By George Fiorille
Many bass anglers have a misconception on their philosophy on what presentation to use for bass. Several fishermen believe the misunderstanding that you should always, “Go Big or Go Home!
If you just want to have loads of strikes and catch several small, medium, and a few larger bass, downsize your offerings. This presentation is known as finesse bass fishing.
History of Finesse Bass Fishing, Slider Fishing May Have Started It All
During the 1970s, the late Charlie Brewer was considered the finest light tackle angler in the country. Brewer who started and owned the Crazy Head Lure Company manufactured a finesse line of baits known as sliders. Several of the early bass pros would fish with Brewer to learn his techniques.
Brewers' philosophy on bass fishing was simple, use smaller baits, catch lots of fish of all sizes, and just have fun doing it. For fishing his small lures, Brewer believed in using smaller, light action spin rods that were ideal to fish his small baits. He was also adamant on giving very little action to your presentation called “the do nothing rig.”
Brewer was born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. During the late 1970s, Brewer wrote a book on his finesse bass fishing techniques along with brochures doing the same patterns to catch crappie. The book is still available on the slider site run today by his relatives. Besides their small soft plastic worms and grubs, they manufacture some great jig heads that work extremely well for bass. Their bullethead Shakey worm head is the best there is to finesse bass with that rig in the grass. They can be contacted at sliderfishing.com.
Recent Finesse Bass Fishing Comeback
Finesse bass fishing has made a resurgence in the past handful of years. There are a few good reasons for its comeback.
One of the main reasons is the gaining popularity of using live sonar. Avid bass anglers have found out by watching the fish move on the screen during cold water and inactive periods, they react better to finesse baits better than larger lures.
Another reason for finesse revival is the fact of added pressure adds extreme conditioning of bass. Finesse lures look more realistic and thus fool bass better than larger gawdy looking baits.
While Charlie Brewer led the original surgency of finesse lures for bass, Ned Kehde of Lawrence, Kansas increased the popularity of finesse bass fishing with his Ned rig the past couple handful of years. Kehde’s hot bait revolves around mostly casting a short soft stick bait around 2 ¾" long. He rigs the soft plastic with a very light jig head, often mushroom shaped, that may only weigh 1/15-ounce, depending on depth and wind. He not only uses the soft stick bait but other soft plastics, possibly a straight tail worm or even a crawfish.
While many companies are now making Ned rig spinoffs of his original bait, Kehde’s baits are currently being made by ZMAN tackle being called Finesse TRD. They are offered not only in the stick bait model, but craws, minnows, and creature looking finesse baits.
As mentioned, the original Ned rig is made with mainly a lightweight jig head on light line. In recent years, anglers fishing the rig in heavy river currents have gone as heavy as a 3/8-ounce jig head to get a better feel.
Other Popular Bass Finesse Rigs
Drop Shot Rig – It's often thought of only a smallmouth bass rig, the drop shot rig excels for largemouth bass as well. Use this on a m/l 6’9” length rod with a size 3 spin reel with 6-8-pound line Tie on a light wire small beaked hook in size 2 with a Palomar knot. Make sure the hook point rides up. After tying and snugging the Palomar knot, run the leader length back through the hook eye from the top down. Many drop shot weights have closed eyes that are designed to run a knot through to snug up. Try using a drop shot weight with an open eye. Use a Great Lakes Finesse Quick Shot Clip to attach weight. It will save you time if you have to change your sinker to a heavier or lighter one.
Power Finesse Rig- This larger version of the drop shot rig is gaining in popularity in many areas of North America. Where you normally drop shot with 6-8-pound line, this rig can be used with line slightly heavier like 10-12 pound. Instead of a medium light rod, move up to a 7’ medium action spin rod. Also, instead of an open beak bait drop shot hook, use a hook such as VMC Wide Gap Spinshot hook in size 3/0. Try using a slightly larger soft plastic bait such as the Strike King Caffeine shad in 5”. It not only catches smallmouths but largemouths as well. The great thing about using this rig is that you use it around heavier cover compared to the open hook rig.
Damiki Rig -This rig is one of the not only the hottest finesse rigs, but the most popular overall used by tournament and non-tournament bass anglers. Tournaments all over North America are being won with this rig using it with and without live sonar.
The rig is fished on 6-8-pound test line with a minnow shaped jig head and a soft plastic minnow attached. Use a similar set up like the drop shot rod and reel. The rig is lowered vertically just above where the bass are holding and then twitched to get their attention to strike.
The next time you are out power bass fishing and things are slow, try switching over to some finesse fishing. Downsize your rod, reel, line, and lure size. You probably will not only catch more fish but will have way loads of more fun. Fish On!
