Tristen Turley
When people think of fishing with a spinning rod they usually think of smallmouth, but I’m here to tell you, a spinning setup can be your secret weapon when targeting big bass. Anytime I’m on the water I keep a spinning setup ready on deck, and there are a few different baits that make this type of fishing so successful.
One reason I like to use a spinning setup is, bass see hundreds of different baits throughout the week, and especially in highly pressured lakes, some fish aren’t going to bite the generic squarebill or a flashy spinnerbait. It’s times like this when spinning tackle comes into play, and a finesse presentation can increase your effectiveness on the water.
There are a few different baits that I choose when using this technique, most all of them are easy to rig and easy to fish with. One bait I always throw is a wacky rigged Lake Fork Tackle Hyper Whack’n worm. This is a bait that has unreal action and flat out catches fish, no matter where or what the conditions are. I like to fish this around places that I know hold fish, such as beaver dams, brush piles, etc. A wacky rig is amazing at catching a lot fish and is always my backup when nothing else seems to work.
If I’m fishing around docks, rocks, or deeper water, I’ll throw a shaky head paired with a Lake Fork Tackle Hyper Worm. This is another bait that when paired with the right shaky head has an irresistible action. Lake Fork Tackle makes some of the best soft plastics on the market, each bait has outstanding action and quality.
Having a high quality spinning setup is also a must if you want to be successful. I choose to throw all of my finesse baits on either a Favorite 7’2” Jack Hammer combo or the Favorite 7’1” Sick Stick Combo. I like to fish with medium heavy spinning rods with moderate fast action tips so I have enough backbone to set the hook and pull giants from cover, but I also want a soft tip to feel soft bites and structure on the bottom. Each of these rods are outstanding, and for the price, you can’t find a better bang for your buck. Not all rods are the same, so choose a rod that works with your bait and fishing situation.
The next time you’re out on the water and you’re struggling to get a bite, or simply just want to catch more fish, break out the spinning tackle and give it a try. You’d be surprised at how many big fish you can catch by throwing finesse style baits around places that receive a lot of pressure. This is also a great way to get young kids involved and catching fish, because of how simple and easy it is to use a spinning rod.
