Fall Bass Guessing Game

The trees are bare and weather getting
chilly, but the bass are still biting.

Most of my earliest experiences fishing were chasing largemouth bass and, to a less degree, trout. At the time it wasn’t because I liked one more than the other, but there were a lot fewer trout waters available with walking or biking distance of home. As I fished more and got old enough to drive my fishing vistas opened more and my enthusiasm for bass fishing grew rapidly. My first boat was an aluminum car topper, then a larger aluminum boat on a trailer that was tricked out for bass fishing, then a real bass boat.

As my mobility on land and water expanded I became heavily involved in bass fishing both for fun and in tournaments in the Northeast. My first job out of college was in the public relations department of the largest tackle company in the U.S. at the time, which was headquartered in New Jersey. When the department head, a kindly older gentleman by the name of Dick Wolff, figured out I could bass fish and use a baitcasting reel proficiently, I became the “go to” guy to send for personal appearances at bass clubs and at some of the more high profile bass tournaments in the south, where B.A.S.S. was just starting to emerge as a force and Bass Pro Shop was still just a tiny store attached to Johnny Morris’ dads liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. I know about it because I bought my first spinnerbaits and Big O crankbaits there back in 1974 while attending a Bass Casters Association tournament on Lake of the Ozarks. It’s actually pretty funny when I think back on it and see just how bass fishing has evolved since.

Working a submerged weed bed
near a point drop-off is
a prime fall pattern.

My two favorite times of year on the bass fishing calendar were spring and fall, and if I had to choice between the two I would take fall every time! October, November and even December, depending on how far north you do your fishing, offers some of the finest bass fishing of the year as the quarry is generally feeding with abandon in preparation for the scarcity of winter. What makes it really interesting is the changing weather. Each new high or low pressure front that passes through changes the fishing conditions and forces the angler to use his brain to find where the barometric pressure has pushed the fish.

One rule of thumb we used was high pressure tends to drive them into deeper water and low pressure turns them on in shallow water. Just remember that deep and shallow are relative terms as the water temperatures get colder. Earlier in the fall shallow can put them in the weeds, especially weed beds close to deeper water. One of my favorite techniques for these conditions was ripping shallow running crankbaits along the edges of weed beds and watching the bass charge out of the cover to smash them. If they are father into the weeds try casting jig and pigs or Texas rigged worms into open spots in the weeds was often effective and even top water baits could produce fast fishing.

Comes the cold front, and they always do in the fall, and the bass move off to deeper structure and for a while become downright unresponsive to most lures. Try to find deep structure adjacent to shallow weed beds and check that out first. A creek bed, drop off or rock pile that is six to ten feet deeper will often be the first place the bass will fall back on. Change your tactics to smaller drop baits like finesse worms and shakyhead jigs and fish them so they fall slow and low. These techniques are deadly with Hi-Seas 100% Fluorocarbon line on the reel as it sinks in time with the light baits and has less stretch than mono so you can stay in touch with the bait better and pick up on subtle bites.

Don't forget to dress for fall fishing.
The weather can change quickly.

One technique we hit upon years ago that still works when bass are suspended over a deep drop off or other type of structure was drop fishing a Rattle Trap. The lures sink fast and can get into the zone easily, but it helps to know the rate of sink so you can count it down to the right level and then begin a slow to moderate retrieve. If you haven’t tried that one, especially late in the fall, you should. When we first started using that technique all we had was mono line. Now I prefer using Hi-Seas Wildfire fused braid for this because it is thinner and allows the plug to sink easily on a tight line, which gives it action as it falls. It also provides incredible sensitivity to the lightest strike and quick hook sets. I like to cast well beyond the structure, engage the reel and let the plug swim down in an arc back towards the boat. Many hits come as it swims its way down into the zone where the fish are holding before you ever have to turn the reel handle.

Be ready for fall this year with Hi-Seas lines on your favorite bass outfits. The right line for specific techniques can make you a more productive angler - and that’s a fact, Jack.

-Gary Caputi

The Evolution of Terminal Tackle (part 2)

In the first part of our discussion on the evolution of terminal tackle we touched on advancements in wire leader materials and manufacturing. Keep in mind that while AFW Titanium Tooth Proof single strand and AFW Titanium Surfstrand braided leader are at the cutting edge of technology and performance there are many anglers who relay on the reliable performance of stainless steel leader products. The leading products in that category are AFW Tooth Proof single strand and AFW Surflon and AFW Surfstrand braided wires available in a number of configurations from 1 X 7 to 1 X 19 strands uncoated or nylon coated, to cover any fishing situation from the biggest sharks to the smallest fly fishing leaders. They even offer a wide selection of pre-packaged leaders with AFW Mighty Mini barrel swivels and snaps, which leads us to the next topic of discussion in the evolutionary development of barrel swivels and snap swivels.

The swivel became part of fishing when problems with line twist began to emerge. Many early fishing lures features parts that spun around a shaft or, in some cases, the entire lure would spin, which would cause the line to twist. After a while the twisting would become so severe that the line became unusuable. The problem was even worse prevalent in early monofilament lines, which kink up into a bloody mess when exposed to excess twisting. Early swivels were of the box variety consisting of a square open frame with wire loops that passed through holes in opposing ends of the square. While box swivels offered some relief from line twist they were not very efficient or effective and were followed by the earliest forms of barrel swivels, a shape common to almost anyone who fishes today. Early barrel swivels had to be large and bulky due to the crude manufacturing machinery of the time and to possess enough strength because they were formed out of soft brass.

The evolution of the barrel swivel was pushed forward by advances in manufacturing and the ability of the machinery to mass produce smaller and smaller metal components consistently, but materials lagged behind. Brass remained the material of choice because it was corrosion resistant and soft enough for the machinery of the day to form easily. So barrel swivels got smaller, but not too small because the remaining inhibiting factor was the brass itself. No matter how you cut it brass is still soft and it just isn’t very strong unless it is relatively thick.

The last inhibiting factor fell a few years ago when the machinery used for manufacture the component parts of a barrel swivel were improved to handle stronger materials, stainless steel in particular. Stainless steel maintains the corrosion resistant characteristics needed in terminal tackle and now machinery was in place that could manufacture and assemble the component parts to meet strict quality control standards using it. With that American Fishing Wire introduced the AFW Mighty Mini Series!

AFW Mighty Mini Crane Swivels are 100% stainless steel, both the rings and the bodies. These tiny wonders are three times stronger than brass or stainless/brass composite swivels and can be 3 times smaller than typical brass swivels. Whether you fish in fresh water or salt the smaller the rigging hardware at the end of the line the more natural the presentation of the lures or baits you are using. A more natural presentation means more bites and that’s the best news of all.

The smallest swivel in the AFW Mighty Mini line is the size of a 15 lb rated brass swivel, but it tests out to 78 lbs before failure. The strongest in the line is rated at 511 lbs of breaking strength, but smaller than a brass swivel rated at just 150 lbs. Now that’s remarkable, but you don’t have to believe me. Ask world famous big game angler, fishing tackle innovator and television personality Dennis Braid. He uses AFW Mighty Mini’s to tackle the biggest game fish in the world. Recently he caught one of the biggest fish ever landed on stand up tackle using his remarkable Braid belt and harness systems. He boated, tagged and released a 1047-pound giant bluefin tuna using size 1/0 Mighty Mini Crane Swivels in his bait rigs. Now that has to be the ultimate test of any terminal gear!

Stop fishing with old technology and step up to AFW Mighty Mini Swivels and Barrel Swivels. They best money can buy, and value priced too.

-Gary Caputi

Albie Time!

Fall brings a cornucopia of great fishing opportunities and one of my favorites is the appearance close to the beach of a speed merchant called a Little Tunny. As I write this they are popping up blasting schools of baitfish from Long Island to North Carolina.

The Little Tunny is the smallest member of the Atlantic tuna family and while it resembles the Atlantic Bonito and Skipjack, those species are actually member of the mackerel family. Confused yet? Albies are easily identified by the dark spots appearing between the pectoral and ventral fins and "worm-like" markings on an olive colored back above highly reflective silver/white sides.  

Fat Albert has undergone a remarkable transition from trash fish to premiere light tackle game fish over the last 20 years. Trash because its flesh is almost inedible; game fish because they are strong and extremely fast. Anglers, especially fly fishermen, travel up and down the coast spending thousands of dollars to catch King Albert creating fishing destinations that were unheard of just a few short years ago like the Harkers Island area of North Carolina. There vast numbers of ablies congregate each fall. After I finish writing this blog I am packing my fly rods for a trip there to fish with renowned fly fishing guide Capt. Jake Jordan.

But you don’t have to go all over the place if you time their arrival in local waters. New England sees them enter Narragansett Bay and Vineyard Sound in September and they invade Long Island Sound shortly thereafter. The New York Bight arrivals move inshore in October and hang out into November depending on water temperature and bait availability. At the same time they show up off New Jersey they are appearing off North Carolina.

So how do you catch them when they show up? The most common place to find ablies on a tear is around inlets on the outgoing tide ambushing baitfish pouring out of estuaries, but find schools of small baitfish anywhere and they won’t be far away. I rarely have to go further than a couple miles from Manasquan Inlet to catch them locally.  

For tackle think light and stealthy because these fish have excellent eyesight. My favorite spinning outfit is a 7’ light/medium action graphite rod and freshwater size reel with an excellent drag system loaded with 6 to 10 lb. test Hi-Seas Grand Slam Braid or Hi-Seas Wildfire fused braid. I add a long (6’) leader of 20-lb. test Hi-Seas 100% Fluorocarbon for stealth. The lures are small metal jigs in the ½ to 1-1/2 ounce size, slender and very shiny to match the baitfish they are chasing. When I am lucky enough to be able to get a cast net over the school of spearing or bay anchovies before leaving the inlet I bring them along as chum to hold a school of ablies near the boat.

When ablies turn on catching them is easy. They will be blasting bait on the surface and you can cast to the splashing fish, let your jig sink a little and then start a moderate speed straight retrieve. When they hit, they smash the lure and take off at speeds that can reach 40 mph. When they stop showing on the surface watch your depth finder for straight line marks that indicate they are blasting through the sonar cone beneath the boat. If you see that make a long blind cast and let the jig sink to the bottom. Then start your retrieve. I’ve hooked as many albies blind casting as I have chasing the surface feeding fish.

If you can get them working a specific pod of baitfish hang with the bait and don’t go chasing other surface feeding fish. If you have it, throw handfuls of spearing in the water to keep the ablies nearby and make shorter casts. This is an ideal scenario for using the fly rod, which should be equipped with a light fluorocarbon leader, especially when the water is clear and tiny fish-shaped flies to emulate the batifish they are feeding on.

Fat Albert presents one of the fastest, and occasionally most frustrating, fishing opportunities of the fall season and one of my favorites. Keep an outfit ready for them regardless of what you are fishing for so you’re ready for the action when it starts.