Learning a new bait is so much fun....Breaking down in the middle of the lake...... not so much. 3-20-23

[Steve McBasser]

January 6th this year is the first time I ever caught a bass on a blade bait. I had thrown one a few times but had never caught a fish on it. I must say, so far it has been a ball trying to learn to use them. If anybody who is proficient with them or even if you are just experimenting with these baits as I am, has any pointers for me, I would very much appreciate it. Rather than buying the name brands, (I fish for Team Tightwad) I have been buying mine from lure parts online and letting my buddy Andy paint them for me. Then I put the split rings, hooks, and eyes on them. For me this adds to the fun when catching fish on them and I wind up only having a couple bucks in each one. Anyway, after the warm rains a couple weeks ago muddied the waters and brought the lakes up so fast we enjoyed a spring like crank bait bite that lasted for several trips. Now that we have experienced a serious cool down and the waters have cleared up and surface temp has dropped 5*, that bite has gone away. Now, instead of catching them in 3-10 feet of water, we were forced to follow the fish back out to 15-20 foot zone. I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to start throwing the blade bait again. And boy was I right. After giving up on the shallow bite I picked up my blade bait pole and caught one on my 3rd or 4th cast. Then just a few casts later I hooked another but she pulled off about halfway to the boat. Then in short order I had another one on and got her in. Then just a couple casts later had another one on that pulled off and I was getting so excited I was hyperventilating. Then........ the trolling motor died. NOOOOOO.......We made every effort to get it up and running but no go. So after finally figuring them out and starting to catch some quality fish, we had to quit. So much for MacGyver. Anyway, here is the two I managed to get in the boat before the troll motor crapped out on us. 

[Bill Babler]

Don’t know if you noticed but on Douglas Lake in Tennessee during this MLF event this week, Jonathan Vandam caught them really good on a blade bait.  

First time I had seen it used in a national tournament. 

He would make a long cast and let it settle on the bottom, then he would short pump it back to the boat letting it completely settle to the bottom before each rod pump. 
He said they were either picking it off the bottom or catching it as it fell from the pump. You would NEVER feel them strike or bite it, they would just be there when you repeated the pump.  Said it was a cold water Northern technique, that fishes well in cold clear water with Shad   

It was a great segment. 

Is this how your  fishing it?   I have several and have caught a ton of white bass on them but that’s about it. 

Thanks for the great post and info. 


 

 

[Ketchup]

Bass Pro has some good looking blade baits for $3.29. I have a few but never tied one on. 

[SplitG2]

Great job Steve.  You guys are doing really well this spring. Thanks for sharing.  

[Steve McBasser]

4 hours ago, Bill Babler said:

Don’t know if you noticed but on Douglas Lake in Tennessee during this MLF event this week, Jonathan Vandam caught them really good on a blade bait.  

First time I had seen it used in a national tournament. 

He would make a long cast and let it settle on the bottom, then he would short pump it back to the boat letting it completely settle to the bottom before each rod pump. 
He said they were either picking it off the bottom or catching it as it fell from the pump. You would NEVER feel them strike or bite it, they would just be there when you repeated the pump.  Said it was a cold water Northern technique, that fishes well in cold clear water with Shad   

It was a great segment. 

Is this how your  fishing it?   I have several and have caught a ton of white bass on them but that’s about it. 

Thanks for the great post and info. 


 

 

Basically yes..... Long casts but not too long. You can throw them a mile but then they hang up quite a bit. Still experimenting with that. I let it go all the way to the bottom and then hop it up. Sometimes a foot or two and sometimes just a few inches. I suppose the fish will tell you what they like but I still haven't thrown it enough to know. I am really having a ball learning how to fish it. I don't think I have caught a short fish on it yet. Its like learning the "dish rag" bite when you first start stitching a grub along the bottom or catching your first few spook fish after finally learning to "walk the dog"..... Its just new and exciting for me. Its nice to know you really can teach an old dog new tricks....

[Quillback]

I have fished them only a bit, I think I remember catching a 12" spotted bass on one.  Guess I should give it a try, but it is hard for me to put down the Keitechs for those deep fish.

I have heard people say you can put those frog type 2 hook deals on them and that will reduce hangups.

I got mine at Lureparts.  Get some white Krylon spray paint to paint them if you want white ones.  

[m&m]

Steve, thanks for the information. Great report. Also great looking healthy fish. 
Mike