like this: bass, catfish, crappie.  However, these game fish are not easy to catch.  Not by a long shot.

So here's what I suggest.  In addition to whichever game fish you're trying for, rig a pole for carp.  Granted, they're not exactly beautiful.  In my opinion, they're not the best to eat.  All of that said, pound for pound, nothing fights like a carp.  They get big too!

I was trying for bass yesterday evening and decided to set up a carp rig as insurance, in case the bass weren't feeling the red crank bait I had to offer.

Guess what?  The bass weren't feeling it, but this 5 lbs carp was!

In fact, the fish nearly got away with my pole before I could grab it!  All you need is a little size 6 bait holder hook and some whole kernel sweet corn.  It may not be a bass, but it's a lot better than catching nothing!

There's always a chance that even the carp aren't biting, but they're the closest thing you can get to a guarantee!  Make sure corn's legal in your area.  The fish was released unharmed.

Tight lines!