Niggemeyer: When to Chatter
The conventional safety pin-style spinnerbait isn't going away anytime soon. Take a look in the boat of any Elite Series competitor and you'll see a wide variety of spinnerbaits in every color, size and blade configuration under the sun. The weekend angler would be wise to emulate this hyper-preparedness.
Niggemeyer:Confidence in Swimbaits
Under the right conditions, even the most novice anglers will catch bass after bass on high-percentage baits such as spinnerbaits and small crankbaits. But imagine if in your earliest bass fishing experiences you were limited to using nothing but swimbaits. Chances are that you wouldn't be as eager to go again, given the bait's low-percentage yield.
Robinson: Simple Scents
As our waterways get increasingly pressured and the bass within them get correspondingly more wary, it has become imperative to appeal to all five of their senses. But making a perfect presentation takes time, and with limited hours in the day, sometimes it's imperative to figure out whether it's worth it to sacrifice some of that perfection in order to get in more casts.
Rook: Fishing in the Past
It's often been said that history is the best predictor of the future. Perhaps it's for that reason alone that if an angler finds a hot spot on a lake that they visit only rarely, on each return trip it's likely that they'll attempt to repeat their past glory on that same spot. Then again, it could be that it's simply human nature if it worked once, surely it will work again.
Denny Brauer: Considering the Weight of Your Weight
Denny Brauer's tips on how weights matter.
Roumbanis: Fishing in a Crowd
As more and more people become initiated into the pure passion and enjoyment the pursuit of America's No. 1 sportfish brings, our favorite bass waters begin to quickly show the effects.
Schultz: Fishing for Different Species
If you're crazy about bass fishing, there's a pretty good chance that you get just as excited about fishing for other species of fish as well. Whether it's a freshwater species, such as crappie or bream, or saltwater fish like redfish or tarpon, the thrill is in the pursuit and the sense of accomplishment once you've translated that first bite into a very memorable moment.
Scroggins: Adapting To Tough Fisheries
Just about every angler, whether an Elite Series pro or a weekend warrior, can think of at least one lake that has his number. When that fishery shows up again and again on the schedule, about all you can do is grit your teeth and endure eight or nine painful hours on the water.
