Page 29 - Lady Bass Digital Magazine Classic 2023

day is going great. Then the bite slows and you When you have tattered edges of grass beds that
notice there is little to no chasing and busting. are slowly shrinking as the fall progresses, you
You are in that lull period. Instead of cranking will often find pods of bait-fish making their
and winding trying to force the bite, transition to way through the cover. Now as an angler you
fishing those isolated pieces of cover and picking have other options for targeting bass hiding. Top
them apart with your jigs and soft plastics. You water frogs are one of the first baits that come to
are not likely to catch them like gangbusters mind in situations such as this. Another option
during this time, but if you are a tournament to keep in mind is a 5/16 ounce swim-jig with a
angler, those few fish you can pick off during the speed craw trailer or a swim-bait trailer.
lull can make the difference in where you place.

Bait sizes for the jigs and soft plastics can range
from 3/8 to 3/4 size presentations. It all depends
on the cover you are fishing. If the grass is thick a
heavier weight is the better option.

When presenting the swim-jig, there are some
things to consider. First, a larger trailer can
make the bait swim higher in the water column.
A smaller trailer can be fished deeper and allows
me to fish the bait slower if needed. If you find
that the bass are nipping at the trailer, downsize
your hooks and trailer to try and get the bass to
be more committal to the bite.

Keep an open mind in the fall to various
techniques!

Lady Bass Anglers Association 29