TAKEOFF
IN SEASON
seasonal tips and tricks
other odds and ends
go-to lures For
summer mats:
By Paul Strege
BuZZer Beater
HOW TO MOUNT A COMEBACK
ON THIS DATE IN FISHING HISTORY: JULY 2, 2009
japanese angler manabu Kurita tied the largemouth
bass all-tackle world record that George perry held for
77 years. Kurita enticed a 22-pound, 4-ounce bass with
a live bluegill that he pitched to a bridge piling on
japan’s famed lake biwa.
JULY
try thIs noW: carolIna rIgs For suspended FIsh
20
traditionally, carolina rigging has proven most effective when bass relate to
various forms of bottom structure. flW tour pro and lake fork guide tom
Redington has developed an unconventional application for the carolina rig when
targeting midsummer suspended bass.
“When fish suspend in standing timber, they are difficult to catch on a
crankbait or drop-shot,” he says. “With a carolina rig, on the other hand, you can
crawl a bait up the branches, along the trunk and yo-yo
it up in the tree. the weight banging up against the
branches definitely attracts suspended fish, and the
erratic jerk and slow fall of the trailer triggers an
aggressive strike.”
Redington assembles his rig using a
20-pound-test p-line
fluorocarbon base
line threaded
through a 1-ounce
weight, and joins it to a 5-foot section
of 15-pound-test leader. his favorite bait is
a lake fork creature (shown), but he’ll occa-
sionally utilize a 10-inch ribbon-tail or straight-tail
worm when the bite turns tough.
march madness is a distant memory,
but for tournament anglers vying for a
berth in a year-end championship, july
represents the final minutes of bass fish-
ing’s regular season, when last-cast lunk-
ers or final-hour comebacks often make or
break a season. flW tour veteran andy
morgan knows this all too well.
“the best advice i can give for the final
hour of a tournament is to fish what you
do best – those patterns or techniques you
are most comfortable with. Don’t become
distracted and move away from those,”
morgan says. “it is likely working some-
where. you just need to figure out where.
“it’s a frame of mi nd, really,” he adds. “early in my career, i tried to be proficient
with every lure and technique available. What i found was that it was difficult for me
to excel at everything and to believe that each would produce when i needed it to.”
1. dan morehead
SPRO Bronzeye Frog 65
“I always lean toward a frog
when fishing slop. It is great
for covering water fast, and
for big fish. I can fish it
through lily pads and hydrilla,
or walk it in the open. It is
surprisingly versatile.”
2. Brad Knight
Strike King KVD
Popping Perch
“It excels in sparse vegeta-
tion and dirtier water. The
Popping Perch creates a
true ‘visual bite,’ meaning
the fish show themselves,
which allows you to really
work an area.”
3. michael Wooley
3/8-ounce Strike King Tour
Grade Swimming Jig and
Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub
“With a heavier jig, it is easier
to control retrieve speed
and depth on the outside
edge of mats. The Twin Tail
Menace Grub imitates a
bluegill well. My favorite col-
ors are sexy shad and
bluegill.”
FlWFIshIng.com I July 2017