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Chrome is an excellent choice in many reservoirs because it matches the
colors of many baitfish, including alewives and shad. Sometimes a bright
secondary color such as red or orange adds to the productivity of the lure.
Smallmouth often prefer outrageously colored topwaters, including chartreuse
and orange.
Always have a follow-up bait lure for missed strikes such as grubs,
gitzits and worms . Sometimes a bass will strike at a top water several
times without connecting. When this happens, a plastic worm or jig
immediately cast to the same area will often hook the fish.
Fish most topwaters with a fine-wire cross-locking snap. Minnow baits are
especially prone to sluggish action without them.
Lightweight wooden top waters including minnows should be fished on light
line for greater casting distance and improved action. Lures with violent
action such as stick baits should be fished on 12 or 14 pound test line,
which will provide the right action without tangling in the lure's hooks.
Sometimes no action is the best action.
A simple minnow lure or stick bait allowed to sit still for long periods
can produce a strike.
For most bass fishing situations, a 3/4 ounce spoon is best, but heavier
spoons can be used to help you stay on top of deep fish in wind or current.
A single hook will catch as many bass on a jigging spoon as will a treble
hook, and is less damaging to fish you wish to release. A single hook will
hang up far less than a treble hook.
Spoons are "designed to be lost", so bring several with you as rocks,
stumps, etc. will often create hang-ups, and the lures may be impossible to
retrieve in deep water.
To retrieve a spoon that is snagged, move the boat directly over the hang-up
and jiggle the rod up and down a few inches at a time. Eventually the weight
of the spoon may work the hooks free
Use a wire cross - locking snap when fishing a jigging spoon.
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