Bass Fishing May - Jun 2018 | Page 81

5. WHACK MARINA BASS
WITH A SWIMBAIT
R
ecovery­and­feeding­are­the­two­primary­tasks­undertaken­by­bass­once­they­leave
their­beds.­in­many­regions,­they­can­do­both­by­setting­up­under­and­around­large
floating­dock­complexes­in­reservoir­marinas.
Pennzoil­pro­Matt­arey­loves­this­time­of­year­because­he­can­sling­the­lunkerhunt­Fetch
swimbait­–­a­bait­he­designed­–­and­load­the­livewell­quickly.­he­has­two­approaches.
1. Catch the Early Morning Shad Eaters
threadfin­shad­are­broadcast­spawners­and­will­con-
duct­their­reproductive­rites­up­against­the­hard­plastic
floats­on­large­docks.­arey­targets­them­in­the­morning­by
covering­water,­slinging­long­casts­and­working­alongside
the­floating­structures.­
“Marinas­close­to­deep­water­are­some­of­the­prime
locations­during­the­shad­spawn,”­he­says.­“When­those
fish­are­really­active­i­cover­as­much­water­as­i­can­first
thing­in­the­morning.­then­when­you­get­on­the­right
stretch­you­can­sit­there­and­pound­on­them.”
a­slow-and-steady­retrieve­keeps­the­bait­up­in­the­top
2­feet­of­the­water­column,­or­just­beneath­the­depth­of
the­floats.­
“the­great­thing­about­that­bait­is­it­can­trigger­the­big-
ger­fish­in­those­shad­spawn­schools,”­adds­arey.
“sometimes­those­shad­spawn­schools­can­be­cookie­cut-
ters,­but­there­will­be­some­bigger­ones­in­them.”
taCklE sEtuP­
Don’t­shy­away­from­a­stout­rod­when­swim-
baiting­docks.­arey­uses­a­7-foot,­6-inch,­heavy
okuma­tCs­jig/pitching­stick­most­of­the­time.
anglers­under­6­feet­tall­might­want­to­opt­for
something­in­the­neighborhood­of­the­7-3­tCs
swimbait/frog­rod,­but­arey­says­the­bigger­model
has­more­backbone­and­can­sweep­more­line­on
the­hookset­to­get­fish­headed­out­from­the­dock
quickly.­
likewise,­he­uses­a­reel­with­8:1­retrieve­ratio
for­taking­up­line.­he­spools­it­with­17-­to­20-
pound-test­P-line­tactical­Fluorocarbon.
rigging­thE­FEtCh­
While­arey­designed­the­4­1/2-inch,­1/2-ounce­Fetch­with­enough­plastic­in­its­midsection­to­rig­it­with­a­jig-
head,­he­primarily­fishes­it­weedless.­a­large­belly­hook­slot­allows­for­rigging­it­with­a­3/0­to­7/0­gamakatsu
EWg­hook.­his­favorite­hook­is­a­6/0­EWg­superline.­
rigged­this­way,­the­hitch­is­a­shallow-water­swimmer.­to­get­it­a­touch­deeper,­add­adhesive­tungsten­or
lead,­or­arey­suggests­wrapping­lead­wire­around­the­hook­shank.­
“you­can­wrap­it­so­tightly­around­the­hook­shank­that­it­doesn’t­create­a­big­bulky­weight­like­some­of­the­big
weighted­belly­hooks­have,”­arey­says.­“that­way­you­can­reuse­that­hook­without­damaging­the­nose­of­the­bait
when­you­slide­it­through­the­plastic.”
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