With so many long rods in use makes it obvious the midday sun will play a key role in stimulating the big bass bite.
That’s what happened yesterday when Casey Ashley caught his biggest bass of the day. Seems the bigger bass move tighter to the cover and of course, on the shady side of a given bush.
Flipping and pitching techniques being spot on will be critical. So will speed of presentation. Slower seems to be better. Ashley mentioned it and so did Swindle. Hackney is fishing slow, too.
As the shallow water, long rod anglers drill down even more into the pattern there are more intricate details coming out. Lure rate of fall is key. Some anglers are disclosing the weight while more are declining to answer the question about their lure weight.
That’s a balancing act, too. You can cover more water, quickly, with a heavier jig or worm weight. That’s good for bass holding near the bottom. The lighter weight is best for targeting suspended bass. The tradeoff is the extra time it takes to effectively cover the water column around every bush.
Hackney told me on Wednesday he’s only fishing one lure after elminating everything else.
“When fishing is tough like this the more you simplify the lure choice, all the better,” he told me.
Of course, he might change lures but the simple approach makes sense. That allows you to focus on the repetitive mechanics of lure presentation while allowing the mind to process the changing water conditions.