The Right Equipment to Match Your Techniques
By Woo Daves

Bass fishing has become a much more technical game and each year there seems to be more innovative lures and techniques coming to use. I remember when it was pretty simple to go bass fishing. All you needed was a rod, reel, some line, and a few lures and you were set for the year. We have learned so much over the years that have made us smarter and more versatile bass chasers. When I’m walking around Bass Pro Shops looking at all the antique fishing equipment from lures to rods to motors, electronics, etc., it really is amazing how far bass fishing has come. I will be the first to admit sometimes we get overwhelmed with maybe too much information and lose focus on what we need to be doing. This is a good time to sit down and say hey let’s get back to the basics and see if we can catch something.

Now days I can promise you that you need to learn new techniques as they come along or you will find yourself steadily falling behind. I fish with co-anglers all the time that as soon as they get in my Nitro; a statement will be made like the following. “I hope you’re not going to flip today, or I hate Carolina rigging, or I don’t know how to dropshot, or I only fish a spinnerbait.” This horse is defeating himself right out of the chute and is going to have a rough time fishing. It’s not that hard to learn techniques now with all the good videos they have at the Bass Pro Shops. Get them and watch them over several times to get as much knowledge as possible, then spend a few days practicing what you have watched. Go back and watch again to see if you are doing everything right and practice some more. Soon you will have enough knowledge to feel comfortable with what you are doing and be able to compete along side of them. Do this with all the new innovations you read about and you will be way ahead of the game.

Get technical with each technique; in other words have all the right stuff for that particular way of fishing from the line to the rod and reel and lure selection that you need to make it work. Let’s say we’re going to Carolina rig. You need to watch my video, Worming with Woo from the Bass Pro Shops. You will see that you need the Bass Pro Shops’ Woo Daves’ Extreme 7 foot medium action rod, a high speed Extreme 7.1 ratio reel, 12 to 17 lbs. Bass Pro Shops’ fluorocarbon line, Carolina Keepers, Lindy’s Rattlin No-Snagg ¾ oz weight, 1/0 to 3/0 Mustad off-set wide gap hooks, a variety of Zoom lizards, brushhogs, centipedes in green pumpkin and watermelon colors, a can of crawfish scented Jack’s Juice and you are set for just about any situation.

Now if you want to dropshot, finesse fish, flip, skip worms, topwater or crank etc., it’s all the same. Match the equipment with what the videos tell you to use and you have 80% of the techniques licked. All that’s left is to practice over and over. Like anything you do, it always gets better as you go along; practice makes perfect. What I’m trying to stress to you is that you need the right equipment for each job. Videos will put you in touch with the proper equipment and techniques to fish. Now all you need to do is practice.

If I’m going to fish a Bagley Baitfish, I want a fast tip medium action rod for best results. Now I can throw it on a flippin’ rod, but the lure is going to lose action and I’m going to lose hook setting and probably rip it out of the fish’s mouth. I could throw it on a real limber rod, but then I lose feel and hook setting power. These two choices are not very effective so they would not be the proper equipment to use. This is true with every technique you fish; there is a right way that will work best or several ways that will give you mixed results. Next time you’re out in your Nitro on your favorite lake, do things the best way possible and the results will start to show.

May God Bless. Good luck on your next outing.