Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Rods, Reels, and Line
1 Picking a Baitcast Reel 4
2 Spinning Reel Options 6
3 Casting Rod Choices 10
4 Spinning Rod Considerations 10
5 Pros' Rod and Reel Combos 12
6 Monofilament or Fluorocarbon? 14
7 Applications for Braided Line 16
Chapter 2 Defining Structure and Types
8 Get the Drop on Bass 20
9 Ledges for Summertime Fun 22
10 Pinpointing Bass on Ledges 24
11 Score Big on Humps 26
12 Bluff Points for Winter Bass 28
13 Points for Post-spawn Bass 30
14 Channel Swinging 32
15 Dissecting Flats 34
16 Boat Ramp Hotspots 36
17 Tailrace Tactics 38
Chapter 3 Defining Cover
18 Rock On for Bass 42
19 Single Rocks for More Bass 44
20 Bald Spots for Weed Bass 46
21 Weeding Out Fall Bass 48
22 Standing Timber Tricks 50
23 Visualizing Laydowns 52
24 Stamp Bumping a Crankbait 54
25 Drop Shotting Stumps 56
26 Knocking Docks for Summer Bass 58
27 Fall for Dock Bass 60
28 Target Isolated Flooded Bushes 62
29 Brash Up for Post-spawn Bass 64
30 Drop Shotting Brush Piles 66
Chapter 4 Seasonal Movements
31 Transition Banks for Pre-spawn Bass 70
32 Cranking Banks for Pre-spawn Bass 72
33 Spawning Locations 74
34 Tracking Post-spawn Bass 76
35 Cranking Shallow for Summer Bass 78
36 Summertime Worm Spots 80
37 Sight Fishing for Summer Bass 82
38 Tracking Early Fall Bass 84
39 Following the Fall Migration 86
40 Fall Migrations on Highland Reservoirs 88
41 Fall Migrations on Lowland Reservoirs 90
42 Autumn Sight Fishing 92
43 Stay Shallow for Yuletide Bass 94
44 Probing Winter Hideouts 96
45 Figuring Out Winter Warm-Ups 98
Chapter 5 Presentations
46 Tried-and-True Texas Rig 102
47 Tiny Weights for Texas Rigs 104
48 Carolina Rigging after the Spawn 106
49 Split Shotting for Shallow Bass 108
50 Rattling Drop Shot Rig 110
51 Super-Sizing Baits for Drop Shots 112
52 Jumbo Drop Shot for Offshore Structure 114
53 Alabama Rig Options 116
54 Shaky Head Choices 118
Chapter 6 Soft Plastics
55 Swimming a Worm 122
56 Buzzing a Worm 124
57 Dead Sticking a Lizard 126
58 Plastic Lizards for Spawning Bass 128
59 Captivating Creatures 130
60 Craw Worms Imitating Shad 132
61 Soft Jerk Baits for Cruisers 134
62 Dead Sticking Soft Jerk Baits 136
63 Two-Way Tube 138
64 Grubbing for Bass 140
65 Stick Worm Basics 142
66 Stick Worms for Spawning Bass 144
67 Backward Stick-Worm Rig 146
68 Plastic Frog Explosions 148
69 Buzzing Toads 150
70 Shallow Swimbait Tactics 152
71 Deep Swimbait Tricks 154
72 Hard Versus Soft Swimbaits 156
Chapter 7 Hard Baits
73 Jigs for All Seasons 160
74 Cold and Hot Jig Tricks 162
75 Swimming Jigs in Weeds 164
76 Light Football Jigs for Spring 166
77 Slow-Rolling Spinnerbaits 168
78 Summertime Spinnerbait Slinging 170
79 Waking a Spinnerbait 172
80 Bottom-Bumping Crankbaits 174
81 Kneeling and Reeling 176
82 Allure of Lipless Crankbaits 178
83 Suspending Stick Baits for Lunkers 180
84 Vertical Spooning 182
85 Tight-Lining Tailspinners 184
86 Speeding up Spooks 186
87 Popping a Topwater 188
88 100-Degree Topwaters 190
89 Understanding Buzz Baits 192
90 Early Start on Buzzing 194
91 Chattering Baits for Bass 196
Chapter 8 Bass Knots
92 San Diego Jam Knot 200
93 Double-Strength Palomar 202
94 Non-slip Loop Knot 204
95 Two-Line Connection 206
Chapter 9 Bass Homework
96 Researching Unfamiliar Waters 201
97 Predicting Seasonal Patterns 212
98 Keep Electronics Simple 214
99 Side-Imaging Settings 216
Chapter 10 Furthering Your Bass Education
100 Back to School 220
101 Learn from a Bass Club 222
Index 224
