Split-Shotting Old-School Finesse
When most anglers hear the name Castaic Lake, grandiose visions arise of giant swimbaits sashaying through the water, pursued by record-class bucketmouths. Though that thought is legitimate, what many outside the southern Cal bass scene fail to realize is that Castaic was the birthplace of one of the most important finesse techniques ever—the split-shot rig.
The term birthplace may be a stretch, since lead shot pinched on the line had been used to catch bass for years prior to the advent of what we now call finesse techniques. Still, when one examines the technique—thin line, light rod, small hooks, and miniature plastics—there’s no doubt it was revolutionary in its development.
The late Richard Trask is credited with developing the rig to trick Castaic’s bass, highly pressured even back then. Split-shottin’ had its heyday in the late 1970s and early ’80s, eventually spreading across the nation in the 1990s. But with the advent of the drop-shot rig, the technique drifted into obscurity.
Oldies but Goodies
The fishing world counts a number of recent rebirths of significance. Resurrection of the square-bill crankbait is one example, as new lures seek to emulate the ancient Big O. Also, the Texas-rigged worm has returned, as evidenced by its success at the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on Falcon Lake in Texas.
What these two techniques have in common is that they both lost popularity, possibly due to a combination of fish conditioning and the development of newer, more effective techniques. When reintroduced by a few savvy anglers, they’ve proven as valuable as in the past. The split-shot rig, with its storied history, is in this same category.
The Basic Rig
The beauty of the split-shot rig lies in its simplicity. A straight-shank worm hook tied to 6-pound-test line, a #4 to #2 round shot set 24 to 48 inches above the hook, an appropriate rod and reel for the light line, and a 4-inch worm. That’s it.
But let’s drill down deeper and discuss ways to maximize your catch with this rig. As this is a light-line technique, tackle choice is extremely important. First, the rod must be capable of setting the hook with line in the 6-pound range without fear of breaking the line. Rods from 61⁄2 to 71⁄2 feet, rated medium- to extra-fast action and with a minimum line rating of 4- to 6-pound test, generally fill the bill. Longer rods act as shock absorbers against sudden boatside dives, and help set the hook at long range.
Veteran split-shotters select spinning reels with smooth drags and larger-than-normal spool diameters. A smooth drag, when set properly, minimizes break-offs and hook pulls that can plague anglers with sticky drags. Large spool diameter helps minimize coiling for better line control and longer casts.
Historically, there was little choice in line except for color, as monofilaments ruled. Ardent split-shot anglers swore by the advantages of green lines to help camouflage their presentation. Now, braids and fluorocarbons greatly broaden the options, and selection depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
To keep the lure gliding above bottom, a limp monofilament is still the number one choice. Some new braids in the 10- to 16-pound-test range work, with a section of monofilament tied to the braid using a double uni-knot. A leader reduces line visibility and lead shot grips mono better than braid.
For anglers targeting bottom-oriented bass, fluorocarbon line is hard to beat. Not only does fluoro offer low visibility, it sinks, giving the angler more direct contact with the lure and greater sensitivity. Limper brands, like Spiderwire Ultracast 100% Fluorocarbon, behave better, particularly if spools are not filled completely.
Terminal Tackle
Originally developed to present small baitfish-colored worms to Castaic’s shad-centric bass, the hook had to be light wire to keep baits above bottom as much as possible. Aberdeen-style was about the only hook to fill the niche at the time. Though it worked in most cases, Aberdeens lacked the strength to hold a big bass, or the keeper barbs to secure softbaits at the hook eye.
Hook options have increased and several manufacturers now offer hooks ideal for split-shottin’. They’re built of thin-gauge wire, with keeper barbs to hold softbaits firmly at the eye, and are forged for strength.
Long-shank O’Shaughnessy-style hooks like Gamakatsu’s Light Wire Worm Hook, or those with keeper barbs, such as the ReBarb from Robo Worm, are ideal for worms and grubs 4 inches or longer. These hooks allow an angler to rig a bait weedless, while the hook shank acts as a keel to minimize line twist.
Kahle-style hooks such as Eagle Claw’s Lazer Sharp L144, Mustad’s Ultra Point 37753 NPNP, or Gama-katsu’s Split Shot Hook also work well for rigging leeches, minnows, and other small baits that lose action when hooked Texas-style on a long-shank hook. Run the point up through the head or nose of the bait, leaving the body free to move. Because the hook’s exposed, it’s best suited for areas with little or no brush.
Split-shot Details
Two types of split-shot exist—round and eared. To keep the rig as snag-free as possible, use round split-shot. Eared shot are handy, as they’re easily removed, but may hang between rocks or pick up algae.
Split-shot are available in many sizes, though the most useful weights are #4 and #2 (higher numbers are smaller), which weigh 1/8 and 1/4 ounce. In most situations, these two sizes maintain bottom contact and present the bait in a nearly weightless manner, a key to successful split-shottin’.
If wind or current make it difficult to maintain bottom contact, heavier shot come in handy. At the other extreme in shallow, calm water, I recommend #7 shot, weighing 1/16 ounce.
Most split-shotters set sinkers from 2 to 4 feet above their lure. But similar to Carolina-rigging and Lindy-rigging for walleye, in tough conditions such as post-frontal weather or dropping water levels, you may have to increase the distance between shot and hook. Lengths up to 6 feet aren’t unheard of.
A longer leader allows the bait to move more naturally but also reduces the angler’s ability to feel bites. Concentrating on the rig for any indication of movement helps. The longer the leader, the more likely you are to miss bites or to gut-hook fish.
Split-Shot Tactics
Although it was developed for tough, highly pressured conditions, the split-shot rig excels in many situations. It works well in super-shallow water to catch visible bass, and down over 50 feet to catch fish feeding on suspended bait.
Defining a target is the first step. Use your eyes or electronics to decide where bass may be holding. Cast the rig and let it sink to the bottom and then begin a slow, methodical retrieve with the rod. It’s a slow presentation but when the bite is tough, split-shottin’ is hard to beat.
Pay close attention to the rod tip and line during the retrieve: Bites can be nearly undetectable, since the light sinker doesn’t slide on the line as with a Carolina rig. Often, a bite is signaled merely by a bit of pressure or line movement to the side.
Starting in the mid-1970s, Trask also used split-shot rigs in conjunction with his electronics to catch suspended bass. In deep western reservoirs, threadfin shad often suspend over deep water and bass hold below them, waiting for a prime opportunity to feed. In this situation, sonar reveals the depth at which the baitfish and bass are holding. It’s generally best to vertically present baits between the bottom of the school of baitfish and the depth bass are holding.
Position the boat upwind of the spot, lower the rig to the proper depth (most good sonar units enable you to follow the rig down), and then drift the lure through the marks on the screen, using the trolling motor to control speed. If there isn’t enough wind to drift, use your trolling motor to move the boat slowly through the area.
Bait Selection
In the early days of split-shottin’, lure selection consisted of 3- to 4-inch curlytail worms that mimic baitfish. Since then, anglers have expanded their offerings to include many of the countless softbaits on the market. There are several considerations when choosing lures, however.
If bass are feeding on baitfish in the area, select something that imitates the size and color of the forage. Floating or neutral-buoyancy baits glide off the bottom and realistically represent natural prey.
Where bass are feeding on crawdads, small imitations of these crustaceans are favored, along with small creature baits and lizards.
Larger plastics, like 6-inch or longer worms and lizards, also have their times. Rigged behind a split-shot, these standard lures entice bites from bass that are bombarded by masses throwing the same lures on Texas or Carolina rigs. Split-shottin’ is all about presenting lures in a natural manner with light weight.
As with many techniques of the past, the split-shot rig has demonstrated its versatility and effectiveness, only to be placed on the back shelf. But with bass across the U.S. becoming conditioned to techniques like the drop-shot and shakey-head rig, it’s time to break out the split-shot gear and show them something they haven’t seen or may have long forgotten. I’ll wager the bass in your area will respond the same way they did back when **** Trask first developed the split-shot technique.
Terry Battisti, Idaho Falls, Idaho, is an avid bass angler and freelance writer who has previously written articles for In-Fisherman and Bass Guide.
Bass boat cover-up
By Louie Stout
Bassmaster.com
Archive
Did you ever hook the boat up to the tow vehicle and debate whether to trailer with the cover on or without it?
We all have.
For short trips, I prefer to leave the cover off, so I can see behind it better. I don’t have to worry about a strap coming loose and flapping down the highway.
On the other hand, the cover keeps the interior clean and dry and boat contents are a little more secure during stops at a restaurant or gas station.
Major improvements in covers provided by bass boat manufacturers have made covering a boat easier. They’re built to fit specific models, are made of lighter material so they’re less cumbersome and they have adjustable, form-fitting straps and buckles to keep them tight.
However, a surprising number of Elite Series pros still don’t cover their boats except in bad weather or overnight parking.
Texan Zell Rowland is not one of them.
“I travel with it on all the time,” he insists. “I want to keep my boat immaculate for resale, and you can’t do that when you trailer thousands of miles with the boat uncovered.”
Rowland says boaters would be surprised by the amount of road scum that will collect in the carpet or upholstery. The problem is compounded when towing with a diesel, he adds.
“Some of the stuff you get on there won’t come off,” he says. “The cover is a lot easier to clean, fix or replace.”
Rowland says boat manufacturer covers work fine for the average guy, but he prefers one he has custom built of lightweight, waterproof canvas for about $700.
“Each year, I take my new boat to a place that makes awnings and they build it to fit the boat and the equipment I have on it,” he explains. “They pad all of the stress areas, such as around trolling motors, depthfinders, windshields — any place I need added protection.”
His custom cover has three belly straps (standard models only have one or two) with adjustable locking clasps for snugging it up even tighter. The rear draw cord is attached with ratchet-style hooks that clip on the transom and allow him to pull it extremely tight from bow to stern.
That’s important, he says, because a loose cover or strap will flap and rub against the fiberglass and cause damage.
Some anglers say they get better towing fuel economy with the cover off, but Rowland disagrees. He believes a proper fitting cover provides better gas mileage.
“It’s like driving down the road with the windows up in your truck versus the windows rolled down,” Rowland describes. “You get better mileage with the windows up. With the cover on, air moves over and past the boat. Without it, it goes into the boat and creates a vacuum.”
He also believes a covered boat keeps people honest when the rig sits unattended in a parking lot.
“People don’t know what’s under there, so they’re less likely to try to steal something,” he says.
Hackney attacks summer cover with big jigs
By Alan Clemons PAA Communications
Fishouflage pro Greg Hackney is pretty confident with a jig in his hand, whether he’s quickly swimming a small one around cover or plunking a big one through heavy matted vegetation in mid-summer.
He’s tried all kinds of jigs through the years in an effort to find one the ones he prefers for shallow and deep situations. But like most anglers, when it gets down to brass tacks he’s comfortable with a few sizes and colors that mimic craws or small bluegills. Natural colors, like greenish-brown and black-blue, will most often be found tied on his line.
So it was no surprise last year when Strike King Lures, with whom Hackney is associated, came out with a its “Hack Attack” signature jig. The jigs come in 3/8 to 1 1/4-ounce sizes in nine colors, with a specially-designed head. A Gamakatsu black nickel heavy wire hook features a 30-degree line tie and is 3/0 in the smallest jig, 5/0 up to 1 ounce and 6/0 on the largest jig.
Even with the smaller sizes, these jigs are designed for close-quarter combat and heavy braided line or high-test fluorocarbon.
That’s just what Hackney wanted, too.
“Probably the No. 1 thing about it is the hook, which is heavy gauge wire with a big bite that doesn’t flex,” said Hackney, who lives in Gonzales, La. “Sometimes when guys are fishing heavy cover and really hit a fish hard, the hook opens a little and may cut its way out. I’ve had to lighten up on rods in the past, too, because with braid you sometimes tend to bend a hook.
“With these, you definitely have to set the hook to drive it home. But the way the gap is designed to be a little wider along with the size (wire) of the hook, you can do that and not worry about it flexing.”
Hackney burst upon the professional scene in 2004 on the Bassmaster Elite Series after moving through the organization’s Central Open ranks. He quickly established himself with a run at the tour’s Angler of the Year title that first season. Since then he has three wins, 12 top 10 finishes and more than $1.2 million in winnings.
His accomplishments are brighter on the FLW Tour, where he has four victories including the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup championship, 27 Top 10 finishes and $1.039 million in winnings. He competed on the BFL circuit off and on since 1995 and in 2008 won the East-West Fishoff on Lake Amistad to qualify for the Cup championship, which was held in Pittsburgh on the Three Rivers.
Hackney cut his teeth in tournaments in Arkansas, long a tough state with many good anglers and challenging waters. From there he honed his skills, often with a jig, throughout the seasons and in a wide variety of conditions.
It was when he signed on with Strike King that Hackney intensified his thoughts about designing his new jig. The company has had success for years with its jigs and pro staff, and his addition to the lineup provides an extra element to that ledger.
With the Hack Attack design, the weight of the jig is all at the front, even with the largest ones in the lineup. That, he said, makes a difference in how it falls when pitching to cover.
“The biggest thing on heavier jigs is with the collar, a lot of people put lead down the shank to hold the collar and skirt and the jig might fall at an angle,” he said. “But you don’t want that on a heavy-cover jig. You want it to fall straight down and the weight being forward helps that. If it runs sideways it can hang on something.
“When I pitch a jig into something, I want it falling straight down. I want it falling vertically, just like a slip sinker. Plus, with the line tie it doesn’t snag on cover. With a 60- or 90-degree eye there’s a tendency to hang, and then you pull on it and get it hung up.”
Hackney didn’t want a wide variety of colors, either, which can be confusing to anglers trying to pick a few. The nine Hack Attack colors are basic with a mix of green pumpkin, pumpkinseed, orange, brown (craw) and black-blue. Combined with matching trailers, “they’ll work pretty much anywhere in the country because of the simplicity and versatility,” he said.
When it comes to his line, Hackney ops for braid or heavy fluorocarbon. Both give him abrasion resistance, strength and durability.
“In clear water and sparse cover, and I don’t care how clear the water is, if I’m going in anything like brush or grass then I’m going with heavy braid,” he said. “In clear situations like around clean boat dock posts, stumps or isolated wood in gin-clear water, I’ll use 25-pound fluorocarbon. In recent years I’ve used more flurorocarbon because the lakes we’ve fished have been pretty clear.”
Hackney worked on the jig for about a year and then tweaked it in winter of 2009 before introducing it last summer. Jigs have been around for decades but he’s satisfied with his latest creation.
“Anyone who has fished with jigs before has had the same issues,” he said. “We didn’t re-invent the wheel … we just tweaked it.”
Thinking Outside the Box
By Alan Clemons PAA Communications
During a Bassmaster post-season tournament last September, Alabama pro Gerald Swindle found himself going against the grain of what “the book” suggested for that time of year.
“The book,” that mythical pronouncement of tactics and techniques, said the bass probably should be on offshore structure in late summer. No way should they be in shallow water that wouldn’t dampen your knees. Temperatures probably would be too hot, according to “the book.” Cooler offshore temperatures would harbor the biggest bass and forage.
Swindle threw the book into the trash and went against the grain. He tied on a topwater popping frog and worked it methodically in and around shoreline weeds. Small openings, little cuts and slimy gunk offered little to the casual observer. But Swindle knew some bass always stay in shallow, shady areas.
When “the book” says to do one thing, how many will choose to ignore it and seek something different? Sometimes that can make the difference. Skeet Reese did just that on Smith Mountain Lake in May during a tournament when conditions set up perfectly for him to throw a big Rago swimbait.
“I think it depends on the body of water more than anything,” Reese said. “One thing I’ve learned traveling east is that some lakes, the hotter it gets the shallower the bass will get. On rivers where they pull water and have current and oxygen, they’ll be out offshore. But on certain lakes it seems like they lose the oxygen content at 8 to 10 feet or below that. I think that’s when they get in the dirt-shallow water, especially where a little wind can create a chop and stir up things.
Reese recalled Bassmaster Classic championships won by George Cochran in 1996 on Lay Lake and Denny Brauer in 1998 on High Rock. Cochran threw spinnerbaits in a shallow backwater pool, and Brauer was targeting shallow isolated cover with a tube. Both were in water 1-3 feet deep that for August, which was when the tournament was held at that time, was warmer than bathwater.
“That time of year, usually things seem to get won offshore cranking or throwing a Carolina-rig, or in dirt-shallow water no one thinks about,” Reese said. “That made no sense to me, being a West Coast guy used to drop shotting a worm 60 feet deep. But everything’s a learning curve and sometimes you do have to think differently.”
Deciding to zig when the other guys zag can be a tricky decision, though. Brent Ehrler did that earlier this year on Table Rock Lake in the opening FLW Tour tournament. Many of the pros were throwing jerkbaits for suspended bass in the White River arm of the lake. Ehrler fished there, too, but opted for a Lucky Craft 2.5 DD crankbait and a 5-inch grub on a jighead.
Ehrler swam the smoke-colored grub, treating it similar to a crankbait. He would cast to about 12 feet, let it hit bottom and then swim it out through or above suspended fish. He’d also work the bait the same way in deeper water up to 30 feet.
The tactic was a winner, giving him the tournament win and kick-starting his season.
“I fished it like a crankbait but was able to get into the deeper range where fish were holding over the timber,” he said. “The fish might be 5-10 feet deep but were hanging over 30 feet. They’re harder to catch but Table Rock is famous for the jerkbait and swimming the grub.”
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box on occasion. The results might surprise you.
Change Your Ways
John Crews
Most anglers will openly define their fishing abilities. “I am a flipper” or “I love crankbaits,” has been said a thousand times. These types of anglers will live and die by their favorite technique. Often times their favorite technique coincides with what their favorite angler is known for using. There is nothing wrong with being really good at one technique. If you do so, make sure it is a technique that is very adaptable or you only use your go-to technique when the conditions are right. Don’t flip when the water is crystal clear and no thick cover is around. Be smart about your favorite way to catch fish. Know when to use it and when to change your ways.