There are many ways to become a better bass fisherman. Spending time fishing is one of them. Questions may run through your head while on the water. Why you were, or were not, successful may lie within these questions. In fishing I believe that there are no dumb questions. We are all at different stages of developing our knowledge and skills. Recently I was able to sit down with B.A.S.S. Tour pro Randy Yarnall and ask him some questions that anglers might have asked themselves, but have had a hard time answering.

Randy says that questions often make him stop and think. He says that inquiries make him reflect back and think why, because many of the aspects of bass fishing are routine at the professional level. When you take time to think things through, even common tasks, you can often spare yourself a non-productive day on the water. So let's take advantage of Randy while he waits for the 2005 B.A.S.S. Tour to begin.

B.A.S.S. Tour Pro Randy Yarnall says that questions make him stop to think why he does certain things on a routine basis, thus making him a better angler.

Question 1: How can I slowly retrieve a buzzbait and still keep it running on the surface?

Randy Yarnall (R.Y.): "I try to use line size more than anything. When you go to bigger sizes of a buzzbait like the 3/8-ounce and larger you want to go to a heavier line. A slow retrieve is best for fishing pressured water. The design of the head is also a factor. The Cavitron buzzbait has an arrow head, which allows that bait to plow forward and ride up on the surface."

Question 2: When fishing Texas-rigged soft plastic lures, when is it best to peg the sinker, and when do you want the line to slip through the sinker?

R.Y.: "When you're fishing in heavy cover you want to peg the sinker. Even in heavy rock the sinker can get wedged more easily when you let the line slip. In heavy grass a bass will use slipped line to its advantage by wrapping the line in the vegetation. In open water around shallow grass I like to let the sinker slip. The weight hits the bottom first and the lure slowly sinks enticingly."

Question 3: Where are the best places for early springtime crankbaits? Which are crankbaits are the best, i.e. shape and color?

R.Y.: "Let's face it, crankbaits are best used on structure, because the wider the wobble, the noisier the bait. In springtime I want to throw a rattle trap. You want to give them every excuse to react to the bait. They aren't extremely active yet, so you want to stimulate their instincts. And yes, a rattle trap is considered a crankbait. I like chartreuses, but not completely chartreuse -- black back, purple back two or three tones. It gives a more natural presentation."

Question 4: Can you give me the situations for Texas rigging a tube and when to rig a tube with a jig head?

R.Y.: "Almost all the time I want to use a jig head. I want an exposed hook because of the subtle hits. I feel that I get a quicker hookset, a better hookset. The deeper I go the more I want to use a jig head for these very reasons. In heavy cover is when I want to use the Texas rig." And yes, peg the sinker.

Question 5: Stick worms like the Senko, YUM Dinger, and Tiki Worm have stormed on to the bass fishing scene. Are they a total replacement for the soft jerkbait?

R.Y.: "As far as a "total" replacement, no. They can be used for similar applications, but when you want a slow fall the jerkbait is the better choice. In colder water the jerkbait is better because you don't get as much action out of it. A Tiki Worm or Senko is always moving (has a bit of a wiggle) on the fall."

Question 6: What applications can you use braided line for besides flipping and pitching?

R.Y.: "Fishing soft plastics in deep water is another application. Sensitivity and hook setting are the reasons. In deep water you can miss a lot of fish simply because you didn't feel them. Braided line will allow you to feel those bites. When you feel the fish and set the hook you know you are going to stick him because there is no stretch to braided line."

Question 7: Super shallow crankbaits are great around grass beds. Are there any other forms of cover where they are productive?

R.Y.: "Trees, tree tops, dead falls, any type of shallow cover, is all good cover. You can cover a lot of water with one. That's what makes a shallow crankbait so good in tidal water. A lot of bass are caught in the 1 to 5-foot depth range."

Question 8: What is your best lure for fishing "used" water (fishing behind another angler)?

R.Y.: If I have to go into used water I want to go with a buzzbait because you can generate an aggressive strike. On a slack tide, I will go with a Senko or jig-n-pig. If I know the guy before me was throwing a buzzbait, I'll go with a Minus-1. It still runs near the surface, but gives a totally different look.

Randy Yarnall's years of fishing tidal waters in tournament situations made him the perfect candidate for this question and answer session. His favorite tidal waters are the upper Chesapeake and the Susquehanna River and Flats. As a pro fisherman, he relishes being part of an interview and hopes that his concepts and theories will be well used by other anglers.