The Week of April 17th 2022 Fishing has picked up

 

The fishing has picked up recently.  This is a fish above from last week (April 17th week).  The bass are starting to bite in the neighborhood pond.  For two days in a row I used the same pattern. I was dragging a Zoom Ultravibe Speed Craw in a Texas rig scenario on the bottom and they were hammering it.

This was a fun little bite on two consecutive days.  And, it was quick...only spent about an hour each time catching these fish.  The weight is a tungsten 1/8 or 3/16 oz H2O Xpress bullet that I am using in this rig.  I did not have a bobber stopper on this one as well.  The weather is now staying consistently over 40 degrees at night too!  And, we've had some nice warm days already.  Looking forward to the spring and summer season!

Mid April 2022 Fishing Update

It has still been very tough in the Pre-Spawn season in 2022 for me. I am catching them, but not many during each outing. I am starting to catch bass on Texas Rig stickbaits though. I caught this one right at the beginning of the fishing outing and then nothing else! I will also say this special place I like to fish is getting a ton of fishing pressure these days. There have been several people fishing this place so I am thinking this is causing some of this fish behavior as well.

MOJO RIG and TEXAS RIG fun during the Pre-Spawn fishing season 2022

 

MOJO RIG

One of the reason's that I like to fish is because you can learn new techniques.  There are a lot of ways to "skin the cat" when it comes to catching fish.  I have said in many of my previous posts that the internet is also key to any research.  I researched some different tactics for the Pre-Spawn bass when they are finicky.  

I stumbled across what's called the The MOJO RIG! I tried it out after watching Justin Rackley with talking Mojo Rig for Finicky Pre-Spawn Bass.  Hey it worked!  It is really much like a Carolina Rig, but I guess the main difference is you are not really using a swivel and bead with your sinker.  All you use is two bobber stoppers and a weight.  What this gives you is the ability to adjust your leader length between the sinker and hook, which I think is key to making the presentation look a certain way.

This is a more simple way to retrieve and would be considered "Old School" fishing.  I definitely was not retrieving optimally after the cast.  But once I figured it out, holy cow the fish began to bite!  For me, I am thinking about quick little jerks and some pauses.  Add in a bit of dragging like a Carolina Rig as well.  Seems so simplistic, but once I got this working the fish couldn't resist.  Definitely found a pattern, and probably a bait presentation that has not been seen as much at the local ponds this year.

Thoughts on Mojo Rig:

• Allows the fluke to be presented on the bottom during Pre-Spawn
• Allows the fluke to still look natural with leader adjusted via bobber stoppers
• There is an art to presenting your bait, have to find the jerks, pauses, and drags
• Deadly because anglers don't use it in their normal fishing techniques
• "Slow, Slow, Slow" this is definitely a slow play and very "finessy" technique

WEIGHTLESS TEXAS RIG

I switched out my bait because a fish snapped my line during my hookset.  I did not have any sinkers in by backpack.  Damn!  You serious?!? Party foul for sure. I had some good Gamakatsu EWG worm hooks and some Yum Dingers.  I also only had a few more minutes to fish before I needed to leave.  Could I catch just one more fish before I left? Just one more!

BANG!  GOT HEEM!!! 😃 This bass could not resist the weightless Texas Rig Yum Dinger stick bait.  I noticed it was standing up real well at the bottom.  The water was fairly clear and I could see how it was playing in the water.  Just a couple of little twitches and it was getting the right action.  Sure enough, second cast and I got bit.  

This is all I have in this post.  Have a great time outside on the water.  Stay Committed, Stay Driven.

Pre-Spawn Bass in March 2022 Continued...

 

The fishing is still a bit slow in the Pre-Spawn season this year.  I have fished the last couple of days and the weather was definitely a lot nicer out.  We are talking up to around 70-75 degrees in the afternoon with blue skies.  The temps of the water were still a bit cold, and the bass I have been catching during this time had "red lipstick" on their lips.  The thought around the red lipstick is that it is a reaction to the cold water temps during the winter and early spring.

What is Catching Them Right Now?

Well, over the last couple of fishing sessions in the middle of March 2022, it has been a "Purple Shad" Spinnerbait I purchased from EFactorLures.  I have been catching bass with and without a swimbait trailer with this spinnerbait.  

For whatever reason this spinnerbait is getting bit by the bass in this area over and over again.  They are chasing it.  I even had a bass come up and ambush it on the bank and I was able to see the whole thing.  Those types of bites will keep you coming out!  I wish you all luck on the water.  Stay committed, Stay driven.

Beginning of March 2022: Prespawn Fishing

 

 

As you can see in this first picture, the Lil' Shaka and me had a fun little fishing outing to one of our favorite ponds on March 2nd, 2022.  The temperature in the afternoon actually got to 82 degrees!  I caught this 3 pound bass on a white colored chatterbait with a ice colored fluke junior as the trailer.

Lil' Shaka also caught a nice one that day as you can see in this picture.  He caught his bass on a green and white chatterbait as well.  Good lookin' fish!  There was nothing special around our retrieves...just slow rolling the baits back to the bank.  

Prespawn Bass Fishing in March: Thoughts

I will also say that the bite is very subtle right now in the prespawn season.  The baits we've concentrated on so far are:

• Jerkbaits - No Luck (surprising as water still cold)
• Chatterbaits - Catching most fish on these
• Spinnerbaits - Catching some fish on these
• Wacky Worm - No Luck (still too cold)
• Jigs - Catching some fish on these
• Swimbaits - No Luck

It has also been very hit and miss on the weather out there as well.  That is March for you. Have a great day!