Powerbait Freefall
Tip: Berkley powerbait makes curltail worms that seem to work good with this tip also try bungee tails. take a size three worm hook and rig the rubber worm ( in through the head and out then again through the body) do not use any form of sinker, jig head, or swivel now cast the worm under low lying bushes and wait till it sinks to the bottom which may take a while depending on the depth. when the lure hits bottom tug gently once and let it sink again. wait a few seconds from when you tug and when it hits bottom then tug again and repeat until it is about 5 feet from the bushes or lilly pads then try a slow retrieve. the bass should pick the worm off the bottom if they dont hit it on the way down. I find this way of fishing rubbers much more effective then using rigs.

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

Replace Rattles
Tip: When jig fishing the rattles sometimes fall off. I replace mine with a jingle bell. I get about 50 of them for less than $2.oo, at the craft store. (same place I get my glass beads). I slip it over the hook and keep it on with an old piece of a plastic worm. There are many times I like the jingle bells over the rattles that come with the jigs.

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

Top Water Lures Can Catch Big Bass
Tip: I have found that top water lures, like poppers, plugs, floating worms, ect. when first cast, should be left to sit for a few moments before you start to retrieve it, The lure usually scares the fish, but usually comes back to investigate, and a lot of times, before you even move it it dissapears. I usually let my lure sit for 30 to 45 seconds before I start to retrieve. Make sure your pay close attention though, sometimes because of the pause you tend to not pay as close attention as you should, and you miss potentially a trophy !!! I actually have heard this tip before by others, but no one ever warned me of the vigilance, of paying attention. I did at first, but after awile it is easy to not pay attention, maybe I'm the only one that does thaT, I don't know.

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

Marinade Your Plastics
Tip: I don't know about anyone else, but, When I get a new "re-sealable" bag of plastic "anythings" ('specially the green lizard) I like to squirt a good amount of my favorite liquid bass attractant to it and just let it marinade while it sits in your tackle box. Seems to work for me. Comments are encouraged.

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

Adding The Trailer For Hybrid Bass And Stripers
Tip: Fishing for Hybrid Bass and Stripers is fun and rewarding. This tip will help you catch the larger ones once you have located them. Take a deep diveing crankbait color does not seem to matter a lot but I prefer a darker color. Make a trailer line with at least 20 pound test line 4 foot [48"]off of the back of the crankbait.Then tie on a Silver weighted or chrome weighted shad style lure that will pull the crankbait down even lower than normal. Then either cast and crank or let line out and troll the area where the fish are located. Hybrid Bass and Stripers travel together and feed together with the smaller fish on the top and the monsters on the bottom. The 4 foot [48"] will give you a great dept average for the larger ones. It has worked great for me and I hope great for you. Good Luck and happy fishing. Terry Schlein

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

Plastic Worms Rule The Lake!
Tip: Plastic worms are the most popular bait for largemouth bass in all of North America. I would like to tell you how you can be succesfull here in Southern California using plastic worms. I have 5 major lakes here in Southern California that I can promise big fish form using plastic worms. Castaic lake, lower and upper. Cachuma, Pyramid, Casitas and Irving Lake. My favorite soft plastic company is Robo Worms! They have the colors that just kill the bass. I will name a few of the most dominate baites in the south land lakes. Oxblood, Aarons Magic, Green Weenie, Cinnamon Blue, and Bold Blue Gill are all nice baits. They come in 4 1 inch straight tail and 4 1 inch curl tail. They have 6 inch sizes and bigger if you need them. The hottest size is the 5 1 inch curl tail. It may not be in the market yet but for those who know its just killer. I split shot these plastics with Owner offset hooks and a 18 ounce split shot. 6 1 foot meduim action rod and a nice spinning reel with front drag. I love 6lb test and 8lb test. This is all you really need next time you head to the lake. Plastic worms catch bass more than any other bait in the world. Thats a promise!

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

Catchin Bass In The Heat Of The Day
Tip: When the water gets warm or even hot is probably the hardest time to catch bass. The best way I have found to get them at this time of day is to find a place with good cover. Fish prefer the colder water because there is more oxygen in the water and because they do not have eyelids and the sun is hard on their eyes just like ours. Much of the cover is near the shore and as the water gets deeper it gets cooler, and therefore more bass. Find a drop off at the edge of cover and drop a worm and let it sink right down through the cover and down the underwater ledge. You must be patient but this is an excellent way to catch bass when the heat is up!!

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

Magic Marker Crankbaits
Tip: If you use deep or shallow crankbaits for bass and other fish, take a black magic marker and make 2 round circles right behind the head on each side of the crankbait. Also, take a red magic marker and mark on the bottom of the crankbait anywhere that you like. I have had a lot more strikes after doing this to the lures. The black dots mimic a bluegill, and the red looks like an injured baitfish. I hope this works as good for you as it does for me.

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

Make Your Topwater Popper Irrestiable To Bass
Tip: This tip is how to make a pop-r lure look better to bass. When using a Pop-r lure change the front hook to a red hook. This will make the fish think that the bait is a wounded bait fish. This technique works due to the Pop-R acting as a top water lure looks like a injured shad.

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

Crazy Bait Fish
Tip: When fishing from shore or docks always use an oxygenated bait pail (one of the battery powered ones). these gadgets actually work wonderfully.it puts so much oxygen into the water that the baitfish act like samon swimming up a falls.thats how much energy they have.the more energy and power the baitfish have the more they will attract the prey fish.

Water Type: Freshwater	Types of Fish: Any
Fishing Type: Spinning/Baitcasting