Add stealth to spring tactics

‘Tis the growing season when seafood get wary.

They’re breeding in certain southern states and can be also within the postspawn mode on others. Up north, the ice is departing and bass are beginning to nose around within the shallows.

In many of these situations, the seafood are extremely conscious of their surroundings and fishermen have to step-up their stealth tactics. You need to think just like a hunter and set the advantage.

No matter whether you’re fishing obvious or stained water, limit the sounds you are making, the oscillations you develop and also the shadows you cast within the water.

The trolling motor will help you to sneak on seafood, but only when you're doing so very carefully. I run my motor in a slow speed and steer clear of turning it on / off. Sudden changes create underwater power that may spook a bass.

I additionally start the growing season with a brand new trolling motor prop. A worn prop can trash it of balance. Just a little filing on rough edges can deal with that. Also, make certain no fishing lines are trapped around the shaft that may create oscillations, too.

Tighten all knobs and screws around the bracket to lessen any unnecessary noise or movement. Set the shaft in a height in which the prop isn’t banging bottom or churning at first glance. Otherwise, bass will hear you originating from several ft away.

I can’t stress enough how valuable Energy-Rods are in this kind of fishing. I love to make use of the wind whenever possible, moving a couple of ft before shedding the rods for any couple of minutes as i scan the shallows. That reduces noise and allows you to obtain a good close look at what’s ahead.

I keep your sun inside my back as well as in the fishes’ eyes whatsoever occasions, but particularly in obvious water. If your bass sees you before you decide to see him, likelihood of getting him to strike will disappear.

Fishing shades are another must. I carry a number of different Oakley lens colors to support a number of light and water conditions. Oakley’s “shallow blue” is a great all-round color for seeing seafood, but any light amber base lens is preferable to dark eco-friendly or smoke. My personal favorite frames would be the “Bat Wolf” model that cover my face and peripheral light out.

Hats with brims and hoodies also help stop the side light which hampers how well you see. Remember, you rarely begin to see the entire seafood you have to have the ability to identify a fish’s fin, tail or perhaps eyeball in addition to any brown spots or scattered cover that may hold a bass.

Choose your clothing carefully, too. Avoid vibrant colors and stay with drab t shirts, jackets and hats that match the setting. Avoid sudden actions within the boat and as low of the profile as possible.

Also, if you notice skittish seafood cruising the financial institution, try casting natural-searching finesse baits well in front of the seafood and allow the lure sit. Don’t move it before the seafood approaches and just shake the bait slightly. Lower your line size whenever possible and employ fluorocarbon line anytime you’re fishing obvious, shallow water.

That’s a tactic I did previously win at Cruz Mountain Lake a couple of years back. Some bass were breeding yet others just beginning to maneuver up. I put singleOr16-ounce Shaky Mind having a Strike King 3x Finesse earthworm and allow it to sit motionless until I figured the bass were in visual selection of the bait. After I did move it, all Used to do was jiggle the earthworm slightly and they’d eat it.

If your bass is sitting stationary, cast from it therefore the splash doesn’t draw attention away from the seafood. Gradually slowly move the bait within six to eight ft after which lightly ease it into his zone.

Not every the wary seafood the thing is will to bite, but when you utilize the correct stealth tactics, you’ll catch those that will.

Remember, it’s by pointing out attitude!

Kevin VanDam's column seems weekly on Bassmaster.com. There are also him on Facebook and Twitter.

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South Jersey <b>bass</b> club <b>angling</b> for spring at Vineland&#39;s Blackwater Sports

Staff Photo by Phillip Tomlinson/The South Jersey Times   VINELAND - Fishermen love to tell stories. Just as fun as hauling in a mammoth moss-back is bragging to all of your fishing buddies about it. So naturally, in an age of digital media, fishermen seek each other out online to swap fish tales and share information about their hobby.

For South Jersey bass enthusiasts the place to share rod and reel heroics is the online forum www.bassnj.com.

On Sunday afternoon scores of local fisherman gathered at Blackwater Sports Center in Vineland for the fifth-annual bassnj.com spring kick-off sale.

"The forum started as a local thing, but has spread state-wide in the past few years," Blackwater owner Jeff Shaw explained. "This is a closed door sale for forum members that we do as a way to kick off the spring season."

Blackwater is a sponsor of the bassnj.com forum, where membership is free, and the only dues are regular ribbings from fellow fishing aficionados.

With temperatures in the balmy lower 50s, and the sun shining, thoughts of spring and of landing a lunker bass were naturally on the mind of every angler present, as they patrolled the well-stocked aisles of Blackwater, looking to replenish tackle boxes for another year on the water.

For most of those browsing the store, bass fishing is a hobby that borders on an obsession. For some lucky souls, fishing is a profession.

Adrian Avena of Vineland is a professional on the FLW Tournament circuit, and one of, if not the, only tournament pro from New Jersey.

The FLW circuit consists of 175 top anglers from around the country, and features six tournaments every year with prize purses north of $600,000 for each event.

A 2012 graduate of Chestnut Hill College, Avena is about to start his second season on tour.

He first started tournament fishing as a kid, doing salt water tournaments with his dad and uncle from his family's vacation home in Cape May. He also spent time honing his freshwater skills, and when he started college he got involved in serious bass tournaments.

After spending two years on the bass fishing college tournament circuit, Avena qualified for the pro tour through FLW's Everstart Division.

Winning a prize totaling over $30,000 in 2011 helped stake him to his first year on the FLW tour, covering his travel and operating expenses for the 2012 season. In 2012 he did well enough to pay his way for the 2013 campaign.

But depending on prize money alone won't get you far as a bass pro. In order to cover expenses and earn a living, top anglers rely on endorsement deals and sponsorships to stay afloat.

After breaking through last year, Avena is looking to establish himself, and build his base of sponsors with a strong showing in 2013.

"As a young guy trying to break through it can be tough," he explained. "Sponsorships offset expenses, and right now I don't really have any financial support."

That will change if he can notch a win or a series of strong finishes on tour this year, and earn the level of corporate sponsorships that can establish him as a career pro.

As a New Jersey native, he feels he has an advantage over the competition.

"They say that if you can catch bass here in New Jersey you can catch bass anywhere," he said with a laugh.

Fish in New Jersey waters are exposed to a lot of pressure from anglers; trying to catch bass successfully in New Jersey means mastering a wide array of strategies.

But success at the professional level takes more than just talent and practice. To keep up with the sport's top names, Avena has to do his homework. Using internet resources, he spends weeks in advance of a tournament studying the topography of the waterway, identifying areas likely to hold the trophy bass that will land him in the money.

Regardless of his success on tour, Avena still enjoys fishing the small waters around South Jersey, naming Union Lake, Rainbow Lake in Vineland and Giampetro Park among his favorites.

Contact Phillip Tomlinson at 856-451-1000 or ptomlinson@southjerseymedia.com

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Prepping for Spring Fishing

Home > Fishing Articles > General Fishing

Prepping for Spring Fishing
by Joe Wilkinson

One of my neighbors is getting a new boat. My preseason strategy learns more toward new line for a few reels. The idea is the same, even if the investment is not. It's time to start the countdown to a new fishing season. Even with mid-March snow blanketing much of Iowa, sunny days and thawing temperatures are giving anglers the itch. Ice is receding and the gulls are moving in on the backwaters. A few warm days in a row might push the 'ice out' catfish anglers into the shallow bays to hook a few gorging cats. Whether you are pushing the ice or just waiting for May's crappies, it's better to get caught up with your preparations now, rather than five minutes before you toss your first line in the water. "One of the most important things is fresh line on your reel. That's the thing that breaks off first in the spring, when you catch that big fish," advises Don Kline, fisheries biologist for the Department of Natural Resources. "I like to clean my reels; sometimes take them apart, take a little oil, grease the gears and get those all ready to go." From there, a lot of it depends on what condition your tackle box was left in. A variety of hooks, jigs and lures at hand give you plenty of choices, as you survey water conditions, and guess what's going to work on that particular day. I talked with a sauger fisherman a month or so ago who had almost every color worm or jig under the sun. And he swore by particular colors, depending on the day. Hey, it worked for him. Once the care and feeding of your tackle box is complete, Kline addresses the 'where' factor. "You can get a fishing guide and look at some of the state lakes, maybe the smaller public lakes," suggests Kline. "I usually check within 25 to 50 miles of home and I can find probably 10 or 11 places, some of them brand new, where I haven't even fished, yet." He likes to look at relatively new lakes. For one thing, that usually means fish have been growing well-and fast. For another, not many anglers might have heard about them, yet. "If that's the case, I can almost be assured of catching fish in a hot spot like that," proclaims Kline.
Author: Joe Wilkinson
Details: Joe Wilkinson works for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

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