Flipping and Punching Rigs — Shallow Water
When the fish are aggressive and willing to bite, your
fall rate is not as important, according to Forrest Wood
Cup champion John Cox. When they’re not aggressive, he
will adjust the fall rate based on weather conditions and
fishing pressure.
During a cold front or other instances where fish are in
a negative mood, Cox prefers a fast fall, accomplished by
decreasing line size and/or increasing the weight.
“these are times when you want your bait to drop
quickly underneath a mat or in a big tree,” he says. “this
will trigger a reaction from the fish, and that is often the
only reason that they will bite it, because they are not
thinking about feeding.”
In situations when the fishing pressure increases and
bass are seeing many soft-plastic lures, Cox prefers for
his bait to have a slower fall.
“In this case you want a slower fall so the fish grab the
bait as it is falling and you can set the hook before they
feel the weight,” he explains.
heavier line and a lighter weight help slow it down.
the soft-plastic bait will also play a role in the fall rate.
Cox categorizes baits as either having a controlled or
erratic fall.
“baits that fall and go straight to the bottom are the
controlled baits, and this is what I prefer during cold
fronts. these are baits with ‘kicking’ appendages or curly
tails, and they will not spiral as they fall,” he says. “the
other group would be baits with an erratic fall. beaver-
style baits and those with a straight tail will ‘glide’ down
before they hit the bottom no matter how heavy your
weight is, and this is what I’ll use when fishing pressure
increases.”
“Kicking” appendages on creature
baits help stabilize the fall so that
they travel straight down. Cox likes
this style during a cold front.
John Cox
Beaver-style baits with flat tails and bodies tend to
glide on the fall. Cox prefers this style when fishing
pressure is high.
ADD A PUNCH SKIRT
A punch skirt can really slow down the fall rate of a
texas-rigged soft plastic. All the extra surface area of
the skirt creates a lot more “drag.” In some
instances, adding a punch skirt is the best way to
slow down a presentation. however, there’s a trade-
off. punch skirts greatly increase the profile of a
lure. If it’s a small, compact profile you want, you’ll
need to consider the other options outlined here.
52
FLWFISHING.COM I FEBRUARY-MARCH 2017