Retro Tidal Bass Patterns
By Tim Sherman

The sport of bass fishing has evolved in quantum leaps and bounds over the past decade. Specialized rods and reels and lures designed with the finest detail and action have anglers trying the latest techniques. Many of us fall into the trap of sticking with the new fangled plugs and plastics until the next “must have” bass bait comes along. So, what happened to the techniques that we used before the new patterns have taken over? Did they all loose their alluring ways of provoking bass into striking? Most definitely not!

The pros have to fish the latest and greatest tactics to keep sponsors happy. They help show the public how to use new products to keep it moving off of the tackle shop peg boards. Yet, guides and pros have not forgotten about the techniques that got them to the level they are fishing today. When I asked them about patterns of old, they beamed with stories of “I remember when”. Many of these pros still employ patterns of years gone by when conditions dictate. Here are some of the old tactics that the pros can count on to put bass in the live well.

WORMING WORKS WONDERS
So many odd shaped plastics have flooded the market in recent years. Anglers have gotten away from the most basic form of pliable plastic – the worm. Pennsylvania bass pro Randy Yarnall remembers when the Texas rigged worm was all the rage. He recalls that the 6-inch Culprit and Berkley Power Worms ruled the Susquehanna Flats. The moccasin colored Culprit and blue fleck Berkley worm were tied on the rods found on the decks of numerous bass boats and it didn’t matter if you were in a tournament or fishing for fun.

Randy knows that worms are just as productive today as they were back in “their day”. He fishes them Texas rigged with a pegged sinker along the deadfalls and pier pilings of the upper Chesapeake. When bass get really finicky, he uses a split shot instead of the slip weight, and pinches it on the line a good 12 inches forward of the worm. This gives the worm a freer movement that seems to lull bass into striking.

Walt Ross of X-Citer Baits reflects back even farther to the days of the prerigged
Crème Scoundrel worm. The worm was adorned with beads, small props and hooks; and like today’s Senko worm, was the toast of tidal waters. Walt says that the similarities between the two worms are far different in appearance, but have the same productivity.

He recalls that the prerigged Scoundrel was worked in much the same way as the Senko. He would simply cast it out and let the props flicker as the bait fluttered to the bottom. Like Yarnall’s split shot rig, the slow fall or the Crème worm gave bass a false sense of security.

LONE RANGER
Captain Jerry Sersen of Reel Perfection charters has seen bass many lures and patterns come into their prime. What he points to most is not at particular bait or technique, but more of location. Captain Jerry retorts, “Rarely do you see anyone fishing offshore cover or structure.” Most anglers look to the community holes, whether they are grass beds, rock piles, or boat docks. Sersen believes that many of today’s bass fishermen would rather fish than scout out their own hot spots. He practices what he preaches by idling his blue R91 Ranger slowly across flats and coves looking for fish holding cover. Finding an isolated offshore hump, rock pile, or washed out deadfall can help load the boat when others are casting to bass that have seen dozens of baits and presentations.

A BUNCH OF GRUBS
Getting back to the basics is hard to do for many anglers when there are so many new lures coming on the market year after year. Captain Karl Bunch points to the use of one of the most rudimentary presentations – slowly crawling a twister tail grub. A twister rigged on a simple 1/8 or 1/4-ounce round head jig is one of the best bass catchers of all time. Captain Karl says that it was, and still is, one of the best lures when bass get lock jaw. Crawling it slowly along the bottom is an irresistible presentation that even the most contrary bass can’t ignore.

Maryland bass pro Frank Ippoliti also agrees with Bunch that using a grub for tidal bass is a long forgotten technique. However, Frank used a grub differently back in the day. He would Texas rig the grub with a pegged slip sinker and flip into the grass beds of the Potomac River. Ippoliti reminisced how he could fish behind the throngs of anglers on the Arkendale Flats and catch bass that his forerunners missed. Frank admits to being guilty of going away from this technique of old, opting for today’s freak bait and craw worm plastics.

HERE LIZARD, LIZARD
The plastic lizard was all the rage in the late 1980s into the mid-1990s. Its popularity was amongst southern freshwater anglers who would Carolina rig the soft plastic bait and drag it over offshore structure for deep holding bass. New Jersey bass pro Pete Gluszek says that he is among the few who found the lure to be effective when Texas rigged. Pete uses this tactic still today when targeting bass that relate to vegetation in spring. It’s a big bulky bait with twister-like appendages that big bass seem to like. Gluszek feels that with all the new odd shaped soft baits on the market today, many anglers have forgotten the effectiveness of the lizard whether Texas or Carolina rigged.

WAKING THEM UP
The jerkbait is one of the most popular baits for largemouth bass. The standard method is to cast out the plug and work it in an erratic jerk of the rod tip – hence the name. Yet, Frank Ippoliti found that cranking a jerkbait slowly so that it would stay just below the surface, creating a wake with its path, was also productive. He says this is not a tactic for year round fishing, yet when the water temperature reaches near 75 degrees, it was a great tactic for catching big bass. Frank’s favorite plug for waking up bass was the Bomber Long A in chrome/blue or gold/black. He specifies these Bombers do not have the foil inserts. The ones that he used rode higher in the water column and their side to side motion created a wide “V” as the lure bulged the surface. Frank plans to revisit this tactic and the Texas-rigged grub as he fishes the FLW Series tournament trail this season.

These bass fishing professionals can recall the techniques from days gone by that produced good catches of largemouth bass. We as the recreational set of anglers should also look back to what used to draw strikes from bass. These tactics of old may prove productive once more as bass become accustomed to seeing more and more of today’s hot ticket bass lures.