Fishing in the summer is a lot of fun, and finesse fishing is one of the best ways to catch smallmouth bass during this time of year. In this article, we’ll look at the finesse fishing techniques that professional bass fishermen use to catch big smallmouths when they’re fishing in moderate to deep water.
Summer Smallmouths: The Strength of Finesse Fishing
Many experienced bass fishermen use finesse fishing as their main method, even though power fishing techniques like topwater, jerkbaits, and crankbaits can work in some situations. In fact, finesse fishing is the most popular type of fishing in most of the Midwest and many other places in the country for tournaments that last more than one day.
The Most Important Finesse Techniques
There are a few main ways to finesse fish for smallmouth bass that always work. Some of these are:
Neko Rig: A rig that has a tungsten drop shot cylinder weight, a Nico hook, and a drop shot rig.
Another common finesse fishing method for smallmouth bass is to rig a tube bait with a Ned rig. These presentations are known for being reliable, effective, and efficient at catching big smallmouths in moderate to deep water during the summer months.
Why Reconnaissance Is Important
Before you go fishing, you need to use your depth finder and electronics to check things out. You can find important places and mark them on your map by driving around underwater structures and going back and forth. Look for things that stand out, like big boulders, ledge drops, and rocky ridges. These are the places where you are most likely to find smallmouth bass.
Using VMC Delivery Systems
VMC has a lot of different delivery systems for finesse fishing. Four of their favorite strategies are:
The VMC Niko hook is a light wire finesse hook that is attached to a drop shot rig with a tungsten drop shot cylinder weight. It has a good hooking design and sends bottom composition better than lead sinkers.
The VMC Jig is set up inside a tube bait and works well in water with zebra mussels or rocks. It was made to avoid getting caught.
The VMC Hybrid Swimbait Jig has a spring keeper that keeps soft plastic swimbaits in place, making them last longer.
VMC Ned Rig Jig: This jig has a good collar to keep soft plastics in place and a hook gap design that works well for hooking up. It works best for presentations that drag along the bottom, like Ned rigging.
What Electronics Do
For finesse fishing, it’s very important to have the right electronics. You can see fish and underwater structures more clearly with Mega Live and 2D sonar. Side imaging is very helpful for finding important places and putting them on your map. You can quickly find the best places to fish by driving around and dropping coordinates off of side images.
Why Rods and Reels Are Important
When you fish with finesse, it’s important to have the right rods and reels. St Croix makes a line of rods that are perfect for finesse fishing. The Legend Tournament Bass Rod is great for swimbaits, the Power Finesse is great for drop shotting, and the Max Finesse is great for tube baits. These rods are highly recommended by experienced anglers because they work so well.
Using a bigger reel, like the Daiwa Ballistic MQ 3000 size reel, can be helpful when it comes to reels. When finesse fishing, it’s important to be able to quickly manage your line, and the larger spool size makes that possible. For finesse fishing, you need a strong and sensitive line like Suffix 832 10-pound test braid to spool the reel.
In the summer, finesse fishing is a great way to catch smallmouth bass. You can improve your chances of success on the water by using the right presentations, doing the right research with your electronics, and having the right rods and reels. Also, spending time thinking about yourself and growing spiritually can help you feel more fulfilled and purposeful. So get your gear, get in the water, and have a great fishing season!
