Bass Fishing

Giant salvinia forcing Caddo Lake anglers to change their game plan

Old dogs don’t learn new tricks.

This cliché reminds me of a bassin’ buddy with whom I fished Toledo Bend several years ago.

“If they don’t bite this jig, I ain’t gonna catch them,” he grumbled.

Unfortunately, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Anybody predicting they aren’t going to catch bass at Caddo Lake right now because of all the giant salvinia will be just as accurate in his or her assessment.[…]

Bass Fishing

Venice bass are back following Hurricane Isaac

It is hard to think of catchy line to announce the news about Venice: Bass fishing is making a comeback. Several club tournaments and reporters are beginning to see an upswing on Venice bass.

Hurricane Isaac did a number on the lower Mississippi Delta, but Mother Nature has a way of repopulating an area. Immediately after the storm, reports were dismal to total devastation. But never underestimate the power of the mighty Mississippi and the amount of sediment, food and fish she moves in a few short months.[…]

Bass Fishing

Bass drawn to the Poc’it Craw

When a Port Allen bass angler needed to cull some fish in his livewell during a recent Bassmaster Southern Open on Lewis Smith Lake near Jasper, Ala., he started fishing with a soft plastic that had been on the market no more than three weeks.[…]

Bass Fishing

Outside the Box — Tips for better spinnerbaits

Few bass anglers give much thought about what spinnerbait they tie on the ends of their lines. Want proof? Take a look at what’s lying on the front decks of bass boats all across the Bayou State.

Odds are you’ll find 75 percent have tied on 3/8-ounce chartreuse-and-white spinnerbaits with tandem Colorado/willow-blade combinations.

The other 25 percent? According to West Monroe’s Kenny Covington, they’ll have tied on a 3/8-ounce chartreuse-and-white double-willow spinnerbait.

“But none of them know why they’re throwing either one,” Covington said. “They may know that bass are slamming spinnerbaits right now because they’re up shallow feeding on shad, but they don’t know why they have those particular kinds of spinnerbaits tied on.”[…]