Entry 132-4

George Cochran’s December Bass Tactics

Me and Mr. Money

George CochranEditor's Note: Two-time Bassmasters Classic winner and longtime avid bass angler, George Cochran, fishes in all kinds of weather and at different times of the year.

Cochran: If I had to pick one lure that consistently catches more bass all year long than any other lure in my tackle box and a lure that has made more money in bass fishing tournaments than any other lure, it will have to be the Series 1 crankbait. This small crankbait looks like a little minnow or shad. On the first day of this week, I told you about the Series 4 crankbait that's my favorite lure to fish in December. So, you have to be asking yourself, "Why would George Cochran tell me on Day 1 to fish a Series 4 crankbait in December, and then name that as his favorite lure to fish at this time of the year, and then when we get to Day Four, he starts talking about the smallest crankbait Strike King makes." Well, the answer is really simple.

The Series 1, what I call the Mr. Money crankbait, is a limit bait. Any time I see a school of shad on a lake during December, I can cast that Series 1 crankbait into that school and start catching numbers of bass 12- to 15-inches long. If I'm fishing in a tournament, the first thing I want to do every day is get a limit of five keeper bass. I just want to make sure that I have a five-fish limit to weigh in when I get to the scales. I've learned, over the years, that Series 1 crankbait gives me the best opportunity to produce that limit of bass quickly, especially at this time of the year when bass are Strike King Crankbaitfeeding on shad.

The Series 1 won't intimidate any bass, regardless of the size of that bass. This bait looks exactly like a little-bitty 2-inch shad. Remember, I explained that during December, bass, both little and big, will be following schools of shad. If a big Series 4 crankbait breaks up a school of shad, and a big bass is following that school, many times that big bass will go in and eat that Series 4 crankbait. But, if smaller bass are mixed in with the bigger bass, or if only small bass are following that school of shad, those bass won't run in and try to eat that big Series 4 crankbait. However, when you have a Series 1 crankbait coming through that school of shad, any size bass that sees that Series 1 will eat that little-bitty crankbait.

Before I became a tournament pro when I worked for Arkansas Game and Fish, I learned that there are more bass in a lake generally that weigh 3-pounds each but fewer fish that weigh 4 pounds and more. To have the best opportunity to catch the most bass in the shortest time, I'll fish Mr. Money (the Series 1 crankbait) to get a limit of bass this month. Don't forget that smaller baits will always produce more fish than bigger baits will. But, generally, the bigger baits will produce bigger bass.

George CochranDecember fishing is tough fishing, and you can get your feelings hurt by fishing long periods without catching bass. To prevent this from happening and to make sure I can catch a bass, I'll downsize and go to Mr. Money (Series 1 crankbait) and catch me some bass on that small crankbait. I make a living catching large numbers of bass all year. If I have to bet on a bait to produce a bass for me this month, (any size bass), it will be the Series 1 crankbait.

I like the shad colors of the Bleeding Bait with the red hook in the Bleeding Bait series. Besides fishing the Series 1 around schools of shad that you can see, also fish it around shallow-water cover in the creeks. I fish the Series 1 on 12-pound-test line because the lighter line gives the bait more action. Twelve-pound-test line will allow the bait to go down about 5- or 6-feet deep. But that line is still strong enough to handle just about any bass you'll catch. If you have to bet on a bait to produce bass this month, I'll bet on Mr. Money, the Series 1 crankbait.




 

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