Taylor column: Tips and tricks to catch more fish

Watching competitors on the B.A.S.S. Sunshine Showdown at the Harris Chain in Florida last March was an eye-opener in technique and style. Shaw Grigsby won the tournament sight-fishing in a small pond attached to the chain. He shared the water with two other competitors whose technique and style was similar to his.

They relied on their ability to see into the water to locate bedding bass, then to hold their boats in perfect position and finally, to present their baits in a manner that provoked strikes.

Each relied heavily on Polaroid sunglasses to see into the water and JL Marine’s Power Poles to hold their boats absolutely stationary once fish were located. Each used their favorite soft plastic bait, casting beyond the bedding fish and then jiggled it back into the bed.

Each had an array of rods, pre-rigged with wacky, drop-shot, Texas and Carolina-style soft plastics. When they found a bedded bass, each would start with their ‘confidence lure’ and switch until the fish either struck the bait or spooked.

Another competitor, Greg Hackney, pitched jigs into lily pads and along grass lines with incredible finesse. Each pitch placed the jig within an inch or two of its target, entering the water without a splash to avoid spooking nearby fish. His technique was flawless; shallow water anglers could benefit significantly by mastering his technique.

Carolina or Texas-rigged soft plastics can be a nuisance by working their way down the hook but Grigsby has a tip to help prevent this. Wrap an orthodontia rubber band around a straw twice then roll it off the straw onto the plastic worm 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the nose. The band helps to keep it from sliding on the hook down.  

In the spring, Brad Wiegmann from PRADCO’s pro staff likes to wacky-rig straight worms like Yum’s F2 Dinger by placing an ‘O’ ring around the middle of the worm then run a circle hook through the worm under the ‘O’ ring. If the worm becomes torn, the O ring holds it on the hook.

Some anglers are reluctant to use braided line because it is so visible. A mono or fluorocarbon leader would be the ideal solution but tying either to braid is tricky because knots tied by the two dissimilar lines are usually very weak.

Topwater baits like buzzbaits and Heddon’s Zara Spook are producing along shorelines now. Tournament pro, Charlie Campbell, likes to add a split ring to the Spook’s nose-eye and then tie the line to the ring for a better ‘walk-the-dog’ action.

Campbell also removes the original hooks and attaches new ultra-sharp hooks with split rings, believing he boats more fish with the free-swinging hooks. He swaps front and rear hook sizes until the nose of his Zara Spook rides slightly higher in the water than its tail, convinced this improves walk-the-dog action.

Many anglers dip the tail of watermelon-colored soft plastics in chartreuse dye, like Spike-It, to create color contrast. Some also peg their Texas-rigged bullet weight to the line, believing it doesn’t hang up as much as a free sliding weight.

Retired professional angler, Roland Martin, is known for his deep water fishing skills and the belief that Solunar tables help predict peak activity levels for fish and wildlife. He often said, “It’s not the only factor in fishing, but count on me being on my best spot during Solunar time.”

In the 1970s, a friend and I were using plastic worms for bass in a pre-tournament practice. We discussed how good and bad scent on lures might attract or repel fish.

Since the fish were biting with abandon, we experimented by touching the gas tank then our plastic worms. Bass were definitely turned off by the odor.

Then we washed our hands with anise soap and re-rigged. The uncontaminated worms always caught more fish. Today, manufacturers offer a plethora of soft plastic lures with built-in tastes or smells, reducing the need to use external scents for cover-up or attractant.

Some anglers insert a glass rattle into soft plastics like worms or lizards to add a little noise. Many also peg the weight on Texas rigged plastics one inch above the hook with a rubber strip made especially for that purpose and then place a red bead that slides freely between a red hook and bullet weight for attraction.

They inspect every crankbait for flaws before purchasing it. Also, each is tested and adjusted to run true before leaving the dock or launch ramp.

Some anglers rely heavily on pre-programmed watches to provide the Solunar tables or ‘Best Fishing Times’, believing they should be on their honey hole during those best times. These tips won’t guarantee fish but they should help put the odds in your favor.