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| FishTails |
West Virginia anglers fishing for tips at Bassmaster University
By Jim Matuga
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David Fritts explains how he tunes a crankbait to the crowd of more
than 200.
More Photos... |
Imagine spending a weekend with your favorite sports legends listening to their secret tips to success, candid
stories from their past and interacting with them on a one-to-one basis.
A personal putting lesson with Tiger Woods. A batting class with Mark McGuire. Or perhaps a one-on-one driving
demonstration by Jeff Gordon.
For two hundred avid bass anglers, that’s just what they experienced last weekend at Bassmaster University 2001
in Huntington March 3 -4.
The two day seminar, sponsored by Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) and Marshall University, featured some
of bass fishing’s heaviest hitters including former Bassmaster Classic winners Woo Daves, David Fritts and Jack
Hains as well as television legend Jimmy Houston, Randy Howell and Tony Bean.
Daves offered some helpful strategies for establishing seasonal patterns on a body of water. “You have to fish
where the fish are in order to be successful.” This may seem obvious to the novice angler, but finding fish is
not as easy as it sounds. When pre-fishing for a tournament, the 2000 Classic champ suggests that on a given body
of water, for instance the Monongahela or the Ohio Rivers, seven or eight patterns could exist that could catch
fish. Daves prefers to start the process of finding fish by going to his favorite method. For him it is fishing
a plastic worm on a Texas rig. “You want to find areas that have activity in the water such as shad fleeing on
the surface” Daves said.
Another technique Daves shared with the audience is the hottest thing on the B.A.S.S. tournament trail: the Drop-shot
Rig. Originally developed in the heavily-pressured waters in Japan, the Drop-shot Rig uses light line (8 to 10
pound test) and a #1 light wire hook. The hook is tied using a Palomar knot with the hook pointing up. A ½
ounce sinker is tied 24 inches below the hook. Then, using finesse baits such as a small plastic worm, grub or
fluke, throw the bait into a brush pile or tree top. This rig enables the bait to suspend off the bottom and allows
it to stay in the fish strike zone for a longer period.
The importance of finding the fish was also stressed by Fritts. “Ninety percent of the fish are found in ten percent
of the water.” To find his pattern, Fritts relies on his go-to method…deep diving crankbaits. In particular, a
#7 Rapala Shad Rap in a crawdad color is Fritts’ choice for finding bass in the spring. Fritts, who has amassed
a collection of 20,000 of these hard-bodied baits, suggested to look for ambush points usually where shallow water
meets deeper water, and bounce the bait off of any submerged cover. Wood, rocks, and grass can be found in most
waters in West Virginia. These are excellent places to fish with crankbaits.
“Learn to enjoy throwing your bait and reeling it back in over and over again. Catching a fish is just the bonus,”
Houston said. Of course, the average angler can relate to this way of thinking. But for Houston, who’s television
show “Jimmy Houston Outdoors” has been seen for years on Saturday mornings, in order to become a better spinnerbait
fisherman, he needed to become a better caster. He has perfected the art of the underhand roll cast and can flip
a jig into a water glass from twenty-five feet. Both of these casts can be practiced in the back yard or in the
family room during the cold winter months.
When fishing a spinnerbait, Houston recommends throwing any combinations of white, chartreuse, blue and red. As
a rule of thumb on how deep to fish the spinnerbait, he fishes it just before, or just after the bait disappears
out of sight.
It’s clear that bass fishing has come a long way over the years. And it’s hard to imagine that hundreds of people
make a living bass fishing. It’s not easy work. And the pros at Bassmaster U have racked up thousands of frequent-flyer
miles to prove it. They haven’t forgotten what it’s all about: the thrill of “feeling the tug” of a bass on their
line. And they haven’t forgotten about their fans who make it possible for them to make a career of bass fishing.
They took time to educate their fans, to answer questions and of course sign autographs. Whether you’re a seasoned
tournament competitor, or a beginning bass angler, there is something to be learned in this educational forum.
The next time Bassmaster U rolls into a town nearby, be sure you “hook up” with the program, you’ll be glad you
did.
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| David Fritts explains how he tunes a crankbait to the crowd of more
than 200. |
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| Jimmy Houston, Randy Howell and Tony Bean entertain and educate anglers
during Bassmaster University "Think Tank" session on Sunday morning. |
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| WVBF Angler Jim Matuga interviews David Fritts on saturday afternoon. |
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| Bass fishing Legend Jimmy Houston signs an autograph for a young fan
during a sunday morning break. |
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| Jimmy Houston demonstrates his expert pitching technique. |
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| Jimmy Houston says "It's all in the wrist!" |
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| Randy Howell spends a little time one-on-one with a few fans demonstrating
his floating worm technique after his sunday morning session. |
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