1,000+ Great Games/1_1000 Games.iso/GAMES_1/BASSCL15.ZIP/LUREHELP.ASC

Text File | 1993-01-04 | 3.5 KB | 57 lines

There are a few general guidelines that will help you choose the right lure
to use. First, consider the weather conditions. On cloudy days, dark colored
lures work best. On sunny days light colored lures like white, yellow and
chartreuse are your best bet. Another weather factor affecting your choice of
lures is temperature. During the spring, when the water tends to be cold, slow
moving baits like a pig & jig, plastic worms, or slow moving spinnerbaits are
a good choice.

If the water is between 60 and 70 degrees, crankbaits like Rat'l Traps, Big-O,
Shad Raps etc. start to produce. Although these baits can do well in both
warmer and cooler water, it seems to take more experience to fish them then.
Tube lures such as Gitzits and G-2's also account for lots of fish because
bass are becoming more active at these water temperatures. Spinnerbaits, a
perennial favorite, can be cranked at higher speeds now. Bass will begin
feeding on the surface as the water becomes warmer.

In shallower, quiet areas, some weed or lily pad cover will be either present
or in the process of emerging. It is in these areas that bass will be making
their spawning beds. Jointed Rapalas or Rebels can often be used to good
advantage in this situation. Crayfish imitators or lizard replicas slowly
moved into a spawning area will often provoke a violent attack from the local
bass. They seem to view these creatures as enemies hoping to get a free meal
of bass eggs.

If you notice a lot of tiny fish swarming around the shallows, chances are
they are newly hatched baby bass. Usually, their father is close by trying
to protect them from predators. A fast moving spinnerbait or shallow running
crankbait near the school of baby bass often brings the old man out of hiding
to drive away the intruder. Strikes at these times are swift and sure because
dad is very hungry due to his energy consumption, and very irritated at the
prospects of losing some of his young after all his hard work and diligence.

Another important factor that will influence your choice of lures is water
clarity. Basically, water clarity can be defined as being clear, cloudy or
stained. In general, the clearer the water, the more wary the fish are and
the harder they are to catch. When the water is clear, it's generally best to
use a smaller lure. When water is cloudy, larger, noisier baits help the fish
locate them. In stained waters, shiny baits such as chrome Rat'l Traps or
double willow leaf spinnerbaits work well.

Beginning fisherman, are easily bewildered by the sheer numbers of baits from
which to choose when stocking a tackle box. This whole process can be
simplified by just sticking to a few basics. Lures are roughly dividable into
three distinct categories: Surface Baits (topwaters), Sub-Surface baits
(intermediate depth) and the bottom bouncing baits. Surface baits are those
that float or can be worked such that they ride on the surface of the water.
Examples of floating baits are the Rebel Pop-R or the Arbogast Jitterbug.

A bait that does not float, but is still classified as a surface lure is the
buzzbait. These versatile baits sink when they land in the water, but rise
to the surface when you begin your retrieve. Examples of subsurface baits are
Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and spoons. Bottom bouncing baits include the pig and
jig, and the Texas Rigged plastic worm. Beginners should have a few baits
from each of these three categories, with a selection of three colors for
each bait. One light color, one medium color and one dark color for each.