FLW Pro JT Kenney likes a bladed swim jig around prespawn grass, but if the fish aren’t fully committed — maybe because of post-frontal blues — he finds himself missing a lot of short strikes.
To remedy this, he simply lightens his strike response.
“I’ve been fishing (prespawn grass) and the fish kept missing my bladed swim jig,” Kenney said. “I switched to a cranking rod and I caught every one that bit.
“That lighter rod just lets them get the bait better because you’re not pulling it away from them.”
Kenney’s fellow Tour pro Cody Meyer offers another tip relevant to prespawn: Braided line provides longer casts, better bait control and the strength to cut through heavy grass when a big fish buries up.
The downside is the visibility factor — a big consideration when dealing with often-skittish prespawners.
Meyer offers this tip: Spool up with the braid of your choice, but tie on a 10-foot leader of high-end 20-pound fluorocarbon.
This setup provides fluoro’s low visibility backed up with the solidity of braid. And, because a spool of the latter will last the average angler a full season-plus, you won’t have the expense of frequent respooling with fluoro.
