Blade Bait Tricks For Cold Winter Bass ( A Day On The Water )

Today we're on Clearlake throwing Blade Baits for Winter Bass. The blade is deadly in cold water and the bass on Clearlake don't know what hit them! If you're looking to catch more fish this Winter, take note as Matt teaches about the different baits, colors, and equipment to be effective with this awesome technique! 

The blade bait finds its roots in cold water smallmouth bass fishing but its effectiveness reaches far beyond its original purpose. Big largemouth can't resist a blade, even in warmer water temps. If your bass have gone deep for Winter but you don't want to reach for finesse tackle, the blade is your best option to elicit a feed response. 

With all of the new blades on the market in recent years its hard to know where to start. Which baits work the best? Why are there so many different colors? And what do you do with those stock double hooks? Matt is catching a ton of fish on the blade today but he still stops to answer all these questions and more along the way. Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment he used in the video. 

Today's baits... 

-Megabass Dyna Response (Jerking Gill): http://bit.ly/2R7FlvL

-Jackall Keeburn (Silver): http://bit.ly/2or8sy0

-Damiki Vault (Black Holo): http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Other Great Blade Baits... 

-Silver Buddy: http://bit.ly/2AcTelj

-Blade Runner: http://bit.ly/2XMNoQj

-Binsky Vibrating Blade: http://bit.ly/2mR2Vwe

Matt's Favorite Blade Bait Combo (jerkbait combo)... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Aldebaran 50 MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline Assassin 10 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Matt's Braided Line Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 812 JBR: http://bit.ly/2QurcHi

Reel- Shimano Chronarch MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2n8DghB

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 10 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Hook Upgrades... 

Split Rings- Owner Hyperwire Size 2: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Split Ring Pliers- Texas Tackle: http://bit.ly/2fT4Qw0

Hook- Owner ST-36 Size 6: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Hook- Gamakatsu Finesse Nano Treble Size 5 and 6: http://bit.ly/2dWWAut

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Buyer's Guide: Jerkbaits and Blade Baits For Winter Bass

In today's Holiday Buyer's Guide we take a look at Jerkbaits and Blade Baits. Both are great Winter time producers but have great year round applications as well. A jerkbait is one of the best ways to catch a big bass in cold water but with dozens of models to choose from, it can be difficult to build confidence. When it comes to blade baits, not all lures are created equal. Matt and Tim have done the leg work for you so you can get out and fish with confidence all Winter long.

If you're in search of a quality jerkbait there are no shortage of great options on the market. The key is to understand when to throw each style. Winter jerkbaits require precision balance and increased diving depths, while Spring and Summer jerkbaits focus around flash and aggressive action. In addition to the baits themselves, a quality jerkbait rod is CRITICAL to consistent success.

Blade baits come in a plethora of shapes and sizes. The key with blade baits is finding the baits that have immediate action as soon as you move them. Baits that vibrate with minimal motion will out fish the rest of the offerings throughout the cold months. When you can combine that action with a great color selection, you've got the perfect combination.

Below is a breakdown of the various baits that we recommend from each category. We included live links to the baits on tackle warehouse for ease of shopping and even recommended a few of our favorite colors to make it as easy as possible. If you're searching for the related videos we mentioned in the video they're at the bottom of the list.

Deeper Jerkbaits...

-Megabass Vision 110+1: http://bit.ly/2iGYOCX

(GP Pro Blue 2, Tennessee Shad, M Shad)

-Lucky Craft Staysee 90: http://bit.ly/2dBzMmz

(Crystal Pro Blue, Nishiki, MS MJ Herring)

Shallower Jerkbaits...

-Jackall Rerange 110: http://bit.ly/2ge0qED

(Blue Pearl Shad, Ghost Wakasagi, Holo Minnow)

-Megabass Vision 110: http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

(GP Pro Blue 2, Tennessee Shad, M Shad)

-Megabass Vision 110 Silent: http://bit.ly/2mqOuiA

(Gp Pro Blue, Ito Clear Laker, MB Gizzard)

-Rapala Rip Stop Size 12: http://bit.ly/2Vs7HBf

(Carbon, Silver, Speed Monkey)

-Lucky Craft Flash Pointer 100 and 115: http://bit.ly/2aHz588

(American Shad, Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Minnow, Crystal Pro Blue)

Jerkbait Hook Upgrade: http://bit.ly/2dWWAut

(Size 5 and 6 will fit all of the baits)

Blade Baits...

-Damiki Vault 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

(Black Holo, Holo Ayu, Holo Cyber Purple)

-Blade Runner 1/4 -1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2XMNoQj

(Chartreuse White, Natural Shad)

-Jackall Keeburn: http://bit.ly/2or8sy0

(Clear Shad, Dera Shad, Silver)

Favorite Jerkbait Combo...

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget-Friendly Jerkbait Combo...

Rod- Shimano SLX 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX HG: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

In-Depth Videos…

Jerkbaits In-Depth Video: https://youtu.be/jug12fc0eaI

Blade Bait In-Depth Video: https://youtu.be/kPBIGD7tZEo

Blade Bait Tricks For Early Spring Bass

The blade is traditionally a cold water presentation but its effectiveness doesn't stop there! Keep the blade on deck in Early Spring and you might be surprised how the bass react. In this video Matt shows his favorite blade baits, what each is for, and how to modify them to get the best hook up ratio.

Blade baits come in all shapes and sizes. From the original Silver Buddy to modern offerings like the Damiki Vault, there is always a bait to fit your need. Color schemes have come a long way as well which has extended the blades effectiveness in late Winter and early Spring.

With any blade bait its imperative to upgrade the hardware and carefully select your gear in order to maximize your hook up to land ratio. These baits are inherently heavy and are easily thrown by wary bass if care isn't taken to prevent it. Below is a breakdown of the baits, equipment, and hook upgrades that we use with our blades.

The Blade Baits...

-Damiki Vault: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

-Silver Buddy: http://bit.ly/2AcTelj

-Molix Trago Vib: http://bit.ly/2Q5X4jf

-Khan Baits Vibrato: http://bit.ly/2RNNL8O

-Damiki Vortex: http://bit.ly/2BqKoyW

-Sebile Vibrato: http://bit.ly/2rlZmDW

Best Colors... Silver, Gold, Shad

Hook and Hardware Upgrades...

(Size 4 for 1/2 oz or heavier blades, Size 6 on smaller blades)

-Gamakatsu EWG Treble (Light Wire): http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

-Owner ST-36 Stinger Treble (Medium Wire): http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

-Owner ST-56 Treble (Heavy Wire): http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

-Owner Hyperwire Split Rings (Size 2 or 3): http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Matt's Preferred Combo...

Rod- G Loomis 845 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Reel- Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- 40 lb Power Pro Maxcuatro Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 12 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Budget-Friendly Combo...

Rod- Dobyns Colt 705CB: http://bit.ly/2lU0LfV

Reel- Shimano SLX HG: http://bit.ly/2NfdOnk

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

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Blade Bait Basics: Winter Fishing Made Easy

The blade bait has been around since the early 80's but recent innovations have taken the technique to the next level. This technique could not only save your Winter, it could make it a lot more fun!

If your lakes aren't iced over, there is still time to throw these lures. Blades come in a variety of shapes and sizes but below you'll find a list of some of our favorites. 

Silver Buddy: http://bit.ly/2AcTelj
Damiki Vault: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2
Binsky Blade: http://bit.ly/2mR2Vwe
Sebile Vibrato: http://bit.ly/2rlZmDW

If you enjoy throwing blade baits you'll probably also enjoy ice jigs and jigging spoons. Here are our favorite of each. 

Rapala Jigging Rap Ice Jig: http://bit.ly/2EWiSsF
Lunkerhunt Ice Jig: http://bit.ly/2FVv52b

BladeRunner 3/4 and 1 3/4 oz spoons: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Tim's Blade Bait Combo...
Rod- 845 CBR: http://bit.ly/2FQj6CZ
Reel- Curado 70: http://bit.ly/2apmDJt
Line- 30 lb Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ
Leader- 12 lb Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Matt's Blade Bait Combo...
Rod- Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL
Reel- Shimano Aldebaran 50: http://bit.ly/2fdX1Uy
Line- 12 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Most blade baits come with hardware that leaves something to be desired. We recommend cutting the hardware off and starting fresh.  We will replace the snap and hook hangers with Owner Hyperwire Split Rings to eliminate potential failures, then upgrade the hooks to maximize our effectiveness. Sizes vary based on the weight of the blade but most blades will have size 6 and 8 hooks, we recommend replacing them with size 4 and 6. For split rings we recommend either size 2 or 3. This is not an aggressive technique, you can slow play the fish so bend outs shouldn't be an issue once the gear is upgraded. 

Owner Hyperwire Split Ring: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX
Gamakatsu EWG Treble: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY
Owner ST-36 Treble: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw
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