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June 2017 21 boatingonthehudson.com
For Hardbaits, the Shad/Minnow hues get the nod, but Crayfish
colors are HOT too....just look in your livewell after every
Tournament....Crayfish claws and shell pieces....the Bass give
you hints on occasion, always be on the lookout for these subtle
things...Another “piece to the puzzle”......
For tackle, start with a mid-priced, Medium Action Graphite
rod, and a GOOD, quality Reel. As you get better and more into
it, you’ll want better rods when you can afford them, but get the
BEST possible Reel you can afford, to begin with...you WON’T
regret this decision.
For line, start with 8,10,12-20 lb. Monofilament line. It’s more
affordable and will fit most situations. Monofilament line floats,
the larger the diameter, the better it floats. It will affect your lure
depths too....something to remember.
Fluorocarbon is a lot more expensive, is crystal clear and it
sinks. It’s an excellent choice for “Dropbaits”, like Tubes & Jigs,
Flippin’, Crankin’, and my favorite, Dropshotting.
Then there’s the Braids and Superlines, excellent, low-diameter,
floating lines...but you’d better learn the “ Alberto Knot” ! It’s
pretty much the only non-slip, Braid to Fluoro knot there is...
especially for smaller diameter lines....learn it ......Google it....I
did.....it changed everything!!
Spinning tackle will suffice to begin with, until you “Educate
your Thumb” and master Baitcasting tackle. Even with all the
magnets and anti-backlash features, your thumb is The Boss
here! Time and practice will have you skipping Senkos 30’, under
docks 6” above the water. Even Spinning tackle gets loops.
Remember to close the bail with your free hand and give the
line a quick tug tomake it taut.....again....time and practice ,and
it’ll be second nature to you, and you won’t get those loops!
Back to the Thumb thing again, even Kevin Van Dam (K.V.D.)
gets “woofers”, as he calls ‘em.....Educate your Thumb, because
nothing ends fishing quicker than a backlash all the way to
your spool!!
Once you really get into it, you may want to join a Bass Club. I
joined the Ulster County Bassmasters, in Kingston, N.Y. in 1997
and it literally changed my life. There are several clubs in the
Hudson Valley area and there’s also the New York State Bass
Federation, that’s an excellent Pro/Am circuit to try out.
The Club level is a great way to find out if you’re into
“Tournament Style” Bass Fishing. Then you can try the “Non-
boater” division in the N.Y. State Federation and see where
it takes you. If you’re really good and competitive, you can
become a“Boater”. Then obviously you’d need a Bass Boat, and
that’s where the big money comes into the equation...well....
that’s another discussion, for another time....
Largemouth Bass....most popular ?? Maybe they are...Maybe
they’re not..... But whatever they are, they’re certainly popular
around here !
And as they say......”Get Tight!”
Practice Day on Oneida Lake”
Get in touch with Ralph Ferrusi III at: