K.I.S.S. Your Hook Box

I'm a big believer in keeping things simple, especially when it comes to tackle selection.  

Though my wife would likely disagree, I've intentionally been whittling away at my tackle collection over the years, in an effort to make things easier for me on the water, and much less cluttered.  

That being said, I also like to be prepared with everything I need, however, over years of experience you learn that some things you can just do without, and some thing you can't live without.

One of my tackle boxes that has been simplified over time has been my hook box.  With so many hook designs out there, I would like to share with you the only three hooks you will need for fishing soft plastics.

The Notorious E.W.G.

The EWG Hook

Texas-Rigging is the most important rigging technique in bass fishing.  The T-Rig is a fundamental part of a bass fisherman's arsenal because it allows anglers to fish in, and around, heavy cover.  The EWG hook is designed with T-Rigging in mind, due to the "offset shank" bend near the eye, which ensures straight rigging of your bait.  The EWG is also special because it has a much wider gap that a traditional offset shank worm hook- hence the name EWG or Extra Wide Gap.  

This hook is perfect for any soft plastic that has a wider profile body.  It is not my first choice for thin bodied worms, but it does excel with creature baits ( Palmetto BugZ, Flapping CrawZ), stick baits (ZinkerZ), jerk baits (Jerk ShadZ), tubes (EZ TubeZ), topwater plastics (Hard Leg FrogZ, Pop ShadZ) or swim baits (Grass KickerZ).

Overall, the EWG is my most used hook, and is an excellent choice for most baits that are thicker than a regular worm.  

I generally use a TK 110 or 120 three sizes for all my fishing- 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0, and I also make sure that I match the wire diameter of the hook to the cover I'm fishing.  Use a heavier gauge wire (TK-120) in heavy cover and heavier line, and lighter wire (TK-110) when using light line around sparse cover.

The Worm Hook

The Worm Hook

The next hook is often times simply called "the worm hook."  It is once again an offset shank design, just like the EWG, however, this hook has a much narrower gap between the shank and the hook point.  

Due to it's narrower gap, worm hooks are an excellent choice for narrow baits, like finesse worms (Finesse WormZ), or curl-tail/ribbon tail worms (Saw Tail WormZ).  

I use a TK 100 worm hook in just two sizes-4/0 and 5/0- for most of my worming applications. 

Drop Shot

The Drop-Shot

Unlike the EWG and The Worm Hook, the Drop-Shot hook is not designed for T-Rigging, but rather it is designed for exposed hook finesse fishing tactics.

Techniques like drop-shotting, split-shotting, wacky rigging and other light line, exposed hook tactics, are where this hook excels.  

It is made to either nose-hook a small, thin bodied plastic bait (Finesse WormZ, Finesse ShadZ), or hook a worm through the center in the case of a wacky rig.  Its diminutive size is one of the reasons it is so effective as a finesse hook, because the fish tend to pay it no attention, and it also works well with light line.  

I use a TK 150 hook in 1/0 or 1 sizes, and I only use lighter line- like 6-10lb Vicious Pro-Elite Fluorocarbon- with this hook.

Though there are always going to be special situations where a unique hook design is needed, if you are looking for just three hooks that will cover almost all of your fishing, these are three you need!  

Hope this helps you to keep things simple, so you can focus on what matters- the next bite!

Seek the bite!

-Sonar

Sweetwater Insight Genesis Challenge

Alright Sweetwater fans, if you want to win some Sweetwater swag and improve the maps on your local lake- then read on.

We are holding a Sweetwater GoFree Mapping Challenge for all our fans using Lowrance and Insight Genesis.

Win this prize package by simply improving the maps on your favorite lake, river, or inshore spot.

The rules are simple:

1) Sign up for an Insight Genesis account-http://www.gofreemarine.com/insight-genesis

2) Go boating and/or fishing and record your sonar logs on your Lowrance HDS unit onto an SD card

3) Upload the sonar logs onto your Insight Genesis account

4) Once the maps are generated send a screenshot of your newly formed maps.

Take a before and after shot of your work on Insight Genesis and send it to us before April 30th.  

The winner will be selected according to the best transformation of a mapped area based on the amount of coverage and thoroughness of sonar logging.

TIP: TRY LOGGING AREAS THAT HAVE LITTLE TO NO MAPPING FOR EXTRA BEFORE AND AFTER EFFECT.

This contest will run through April 30th, and a winner will be selected during the first week of May. You can submit your before and after photos by sending them in a message on this page.

We will continue to post information about the contest, but if you have any specific questions please feel free to send us a message.

For more information on the Insight Genesis software visitwww.InsightGenesis.com

Happy Logging!

Catch More Bass on a Topwater Walking Bait

Early Morning is Prime time for a topwater walking bait

Topwater fishing is absolutely addicting! The adrenaline rush of watching a big bass come unglued on a lure at the end of your line is what we as anglers all dream about. Just like any bait and technique the key is in the detail. Having the right rod, reel, and line is extremely important as well as knowing exactly how to work a topwater bait in order to trigger fish into striking it.

Equipment:

Rod: Temple Fork Outfitters 7'3" Medium Action Baitcasting Rod

Reel: Quantum Tour MG 7:1:1 Gear Ratio

Line: 15lb Vicious Monofilament

Technique:

Catching bass on a topwater walking bait is truly all in the wrist. The technique of walking the dog or making the bait slash from side to side in rhythm definitely takes time to master. The key is twitching the bait by popping the rod tip down making the bait slide to the side, as it's sliding you pop the bait again making it change direction. Continue this twitching method while picking up small amounts of line with each twitch and pay attention to the rhythm or cadence as the bait comes back to the boat. Some days the fish want it walked fast and sometimes they want it slow so very your retrieve to see what they want on the specific day.

Peak topwater times:

Topwater is typically most effective during low light conditions. Early in the morning an late in the evening are definitely the peak periods of a topwaters effectiveness. That being said I have caght some big bass during the middle of the day on a topwater bait if the conditions set up right which typically means on cloudy or rainy days. Apart from actual time of day spring and fall are generally the best times of year to fish a topwater when fish are shallow and feeding aggressively.

So if your water temperature is in the 60 to 75 degree range do yourself a favor and give a topwater walking bait a shot. Twitch the bait from side to side over shallow points or flats and hang on tight. To watch a video on topwater walking baits click on this link: Catch More Bass on a Topwater Walking bait.

I'll see you on the water!!!

Joey Nania                                                                                   

Simple Remedy for Post Spawn Blues

The period of time directly following the spawn can be a little strange if you don't know how to adjust. This happens all across the country when the bass are transitioning and recovering from the stressful spawn.

Understand the Mood:

Understanding why a bass is doing what it is doing is critical to being successful on the water. This is no different when trying to pattern post spawn bass. Typically after the spawn bass will make there way toward deeper structure such as humps mid depth points or shallow points relating to current. The key to these type of places are the fact that they give a bass somewhere to rest and recuperate while picking off an easy meal.

What to Use:

Probably the most effective way to catch these fish that don't want to chase something for often a week or two after the spawn is a shaky head worm. While some post spawn fish will chase moving baits and eat topwater baits a shaky head fished slow around post spawn transition areas for the 1 to 3 weeks following the spawn is one hard to beat technique. My overall jig head and worm of choice is a 3/16 oz Zman Shaky HeadZ rigged with a 7 inch Zman Finesse WormZ. I like to very my color selection using lighter more natural colors in clear water and darker colors for stained or dirty water. As far as the rod and reel selection I prefer a 7 foot medium action rod with a size 2500 or 3000 reel. The size Vicious Pro Elite Fluorocarbon I use varies from 8lb test up to 12lb test based on how heavy the cover is that I am fishing around.

Sloooowww:

When fishing a shaky head the key truly is less is more. The less you do with the bait as far as working it during a cast the more fish you will catch. I often work my shaky head never letting it leave the bottom slowly counting every rock or limb on the way back to the boat. So let it settle to the bottom, fish it slow, and wait for the tell tail thump on the line.

I'll see you on the water!!!

Joey Nania

Early Season Smallies

Sonar shares his favorite techniques from his past for catching early spring Smallmouth.

Question:  I live in New England and I have been bass fishing for 30 years where I live in Massachusetts.  On Cape Cod there are a lot of small ponds and lakes and every year the fish start bedding in the third week in march but the weather is not stable what's your thoughts on catching lots of big smallies in the water I fish.  -Ron

Answer:

Ron, you are bringing me back to my youth with that question!

Of the many places that I have lived across the country, the New England still holds a special place in my soul.  

Early in my younger years I was introduced to bass fishing through our lake house in north-western Connecticut, where we had a wonderful native population of big Smallmouth.  Over the years I narrowed down a handful of proven tactics for these small New England lakes and ponds.

Tried & True Tube

As hard as I tried to find a better technique for catching early season Smallmouth, none were as effective as a tube.  

A tube is a special bait because, it has a tantalizing glide as it falls and also imitates a crawfish very well while being worked on a rocky bottom, which is exactly where these Smallmouth like to hang around in the early spring.  

With rocks providing warmth on sunny days, habitat for crawfish, as well as suitable bottom composition for the Smallmouth to fan a nest when the time comes, rocky flats are the places that I prefer to focus on.  On my lake in Connecticut, the best rocky flats were the ones that had deeper water close by, which offered the Smallies access to different depth zones without having to move far during adverse weather- and the tube was the best bait for this presentation.  

There are a lot of tubes out there, but I prefer finesse tubes, like the Zman EZ TubeZ, which have a narrower profile and appeal to the fish that live in the clear water that seems to be the norm in these small lakes and ponds.  I generally like a natural color that matches the color of the bottom, like a green pumpkin or brown.  One of my favorite colors is the Canada Craw color from Zman.   

Rigged correctly, a finesse tube, like the Zman EZ TubeZ, is an excellent Smallmouth bait.

The key to the tube is rigging it with an internally weighted jig head that has its weight distributed more evenly along the shank of the hook, in order to achieve the desired glide that makes the tube so effective.  Click HERE to see a video I did on how to rig this bait.

There are many tube jig heads on the market, but one that works very well- but actually was designed for swimbaits- is the HeadlockZ HD jig head (usually in 1/8 oz or 1/6 oz with a 3/0 hook) which has its weight spread on the shank.  All you have to do is simply insert the jig head through the hollow backside of the tube, push it all the way to the front and then pop the eye of the hook through the plastic.  If the tube is bent in any way due to the hook being shorter than the tube, just cut a slit where the hook exits the tube to straighten the tube out- which is essential when rigging a tube correctly.  

Zman HeadlockZ jighead

I pair this finesse rig with a 6'6" Medium spinning rod outfit, and 8-pound Vicious Pro-Elite Fluorocarbon.

The Amazing Ned

The Ned Rig

The next bait that I want to share with you is quickly becoming one of my favorite finesse rigs- the Ned.  

The Ned Rig is essentially a very similar technique to the finesse tube, however, it is a profile that fish haven't seen before in a artificial presentation, which makes it very effective for catching picky eaters.  The best thing about this bait is that has a great glide, and it stands straight on end every time and really gets those Smallies all riled up!

I must admit, I haven't had an opportunity to try it in New England since being introduced to it last year, but it is absolutely perfect for the style of fishing up there and I guarantee it will catch you a bunch of fish.

I once again focus on the rockiest flats on a pond with an emphasis on the deeper water drops as well as the biggest rocks in the area.  I will make long casts to rocks I can see and slowly hop this bait on the bottom if it doesn't get crushed on the initial fall.  

The rig consists of a Zman Finesse TRD (my favorite is either Canada Craw or Green Pumpkin) and their Finesse ShroomZ jighead (1/6oz is a good size).  I use the same rod and reel as the tube, but will often downsize to 6-pound Pro-Elite Fluorocarbon.  

Follow Up

The best thing about Smallmouth is their aggressive nature, and it is wise to take advantage of this characteristic.  

Being a power fisherman, I love to cover water quickly, which was often a conflict in the clear waters of the Northeast where finesse presentations rule.  However, I found that a soft plastic jerk bait appealed to the Smallmouth's curious and bold nature.  

Jerk ShadZ

On sunny, warm, early spring days, you will often see Smallmouth hunting the shallow rock flats in search of crawfish and warmth.  On these days I like to fan-cast a weightless jerk bait-such as a Jerk ShadZ (Shiner color is good)- on the entire flat, moving it with quick erratic jerks.  The key is having good polarized sunglasses (Costa Green Mirror 580 lenses are excellent) to look for Smallmouth that are following but not hitting your bait.  Some days they will inhale your bait, but on many occasions you are simply using the jerk bait to draw the fish to give up their location.  

Costa Sunglasses polarization technology is essential to spotting bit Smallmouth.

Once you get a Smallie to give up its location, quickly reel in your jerk bait and follow up with a precise cast with the Ned or the Tube to the location of the fish.  The fish will still be on high alert, and though it may not be willing to hit your jerk bait, it will not hesitate to crush the morsel you follow up with.

For the Jerk ShadZ I like a slightly stouter 6'6" Medium Heavy, fast action, spinning combo with 10-pound Pro-Elite Fluorocarbon.  I rig it using a weightless Texas Rig with a 5/0 Trokar TK110 hook.  

Fishing small lakes and ponds for Smallmouth is where I got my start in bass fishing, and I believe that if you take the techniques I have trusted for years to your local hot spots, you too will have memories of massive Smallmouth catches in New England ponds.  

Seek the bite!

-Sonar