Entry 162-4
Mark Menendez on Jerkbaits and Big Bass
Part 4: How to Catch Bass in Cold Water
There are three things to remember when you’re fishing for cold-water suspended bass:
- Find out how deep the bass and the baitfish are suspended.
- Figure out what type of bottom structure they’re over.
- Determine how hard to jerk the jerkbait, and how long you need to let the bait sit still in the water before you jerk it again.
When I won the tournament at Pickwick (see Part 1), I timed my casts. From the time my lure hit the water, I worked the bait from a minute to two minutes before I reeled the bait in and made another cast. I got the seat out of the back of the boat, put it in the front of the boat and sat down like I was crappie fishing. I’ve learned that I’m much more patient when I’m sitting down and comfortable rather than being propped up against the butt seat. This tactic is about being patience and being precise.
I fished the Wild Shiner on 8-pound-test line, because it gets the Wild Shiner down deeper than larger-size line will, and it gives the bait the most-realistic look. I also use a light-action rod with a high-speed reel. I start every day by cranking the jerkbait down, giving it three twitches, letting it sit still for 3 seconds and then give it three more twitches. During the day, I try and figure out if I need to give the bait more jerk and stop it for 4, 6, 10 seconds or longer.
After I know how long the bait needs to sit still before the fish will bite it I then have to determine how hard to jerk the bait before it sits still. Most of the time I’ve found that you can let the bait sit still for 5 to 7 seconds before you have to twitch it again. However, at the Pickwick tournament, I’d let it sit for 10 to 12 seconds, which is a long time. If you don’t believe me, watch the second hand on your watch so you can see how long 12 seconds really is. At the Pickwick tournament, I got really good at counting from 1,001 to 1,012.
Contents:
- Part 1: The Bass That Changed My Life
- Part 2: My Biggest Three-Day Bag
- Part 3: The Big Bag Tactic
- Part 4: How to Catch Bass in Cold Water
- Part 5: How I Learned to Fish a Jerkbait
