Page 29 - 2019 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma

Largemouth Bass

Bass
Slow roll something small. Remem-
ber you are not the only one fishing
a pond, lake or stream. Fish see a lot
of lures, many of which are reaction-
ary lures meant to disrupt. When the
bite slows on traditional crankbaits,
Smallmouth Bass
jigs or topwaters, try something
more subtle. A small bait moving at a
snail’s pace can entice the largest of
fish, especially around structure. For
largemouth, try a 2-inch storm-eye
shad. For stream smallmouth, try a
1/16-ounce olive with black and red
flake tube.

Striped Bass
It’s all about depth control. When using live bait for school-
ing striped bass, good electronics and depth control
are essential. Make a mark on your rod one foot from Striped Bass
where the line exits the reel. When you have
the stripers dialed in on your depth
finder, open your bale and
make as many hand pulls
to that one foot mark as
it takes to get your bait
to the exact depth of the
school. This is a simple and ef-
fective way to control your bait depth
and put you on more fish.

Catfish
Slice the bait. When it comes to blue cats, there’s Blue Catfish
really no substitute for fresh gizzard shad. If
a traditional tail, body, or head
chunk isn’t getting the job
done at your catfish hotspot,
try using the whole shad
hooked behind the eyes under
the hard part of the snout. With
scissors or a knife, make a few small incisions
on the belly of the shad allowing for more scent to drift in the current.

2019 ANGLERS’ GUIDE 27

OutdoorOK-2019-March-April.indd 27 2/18/19 9:34 AM