Catch a Lunker This Summer
Get the Right Gear to Catch a Fat Bass
For me, summer means bass fishing. Hucking a big plug at sunset, ripping a fat bass from the weeds, and frying some breaded fillets. Here's a list of some of the gear you may (or may not) want before you hit the lake.
1. Pick a Rod
I'm a fan of the Ugly Stik. Shakespeare has been making these things since 1947, and there's a reason they haven't stopped. I've had my Stik for over 15 years and never even changed an eyelet.
2. Choose a Reel
Are you older than five? Then I better not catch you using a spincaster on my pond. C'mon!
3. Choose a Real Reel
Some people swear by the baitcaster. Although I respect these people, I'm not one of them. I've always found a spinning reel fine for my purposes (see next). But I don't do much trolling and I hate tangles. The tangles are probably just a function of my own carelessness, though.
4. I Like a Spinning Reel
I've linked the Pflueger here, but there are a lot of great spinners out there.
5. Time to Get Some Lures
If it's 30 minutes before or after sunset, I'm fishing topwater. I wanna see my fish before I feel it. Watching a topwater hit makes a catch at least 10 times more fun.
6. Weedless Lures are Underrated
Huck this thing into the weeds. You might pull out a pickerel, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Even the little guys fight like Nessie, and if you keep a couple, throw them in the blender. After baking, those bones will disappear, and you won't even know you're not eating crabcakes.
7. The Rapala
This list wouldn't be complete without the a reference to the best in the business, so here it is.
8. The Club
If you have this on board, you better be playing for keeps. And there's no use for this in bass fishing. But hey, maybe the tourists will snap some pics.
9. The Gaff
Don't usually use this for bass, but might as well have it on hand in case the trophy's about to give that last head whip.
Want to make your own list?