Prespawn Bass Fishing With Worms, Creature Baits, and Swimbaits - A Day On The Water

We're back in Florida, avoiding the cold and chasing big bass! Matt's family joins him today for a fun day on the water, dialing in patterns and catching quality fish. We love to power fish in Spring but sometimes you have to listen to the fish and just slow down. Today's biggest fish fell for a plastic worm, but that didn't stop Matt from finding a frog bite in the end! 

We love to focus on power fishing in early Spring but weather is the ultimate deciding factor. You can be on an amazing reaction bite one day but the next you'll need a spinning rod in your hand if cold weather comes in. Planning for the best while preparing to adapt, is the name of the game in the early season. With mixed weather in the forecast, Matt and CC had everything from heavy punching, to light plastic worms, to swimbaits, and frogs, all ready to go when conditions dictated. 

If you're tired of the cold, a quick trips South might be just what you need. But take heart, the prespawn will be here before you know it, no matter where you live. If you're interested in what we were using today we've linked all the baits and equipment in the description below. We've included the exact colors, weights, hook sizes, etc. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Plastic Worm... 

Worm- Netbait Big Bopper Paddle Tail: http://bit.ly/3qOxeU7

Color: Okeechobee Craw

Weight- Swagger Tungsten 3/16 Flippin: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Hook- Gamakatsu 4/0 Superline: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Creature Bait... 

Creature- Netbait 4" Paca Slim: http://bit.ly/2M5cuGF

Color: Green Pumpkin

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Vader 3/16 Flippin: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV 

Hook- Gamakatsu 4/0 Superline: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Swimbait... 

Swimbait- Gambler EZ Swimmer: https://bit.ly/2OLlyUf

Colors: Black Blue Green Pumpkin, Gold Rush

Hook- Owner Weighted Beast Hook 4/0: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Frog... 

Frog- Savage Gear DC Walker: https://bit.ly/2VVjRVl

Color: Green Leopard

Texas-rig Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend X 7'1" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r3Wskp

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 16 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Frog Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'3" Extra Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B (XG): https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend Extreme 7'4" Heavy: https://bit.ly/2wlJQLu

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K (HG): http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 20 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Tim's BIGGEST Florida Bass EVER! Flipping Heavy Cover!

We got a break in the weather and the giants are coming out to play! Come along for an awesome day on the water and watch Tim pull a GIANT bass out of the thick stuff! We're on a brand new lake in Florida but it doesn't take long to get bit. Tim's first bite is a BEAST! 

Its amazing what happens when the air temps rise a few degrees! We're exploring a new fishery and have no idea what to expect. Since its been cold we start out with the flipping sticks and it doesn't take long for Tim to set the hook on an almost 9 lb bass. After the excitement subsides we start moving around and exploring more of the fishery, catching fish on the senko and ultimately  weedless swimbait. 

While we know very little about the actual lake we're on, the bass fishing concepts still apply. By adapting to the changing conditions we were able to catch a giant bass as well as build a pattern to get consistent bites. All of the baits we used in today's video are linked in the description below. We've included the specific hooks, colors, etc... where applicable, as well as the rods and reels necessary to get these fish out of heavy cover. 

Tim's Punch Gear... 

Bait- Big Bite Baits BFE: https://bit.ly/2Ce0tf7

Color: Tilapia

Hook- Owner Jungle Flippin' Hook 3/0: http://bit.ly/2G5aQTk

Weight- Swagger Tungsten 1 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Senko... 

Bait- Yamamoto 6" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Color: Green Pumpkin Watermelon Laminate

Hook- Gamakatsu EWG Superline 4/0: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

Swimbait... 

Bait- Gambler EZ Swimmer: http://bit.ly/2OLlyUf

Color: Gold Rush

Other Colors: Killer G, Black Blue Green Pumpkin

Hook- Owner Beast 4/0, 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Tim's Punch Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'11" XH: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Metanium MGL 150B (XG): https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Matt's Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend Extreme 7'4" Heavy: https://bit.ly/2wlJQLu

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K HG: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 20 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Matt's Senko Combo... 

Rod- Poison Adrena 7'3" Medium Heavy: https://bit.ly/3diigiT

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

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

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 15 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Spring Swimbait Fishing For Bass: Everything You Need To Know!

Early Spring is prime time to throw the big baits! As we begin the transition into the prespawn, a swimbait is a key player in every serious bass fisherman's arsenal. Whether you're trying to catch better quality fish or you're hunting for the biggest bass of your life, swimbaits need to be part of your plan. Come along as we take an in-depth look at swimbait fishing for Spring bass!

"Swimbaits" is a giant category of lures and can be incredibly overwhelming. In order to simplify the conversation we've separated the baits into soft baits and hard baits. In the soft bait category we further divide the baits into Wedge-tail baits and boot-tail baits. For hard baits we separate them into multi-joint baits, open water glide baits, and cover glide baits. By doing this we can focus in on the handful of baits in each category that produce consistent results through the country. 

Below you'll find links to all the baits in today's video. We've also included a favorite color or two with each. Additionally, we included our favorite swimbait combo as well as some great budget options. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Soft Wedge tail Swimbaits...

-Huddleston Deluxe 8" ROF 12 - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/2azFTon

-Savage Gear Pulse Tail Trout **PRE-ORDER** (Trout, Hitch): https://bit.ly/33GROg1

-MattLures Hammer tail Shad - (Purple Gizzard, Threadfin): http://bit.ly/2vM8cKF

Soft Boot Tail Swimbaits... 

-Osprey Tournament Talon 6” - (Chartreuse Shad): http://bit.ly/2bqsLS0

-Megabass Magdraft - (MB Shad, Biwako Shad): http://bit.ly/2mc8bfK

-Little Creeper Trash Fish Fat 6”  - (LC Hitch, Shiner): http://bit.ly/2ixaEw2

-Little Creeper 8” Trashfish  - (LC Hitch): http://bit.ly/2hmXtg1

-Scottsboro Tackle 6”  - (Natural Light, Mullins Madness): http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH

Multi-Jointed Hard Swimbaits...

-Bull Shad Slow Sinking 7” - (Gizzard Shad, Dirty Bone): http://bit.ly/2eJ8gWM

-Spro BBZ Slow sink 8” - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/3rDbKcT

-Sebile Magic Swimmer 145FSK, 165FSK - (Natural Shiner): http://bit.ly/3a6wofE

-Jackall Gantarel - (RT Spawn Gill): http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

-Jackall Gantarel Jr - (RT Spawn Gill): http://bit.ly/3pcIzvW

Open Water Glides...

-Gan Craft 230 - (Rainbow Trout): http://bit.ly/2fLjSnm

-Baitsanity Explorer - (Shad, Carp): http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

-R2S S-Waver 200 - (Warden, Lite Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Cover Glides...

-R2S S-Waver 168 - (Warden, Lite Trout): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

-Baitsanity Antidote - (Trout, Summer Shad): http://bit.ly/2ztUk9z

-Storm Arashi Glide - (Rainbow Trout, Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2nHdrL1

-G Ratt Sneaky Pete - (Hitch, Gizzard Shad): http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

-Ima Glide Fluke - (Bluegill, Natural): http://bit.ly/2xrMwo4

Line...

-Power Pro Maxcuatro 65-80lb braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

-Maxima Ultragreen Monofilament: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

-Sunline FC100 System Leader Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Our Favorite Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 966: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

Reel- Shimano Tranx 300 (HG): http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (80 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (35 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Mid-Priced Combo... 

Rod- Savage Gear Squad 8' Heavy Swimbait: http://bit.ly/3tT8bS2

Reel- Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Sunline FC100 Fluorocarbon (30 lb): http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Budget Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Fury 806 Heavy: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

Reel- Shimano Cardiff 300A: http://bit.ly/2cvhtMO

Line- Power pro Maxcuatro (65 lb Braid): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

leader- Maxima Ultragreen (30 lb Mono): http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Clear Water Bass Fishing Tricks! How To Catch Bass In Crystal Clear Water!

Clear water fishing scares a lot of people! Unless you've had a lot of rain, a lot of our fisheries get clear this time of year. When that visibility increases a lot of anglers lose confidence in their ability to catch bass. Maybe the fish see the line, maybe they see you, what can you do to keep catching them? Its not as tough as you think, and the answers may be VERY DIFFERENT than what you're expecting!

"Clear Water" doesn't always mean 10 or 20 feet of visibility, this can even happen when your fishery is usually muddy and suddenly has 2 or 3 feet of visibility. Step one is to stay very quiet. Don't make excess noise, avoid vibrations, and you'll get more bites. Step two, target the visibility line (AKA "color line"). Step three is to use lighter line for finesse techniques. If you're not going lighter, go faster, that keeps the fish from having time to inspect your offering. Step four, shade and wind are your friend. Focus on dark edges that fish can use to ambush food, or days when waves are breaking up the overall visibility.  

Below you'll find links to our favorite baits for clear water situations. Yes, finesse is key, but don't be afraid to mix in reaction and target those bigger fish in clear water. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. We've also included a couple of our favorite finesse fishing rod and reel combos in case you want to expand into this style of fishing. 

Dropshot... 

Bait- Smallie Smasher 3.5": http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

Color: Green pumpkin Purple

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light Size 2: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pencil 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx

Crankbait... 

-Tactical DD 75 Crankbait: http://bit.ly/37dclbX

Colors: Ghost Minnow, Green Pumpkin Craw

-Spro RKCrawler 55: http://bit.ly/2NFPA5t

Colors: Phantom Green, Red Crawfish

Swimbaits... 

Bait #1- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl

Head- Tactical Finesse Swimbait Head 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2Pqrq3n

Bait #2- Megabass Spark Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

Colors: Real, Albino, Silver Shad

Head- Megabass Okashira Head 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

Bait #3- Keitech 2.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad

Head- Dirty Jigs Guppy Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Bait #4- Dark Sleeper 3" 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

Colors: Haze, Wakasagi, Donko

Favorite Chartreuse and Blue Baits... 

-Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Chart Blue): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Megabass Deep X 300 (Biwako See Through Chart): http://bit.ly/2sSQHpt

Polarized Glasses... 

-Eye Surrender ESE: http://bit.ly/2glE3eN

(Amber for Sight Fishing, Grey For All-Around Use)

Amazing All-Around Finesse Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX 852S JWR: http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Twin Power 3000: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Sunline SX-1 Braided Line 10 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Finesse Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano NASCI 3000: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz