Something Different Can Make A Big Difference
Written
By: Rick McFerrin
Owner/Full Time Guide
www.tennesseebassguides.com
Introduction: Let me start
out this article by asking you to do some reflection and then answer
a couple simple questions. Here's the reflection part, think for
a minute about your two most favorite lakes that you fish for bass.
Got them locked in? Alright here comes the question. How many people
fish your favorite lakes during an entire year for bass? How many
total man hours are spent by those fishermen on the water? How
many casts did these fishermen make totally during that same period
of time? Wow! When you look at it from that
standpoint it can be a little staggering.
I don't know where you live but I can tell you that here
in Tennessee our lakes (large and small) are covered up with bass
fishermen 12 months out of the year. Daytime, nighttime, spring,
summer, fall and winter. 1000's of fishermen spending 1000's of
hours, making 1000's of casts at every bass in the lake. No rock,
lay down, ledge, drop, hump, weed bed, channel, boat dock, marina,
standing timber, weed bed (I like weed beds), bluff, mud bank,
gravel bank, rock point (and the list go's on ) remains untouched! Big
crank baits, small crank baits, big worms, small worms, big spinner
baits, small spinner baits, big buzz baits, small buzz baits, big
jerk baits, small jerk baits, big jigs, small jigs, big spoons,
small spoons. Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, shaky heads, fast moving
baits, slow moving baits. Man I'm getting tired just thinking about
it. Now, if I can get tired just thinking about this I wonder how
Mr. Bass feels over the period of a year? How many "Me Too" baits
are dragged past the nose of the bass in your lake every year?
I can almost hear a couple of 5 lb Smallmouth hanging out on the
end of a point saying "Here comes another crawfish colored
bait and it looks just like the last 20 that pasted by. Who
do they think their fooling. Wow! Once again, when you look at
it that way it can become even more staggering."
I'm not really babbling believe me, and my brain isn't completely
water logged yet. (only 80%) What I'm saying is simple. Bass
fishermen that are consistent in catching good fish year in and
year out aren't doing the same thing over and over that everyone
else is doing. How many B.A.S.S and FLW events are won by a pro
that tells everyone in the audience when he's collecting his $50,000.00
check. "I found a way to change this bait just a little and
did it ever make a big difference. How many local club tournaments
are won consistently by a hand full of fishermen that are doing "something" just
a little different?"
So, back to the title of this article. "Something different
can make a big difference" Sometimes we the fisherman comes
up with the difference. Other times it's done for us by bait manufactures.
Either way we need to be alert to changes that are going on around
us and take advantage of those changes. Let's take a look at "something
different" that is on the market right now that I have already
found out can make a big difference in you bass fishing success.
Hang in there this is good stuff!
Secret Weapon Sidearm Spinner bait: Before
we talk specifically about the Secret Weapon Side Arm Spinner Bait
I need to cover something else. Articles that I write go out all
over the world on a variety of fishing web sites and are published
here in Tennessee in several news papers and magazines as well.
I said all that to say that some of you are already familiar with Secret
Weapon Spinner Baits, but many may not be. Because of that I need
to explain what makes the whole Secret Weapon concept (Spinner
Baits-Buzz Baits-Side Arm Baits) different from other spinner baits
on the market today. So with that in mind let's start there.
First of all over the years I have come to appreciate the
difference that Secret Weapon brings to the table. They have all
the best features of a conventional safety pin style spinner baits
plus the uniqueness of an in line spinner bait as well. This combination
is achieved by the use of "Free Floating" in line clevis
mounted blades that can be fished in a multitude of applications
including through trees (which we will talk about in a minute)
brush, weeds and heavy cover. This design creates a "Different" sound
from other spinner baits that fish are so use to hearing. Remember
our two 5lb Smallmouth on the point? Well there you go! Something
different that makes a big difference.
Another
unique difference is the ability to change the blades on a Secret
Weapon Spinner Bait in just a matter of seconds. This is achieved
because of the quick change blade attachment design. Even
a guy with bi-focals and a little arthritis in his fingers like
me can do it in no time flat. That gives you the ability to change
the look of your bait as conditions change without tying on another
complete bait. And when those hawgs take a shot at your bait the
combination of the "Ultra Point" Extra long Mustad hook
being aligned perfectly with the line tie and the blades swinging
out of the way giving you an increased solid hook up ratio. I could
go on and on about how well they retrieve, less tendency to roll
at high speeds, excellent as a drop bait, superior craftsmanship
and much more. But let's move on to what took place this past week
while on vacation on one of my favorite lakes in Louisiana.
About a month ago I got a telephone call from Mr. Joe Haubenreich
President of Secret Weapon Lures, telling me about the new "Side
Arm Spinner Bait." As Joe explained the new bait to
me my mind raced ahead to the upcoming trip that my youngest son
Daniel and I were going to take on a Lake Providence an oxbow lake
in Louisiana. Joe sent me several of the new Side Arm Spinner Baits
and last week Daniel and I had the opportunity to try them out.
The type of cover that we were fishing was 95% cypress trees like
the picture on either side. I have fished this lake since the mid
1980's and have always had success with spinner baits and crank
baits. Sometimes the bass will hold so tight to the trunk of the
trees and knees that the bait has to beat and bang it's way through
to get a hit. Other times if the fish are are aggressive they will
roam a few feet off the tree. Well this time was a stuck like glue
to the tree trip. I threw both the original Secret Weapon Spinner
Bait and the new Side Arm Spinner Bait and here is what I found out.
I caught fish on both, "But" the side arm produced more
strikes overall than the original bait on this trip and I think I
have it figured out why.
Since the blades are directly across from one another (side
by side) when I would run the bait lets say on the right side of
the tree, the blade nearest the tree would make contact and flutter
momentarily but the other blade would continue to spin. I believe
that it was that different turbulence that the Side Arm made that
provoked the strike. This was one of the slower trips I have had
on Providence. But we still caught 62 largemouth in 4 days of fishing
with multiple fish over 3 pounds all the way up to 7 pounds on this
trip. Made Daniel smile. We talked to several local bass fishermen
that found it hard to believe that we were doing as well as we were.
Luck? Well, maybe something different made a big difference. I'm
sure it was a combination of things. Like lighter line (nothing over
12 lb test) fishing ultra slow and making repeated casts to the same
areas. And using techniques and baits that these fish just don't
see on a normal basis.
Joe and Secret Weapon has a real
winner on their hands with this new bait. I can't wait to throw
it this week here in Tennessee. I love fishing grass, and can't wait to see how they will perform
on Old Hickory here in Nashville. Just like the original Secret
Weapon Spinner Bait the Side Arm uses the same free-floating, interchangeable,
in-line spinner blades. And as I have already discussed it
creates a different vibration because of the two blades playing
off one another. I also noticed that the Side Arm seemed to "stay
up" a little high in the water column at a slower speed, which
definitely was a plus on this trip. There's time that you don't
want a bass to get too good of a look at a bait. But then on the
other hand when they are a little finicky like this past week having
the bait right in their face for that second or two longer was
the trick.
Unlike
other the original Secret Weapon Spinner Bait the Side Arm uses a
V-frame blade pivot bar (see picture to the left) that attaches to
the spinner bait arm above the black double barrel metal sleeve (picture
to the right) The metal sleeve slides down allowing you to attach
the V Frame Pivot Arm. At the ends on the Pivot Arm you then attach
the spinner blades of your choice. A simple, quick and "Different" approach to all me to baits. Another
great aspect of this bait is that you can leave the V Bar off the
bait and attach a single Secret Weapon spinner blade and have
a fantastic short arm spinner bait ideal for bottom crawling or let
it helicopter around docks, bluffs, pilings and ledges. As
on all Secret Weapon Spinner Baits you can modify them without tools
right on the water in seconds. With just a handful of Secret Weapon
Bodies and blades you can come up with the best combination that
is going to work for you that day.
Conclusion: The Secret
Weapon Side Arm Spinner Bait is available in two weights. (5/16ths
and 9/16ths) and in 10 popular patterns for stained or clear water.
Joe and his team offers several different packs designed exactly
for your needs and budget. You can see all of the great Secret
Weapon Products by going to our web site www.tennesseebassguides.com. Just
scan down and click on the Secret Weapon Logo. This product is
also available all across the U.S. so check with your local tackle
store.
If you are as serious as I am about getting maximum
results every time I put my boat in the water. Then you understand
why I said "Something Different Can Make A Big Difference".
As the owner of Tennessee Bass Guides and a full time Guide I'm
always looking new and better ways to help my clients catch fish.
There is no doubt in my mind that by adding the new Secret Weapon
Side Arm Spinner Bait to my arsenal for 2007 will help me do just
that. I appreciate you reading this article and I hope that 2007
will be your best year ever on the water.
God Bless,
Rick McFerrin
Owner/Full Time Guide
Tennessee Bass Guides LLC
www.tennesseebassguides.com
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