Jared Helms Pick 3 - Soft Plastics Part 1

With so many plastics to choose from nowadays, it’s easy to rack your brain until your tackle box is overflowing with a ton of baits you’ll never use. Not saying my tackle box is not like that; but, I do have my go-to baits that I know will get me through the tough times and produce fish in a number of situations. I’ve decided to list the top three in a three part series, and break down why I chose them and how I use them.

 

Big Bite Baits Fightin’ Frog

I discovered this little gem just last year, but since then, I have found this bait very productive in many different scenarios. I’ve fished it a ton of different ways and I’m sure I havn’t even tapped into everything that’s possible with this bait.

Flippin’ the ol’ Texas Rig

My favorite way to fish this bait, like most other people, is to flip it into shallow cover. Whether, it be wood or grass, this bait really produces bites for me. I like it because it’s got a perfect, meet in the middle, action. It’s not quite as bulky and active as something like a brush hog, but it’s got more action in the pincers than your beaver style baits. I flip and pitch this bad boy on a 7’6’’ heavy action rod paired with a Lews Speed Spool high speed reel. My line is determined by the cover. In thick wood and brush I’ll use 20 lb fluorocarbon, whereas, in grass I prefer 65 lb braid. I don’t really worry about downsizing my line in clearer water, just because fluorocarbon is highly invisible and I’m usually putting this thing in the thickes

t stuff I can find. 98% of the time, I use a 3/8 oz tungsten bullet weight and a 4/0 straight shank hook.

Shakin’ things up

Another way I like to fish the Fightin’ Frog, is to rig it on a Buckeye Spot Remover jighead. Anytime I’m fishing a hard bottom like rocks or hard clay, I’ll pull this trick out of my hat. When fishing it this way, I want to ALWAYS maintain bottom contact. There are very few instances where I’ll hop this bait. This is great for cleaning up a school on clay points and ledges where most people will be throwing a football jig or a Carolina rig.  The ¼ oz Spot Remover usually gets the nod for most situations, and I can fish it on baitcasting gear and 12 lb fluorocarbon. But, when things get tough, I’ll get out the small size Fightin’ Frog and rig it on an 1/8 oz jighead. This is when I throw it with spinning tackle and 8 lb fluorocarbon.

Happy Trails

For today, the last way I’ll cover this bait, is using it as a jig trailer. In either of my last two scenarios, if I’m looking for that kicker, I’m pulling out a jig. When I’m flippin’ a jig, I like to pinch of the first little bit of the “frog” to make it a little more compact. It just seems to go in and out of tight places a lot better that way. But, if I’m fishing deep, I’ll thread the whole thing on the back of an All Terrain football jig and drag that sucker around. I use the same flippin’ set-up as before. For the football jig, I use a 7’11’’ heavy action rod and a high speed reel to help me get a solid hookset on the end of a long cast. I still opt for 20 lb fluorocarbon, because like I said, I’m hunting that big fish. Once he’s hooked, he won’t stand a chance.

 

The Fightin’ Frog can be a very versatile bait, and I think it deserves a spot in every angler

is tackle box. Even it is already overflowing with more soft plastics than you know what to do with.

Hot Fishing on The Hootch

“Way down yonder on the Chattahoochie, it can get hotter than a hoochie coochie.”

We’ve heard this line in the Alan Jackson song, but truth is, few people know that he might actually be talking the fishing! I tell people all the time that The Hootch is my favorite place to fish, and most say, “I didn’t even know there we’re bass in there.” (You’d be surprised how many times I have ACTUALLY heard that.) Well, I’m here to tell you, that place is full of bass. It’s got some nice largemouth and the population of spotted bass is getting better, year in and year out. And the best part is, you can usually find a way to catch em doing whatever you want to do! I’ve had days where I’d spend the morning catching ‘em good shallow, then pull up over 30’ of water and start tearing apart a school on a drop shot. I talked to Jeff Hankins a couple days ago, and he backed me up on this while telling me about his last outing in the Gordon area.

 

“Man, we caught a ton of bass. The best five would have went 18 pounds, and we were catching them on near about everything in the boat.”

He told me they threw square bills, Scrounger heads rigged with Cane Thumpers, flipped Yo Mamas, and had a lot of fun catching them on topwaters like a medium sized Spook and Pop’R’s all throughout the day.

And, what about big bass?

“We put in at Franklin a couple weeks ago and went to one of my favorite holes. When they started pumping water, they started eating a Pop’R. I actually lost one over 10 pounds!” said Hankins.

But, his one that got away ain’t just another fish tale. I have seen numerous 8-10 pound bass pulled out of the river. Some over 10 on occasion. Although, usually it takes a bass in the 5 to 6 pound range to take big bass honors in a tournament.

Scott Armstrong with a nice Chattahoochee Largemouth.

I also got a chance to have a conversation with, Scott Armstrong of Scott's Rod Sleeves, about how much fun this river can be. He has been bass fishing seriously on the Chattahoochee with his partner, Sidney Goocher, for around 20 years.

“We like to fish shallow and fish can always be caught shallow on the river during the summer. Most of the fish I catch are in less than 6 feet of water and sometimes as little as 6 inches of water, even in the middle of the day,” says Armstrong.

He points out, the best time to fish during the summer is in the late afternoon with topwaters, such as a buzzbait or walking baits. And, like in most cases, current makes it even better.

 

When I asked Scott what size bass The Hootch has to offer, he said, “The past few years the tournament weights have been down, which I believe is due to the clear water we’ve had. Lately, you’re looking at 14 pounds to win.” Which ain’t too shabby, but heavier weights are definitely possible on the river. It’s known to turn out a few 20+ pound bags throughout the year.

“The biggest bag we have weighed in on the river was in July 2004, which went 21 pounds.” said Scott.

That goes to show you, there IS bass way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, and they can be a blast to catch! If you’ve never wet a line here, there’s no better time than now. And, our parting advice from Scott:

 
“Always keep an open mind when fishing the river and don't focus on just one technique. I normally have 10 different rods on the deck and am constantly alternating and covering water quickly until I find something that is working.”

Big Summertime Bass on Seminole

Lake Seminole is legendary when it comes to big bass. And LOTS of ‘em! My granddad has told me stories from back when they first built the lake. How they would fish the mouths of creeks with a Gollywhopper worm and tear up big bass all day long, any day you wanted. Though, it may not be quite like the days of ol’, Seminole still has some fire in her. She turns out heavy sacks of bass on a regular basis. I got to ask one of the local hot sticks on this lake, Clay Elliott, where and how he caught bass here in the sweltering heat. He started fishing Seminole 20+ years ago with his Dad and Granddaddy, so I’m sure he knows a thing or two that might help you out.

Clay is quick to point out is, “When the weather gets hot, the fish here don’t change a whole lot beacause there is so much shade. There may be some move out from 2-5 feet to 10-12 feet; some will stay shallow, some may move a little deeper.” That being said, he can pretty much catch fish the same way all year. He likes throwing Zara Spooks early then switches to a frog or a Choma swim jig around the grass once the sun gets high.

He also brings up the timber that Lake Seminole is known for. Although you stand a chance of knocking a lower unit off if you’re not careful, the trees could be the key to loading the boat.

“I like to throw a football jig around one of the thousands of trees in the lake, just pick one. I’ll throw a crankbait if I’m trying to cover a lot of water,” said Elliott.

So you’ve walked a spook, frogged, and cranked all day without nothing to show for? It’s all good, we got a backup plan.

Clay's wife with a Seminole monster!

“When all that fails, you can flip the topped out grass. The main thing out here is lily pads and hydrilla; it’s everywhere you look and the bass are tucked in tight.”

When asked his favorite areas of the lake to fish, it reminds me of how my granddad taught me to fish Seminole. Clay says, “I try to concentrate on the mouths of the Flint River, the Chattahoochee, and Spring Creek. All where they meet the main lake. Find a grass line and you will find fish!”

“The fish here eat year round and are very aggressive. You can catch a lot of two pounders and your next one may be a 10 pounder. They school up; if you can find the right school it can be 50 two pounders or 50 eight pounders. And, I have seen both!”

We got you wanting to hook up the boat yet?

As you can tell, even when the weathers scorching, the bass fishing on Lake Seminole can be just as hot! So, next time you want a good chance of tying into ol’ Hammerhead Fred, point your rig toward the Florida/Georgia line! But before you do, Clay has one last piece of advice for you.

“When you get there and see all the grass, don’t get discouraged. There are tons and tons of fish in the lake and they grow big because people don’t want to fight the grass and the stumps, so they never get caught. And, big baits for the bigger fish is the key to Lake Seminole.”

Drop Shot 101 with David Roland

Hey guys, David Roland here. Today I am going to giving you an overview of the drop shot rig. It is a technique most of us southern anglers cringe about when we hear it. I wanted to take the opportunity to shed some light on the great benefits of the rig and why you should always have one rigged up in your boat. I will go through the basic details of components needed, how to fish it, and lastly my personal set up for this technique. I hope you enjoy.

I‘ve heard it called several things in my years of fishing; the dropshot, down shot, or under shot and even power shot. Its effectiveness is proven in nearly every area of the world. Most commonly it is used as a finesse application with small weights, hooks, and soft plastic lures. When dropshotting first came to the United States most anglers used it as a deep water technique; fishing directly under the boat for lethargic or suspended fish, especially out west where tournament anglers won a lot of money catching tough winter bass in depths of up to 100 feet! Since then more and more people have used the dropshot the same way they would use any other finesse worm technique like split shotting or darter heading; cast it up on the bank and shake it back to the boat, working through structure and along ambush points. The components for drop shotting (hooks, weights and lures) have evolved immensely over time and every rod manufacturer produces a rod specifically for this technique (that should tell you something).

If you fish plastic lures on a texas or carolina rig, YOU CAN DROP SHOT. Pick you up some hooks and weights by your manufacturer of choice and you're in business, you just have to know the PalomarKnot http://youtu.be/Rxj55MXLg0w to rig it correctly. Or, you can buy dropshot rigs pre-tied from Gamakatsu, just tie a small barrel swivel to you line and tie on the Gamakatsu rig. Hook sizes range from 2/0 down to #6 with #1 and #2 being the most popular. Weights range from 1/8 up to 1/2 ounce, but the most popular weights are 3/16 and 1/4 ounce. This is a light line technique and 4-10 pound test is usually the range with most anglers using 6-8 pound. Fluorocarbon line has also gained in popularity with dropshot anglers and some people use fluorocarbon up to 12 pound test. Most anglers throw the rig on a light spinning rod but baitcasting outfits are being used more frequently, especially in Southern California where dropshotting is a part of just about every bass fisherman's game plan. If line twist becomes a factor after a long day of dropshotting, try tying a small barrel swivel 18 inches or so above the hook.

Drop shot baits have come along way, from thin finesse worms to leaches and shad style baits, the possibilities are endless, but most anglers choose a 3-5 inch straight tail or curl tail worm or one of the new dropshot minnows. Zoom makes a Tiny Brush Hog for dropshotting and many people opt for one of the Slim Senkos, but the key is to make sure there is plenty of action when you are working the rig. Generally the bait is 'nose hooked;' the tip of the worm is impaled on the hook and pushed down onto the bend which leaves an open hook, so often the bass hooks itself when they bite. Sometimes wacky rigging (hooking the middle section of the worm) is effective, especially with the Senkos. If you're fishing in an area where there is wood on the bottom, try a #1, #2, or #4 wide gap hook and 'Texas-rig' the worm to avoid sticking the hook into the brush. When you are not using an open hook you should opt for slightly heavier line since you have to set the hook with some power to push the point through the worm and into the fish's jaw.

The length of the 'leader,' or the line that extends below the hook that the weight is attached to, is also crucial. When fishing rock or mud banks, anywhere from 6 to 18 inches of leader is appropriate, depending on what the fish are doing; suspending or relating to the bottom, eating shad or crawdads. If you are fishing in a lake with lots of grass and weeds or other bottom clutter, make the leader long enough so the worm is above the weeds so the bass can see it. Chances are most bass have not seen a juicy-looking Green Weenie dancing along above the weeds and it will be irresistible!

Now that you’ve got your gear and components lets go FISH ! Cast the rig out to the spot you intend to fish. If you fish light worms or jigs, you know the 'feel' of the bottom. If you are not so familiar with those techniques, drop your rod tip from time to time and make sure there is slack in your line, which indicates the weight is resting on the bottom. If the line stays straight it means the weight is still dropping and you should let out enough line to reach bottom. Gently shake the worm and make it dance a few inches off the bottom while the weight stays on the bottom, and you'll get bit. Being subtle with this technique is key. Overworking is a big problem anglers have with this rig which causes them not go get bites. In my recap video I will show you some important tips on working the bait and giving a great presentation (be on the lookout for the video)!

Drop shotting is also a deadly technique on deep, suspended fish. If you locate a school of bass suspended on deep structure, position the boat over or near them and drop the bait right on top of them. Shake the worm keeping the weight on the bottom with some long pauses and work the area carefully, especially in the cold months and your patience may be rewarded with a livewell full of quality bass no one else can catch. This is the time that a long leader may be in order, try to make it long enough to put the worm at the level the fish are holding; 3, 4, 5 feet or more is sometimes necessary.

Often the take is virtually undetectable and you may just notice a little more weight on the line. In that case set the hook. In this game, swings don't count against you. Many experienced dropshotters will occasionally lift the rig a few feet just to see if there's a fish on the hook that they didn't feel. Work the bait through the area you think the fish are holding, crank up and repeat. One of the benefits of using the dropshot weights is that if they get hung up and you can't shake them loose, when you pull hard the clip will cut the line and all you need to do is clip on another weight and you're instantly back in the water.

Many anglers prefer the 'reel set' to set the hook rather than the traditional 'rip lips' hookset. The sharp, light wire dropshot hooks will penetrate easily with light pressure and you risk breaking the light line on a heavy fish with a hookset that is too hard. A 'reel set' just means you reel in line as you lift the rod, all in one motion creating a steadily increasing pressure on the point of the hook instead of quick, sharp, line snapping jerks.

Now is the time you hope you've invested in good equipment and that it is well maintained. A heavy bass will put up a pretty good fight on the light rig and you'll want the hook to be sharp and rust free and the drag on your reel to pull smoothly and not start up with a jerk. You'll also want your rod to be strong enough to move the fish away from line busting cover, but soft enough to protect the light line from a sudden run, especially at the boat. If all these components are perfect and you can keep your adrenaline under control, you'll be amazed at the quality of fish you can catch on this exciting light line technique.

Here is the rundown on my gear used for drop shotting.
Rod: St. Croix Mojo, 6’9” ML drop shot rod.
Reel: Abu Garcia Spinning Reel size 30.
Line: 10lb Berkley NanoFil with 8lb Trilene Monofilament leader.
Lures: Zoom Finesse worm, Ultravibe Speed Craw, Senkos.
Hooks: VMC SureSet Drop Shot Hooks in size #1 or #2
Weights: VMC Tungsten Drop Shop Weights Ball in 1/8 oz or 3/16 oz. In water over 20’ I will used a ¼ oz.

Well guys if you took the time to read all this I appreciate it and hope you have a better understanding of this rig and what its all about. Again be on the lookout for my video.

Tight Lines,
David Roland