Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3803 Jan 17- Feb 1 2019 | Page 19
VOL.38 • ISS. 3
FRESHWATER
BASS FISHING SPOTLIGHT
By Mark Fong
Wintertime bass fishing
can be a formidable
endeavor for many reasons.
Unstable weather, cold
water, and low activity
levels present a myriad
of challenges for even the
most ardent anglers. Lots
of anglers believe that the
only way to catch bass
during this time of year is
to fish super slow and to
employ finesse techniques.
This however is simply not
true.
In the clear water
reservoirs of Northern
California, a suspending
jerkbait is one of the best
baits to fish. Bass have
a tendency to suspend in
the water column as they prey on bait fish
such as shad or pond smelt. The stop and go
erratic action of a jerkbait is the ideal baitfish
imitator and it can get the bass to bite when
not much else will.
Retrieve speed and cadence are key. Unlock
the proper combination and you’ll be in
business. I like to start with a simple cadence:
jerk, jerk, jerk, pause. As a rule, the colder
the water, the shorter the jerks and the longer
the length of the pause. Don’t overpower the
lure. While it may be difficult to be patient,
sometimes super long pauses are needed to
trigger the fish.
Some anglers claim they wait up to 60
seconds before moving the lure again. I don’t
have that kind of patience or discipline, 15
seconds is about as long as I will let the bait
soak. Remember, the fish almost always strike
on the pause when the bait is sitting still.
Experiment until you find the right cadence.
Bluff walls, points, and rocky banks are good
places to throw suspending jerkbaits.
Having the right equipment is very
important for jerkbait success. I like to use
8-10lb Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon spooled
on a lightweight 6:3:1 casting reel fastened to
a 7’ medium power moderate action casting
rod. My rod has a light tip which allows me
to work the bait properly and has a softer
action with good amount of backbone that
helps me to keep lightly hooked attached to
my bait. The light small diameter line enables
the jerkbait to move with a very natural
action and allows it to get deeper in the water
column.
My favorite suspending jerkbait is the
IMA Flit 120. It is very lifelike and can be
worked in a random erratic manner or in a
more controlled side to side fashion. The Flit
120 comes with a unique fish attracting rattle
system and sticky sharp hooks. In clear water
I like translucent colors like Ghost Minnow or
Ghost Tennessee Shad. If the water has a little
color you can’t go wrong with Chartreuse
Shad and anytime I am fishing for small-
mouth I really like Ghost Chartreuse Herring.
17
City of Colusa Cuts Ribbon on
New Boat Launching Facility!
D
Jerking Winter Bass
With The Ima Flit
Jan 17 - Feb 1, 2019
espite the fact that the City of
Colusa was granted $2.9 million
from the California Department of
Boating and Waterways to construct
a new boat ramp in 2016, the process
was fraught with challenges ranging
from overturned tractor trailer trucks to
environmental concerns that delayed the
project time after time.
Yet, patience and a never say die
attitude in the Colusa community have
overcome all the challenges and dead
ends. The result is that the ribbon was
cut on the brand-new City Of Colusa
Boat Launching Facility on the
Sacramento River was cut on
December 28!
Colusa is a hub of fishing
and hunting in the Sacra-
mento Valley, so it’s only
appropriate that the City
of Colusa now features a
long overdue state of the
art boat launching facility.
With the ramp and docks in
place, more amenities are planned
and/or underway including landscaping
and a fish cleaning station.
Pat Kittle of Kittle’s Outdoor and Sport
Co. is one of the folks in the Colusa
community that strongly supported and
helped push forward this project that will
benefit hunters, anglers and recreational
boaters as well as the larger Colusa
community.
Kittle’s has everything you need
for the Norcal hunting and fishing
scene. The store is located at 888
Market Street or you can shop
online by visiting www.kittlesout-
door.com. If you’d like to call
the folks at Kittle’s, the
phone number is (530)
458-4868.
Your Dealer for:
888 Market St. in Colusa
(530) 458-4868
www.kittlesoutdoor.com
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