Story by Corey Casey | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
There are countless companies making baits, selling line, building rods and reels, and all telling you that their product is the best. It can be overwhelming, no matter the experience level of the angler. Truthfully, most products are very similar in function and quality no matter what the marketing says.
A lot of baits have been designed for very specific techniques and styles of fishing that most of us will never even need. Riser baits, ultra-deep-diving crankbaits, or the hundreds of forward-facing sonar baits on the market may be important for some but useless for others. I’ll help you simplify bass fishing the best that I can so you can enjoy a day of fishing with confidence!
Let’s talk about a few very simple, but effective baits like a spinnerbait, wacky worm and a Texas rig. I won’t touch on the wacky rig much because I’ve already explained all my wacky rig tricks in a previous article and video that you can find on my social media. The spinnerbait has been around forever … and it still works. Most often, I throw a 1/2-ounce spinnerbait, but I’ve gone as heavy as 1 ounce.
The deeper the water you’re fishing, the heavier the bait needs to be. For reference, if I was fishing in three feet of water or less, I’d probably choose a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce spinnerbait. If I was in 4-8 feet of water, I would choose a 1/2-ounce. In 8-12 feet, I’d go with 3/4-ounce, and anything deeper than 12 feet would be a 1 ounce.
Water color and clarity will determine the bait color. If the water is clear choose a natural color like a shad pattern, and if the water is dirty choose a dark color or chartreuse.
The spinnerbait is very versatile, it can be effective around multiple different structures like grass, lily pads, stumps and cypress trees or boat docks and laydowns. It should be noted that wind will help you catch more fish on a spinnerbait.
The Texas rigged worm is the most versatile and angler-friendly technique in the world in my opinion. If you want to catch bass, you need a simple Texas rig. It is weedless, versatile and effective year-round. It works around every type of cover and all bodies of water. You can thread on multiple different soft plastics, like worms, creature baits and flukes. Watch this video for more tips and my experiences with a Texas rig.
A medium-heavy action spinning or casting rod is the most versatile and good for all three of the bait techniques I mentioned, plus several others. Pair that rod with a 7:1 gear ratio reel and some 15-pound test fluorocarbon line, and you’re ready to set the hook!
Don’t overthink the conditions; just be adaptable. By “adaptable” I mean keep it simple and just change your color or your retrieve.
The most common question I get from beginning anglers is about water temperature. Yes, it may matter for certain situations, like the bass spawn or a shad spawn, but mostly it’s a non-factor in my decision making. I tell people all the time, I’m not a bass scientist, I’m a bass fisherman, so just go fishing and let the fish tell you about the day.
Keep it simple. Get experienced with the few baits I told you about. Keep your rods and reels simple. Don’t overthink the day’s conditions or water temperature and you will notice your fish catches increase and your erratic and confusion-inducing thoughts decrease.
As always if you are interested in fishing on Santee Cooper, give me a call!
Corey Casey – Angler Profile
