Topwaters and surface baits, longtime bass fishing staples, are popular for smallmouths. They are hard to beat when surface activity is prevalent, the lakes are heating up from the sunlight above, and insect hatches take place. When either of these conditions are in play, topwaters often get eaten quickly, and generate vicious strikes. One particular surface lure I enjoy fishing with is the new Rapala X-Rap Pop. In this short film from early June, my friend Zach Quinn and I fish a Vilas County Wisconsin lake for smallmouth bass. With 72 degree water temperatures, we encounter a ferocious topwater bite on mid-lake structures – a pattern that generally doesn’t develop until the dog days of summer. Surface poppers and the Rapala X-Rap Pop nailed fish. (more…)
Category: Video Blog
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The Zach Quinn Show
Tube jigs are a match made in heaven for smallmouths. Perfectly representing the preferred choice of crayfish and other bottom dwelling prey, the tube jig has been catching smallmouth bass for a number of years. Finally, after learning the hard way, tubes have made their way into my arsenal for successful early season smallmouth fishing. In this short film from early June, my friend Zach Quinn and I fish a deep trophy lake in Vilas County Wisconsin for some last-chance pre-spawn activity. Zach was on a tear with tube jigs so this segment is dedicated entirely to him.
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Oneida County Wisconsin Bass
The smallmouth bass spawn period is weeks away, at this writing, and for those of us in the north country this does not mean we should wait to get ready. When fish proliferate the shallows, begin their annual dance, and do nothing more than cover their beds, a technique I focus on lots is the use of jig worms. A longtime favorite of mine, these simple presentations are outstanding at tempting fish when feeding is the last thing on their minds.
