Gutierrez also likes 4-inch plastics
on 1/16-ounce Frenzy Baits Wack-A-
Sack Wacky Jigs.
“I can fire them way out there with
longer rods,” he says. “At 40 feet I can
count it down and walk it through the
water column at different levels. Let the
articulating jig kiss bottom and the
plastic flips, shudders and swings, and
light line allows it much more freedom.
With heavy line you can’t throw as far, it
doesn’t get deep fast and it doesn’t
perform as well.”
The relatively new Z-Man Ned Rig is
another example. It’s an ultra-finesse
technique that’s maximized with
1000-series spinning reels and light
braided lines.
Drop-shot rigs, light hair jigs, finesse
plastics, under-spin jigs, wacky rigs –
many techniques are more productive
with light line.
Australian pro Carl Jocumsen, now
in his second season on the FLW Tour,
is on board as well, often incorporating
Light-Line
Bait Options
On Hooking and Playing Fish
Jocumsen:
“Longer rods set hooks better, but be mindful of hook thickness and sharp-
ness; otherwise it won’t penetrate. Thin-wire hooks are critical because a light
leader nullifies the low stretch of braid. You need thin-wire hooks to penetrate
before the leader breaks.”
Gutierrez:
“We all have that textbook hookset, and it’s too violent. A longer rod lets
you lay into them without snapping lines. You have to be patient and play the
fish out. I throw 4-pound test on a regular basis, even for largemouths on the
California Delta, catching 10- to 12-pound fish in weeds and wood or buggy
whips. If you’re patient you can land big fish in those environments. I’m not
worried when a giant dives into the weeds. Eventually they move. Once it starts
to shake, you put pressure on it and keep doing that until it swims right out.”
14-foot-long leaders of 6-pound-test
fluorocarbon with 4-pound-test braid-
ed main line for finesse tactics fished
on spinning gear.
“Long-rod, light-line tactics defined
me in Australia,” Jocumsen says. “Now
it’s a big part of my success here. I use
Millerods, known for longer blanks. My
rods are 4 to 6 inches longer than stan-
dard – some just under 9 feet.
“More anglers are using longer rods
and lighter lines on the Tour every
year,” he adds. “And it will keep trend-
ing that way. Lures evolve, and many
new ones just won’t perform right on
heavier line.”
Yamamoto Hula Grub
and jighead
Reaction
Innovations
Flirt Worm and
darter head
tube with jighead
Jackall iShad and
Nose Jig Head
Z-Man TT Lures
NedlockZ HD Jighead and
cut-down Yamamoto Senko
wacky-rigged
Yamamoto Senko
Yamamoto D Shad
and Buckeye Lures
Ditch Witch
62
Missile Baits The 48
worm with Damiki Neko
Sinker and Mustad TitanX
Wacky/Neko Hook
hair jig
DUO Realis Spinbait 80 G-Fix
Keitech Swing
Impact and
ball-head jig
FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2018