We all want to fish like the pros. What makes the Bass Pro’s great is the fact that they throw the right baits in the right situation. But do not get it twisted. Every one of these anglers I am about to mention has their favorite ways that they like to catch bass. Some of these anglers may be known for a specific technique but it may not be their favorite. I am going to break down some of the most popular bass anglers of all time and the lures that they are known for. Also, I am going to talk about why they are so good at their craft.
Aaron Martens – The Drop Shot
It does not get more finesse than the drop shot. Aaron Martens used this bait to win 100,000 dollars at the Stage Six Championship on Table Rock Lake in Missouri. I have seen multiple tournaments where he has used this bait and he refers to it as the “dreaded drop shot” insinuating that he does not like to use it if he doesn’t have to.
The drop shot is a finesse presentation and a way to catch fish when they will not bite anything else. It is typically used in clear lakes. When visibility is an issue or you are fishing muddy water the drop shot is not typically the best choice. When you do have the clear water Aaron Martens says he like an 8-10 inch leader from the weight. That is typically what I use also. If you want to know more about drop shot fishing and how to rig it and some great baits to rig it with than check out this resource I wrote on the topic. Drop Shot 101.
Aaron Martens has also become very popular in Major League Fishing. This format is all about quantity. So if you catch 100 2 pound bass in a day you are probably going to do pretty well. A drop shot can do just that. You can catch numbers very easily with this bait.
To Cast or Not to Cast
A drop shot can be fished in two ways. Some people prefer to cast it out and wiggle the rod tip ever so slightly (which I talk more about in the drop shot 101 guide above).
Or you can use your electronics and present a vertical presentation as your bait is right over the structure. I know on my home lake of lake lanier it is all about the brush piles. I get directly over them and drop my bait straight down to the fish.
This bait will not be the most popular on the list but it is effective so give it a try.
Scott Martin – Fish Head Spin
Scott Martin may be the most versatile bass pro on this list. He can do it all. It is very hard to pin him down to one technique like some of the others on this list. So I decided to go with the bait that was his coming-out party. In 2011 Scott Martin won the FLW championship on lake Wachita to the tune of $600,000 dollars. He won it on the Sworming Hornet Fish Head Spin.
This is one of the most versatile baits on the market today. You could have one on the front deck of your bait all year long and catch fish on it. You will pair this bait with some type of baitfish imitation. I of course try to match the baitfish as best as possible. If they are keying in on smaller baitfish use something smaller. I love two different styles of swimbaits and I try to have both tied on. Some days they will prefer one over the other. However, I have narrowed it down a little for you.
If there is little to no wind I like to use a classic zoom fluke. It is more subtle and just seems to work better in those conditions.
If there is wind and chop on the water I like to use a paddle tail and my go-to is a Strike King Rage Swimmer.
If the fish are on the bottom cast this thing out and let it sink to the bottom. Make sure to reel it in as slow as possible. You want this bait to keep in contact with the bottom and stay in the strike zone as long as possible.
If the fish are suspended over a brush pile you want to cast this out and let it sink. This bait will usually sink at one foot per second. So count it down and try and keep your bait slightly above where the fish are. Bass are always looking up and feeding up. You do not want your Fish Head Spin to be below them.
Setting the Hook
Setting the hook on a Fish Head Spin is an art. You will not swing as soon as you feel the bite. A lot of times you will feel a bunch of little bumps and finally, they will inhale it and you will feel extra weight on the end of the line. When you feel that you want to set your hook.
Pro Tip: Fluorocarbon is a must with this bait.
This bait is a must-have in your arsenal and is responsible for millions of dollars worth of tournament winnings. Fish it very slowly and you will be just fine.
Hank Parker-Spinner Bait
Hank Parker is one of the OG’s in the fishing world. Almost everyone knows his name. He made a lot of money using a bait almost every one of you probably have in your tackle box. The spinnerbait has been around forever and seems like such an obvious choice. The trick with this bait is to choose the right spinnerbait for the lake you are at. The next thing is to become a master of triggering the fish to react to it.
In regards to triggering those bites you never want to just cast the spinnerbait out and reel it in. Speed up, slow down, kill it (stop reeling and let it sink for a split second to make the blades flutter), bump it into things, roll it over logs and twitch it. So now you kind of get the picture. Your bites a lot of times will come right after you make some kind of erratic action.
This may be the most crucial aspect of working a spinnerbait. Make it look as abnormal as you can. Don’t be afraid to cast over a log and drag it over. That is right when you are going to get bit. Cast it over that submerged grass or weeds and drag it over the tips of the grass. Cast behind that stump and intentionally bump into it to cause a reaction strike. You can’t fish a spinnerbait and be afraid of getting snagged because you will miss the potential catch of a lifetime.
There are three major types of spinnerbaits in regards to the blade combination. Double willow leaf, Colorado blades, and Indiana Blades. Most everyone uses these and most of the time they have two blades on the spinnerbaits. I almost always use two blades for more flash/vibration. Let’s talk about the best times and water conditions to use these different styles.
Double Willow Leaf
I love this combo the best. This one you can burn and cover water fast. I can make this look great in the water with twitches and pauses. I truly love the painted blades for clear water lakes such as Lake Lanier in Georgia or Lake St. Clair in Michigan. The painted blades can be tracked a long way away by these aggressive spotted bass (Lanier) and smallmouth (St. Clair).
Indiana Blades
I love this combination for lakes like Okeechobee or the St. Johns River. These lakes have the brackish water that is somewhat still a little clear. Side Note: If you go to either one of these places you need to constantly be in search of that clean brackish water as opposed to the muddy stuff. These Indiana Blades are a little more weedless but still provide a good amount of flash and some vibration. If you don’t believe me watch the Bass Master tournament that Rick Clunn won in 2019 on Lake George. He put a monster bag together to steal that tournament on the last day using this spinnerbait.
Single Big Colorado Blade
For all you night fisherman this is where I recommend going down to one blade. With that being said make sure it is a Big Blade and make sure it is a dark blade and skirt combo. For night fishing you want to stay with dark colors.
Double Colorado Blades
This is the combo I would use in Muddy water. Since the fish won’t be able to see the bait as well they need to rely on vibration and feel to get to your bait. Also for muddy water, I always recommend having at least one of the baits (if not both) being gold as a general rule of thumb.
Pro Tip: Only use a trailer hook if you want to catch the bass.
Jacob Wheeler – Crankbait
One of Jacob Wheeler’s main sponsors is Rapala. He sure does make those guys look good. He used a Dt-20 to catch an 8lb kicker on the last day of the FLW tournament on Lake Chickamauga in June 2020.
Jacob does say that he feels the Dt-6 (my personal favorite also) is the most versatile of all the crankbaits. I have had a lot of success with this bait as well. Check it Out Here.
This particular bait the Dt-6 in the demon color is an excellent pre-spawn bait just about anywhere you go in the country. If you have dingy water than it is even better.
Pro Tip: When cranking I like to throw the Enigma Glass Rods. They cast a mile and the fish can load up when they hit this bait.
Kevin Van Dam-Jerk Bait
I could have given KVD a square bill crankbait or the spinnerbait as well. However, When this bite is on there is nobody more dangerous than Kevin Van Dam. The action that he gives this bait is just absolutely amazing. Below is a great video of KVD explaining how he gets such an awesome erratic action.
KVD has won countless tournaments on this bait right here. It is one he specifically designed so you know it is worth the purchase.
This bait has times of greatness during spans in each of the four seasons. It is a great bait when used correctly to get fish to react. Just watch KVD work this bait. You can learn a lot from the GOAT.
In Conclusion
All of these amazing anglers are versatile fishermen. However, we will find something that we particularly excel in and that’s ok. When that time comes and we can fish the way we want we will be able to take advantage of our favorite bass fishing technique.
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