TAKEOFF
IN SEASON
Seasonal tips and tricks
other odds and ends
PRO’S CHOICE:
FISHING APPS
By Paul Strege
3 UMBRELLA RIG TARGETS
an umbrella rig is one of FLW tour
pro Greg bohannan’s go-to options
when the water temperature is below
55 degrees in the ozarks. he prefers
small-profile umbrella rigs with 1/16-
and 1/8-ounce jigheads, 3 1/2-inch
swimbaits around the perimeter, and a
4- to 5-inch center swimbait. there are
three primary target areas.
1. Standing timber – “Use light-wire
jigheads. Fish won’t straighten the
hooks, and if you get snagged you can
pull it free.”
2. Riprap – “Instead of slow-rolling,
try fishing it a little faster like a spinner-
bait. It triggers a reaction bite that way.”
3. Creek guts – “I like to throw it
down the guts in the backs of creeks.
Use willow-leaf blades for added flash
when it’s cloudy or windy.”
1. Bryan Thrift
SailFlow
“It’s a wind app that gives
you forecasts and readings
for weather stations and
buoys across the country.
I’ve been using it for about
three years now, and it’s
pretty reliable.”
PATTERNS TO WATCH
DRAWDOWNS AND MATTED VEGETATION
2. Evan Barnes
BassForecast
“It’s a lot like a deer move-
ment app. It shows you the
days that they’re expected
to bite better, and also
feeding windows and when
you can expect the peak
bite to be. I’ve actually
found it to be pretty stinkin’
accurate.”
When reservoirs in his region (northwest Georgia) are drawn down in the fall,
FLW tour pro buddy Gross exploits grass beds that mat up on the surface to extract
trophy-class fish.
“on lakes where hydrilla grows throughout the year, but never quite makes it to
the top, all of a sudden it is on top after the drawdown,” he says. “older mats from
earlier in the year will be dying, and the deeper stuff will have folded over and be
nice and green. It creates a perfect canopy for bass to feed on bream and other
baitfish swimming around underneath.”
hollow-bodied frogs and punching baits are the most effective presentations.
productive mats can be located either back in the creeks or directly off the main lake.
18
3. Joseph Webster
Navionics
“The Navionics app is my
favorite. Whenever I have
some downtime, I can look
at maps on my phone and
do lake research. It’s very
convenient.”
FLWFISHING.COM I WINTER 2019