When fishing pressure increases
in the spring, fishing becomes a challenging sport if not an
impossible quest. An angler must change his strategy to
produce fish. Fluorocarbon line, Texas rigged plastics, and spinning reel are tools that produce fish when conditions get tough. Once thought of as
“sissy” fishing, finesse fishing is a part of bass fishing lore that is a
necessary tactic for professional and recreational anglers.
I was surprised when I caught big fish on small four-inch worms or craw worms. Finesse fishing will catch pressured fish but it catches big bass
with great efficiency. Using a Texas rig is a familiar tactics, which is ideal for small weights and plastics. Add a light line like a new fluorocarbon
in 8 or 10-pound test and the tactic is almost flawless. I prefer to use a spinning rod and reel setup which makes the light finesse bait easier to
flip, pitch, and cast. A light wire hook is the last part of the tactic because thin wire hooks are necessary with lighter line.
Let
us start with a discussion on line, which is the heart
of this tactic. Light line allows lures to fall faster,
produce less drag, and increases sensitivity.
Lines of eight and ten pound test produce less drag in the air
and water than 17 or 20 pounds test lines. Baits fall
faster and are less likely
to be affected by wind and current. This adds up to
more time in the strike
zone. A smaller profile means the fish do not see the line as easy
as a larger diameter monofilament. Add a fluorocarbon
line like
Berkley Vanish and the
line becomes almost invisible in the water.
After you spool
on some eight-pound test, do not forget to change your
hook. If you continue to use a heavy gauge of wire, get
ready for you hook up ratio
to drop. Light line does not have the power to drive home a thick
hook. Instead, use a fine wire hook sharpened with a
stone or file. Hook sets with a thin
wire hook will connect on most strikes.
Down size your favorite
worm to a four inch model. Berkley Powerbaits®, such
as four inch Power worms, lizards, and bungee worms,
are an
excellent
choice for finesse fishing. A theory about springtime finesse fishing
is matching the hatch. Spring is the time of rebirth
in a lake or river. Bass feed heavily on baby creatures.
Crawfish
along with other varieties of wildlife produce offspring
in the early spring. In addition, parents often die
after reproducing. Since parents are various sizes,
downsizing matches the
natural baits in the lake or river.
I prefer to use a spinning rod when I finesse fish. Spinning
rods cast lighter
lures more easily, skip baits under docks more efficiently,
and handle light lines and setups more readily. A Cardinal® 600 Series spinning reel by Abu Garcia® balances well with a Fenwick HMG® 6’6” medium
heavy spinning rod. Add eight or ten pound Berkley Vanish to complete
the set. This will handle most open water areas. If the cover is
very gnarly, the angler should
switch to a heavy flipping stick. Most docks, brush piles, and bridges
are places a finesse tactic works. I have pulled some nice fish out
of some tough docks using the medium heavy rod and ten pound test.
Mastering the hook set is the last challenging part of this tactic. A weak hook set
will not hook the fish and a massive hook set will break the line. The set
is a firm and quick upward thrust of the rod. Remember, you are using a light
wire hook to compensate the light line. After the hook set, a free spool
from the spinning reel and back reeling are employed when a big fish is hooked.
Another approach is to loosen the drag after the hook set is complete. Take
your time when battling fish on light line. Use all the tools at your disposal
like reel drag, back reeling, and arm pressure to tip the fight in your favors.
Finesse
fishing is similar to flipping or pitching other
soft plastics. Cover
the same water, cover, and structure that you would
when fishing with a regular Texas rig. Finesse fishing
is merely
decreasing your bait size and line size. All other
aspects of Texas rig fishing remain the
same from matching the hook and weight to your lure to the retrieve
and action placed on the bait to entice a strike.
Finesse fishing
will catch fish. It produces big fish, too. So, do
not be surprise when a lunker taps you little sissy
bait.
Rodney Teel, president of Lighthouse Bassmasters, lands
a nice four pound bass on ten pound fluorocarbon line using
a Texas rigged craw worm.
Special thanks to Berkley
and Pure Fishing. Visit www.purefishing.com.
Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.
