Mike Iaconelli is using the same baits and techniques as the sight-fishermen on Lake George, with one significant exception: Ike can’t see the bass on spawning beds.
“I’m in water so dirty that I can’t see two inches down,” he said. “It’s black dirty. So what I’m doing is fishing the same exact way they’re fishing, but I’m trying to imagine how the fish are positioned and force myself to believe that every time I pitch in an eelgrass hole, there’s a bass there.
“When you see ’em, you can pick the right ones. Yesterday I caught about 20 keepers, but only three were the right ones. When you can’t see them, you’ve got to get fortunate and put a bait in the right spot.”
Iaconelli is doing that today. He’s got 15-10 on BASSTrakk, which has him in third place.
He’s also got a nerve-calming game plan. Iaconelli has found a wad of bass near a shell bed that he’s able to catch at will on a lipless crankbait, a bladed jig or a topwater bait.
“I don’t think there’s anything over 2 pounds among them,” Iaconelli said. “It’s great for settling your nerves. You’ve got 8, 9 pounds in the livewell. Cool. But outside of settling your nerves, 9 pounds doesn’t do much here.”