Whacky Rig Time
As the spawn is near and patience is key many times to fishing the spawning bass the whacky rig can be your best friend. There are however a few keys to fishing this rig to make it effective during the spawn!
Because the whacky rig is normally fished without any weight it is best fished as a finesse bait making the bait the ideal rig for spinning gear. I know that many of you are like me and don’t really enjoy fishing spinning gear especially in shallow lakes in the April time frame; however light tackle gives you many options to place the whacky rig where you need it. Accuracy can really be important fishing the spawn because many times bass will not move far from their bedding area so placing this bait can be tough with the wrong kind of gear.
I also like using light braided line like the Vicious 10lb. test braid when fishing this finesse presentation. There are many reasons for this but the biggest for me is the fact that braid has no memory and you have a lot less chance of having line twist when your trying to place a whacky rig near a bed. Accuracy is everything and twisted line changes your presentation and hinders your ability to place it where you want it. Also, when working around boat houses that are many times good spawning areas for bass, spinning gear rigged with light braid make it easier to skip your bait under the edges of the dock. Adding to your ability to place the bait where the fish are hiding from the bright sunlight.
As noted in the beginning of this article fishing the spawn requires patience and fishing a whacky rig requires you to place the bait where you want it and let the bait work for you. Weightless baits move slowly that’s what make them attractive to fish, the spawning time requires that you tantalize the bass and slow movement does exactly that. This is a bait that really improves your chances of getting hooked up, but the bait must be worked slowly so it works for you and moving it to quickly takes away its strength and purpose. It’s just about when you get hooked up so be patient!
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
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Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Call: 256 759 2270
Capt. Mike Gerry