I want you all to know that Jonathan was EXTREMELY thorough throughout the entire selection process. He asked about style of fishing, colors, eyes, placement, left handed or right handed, cork, blanks, etc…. It was obvious that he had done this many times before, and I was very confident that he’d put his heart and soul into his work, just as he had done for some of our other SJB members.

When I went to meet Jonathan to pick up the new rod my jaw nearly hit the floor. The work that this guy puts into these custom rods is amazing and his work is nothing short of an artwork masterpiece. He makes each of his AMAZING patterns, some of which look like their moving, by weaving each thread one by one. You have to see one of these in person to appreciate his work as a camera can only do it so much justice. Below are some of the pictured I took of the rod that he created for me, which was ultimately dubbed The Black Hole on account of me requesting Raiders colors.

His website can be found here: http://www.twistedcustomrods.com/

And here is an excerpt from his website:

Why Buy a Custom Rod:Many people ask me what the advantages of a custom rod are and why should they spend more money on something that doesn’t have a $15 over the counter warranty. The list of reasons as to why custom rods are better is staggering and I will outline some of the most important issues that factory rods have that the custom rod solves:

The Spine: Essentially, the way a rod blank is manufactured is by sheets of graphite, fiberglass, or graphite and fiberglass are wound around a mandrel. This is then placed in an oven where it cures the glues used to hold everything together. After the curing process, the mandrel is removed and the blank is trimmed to length. Because the material is rolled on the mandrel there is more layers on one side than the other (think about it like a paper towel roll) and this causes the blank to want to bend a certain direction. When put under load, the blank will naturally rotate to the same orientation every time; this spot is called a rods “Spine”. I mark this location and then assemble the grips and guides in accordance to the spine. Wrapping the rod on the spine helps to reduce twisting and torque on the rod while under load and is something many major rod manufactures ($200+ rods) do not take the time to do.

Guide Placement: Every singe blank, even if they are the same model from the same manufacturer, made one right after the other will bend differently. Rod companies average the bends and find the guide placement that will work for the range of flex’s that come off of the assembly line. Every rod that I am wrapping for someone has the guides placed in specific locations for that particular blank. This will give you the optimum performance available from the rod.

Grip Length: Since every person’s body type is different the length of grip will be different for every person. Also, the type of application will determine how long the grips are. A rod made for fishing 100# line for tuna if being used in a harness is going to be a lot shorter than if I’m building the rod for someone who likes to fish the rail. Same logic applies to bass fishing. A lot of people like rods with a bit of a longer butt if they happen to be a larger person, or if they want a little more casting distance or leverage for pulling fish out of cover. This rod is made for YOU and I want it to fit you and to fit the applications in which you employ the rod.

Components: This encompasses the type of grip setup you want, what type of guides, what guide inserts (alconite, SiC, Silicone Nitride II, Zirconium, etc). Most factory produced rods come with decent quality components but if you spend a lot of time on the water or you just want the best that is available, a custom rod is the only way to go.

Making it yours: This is where your style can come out. I can match your favorite sports team, your college colors, your boat colors, or just your favorite colors when wrapping the rod. Since this is being made specifically for you, this is where you get to truly make it yours. You get to pick the color of the grips, the reel seat and gimbal (if building a saltwater rod with aluminum components), the thread, and the guide colors (when available).

Application Specific Rods: The rod I build you will be built for where you fish, how you fish, what you fish for, and what you fish with. You will not find a better rod available from the factory for where you fish than what I can build you.

Nothing provokes the average bass angler to put away their crankbaits faster than constantly snagging submerged weeds or grass. Whether it is hydrilla, elodea, coontail moss, milfoil or any of the other aquatic plants that grow in the shallows, there is nothing more frustrating than retrieving cranks to find it coated in green salad. A poorly cast crankbait can even bog down in a heavy mass of weeds or grass to the point that you have to go in and get it.

So it surprises some weekend anglers to discover that many accomplished professional fishermen actually seek to make contact with weeds – INTENTIONALLY!

And no one knows more about this unique technique called “ripping” than FLW and B.A.S.S. tournament pro Bernie Schultz. Raised in Florida, this shallow water expert has successfully used ripping to further his career and put countless bass in the boat.

Ripping Defined

What exactly is ripping? Bernie explains, “Essentially, what you are trying to do with a crankbait is give it a quick pulse of speed to provoke a fish into a reaction strike. The technique works best on bass that aren’t really in a feeding mode; inactive or even lethargic fish.”

Though ripping can work on drop offs, or on lake bottoms that have very little cover on them, (repeatedly ripping it off the bottom and letting it fall), no other environment is better suited than submerged vegetation.

If your favorite lake has weeds or grass of any kind, it is a candidate for this unique technique. “Anything you can get a bait over the top of, or through, is preferred – regardless of the species of grass.”

Just a Spring Time Technique?

Those anglers vaguely familiar with ripping may have heard that ripping is basically a springtime technique, effective only until the grass reaches the surface. But Bernie says, “That’s kind of a misnomer. Yes, spring is ideal for ripping – fish will sit on top of grass, or up in the water column where they are in the highest part of the grass – in pre-spawn especially. But if you are talking about hydrilla, elodea, coontail moss, or milfoil, that stuff has a growing edge to it throughout the year.”

Seeking the ‘Stranding’ Grass

“And the edge is sometimes where you need to focus. Even though there might be large areas of matted grass, the new edges will be submerged, and ‘stranding’, and that’s what you want to work is the stranding grass.”

Stranding grass is the always growing up at the edge of the fields, and while it is growing towards the surface, it is still not too thick. Schultz elaborates, “Stranding grass is loose enough to work a bait through. It can be found year around – though its peak periods are in the spring.”

“Prespawn is when the technique seems to be best. And it is effective again at post-spawn, when the fish come off the beds and go out and suspend in the tall parts of the stranding grass.”

A Good Spot
When Bernie stops the boat and says “This looks like a good spot for ripping”, anglers would be wise to pay attention to his reasons for picking that location.

“I am going to use my depth finder, and I am going to look in areas that are shallower than 10 feet. That’s generally speaking, because I have made this technique work in 18 feet of water. But what would be the ideal is where grass has grown halfway to the surface in 10 feet of water.”

Deeper Water?

That does not mean that the technique will not work in deeper water. Many clear water lakes and reservoirs may have grass beds whose edges don’t stop until the depth is 18-20 feet. Our Florida pro insists it can be done with any weed bed, “…as long as you are not throwing in matted grass or grass that is too thick to literally rip the bait through, it could be very effective.”
In deeper water, Bernie does point out, “The type of crankbait you use might change. Instead of using a lipless bait that we most often use in the southeast, you would perhaps use a deeper diving crankbait.”

The Ideal Scenario

“The most important thing,” insists Schultz, “is to have the right density of grass; stranding is the key. If the grass is stranding, it doesn’t matter what depth it is. Even so, the best scenario I can think of is a lipless crankbait fished in 6 to 8 feet of water with grass growing halfway to the surface.”

If an angler attempting to rip crankbaits through the weeds is coming back with grass snagged all over their lure, Bernie says “The bait may be running too deep or the weeds are too thick. In that case, you need to move or change lures to reduce the running depth.”

The Lipless Crankbait

But when an angler finds themselves fishing the ideal scenario for ripping crankbaits, (again, when the grass top is growing half way to the surface in 6 to 8 feet of water), lure choice is easy. “In that situation you are most often going to use a lipless crankbait. The lipless crankbait I like a lot, is the Rapala ‘Clack’n Rap’.”

The Billed Crankbait

“But there are times when I also like billed crankbaits that run at the depth designated to the top of the grass – like a Rapala DT 4 or a DT 6, (or whatever model runs at the depth the grass is at). I try to pick a crankbait that will dive just below the top of the grass so I can make contact and rip the bait through the grass.”

Triggering a Reaction Bite

Ripping is a technique that exploits the instinctive ‘predator’ characteristic of bass. As long as the fish are in the right places in the weeds, there is a good chance they can be triggered into a reaction strike regardless of their activity level.

Bernie unpacked some of the reasons ripping is effective, “Well, the fish are positioned just right. Naturally their position can be relative to the day, the season, or the type of grass they are in. (There’s no way to pin that down). But I can tell you that working a bait over the bass’ head, even if they are bedding in loose grass on the bottom, will trigger a reaction bite by ripping it through the grass.”

Contact!

“The response is similar to what happens when ‘bumping the stump’ with a crankbait. Usually when an angler bumps the stump, the bait will hang and then it pops free with an initial burst of speed; that’s when the bass nail it.”

“Likewise, when you are ripping the bait through the grass, you make contact with the grass, the bait gets balled up for just a second, and you snatch it free – that’s when you are going to get bit.”

Water Clarity

The reaction bite that occurs is primarily triggered by visual stimuli, so water clarity is a big factor in its success. Bernie explains, “The water clarity can be clear to off-color, but it can’t be real dirty.”

Naturally, fish in clear water can see for quite a distance, so “In clearer water you want to keep some distance between you and the fish, especially if you are fishing shallow. You must make a long cast, and you are going to need some specialized equipment to make that happen.”

Noodle Rods Need Not Apply

Ripping is not a technique that will work if a rod is too limber – leave your flimsy noodle rods at home. “You are going to need at least a medium-heavy action rod. In extreme situations you want a heavy action rod. But generally the medium-heavy will give you the backbone you need to ‘snatch’ the bait out of the grass.”

“A slower rod, or a softer tip rod will simply result in the grass balling up on the bait. And you really don’t want that.”

In terms of rod length, “I’d recommend a 6’10” to 7 1⁄2 foot graphite baitcasting rod,” says Bernie. “The length is largely going to depend on the size of the baits that you are trying to throw, and the distances you are trying to reach.”

High Speed Reel…

When throwing lipless crankbaits, speed is important. Bernie says, “I like a high-speed gear ratio reel – at least 6:1, though I have gone as high as a 7:1. I use Shimano’s Calais.”

…Non-Stretch Line

To ‘snatch’ a lipless crankbait free from stranding grass, requires a line with little stretch. Mono would react too much like a rubber band and frustrate the angler’s ability to tear the crankbait free.

Fluorocarbon and braid are Schultz’s lines of choice. “I almost always use fluorocarbon with a diving lipped crankbait, but I will use both fluorocarbon and braid with the lipless bait.”

Fluorocarbon

“Generally,” explains Bernie, “I am always going to try and use fluorocarbon, especially in clear water situations. I only go to the braid when the water is off colored or the grass is so thick that it is essential I have something with zero stretch.”

“On a long cast, (and in Florida we make long casts because the fish are so sensitive to boat pressure, and the water is so clear), I use Sufix 100% Fluorocarbon – no less than 17 lb test, and no more than 20 lb test. Unless you are throwing a big bait, (in which I might go up a little more), 20 lb test will cover it.”

Braid

When the water is off colored, Bernie will throw lipless crankbaits on Sufix Braid. As to which pound test is used, “That depends on the size of the bait and the kind of cover, but usually 20-40 lb test works well.”

Why so high? “Just to help snatch the bait,” says Bernie. “And after all, the diameter of 20 lb braid is not that thick.”

Deep in the Mouth…

An angler who begins to experience the rewards of ripping will eventually begin to notice that the bass are rarely skin hooked or hanging on by a thread. “With this technique,” explains Bernie, “the fish usually get the bait down deep. It really doesn’t sound like they would, but believe me, when you snatch a bait free over grass and a fish bites it, it’s usually in the back of his throat. The tendency is not to lose these fish.”

…with a Little Extra Help

Even so, that doesn’t stop our tournament pro from increasing the hook setting odds in his favor. “There are times when I might upgrade the hooks one size, or one gauge in diameter, (so at least they are a thicker or stronger hook). I don’t upgrade to the point that I might retard the action of the lure. At most I may upsize the hooks one size. And I usually do that on at least one of the two hooks. Needless to say, you don’t lose many fish.”

Bernie adds, “But I don’t go up in hook size to increase contact with the weeds, I go up in size to increase hook percentage. As long as you have a medium-heavy rod and a line with zero stretch, you are in control, not the weeds.”

Which Knot?

Whether Bernie is throwing a lipless or billed crankbait, he ties directly to the split-ring using a double improved clinch knot. “I like this knot because it bites the split-ring real tightly and it doesn’t move around. It’s the same knot I would use on a jig and a worm.”

Sound

Though Schultz readily admits that there are a variety of lipless crankbaits that will work for ripping, “In the 1⁄2 ounce range I like the smaller size “Clack’n Rap”, because it has a unique sound. It’s got a big single knocker in it, and none of the others do. It’s not packed with rattles, making it different. And big fish react to it. That’s why I like it.”

Color

Bernie believes in simplicity when it comes to selecting colors, and doesn’t believe that an angler must carry an endless variety in the boat. He lists his favorites as being “Chrome, gold, any shads or baitfish matching patterns, and red. There’s something about early spring – the bass like red a lot. And I have also made chartreuse work very well. These I have confidence in.”

Changing Color or Changing Water?

A common question many pro anglers get asked is “How long do you wait before changing out or fine tuning size or color?” When addressing the ripping technique, Bernie’s answer catches many off guard.

“If the lure that I am throwing is working through the cover the way I want it to (that is, if I’m not having too much problems getting it through the cover, and I am getting a nice crisp snatch of the lure whenever I perform the technique), I’m going to stick to that lure and cover water – more so than I am going to change lures.”

“I’ll usually start with chrome or gold. If it is early spring I’m going to have both a red and a chrome tied on. And if I am in a lake or a river where gold is a factor, (if they have golden shiners like they do in the south), then I’ll use gold.”

“Most of the time I’m using chrome and reds in the spring. That transitions into chrome, a baitfish matching color, or chartreuse later as the year progresses. But more important than changing colors, is changing water.”

“Ripping is a search tool, and you need to make it work for you. Put the trolling motor down and if it is windy, work with the wind. Fish and cast downwind. The less you disturb the grass bed the better. Especially if it is shallow.”

(Permission granted by the author/editor of Crankbait Central – CrankbaitCentral.com – a site dedicated solely to crankbaits.)
To Be Continued…..

I guess this is a true testament as to how important the weather is to fishing, and this is the true reason why I wanted to write this article. Before I begin I’d like to offer up my typical disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am not a professional and everything that I write is based on my own experiences. Basically, I’m just a guy who enjoys fishing like the most of you and our website was in desperate need of a new article.

As most of you know the weather in the Bay Area has changed over the last few weeks. We find ourselves in the mid 70′s during the day and at night the temperature drops into the low 60′s. To us it means that Fall has come about, and that soon we will find ourselves pulling out the jackets and rain gear. To the fish, however, it means one thing: GET FOOD and GET FAT! With the Winter months approaching rapidly largemouth bass instinctively begin to hunt more often during this time of year (other than the pre-spawn). And this is for good reason, because soon it will get cold and the weather will become more sporadic and inconsistent. This is when largemouth bass seek deeper water and “the bite” slows down tremendously. I’ve read conflicting articles about fishing for largemouth in the winter. Some of which say to fish deep and others say to fish the shallows. Whatever you would like to believe there is one thing that hold true – largemouth fishing in the winter is much more difficult than fishing any other time of year. This is why fishing in The Fall is so important…

I’d say over the last three weeks I’ve gone fishing at least six times, and each time I’ve caught fish. I’ll post some photos of what I caught below but for now I’d like to focus more on some of the things I’ve noticed on the while on the water. You can pick any of our local lakes and show up either in the morning or in the late afternoon and you will see why largemouth bass are some of the best hunters on the planet. There is so much action going on – everywhere. First, I noticed an abundance of crawdads walking the shore or swimming the shoreline. In all of my years of fishing I’ve never seen anything like it. I have no idea why, but I do know that they are one of the largemouth’s favorite morsels. Just look at all of the jig trailers and such that mimic the craw sitting on your local bait shop’s wall. There are a TON of renditions of the crawdad, and almost every one that I have tried has produced big fish (especially the jig).

Enough about the craw, let’s talk about the top-water action that’s going on. At any given point during the day, particularly in the fall, you will see and hear largemouth bass hunting bait-fish. Just walk a bank and look around, you’ll see the swirls and hear the splashes. While fishing at Uvas last week with a fellow SJB member we heard a splash that sounded like someone threw a five pound boulder from a helicopter (slight author exaggeration). My buddy immediately threw a topwater bait and it was attacked by three or four smaller sized largemouth. I myself have taken notice and have had GREAT success using Roboworms that mimic shad patterns on my drop-shot setup. With that given combo – the drop-shot and a Shad-Patterned Roboworm – I can pull out fish on any given day. Mostly dinks of course, but just last Sunday I pulled out a five pound bass using that exact setup. Catching anything over three pounds on a drop-shot is awesome, but the five pounder had me running up the shoreline while it pulled line. There are also some swimbaits that look almost identical to baitfish (Basstrix, Huddleston, etc..), and I wish I had more of them but for now I’ve been doing so well with my jigs and drop-shit that I haven’t really added more tackle.

When you get a chance, read some more articles about fishing in the Fall. You’ll find plenty of information out there, but like I said in the forums – THE BITE IS ON IN SJ! GET OUT THERE!

Some of what has been working for me:

1. Drop-Shot with Shad Colored Roboworm
2. Crankbait
3. Jigs
4. Wacky-Rigged Senkos

Here are some photos of some of the fish I caught in the last three weeks at Uvas and Coyote:

Having said that, I wanted to take a moment to highlight my own experiences out at Coyote, and explain to everyone why I love/hate this place. And then I also want to share some stories I’ve had out there, some of which were captured on film…

Disclaimer:  As most of you may already know, I’m not a professional angler by any means, and most of what I know I’ve learned from friends that fish a lot more than I do. So if I say the wrong thing, or if you completely disagree with what I’m about to write please take it up with management.

[singlepic id=19 w=320 h=240 float=right] You would think this place was specifically designed for largemouth bass due to the abundance of shad, rocky points, vegetation, submerged trees, planting of trout (not in 2009), etc… It’s also one of the only reservoirs in Santa Clara County that hosts the infamous Florida-Strain, which always makes for some good fishing.

When I initially started San Jose Bass we decided to host our first “gathering” at Coyote. It was when the water level had dwindled so low that they didn’t allow any boats on the water. It was absolutely wonderful, and it pretty much even the playing field for everyone. In the end there were about 15 anglers out there that decided to join us, and to this day it still stands out as one of the best “gatherings” we’ve ever had. That day I caught my new Personal Best of 6.5 lbs. on a shaky head while fishing a rocky point.

That was also the day that I became “hooked”, and after that I knew that I needed to visit Coyote on a regular basis, but I had no idea how difficult the fishing would be at times. Which is why I want to let all of you know one thing – This place has one of the toughest bites in the Bay Area. Now, let me repeat that – THIS PLACE HAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST BITES IN THE BAY AREA. Ok, I’m off my soapbox for now, but don’t ever say I didn’t warn you. For example, this past Wednesday I spent 11 hours fishing this place and I only caught 1 fish – a 3 lb. largemouth that was nestled in between 30 carp near some early-staged weed bed. My fishing partner Kevin, who I consider to be one heck of a fisherman, wasn’t able to bring in a single fish. If I’m doing the math correctly, that’s 22 hours of fishing and just one fish to show for it.

On the other hand, I’ve personally witnessed Kevin catch a double digit-bass on a shaky head, and historically there have been several tournaments (Bass-N-Tubes.com) with bags that held more than one double-digit bass. The big ones are definitely in there, but they can be extremely elusive at times.

As for what works out at Coyote – you can pretty much catch fish on swimbaits, jigs, senkos, crankbaits, and everything else in-between. There are also plenty of carp, crappie, and bluegill for the little ones. They used to plant trout on a regular basis, but this year due to some environmental lawsuit the County opted not to.

[singlepic id=18 w=320 h=240 float=right]A couple of more interesting tidbits about Coyote reservoir is the wildlife and the fact that it’s one of the only reservoirs in Santa Clara County that allows for overnight camping. You need to take your boat off the water before sunset, but you’re able to fish from the shore all night. They also have a pretty nice Ranger station that displays a wild boar, bobcat, mountain lions, and various local reptiles (rattlers, etc…). Just this past week Kevin and I saw a pretty nice sized wild boar on the western shore and about a year ago my brother and I saw an adolescent mountain lion cruising the eastern bank.

Anglers wishing to make a visit to Coyote Reservoir should also keep the following in mind:

1. Your boat will be subjected to the standard County mussel inspection.
2. On the weekends this place gets pretty busy with personal watercraft, wakeboarding/ski boats, and other fishing vessels.

If you decide to make your way up to Coyote Reservoir be sure to stop by Coyote Bait and Tackle on the way up. They have EVERYTHING you need and more…

For information on park facilities, call the Visitor Center at (408) 842-7800.

Low tide is probably the toughest tide to fish for most guys. The one reason is, we all like to chunk our baits up to the bank and work it to the weedlines, heck that’s where we ALL have the best results, up in that shallow trough. But when that window of opportunity disappears, what do ya do? It’s simple really, ya gotta know when, where and how to adjust to the fish movements and their activities.

Now there are two real key factors that I relay on to make these adjustments, seasonal patterns and barometric changes. Keeping in mind that the bass is a predator and feeds a lot, except in early spring during the spawn when most strike come out of reaction, ya need to understand their level of activity at that specific time of year.

The Seasons

Summer, in the early stages fish are just coming off the spawn and are spent. They move deep into areas were they are very difficult to catch for a number of weeks. At this time of year, you have just got to pound, pound , pound and hope for the best. In the later summer months of July, August and September, the fish recover from the post spawn doldrums and move into the shallows and become very active.

Fall, the fish now have detected that the temperature is dropping and begin to move into the current and feed heavily, preparing for their winter time of low metabolism. The Delta can be at it’s exciting best during this time of year, just for the shear number of 3 pound fish that can be caught. Fish are everywhere!

Winter time marks another tough period for most anglers. Many fish move very deep and congregate in large numbers chasing the bait fish, shad actually. Some very large concentrations of fish can be found in the middle of sloughs buried in the deeper grass, others in the deep holes of dead end sloughs and marinas.

Spring time, finds the fish moving shallow again for the spawn, they are very active and easy to catch. BIG fish are caught in the Delta from late February to mid May. Fish are located in any area lacking current that provides ample spawning locations. Spring, well it’s like you and me, when we head to bed with our favorite partner, they only got one thing in mind and it ain’t food. The fish are gonna be very aggressive and will attack anything that disturbs this ritual.

Barometric Factor

During all four seasons, these fish are active and catchable here on the Delta.

The tough part comes, when we get a barometric change. A falling or low pressure generally brings with it overcast skies and cloud cover. During this time the fish will scatter and be very active. Now when we get a rising or climbing pressure change, we tend to see bluebird skies. Fish will then tend to hunker down very tight to cover or structure. Both of these changes tend to have an effect on how a bass is living at that moment. One good, falling pressure and cloud cover tend to give a bass more security in his ability to roam and seek prey, to be an efficient predator. The other not so good, rising pressure and clear skies, seem to make a bass very uncomfortable, doesn’t like his visibility, hence they seek shelter and become inactive.

The Low Tide Factor

Now that we’ve talked some about how these changes in barometric pressure affects the bass, as well as the bass’ reaction to seasonal patterns, we can now take a look at the puzzling piece. This is the piece to figure out . What do they do when the tide bottoms out and their high water haunts are taken away during either of these situations? How do we catch em?

If we have a falling or steady barometer, with overcast skies, those fish are gonna be very active and roaming. This is when I concentrate on weed clumps, the ones that look like big mushroom clumps, they have little avenues all around them. They exist in very shallow areas with some current all the time. Jigs, spinnerbaits, cranks and buzz baits can be fished through these, very effectively, to draw those aggressive strikes. I also like the outside edge on deep weed lines, jigs and cranks are the ticket here. Barrack loves to blade the shallow tulles islands, big white/chartreuse blades, right on the outside edges, bumping the tulles the whole way. Under this condition the fish will be real aggressive and are roaming, look for areas at low tide that allow them to do this, roam around freely. Look for open pockets and avenues, allowing the bass plenty of space to do this.

One real good example of this is the Sherman Lake area. This area is always good for me on the falling to low tide. Sherman is an area than has a vast growth of tulles with many cuts, channels and miniature sloughs. These tulles grow on soft mud flats. Throughout the years, with the coming and going of the tides, the edges of these tulle flats have been carved out creating breaks and cuts at the base of the tulles. There is a trough that runs here between the tulles and the weeds, creating perfect holding areas for bass at low tides. It is a flippers heaven.

As the tide is falling look for the bass to be at the inside base of the weeds. As the tide ebbs at it’s lowest point, they tend to be just sitting in what openings you can find. Again they may be roaming freely through out these troughs. In areas where you can’t flip these openings, work the outside edges of the grass or tulles with a blade. Very slow retrieve just under the surface. Let that blade create a slight wake on the surface, especially in the summer time.

One of my favorite techniques for low tides, especially in the summer, is throwing poppers. I have two I use, one is a fire tiger by Excell and the other is a white with chartrues back Splash It. These are best tossed on the outside of the weed mats. Especially those that have the yellow and green cheese growin on them. This bite is really good when ya got low water all day long. Use a very slow pop and rest retrieve. The longer it sits, generally the better the fish is that eats it. I will also toss that popper up into the openings between the matts and the rocks or tulles, right on the bank. One thing I do with all my poppers is remove the factory hooks and replace em with Gamakastu. Generally one size bigger than what has been installed by the manufacture.

Now in the late fall and winter times, I specifically key on the grass clumps. I look for areas where there is lots of current and two sloughs create a T or major intersection. Kinda like down around the Victoria canal area. Key on the inside or outside points that are opposite or out of the direct current flow. Look for the clumps of grass in that 6 to 8 foot range. I work that jig, very rapidly down to the grass clumps, and begin to entice them with the Claw Wave! Fish will stack up in these areas. They will move with the bait as the tidal flow changes. Go to the next spot.

Now on the other side is the rising barometer and bluebird skies. Just like that of the TopSix tournament. Everyone else was strugglin, while we fished areas where nobody would even think to fish under these very low tide conditions. Course bigger problem is, ya gotta know what the area is like at low tide and how to get around with no water. That part can only be learned through experience on the water. But what we looked for was very shallow structure, any kind of structure, a pipe, wood, old car, washing machine, sunken boats, it must be solid and isolated. The fish will hunker very tight to these pieces of structure.

You look for small openings in the grass to pitch to, where the grass lies right up next to the structure, it creates a canopy over the bass. The key is presentation, your not gonna catch crank, blade or buzzbait fish very often, you can’t quietly present your bait to these fish. Your entry must be precise and quiet, oh, so quiet. And it sometimes takes repeated presentations to get that fish to bite. That second big fish I caught the day of the TopSix, as well as another that I caught in the WON the week before, 6.97, was on the 3rd flip into the same exact whole, both tournaments. Repeated presentations.

Under bluebird days and on a low tide, you have got to slow way down, be thorough and make repeated presentations. You have got to stay off the trolling motor until you have completed dissecting the target area, otherwise you will blow it out with mud and other crap. Doing this will spook and scatter your fish. Remember, on the low tides those fish are there, they have no where to go.

Now in the late fall and winter time, I look for these fish out in the deeper grass beds, under bluebird days. I will generally start in these areas with a Manns BB Shad, in Chrome and Black. This allows me to cover a lot of water. Once I find em though, and have picked off all the real aggressive fish, I will then drag, hop, scoot, crawl, swim and shake a jig until I catch em all. I will then follow this up with a Rodstrainer Blade with a huge #6 Gold Colorado blade. I will slow roll that blade out in the middle of these no current sloughs. Dragging that blade right through the tops of the grass on that low tide, but ya gotta be slow. This will generally get those bigger fish unwilling to take the crank bait or jig.

If all of the above techniques and patterns fail you, I have one sure fire solution. This comes from a highly regarded Delta expert, it is also something I used in the November Pro-Am of 97 with great success. Look for new rock that has been laid on the levee. This new rock will generate a new grouth of zoo plankton and stuff that attracts baitfish and generates a whole new food chain, The bass will be around this kind of stuff. This bank must have sparce tulle clumps and a defined weed line out to about 4-5 foot of water. Get out that 6A or 7A Red Craw Bomber and crank the open trough between the water line and the weeds. The red Speed Trap will work as well, but does not dig into the rocks and grass as well as the Bomber. The Trap will work if the fish want it just ticking the top of the grass, let the fish tell ya what they want. And if they won’t hit the crank toss a white/chartrues blade, especially on the tulles.

Now, if all this fails, get out your white rat or frog and go get a sun tan!

Cooch

Here is the definition directly from their website:

Uvas dam and reservoir are located on Uvas Creek about two miles upstream from the intersection of Watsonville and Uvas roads in southern Santa Clara County. The Spanish name for grapes, “uvas,” is preserved in a number of place names, all apparently referring to the abundance of wild grapes. Uvas Creek got its name from the land grant Cañada de las Uvas (grape ravine) dated June 14, 1842. Uvas Dam was a part of the South Santa Clara Valley Water Conservation District. It was completed in 1957. The reservoir’s capacity is 9,835 acre-feet of water. The surface area is 288 acres.

The only real negative aspect about this fishery, is that the water level fluctuates tremendously throughout the year. I feel that this plays a huge role in keeping the fish somewhat small here. I can say that they are very aggressive as the small bass were attacking my spinnerbait on the fall.

It’s a nice drive out here and being that it’s Calero and Chesbro’s next door neighbor you can easily fish all three in the same day.

An assortment of Huddleston's finest swimbaits.

Well, I’m not sure if I am 100% qualified to review the Huddleston Deluxe 8″ Trout, but since I’ve witnessed its potential first hand I guess that’s good enough. Not to mention, I’ve watched Butch Brown, like many of you out there, bring in absolute TOADS on this thing. And, I’ve thrown a few swimbaits in my time and there is nothing on this planet that is so life-like. Before I get into this review, please understand, that swimbait fishing is sort of like playing chess. You had better be patient, put in your time, and pay close attention to what the heck you’re doing.

The Huddleston Deluxe trout is one of the most sought after baits, especially around these parts. Once they made their way onto the Bassmaster circuit most bait shops had a hard time keeping up with demand. I would assume it’s because the quality is second to none. I mean really, the body, the paint, and the way this thing swims in the water make it the best swimbait I have ever laid eyes on. Every single Huddy I have owned has always swam true and straight. Just as my brother, and a bunch of the other Bassturdz about this thing and they too will attest that this is a great bait.

Click here for a close-up of the awesome detail.

Being that this bait is on the heavier side you are going to have to make sure you have the right setup. When I decided that I was going to commit to this thing I went out and bought a Byron Velvick Rogue Rod and a Daiwa Luna 300. It was a pretty steep investment but I had a few gist certificates that helped with the purchase. Then, after you have your setup complete, you need to learn how to “toss” throw these things. Thanks to our boy Jerbs and a quick day trip in his canoe, I learned how to use this thing pretty quick.

Huddleston has released a few other baits over the past year – a Shad and a 6″ Trout and I think there may be an albino version of the trout as well. I have the shad and the smaller trout but I haven’t had a chance to use them just yet. If they’re anything like their predecessor I’m sure we’ll all be happy campers.

Great bait and a reputable company. For more information click here.

About a month ago I was fishing with my brother and he had just told me the night before that he had bought a really nice bag from Wal-Mart. And the next day, while we were loading the Cretliner, I got a chance to look at it. This thing was nice, I mean REAL nice. It had eight large utility boxes, a built-in sunglass holder, and a small light for when you’re night fishing. I was dying to know how much he paid for it and when he told me I was shocked. Fifty bucks for this thing. WHAT! I paid nearly $70.00 for my Shimano bag that was more twice as small as the Okeechobee.

I just had to get one. The funny thing is that when Kevkc, my brother, and I were on the delta Kev liked it so much that he went and bought himself one a couple of days later. And today, I finally got out of the home office and headed to Wal-Mart. The first Wal-Mart I went to off of Blossom Hill was out. Bummer. I then made my way to the one off of Story and McLaughlin. I had my fingers crossed and lucky for me, they had one on the bottom shelf.

So after moving things around I can tell you this – this thing is awesome. And for the money it’s hard to beat. The boxes are huge and I can carry all of my stuff and then some. So if you’re in the market for a new tackle box you definitely have to give this one a look. I couldn’t find it in their online store and I’m not sure if they have a website or not so if you are REALLY interested then you should get into a store ASAP.

Nice bag, two thumbs up.

Note: My model is the T1200 Series

Before I headed to the delta to participate in the Future Pro tournament, I decided to give Cooch’s TNT Wadda Jig a try. In San Jose you can find them at Mel Cotton’s and they are usually well stocked. Anyhow, it was my first time using the Wadda jig, but hey, I was going to be fishign the delta and we all know what a stick Cooch is. I mean really, if this guy is killing it on the delta then he probably knows what he’s doing when he creates these things.

After opening the package I gave it a good look. I bought a few that had glitter on the heads with red eyes. Hooks were nice and strong – I’ve had problems with some of the Revenge hooks – and the skirt had plenty of girth. I also liked the red eyes, that gave it a stand out appearance that I think helped me hook quite a few fish during the tournament. The weed guard had plenty of strands and like I do on most of my jigs, I trimmed it to get a better hook set.

During the tournament, I threw this particular jig almost all day. I used one of my favorite trailers that didn’t really “match” the colors of the jig, but that’s the ticket sometimes. You have to take risks and change the game, and I did so that day by presenting a very unusual look. I caught more than ten fish on it that day and one of them was my new personal best (8.93 lbs).

Overall, I’d recommend this jig to anyone. Great design from a great fisherman who stands by his products.

Nice work, Cooch. See you on the delta.

Editors Note (07.19.08): I noticed that the black skirt loses its color rapidly and changes from black to gray, not sure why that’s happening. Another SJB Member and I were talking this afternoon and he too experienced the color change after one fishing trip. I plan on emailing Cooch about it.

Hey y’all, summer time is here and I’m sure hearing a lot from anglers through out the country who are struggling to catch bass. Most complain of not catching many fish, and the ones they do catch are always small. I have a few simple ideas I’d like to share with you that should improve your summertime catch rate, no matter where you fish for bass. As with most of my fishing, I like to keep things as simple as possible, I only rely on a couple of baits and three patterns. These baits have been very effective on bass in both the deeper ranges and shallows, as we move out of the post spawn and into our summer patterns. There are three things I tend to look for when approaching a lake this time of year, especially when the temps git up to and above 100 degrees outside.

First is, I look for those easy aggressive shallow fish. These are roaming fish in that 0-6′ range. Look for shallow flat areas in the backs of coves that have running water coming in. Also, look for shallow areas that the shoreline is peppered with docks. Either of these with a deep creek channel, within say 200 yards, can be a honey hole of a spot. Sometimes ya can strike a bonanza and find a few big ones up here, but for the most part, your gonna find smaller fish, and in numbers. But these are catchable fish that can make a poor day, a good one, unless yer fishing a tournament, then ya gotta adjust to other patterns.

The next thing I’ll look for, are weeds! Especially defined pockets and beds of weeds that are a little deeper. Find weeds that may have some relatively close access to deeper water, you’ll find larger concentrations of fish. Bass just love ta hang out in this kinda stuff in the summer time. It provides great cover, low light penetration and a higher level of oxygen than the hot, muggy shallows. Also, it harbors a good food source. It doesn’t matter where you fish, what lake or country, bass will use the weeds in the summer. I particularly like to find such weedy places in that 8-12′ range. The fish here will tend to be slightly bigger than the juveniles up cruising in the shallows. Also look for matted weeds on the surface, those that form a canopy and have open water underneath can harbor some of the biggest fish you’ll catch all summer.

The last place I’ll search for them is in that deeper zone around structural changes from 12-20′. In the summer time, especially out here in California, this is the range, most of our summertime bass will be found in, especially those bigger fish at 5 pounds and above. These larger bass, once reaching this size and age, just tend to spend more of their time in this zone on a daily basis through out the rest of their adult life. They are out there in a mode that I refer to as the recovery room stage. They’ve just gone through the most rigorous stage of their annual life cycle, the spawn. They are in a comfort zone down there. Yet they still are active and CAN be caught. They spend far less energy moving around down here and are least affected by the subtle and drastic frontal passages, that greatly affect the shallower fish, which we see through out the states, especially in the southern part of the US.

Keeping these three basic patterns in mind, I’ll use two basic baits that can be excellent in catching fish in ALL three of these patterns. A Jig and a Senko! Fishing the Senko weightless up in the two shallow stages is very effective. Not near as effective now than in the spring, but it is an effective, summertime bait. I just find that getting away from the dead sticking mode and fishing it slightly faster, tends to trigger more strikes as the water temperatures increase. A lift and jiggle retrieve works very well for me. The fish are gonna be in a more active, chasing mode than they were during the spring, at which time they were more in a predatory, protective mode of their hallways and bedrooms while spawning. Also, try fishing that Senko on your Texas rig in that deeper second and third zone. This is also a great option that should not be overlooked! This is a very versatile bait and you should experiment with it. Try tossing it on a C-rig, in and around the same grass ya cast to with the weightless rigs.

The Hula grub, is an exceptional choice of baits at this time of year. But unlike the way I fish this as a “One-Ton” in the late fall and winter, I’ll go more to the lighter weighted jig heads of 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 oz sizes. And I’ll tend ta swim that bait more along the bottom, through and around the cover. Generally at this time of year, bass will tend to key on the various bait fish and bream we find in most of our reservoirs. These bream, gills and sunfish are now up there spawning themselves, as well as they are gorging on the various spawned fry found through out our lakes. They make for very easy targets and a fast meal for a bass. Hence the appeal of a jig at this time of year. I do tend to prefer the single tail Hulas during the summer, especially in the two shallower zones I mentioned above.

In that deeper 3rd zone, 12-20′, I will go with a 3/8oz double tail Hula. My favorite bait though, is a ½ oz, brown rubber jig with a 5″ single tail Yamamoto electric grape (164) or Indigo (209) grub. Bouncing these jigs down through the structural changes of this zone is very productive. You’re keeping your bait in the strike zone, of the bigger fish, for a longer period of time and, it allows you to cover quite a bit more water. The one thing that I always do while fishing the jigs in deeper water, is to constantly change my cadence of the retrieve. I feel this is very critical in triggering summer time strikes from bass. There is a point in time during any bass’ day that he is in a “positive” feeding mode. During this time, that bass will clock just about anything he sees which is tempting to his pallet. But when they are in that “negative” feeding mode, many times, different movements will trigger strikes at various times through out the day. There is no right or wrong way to bounce and hop this bait, as long as ya keep it moving at this time of year.

These are some of the things I have found to be very successful when fishing for bass during the summer months. The two baits I’ve mentioned, are two of my favorite baits to use, mostly because I can keep the bait in the strike zone for the longest periods of time. And they are very versatile in that it allows me to be creative in the action that I can put into these two baits in an effort to try and trigger strikes. Being able to be creative adds a whole lot more fun to your fishing in my mind. Also, bass at this time of year are susceptible to the big, bulky once a day meal. These jigs and the fat, 5.25″ ( 9 series) or 6″ (9L series) Senkos, fill a bass’ choice from your menu of baits.

There are two other tips I would give ya that have worked for me over the years. The first is taking these two baits with me and not launching or heading out to fish until 1 hour before dark. Fish through the night. You will find most times, your catch rate and success goes way up. And secondly, throw topwater and never put it down!

Try these simplified approaches that I use for some great summer time bass fishing. Keep A Tight Line!

Cooch

Note from San Jose Bass: Cooch was kind enough to allow me to share his article with you folks. Enjoy!