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CTbassmaster

01-16-2005, 10:31 PM

As the early spring approaches us this year with cold water temps and sluggish fish, this can be one of the best times of the season to land some of your best fish of the year. I get excited every spring with the start to a new season. Although cold water temps discourage many anglers my log books show me that time and time again, my partner and I seem to score on some of our biggest fish of the year. In this article, I will try to conviegh one of the techniques which have been so productive for us the past few seasons, which is deadsticking and extra light tube jigging.

With this type of technique we are talking about fish in a winter to early prespawn pattern. Many fish this time of year are "stacked", usually on bluffs and steep rock shorelines. I will assume you already understand why?, if not pick up some advanced tactic literatures and come back to this later. When both largies and smallies reside on these structures they feed on baitfish and the early appearances of crawdads. Fish will move up and down this structure within the comfort zones of the water column. By slightly filling their air bladder fish will rise into the slightly warming water on sunbeaten banks. Though usually sluggish at this time, these fish will not hesitate to take an easy meal which falls "slowly" but irradically into their shrunken strike zones. We all have heard the stories of small ity bitty baits in spring is the ticket, but I myself have found different and here's why: in the early spring there are no new forage in the lake, res or river yet. All natural bait is from the previous season and it has a little size to it. So in an effort to match the hatch we need to adapt accordingly. All my baits are at least 3" in length or larger with an average of about 4". I like hair jigs with trailers and tube baits, but the key to the tube bait is adding an ultra light 1/16 tube head inside it. This light approach slows the fall into a lazy downward spiral. Also the light jig does not hang up no where near as much as heavier counterparts. 6lb test and (sissy) spinning gear (thats for Hooked Solid) is required to get that straight vertical drop we are lookin for. A larger tube has more size and plastic to it and creates more water resistance which slows the baits fall also, especially in dense cold water. I have found baitfish colors along with Grn Pumpkin and Watermelon seem to work well then. Many bites will be on the fall in this presentation as a good majority of the fish are suspended at this time. When fish are caught when the bait hits bottom it is a priority to know the exact depth that fish was sitting in to help get a pattern for other spots on that body of water for that day. Spoons, roadrunners and buddies are also baits used by many at this time of year, but this light tube presentation can at times be more productive and hook you into a larger class of fish. A healthy dose of fish attracting scent seems to be more enticing at this time of year also. Remember with such a slow fall, fish have time to get a good look at your bait, and a hunger or feeding strike occurs moreso than a reaction bite. I am a Kick n' Bass lover of scent, but to be quite honest I always invest in a jar of smelly jelly at this time of year and I totally fill the inside of my tubes with it. It could well just be a confidence thing for me, but I have caught too many quality fish with this setup to go without it.

Using light line in the 4-8lb test sizes has drawbacks, one being hookset power. Light mono has a great deal of stretch and a razor sharp light wire hook is a dead necessity. As many of you know, (here comes the plug, lol) I own a small hook company and I purposely manufactured the 1/16oz. light wire tube jig hook for such situations. Most tube jig manufacturers do not make the 1/16 oz size. A 1/8 oz will not perform nearly the same way as the lighter 1/16 will. This setup can be the hot ticket when times right and it should be utilized by all anglers. I hope this helps some of you land the HOG of your dreams, and I would like anyone who is successful with this technique to drop me a line or mail me pic, that always makes my day.

Tight Line to all.

Jason

CTbassmaster

01-17-2005, 02:38 PM

Just wondering how many anglers utilize this technique and what your successes or failures have been with it. Woody this ? is not for you, I know you have done well with it!!!!
J

edlg

01-18-2005, 12:02 AM

now jay you know i been buying a ton of them the last couple of years. you think there's a reason for that other than getting snagged alot? Did you really need to go public with this LOL. What made you think of doing this article? was it the ARSE whippin' me and my partner put on you in that tx last year using you're little tube heads ? lmao.

Ben R

01-19-2005, 12:33 PM

Excellent reading CTbass!

Benj

01-19-2005, 01:31 PM

wow, what a nice read. with our first tourn at Highland Lake, I'll be sure to give it a try at the prefish.

CTbassmaster

01-19-2005, 10:32 PM

Depending on the water temps when you are there, I would try that technique at the front edge of deeper docks, and work it shallower till you get bit. Smoke/purple flk. or white would be the first two colors I'd try. I love that lake, it has clear water with good rock and weed, and when they're on the j-bait at that time of year up there you can load the boat with some pig largies. Shoot me an email a week or so before your tourney, one of my good buddies lives on the lake and he'll have some info for me. Later.
J

joe p

01-20-2005, 02:33 AM

nice read, Jay.

I hate downsizing and relying on finesse tactics but I have no doubt that techniques such as the one you mention will work , in certain situations.

Pitching a small tube with light line helped me a lot in a club tx in Candlewood, early last year. Using a 3/16th sinker, I t-rigged a 3 inch tube and pitched it on 10 lb line, on baitcasting tackle, a finesse version of my usual pitching stuff.

I have no doubt in my mind, I would' ve caught a few more, if I downsized even more.

Ill try it this year.....

Joe

Mark G

01-20-2005, 02:59 AM

Joey P. Remember what Ronnie said.

Mark

Nice article, Jason!

CTbassmaster

01-20-2005, 08:55 AM

I don't want to get off track here, the reason I started this article was to talk about a technique that works well just after ice out in early spring. Pitchin is a little diff in itself, this is just deadsticking and lightly jigging steep rock banks to catch suspenders and shelf related fish. The 1/16 and spinning gear is essential to this presentation. I actually brought this out to teach people from what I know- and to learn from everyone elses input- 20 minds are greater than 1.

Oh by the way Joe, I am inventing a clear mini parachute to slow the tubes fall, this season!!!! LOL

Jason

joe p

01-20-2005, 08:33 PM

5/6 ML ST Croix Premier/ Shimano Stradic/6lb pline Floroclear

:mad: :headshake :mad: :crash: :eek:

CTbassmaster

01-20-2005, 10:01 PM

now your talkin Joe!!!!! Dont let Hooked Solid see that, he'll start callin you a sissy too! LOL
J

Woody

01-21-2005, 07:38 AM

I would just like to offer a suggestion when fishing "light".
Make sure your drag is set properly or you know how to backreel. One quick run by the boat could end things quick if not prepared.
Did you ever think of making those hooks that we talked about last year?
J be sure to contact me before you give it up to Benj...Since I am fishing against him there maybe I can "pass on" ther proper info. ;)
Nice Job again J ...I know you have experienced what a finesse tube can do !!!
Woody

CTbassmaster

01-21-2005, 05:32 PM

To make the molds for that hook you had would cost me @ 350 bucks and I dont really have a call for it. BUT, I have thought about an alternative to it being that I have that same exact style jig hook. We can take a round split shot and fill the mouth with 2 part epoxy and crimp it on in the middle of the jig hook shank. Also we can make a few diff weights depending on the size weight chosen. I thought about making some for myself to try out. When I do I will make some for you. What do you think? Let me know. Later bud,
J

Charlie

02-04-2005, 04:05 PM

From my prospective, cold, deep water requires very slow movement of any lure and always a small offering. I can appreciate and understand the "kicking it up a notch" on the size, but in practice, these fish are very wary. If you don't have your color scheme right, the fall rate right or the boat positioned correctly, you are going to have a very long, cold day of fishing. Emerging larvae are a main source of food, so if I had a choice I would stay with small clear or silver lures, flies, bugs or grubs etc. And these too should be fished with caution!

Fluorocarbon leaders are an essential.

Tight Lines!

Charlie :cool: