COLUMN : BALOG ON BASS FISHING
But no one can deny the effectiveness of the simple Ned rig , something Ned Kehde himself has been claiming for years . When faced with a difficult bite or cold water , extremely subtle movements can trigger bass to feed . Today ’ s super-plastic baits offer a new dimension in this type of fishing , as the lures quiver more readily . I ’ d look for a large amount of expansion there – turning these new materials into irresistible motion-makers .
Try to hold one still , and you ’ ll recognize my thought process .
other key players
The remaining lures on my list played a lesser role in wins , but a role , nonetheless . Jerkbaits , topwaters and wake baits
PHOTO BY PHOENIX MOORE filled a niche when schools of bass needed a new look . And two types of hair jigs popped into winning profiles .
Haired lures have always fascinated me since I first served witness to their effectiveness on cold-water smallmouth . Much like the previously mentioned Ned rig , there ’ s just something about the shimmy . We ’ ve also seen interest in warm-water largemouth fishing with hair jigs , as competitors find oversized models effective for structure fishing , especially when big gizzard shad are cruising .
Always the student , DeFoe dug one out this season to help his cause at Lake Fork .
Jacob Wheeler , this season ’ s AOY , added a marabou model to his arsenal at the St . Lawrence . Here ’ s another example of an effective lure that has flown under the radar until recently , thanks to tour pros picking up the habit . Marabou jigs have been all the rage in Canadian events for years – again , cool water and jumbo smallmouth factoring in . We ’ ll certainly see more marabou tied on the rods of the pros each year when they head north , and an expansion of those lures in tackle stores as a result .
Diversity . That ’ s the best word to sum up today ’ s winning lures of the pros . As tournament formats continue to change , and more anglers are exposed to the best tactics through online programming , it will be necessary to mix things up in order to fool more fish . With more pieces to the puzzle , the possibilities are endless .
26 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | DECEMBER-JANUARY 2022