Entry 194-4

Bass Fishing with Kevin VanDam and James Niggemeyer in the California Delta

Part 4: From a Zero to a Hero

Question: James, what did you do and what did you learn in this California Delta tournament?

Niggemeyer: In practice, I learned that I could catch my bass on a Strike King Kevin VanDam swimming jig. I also learned I could catch the bass on the Pure Poison and the Zero. By rotating between those three baits, depending on the type of cover I found, I could find and catch bass.

Question: Which bait did you use on what type of cover?

Niggemeyer: I used the swim jig and the Pure Poison when I was fishing around the tule reeds or pencil reeds, because they’re kind of sparse. You can swim a bait through them. I’d run these two lures straight through the cattails, and I’d cast into the tules and swim the bait out. When the weeds were more clumpy, I’d fish the Zero.

Question: How were you rigging the Zero?

Niggemeyer: I was Texas rigging the Zero without a weight. I’d cast the bait out and let it fall. For me, fishing the Zero was a real test of patience. I’d let it fall as long as I could and let it lay on the bottom as long as I could stand it. Then I’d pick the bait up off the bottom by lifting it with my rod tip and let the bait fall back to the bottom. I’d wait as long as I could, then lift it again and let the Zero fall back. If I didn’t get a bite, I’d quickly reel the Zero in and then cast it out again and go through the same procedure.

Question: Were you catching many fish with the Zero?

Niggemeyer: Yes, I was, but I wasn’t catching many big fish. I knew that I could catch a limit using these three lures, but I also learned that I could catch bigger fish using a 3-inch creature bait. I’d fish all these baits on the same type of cover. I could catch a limit of bass very easily, but I couldn’t catch the quality of bass I needed to catch to win the tournament.

Question: What size and what color of jigs and Pure Poison were you swimming through the cattails?

Niggemeyer: I’d use the bluegill color and the 3/8-ounce jig with a light line. I was fishing these lures on a 15-pound-test Seaguar fluorocarbon line. I was fishing the Pure Poison with the same set up. I use the Pure Poison to cover water quickly and find the fish. When the tules were thickening up a little more, I switched to the Kevin VanDam swim jig, and when the tules became really thick, I’d fish the Zero. I went more toward the creature bait, when the conditions on the lake changed.

Question: The California Delta is a big-bass reservoir, isn’t it?

Niggemeyer: Yes, it is. In the winter, Aaron Martens brought in 30 pounds of bass in one day with five fish weighing an average of 6-pounds each. The second day of the tournament, I weighed in 25 pounds, 5 ounces. So, yes, the California Delta is a big-bass fishery.

Next: When to Fish Little Baits on Big Bass Waters

Contents:

• Part 1: My Boat Sunk
• Part 2: How Kevin VanDam Fished and Caught Them All
• Part 3: The Mindset of a Winner
• Part 4: From a Zero to a Hero
• Part 5: When to Fish Little Baits on Big Bass Waters