Soft Plastics
Tip: When using plastics, a little superglue on your hook will prevent that bait from slipping.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Fishing Behind Another Boat In A Tournament
Tip: If game day rolls around and you are on fish, you can't help but to be excited. The possibility of cashing a check, of beating the other anglers, even more so beating the fish. Well guess what, you got a bad draw and by the time you get to your spot there was already a boat working your grass line. At this point most anglers get discouraged and lose their heads and start fishing aimlesly. Well keep your head in the game, downsize!!! Try fishing the same water only with a softer presentation, dropshot, try a small jig, splitshot, any finesse presentation will do. I prefer to dropshot it's just one of my strengths. You see most people will run down that grass line chunking spinner baits or pitchin large texas rigged worm, the fish have seen these a million times, not to mention they hear it way before the boat gets close to them. When you try a more subtle approach you are offering them something they rarely see and you also have the element of surprise. Good luck and have fun.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Jig And Pig
Tip: Jig and pig fishing is a great way to boat some pretty nice bass in the winter, spring and in the heat of the summer. There are several tricks that can help you boat a nice fish and here is another one to add to your collections. I take the pig and change the way that it appears in the water and the way that it reacts on the jig. Here is a step by step way to improve your fishing with a jig and pig, First take the pig on a hard surface and cut the head of the pig at a 45 degree angle. Second I take the pig and turn the legs, so that they face me and I cut two slices in the meat part of the pig so that the water will flow through there to the legs, it will make the legs of the pig work a lot better. Finally I take and cut the last 1/2" of the legs so they look more life like. And in the water when put together this will help improve your fishing, this will also help your fishing ability.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Stiff Rod
Tip: Use a heavy duty stiff rod to pull bass out of areas with heavy grass.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Bass Catching
Tip: The easiest way for me to catch bass is on a purple weedless worm with white stripes at between sunset and night. This seems to work well, as bass tend to bite on things below the surface at this time, partly because they can just manage to see it. I usually just cast this worm on a plain old rod into a weedbed or structure.

Water Type: Any	Types of Fish: Any
Fishing Type: Any

Try Upsizing Your Dropshot To Upsize Your Catch
Tip: Here's a technique that I've been using for a couple years with success; UPsizing a dropshot, or what we jokingly refer to as a dropshot with a serious lack of finesse. Most folks think of a dropshot as a clear water, finesse technique wherein the hooks, weights and baits are downsized to pick off finicky fish. That works wonders, but sometimes a different approach works too. Sticking with a quality mono/copoly/flurocarbon in the 8 to 12 pound range, tie up a 1/0 or 2/0 hook with a palomar and run the long tag end through the eye just as in a typical dropshot rig. Attach a 3/8 to 1/2 oz weight at the bottom, and rig a bulky worm, lizard or creature bait on the hook. You can drop the rig straight down, or cast over relatively clean bottom. When casting the rig for a distance, think of it as a carolina rig with the weight/lure inverted, and the lure stays above the bottom and in the fish's face. As you retrieve, you can keep a taught line, and give the bait an enticing shake, shimmy or dart to left and right. Fish it parallel to a drop or creek bank, over a gravel or rock pile, almost anywhere the fish are in open water away from significant snags. This technique can at times, bring home the hawgs in ways no other rig can.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Mama Can Catch The Smart Ones
Tip: all my fishin buddies laugh at the bottle of vanilla in my tackle box til they see me hook a bigun. the scent of vanilla covers up the human smell and fish either like it or just don't mind the added flavor to their meal. WARNING the scent of vanilla also attracts an occasional fisherman particicularly when combined with the scent of bar-b-que n beer, so be aware of who yer downwind from

Water Type: Any	Types of Fish: Any
Fishing Type: Any

Jig And Pig
Tip: Fishing a Jig and Pig combo the way that I make the pig look a little more real is: I take the pig and cut the front end at a 45 degree angle. I then cut two parallel cuts down the meat part of the jig this will allow the water to flow through to the legs of the jig. Then take the jig legs and cut them like a 1/2" cut on both legs that allows more movement for the legs and brings the jig to life. Bass (smallmouth) like it if you swim it a little on the sandy flats and on points. When tossing a jig in the brush I like to easy it in the water with no splash and right before the Jig hits the water raise the tip of the pole a small amount this will help. Once the jig has touch water I like to feed the line off of the pole so that there is no problem with the jig getting into tough places. Then you have the line in hand if there is a bump on the fall of the jig and pig you will feel that and then just reel down and set the hook. I always sharpen my hook right out of the package this way I know they are sharp; I also like to sharpen my hook through out the day to keep them ready for the next fish. This will allow the hook to penetrate the pig easier to I know there are people out there that will fight with a pig to get it on the hook and this will help. There are times when a jig and pig are the way to go and then there are time when you are fishing and your buddies are just out fishing you on the spinnerbait, I have had this done and then I get the bite that I have been waiting for and it make take a little while to get but the fish are there and you know it I have just learned to be patient when fishing. I was one of those that would change bait hundred times in a 4 hour time period but if you wait for the bite it will come on the jig and pig they can't resist this bait.

Water Type: Any	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

When Fishing Plastic Worms
Tip: When rigging your worm try pegging your weight. Put your weight on, then tie your hook on. Then put your choice of worm on. Take your weight slid it down to the head of the worm and take a round toothpick (not square) stick it in the top of the wieght and push it in tight then break it off. Secure the head of the worm and you are ready to go. this will help you keep in contact with your bait. And help you feel the smallest strike. So good luck and good fishing.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting

Running A Spinner Bait
Tip: When you are fishing a spinner bait in early spring and fish are starting to get active. Try casting past the stucture you are fishing such as a log or stump. Reel it up to the stump or tree and when you get to it stop and let the bait fall. Watch your line for a strike or you may miss it. Try this out the next time you are out before you just bet that cover up. I hope it my help you get that big one we all are looking for thank and good fishing.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Largemouth Bass
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting