bass fishing tips

Countless fishermen have been using stick-baits (also called jerk-baits) like Redfins or Rapalas since they first started bass fishing on Cape Cod's Peters Pond. Though originally created as either a floating or sinking bait, many astute fishermen promptly unearthed a little modification to these stick-baits producing a lure that can be more effectively worked at intermediate depths.

Once adjusted, the super-charged minnow baits would then either ascend much more slowly or sometimes hang at depth (if they were lucky enough to get the mass balance right).

Even though the adjustment provided an answer to the mid-range depth suspension dilemma, it was less than a perfect solution. The alteration process was conducted by trial and error. Often times the stick-bait was destroyed during alteration. Usually a costly venture in time and money!

Are Suspending Jerk-baits Really Extraordinary?

The answer... positively yes! These jerk-baits provide the bass fisherman with one of the true "multi-use" weapons present in their tackle bag. Stick-baits will catch fish on Peters during any bass fishing season as along as the presentation method is altered to the environmental conditions present at that moment.

Remember that all black bass are cold-blooded critters meaning to a large extent, the water conditions sets their metabolism. This fact is especially important during the colder water times of year, such as the fall, winter, spring, since metabolism mandates the reaction time and eating tendencies of bass during these periods.

Another key factor supporting the use of stick-baits during the cold water periods is due to the fact that the primary forage during this season are shad.

Suspending jerk-baits are a tool where not only the nature of the retrieve can be varied, it can also be stopped for seconds at a time enabling sluggish fish that spare minute to "make their move". quite often a steady retrieve combined with a long pause causes reactions during these cold water periods when other techniques falter.

Because of these features, most fishermen who are out on Peters for some bass fishing during the late season use jerk-baits until the water dips below 40 degrees.

Here are a few tips to check out when fishing minnow baits on Peters Pond:

Use color patterns resembling Peters's bait using more natural patterns in clear water and brighter patterns (yellows) in dirty water;

Fish jerk-baits around detached cover on main lake structures, openings of the major coves and cuts and parallel to bluffs;

Vary the retrieve cadence of the jerk-bait and make changes depending on the reaction tendencies of the bass;

Observe your line! Using long pauses when fishing suspending minnow baits is sometimes like fishing plastic baits. As such the line only twitches when the fish inhales the lure;

Use a fairly long, light action jerk-bait rod with 10 to 12 lb. fluorocarbon line in clearer water.

Late fall/early winter Peters Pond bass fishing can be the best time of year on the water. Though you may not reel-in the quantity of largemouths you would during other seasons, using suspending jerk-baits this time of year usually produces better size fish and more often than not, a true lunker, largemouth bass.