By Josh B. Peacock
With fall fast approaching, us hardcore anglers can look forward to the pleasure craft boaters retreating to their urban winter habitat and confines, specifically the dreaded wakeboard boats, and mosquito like annoyances of the throngs of jet-skis. Fall fishing can be downright phenomenal, Zen-like moments are often as you may find yourself experiencing unforgettable days on the water while returning to the launch with only your lone tow vehicle occupying the parking lot. As such, with the 17th Annual Bassin’ for Bucks tournament held on Lake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada fast approaching; I thought it would be a good time to reflect on last years tournament (one of my personal favorites).
When we think of downsizing, usually common thought is to make an extreme shift from something like a big flippin’ stick with heavy braid, to a spinning rod with light line, and a finesse worm – but more often, just a subtle difference in lure weight or profile is all it takes…
My practice had been solid, I was targeting largemouth on “out spots”, isolated patches of coontail and rocks adjacent to deep water (12-20+ Feet). Each practice day I kept building and expanding on my pattern and area with a ½ oz Venom flippin’ jig and dream craw trailer. I was catching one good kicker each day, and a bunch of solid ones to go with it. Day one of the 16th Annual Bassin’ for Bucks tournament (September 7th,8th,9th 2012) went as planned, with a 17.84 lb limit, anchored by a 4.30 kicker, all on the jig. Day two was an entirely different story, something had changed, and we were struggling. At 1 pm with only two small keepers in the boat, I put down my 7’11 St.Croix Legend Tournament Flippin’ stick, 50 lb Vicious braid, and jig, and picked up a Texas rig. I was still fishing Vicous braid (30 lb), and a 7’6 St.Croix Legend Tournament Pitchin’ stick, and I was still pitching to the same targets, but instead of the big bulky profile of the jig, I switched to a sleeker, streamlined, and natural falling Texas rigged creature bait.
There wasn’t a huge weather change between the first and second days. But for whatever reason they didn’t want the bulk of the flippin’ jig anymore, and wanted the smaller profile and slower falling Texas rigged creature bait.
My Texas rig consisted of a 4/0 Lazer Trokar TK130 Flippin’ hook, Venom Better Beaver, and 3/8 oz tungsten flippin’ weight, all pegged with an Eagle Claw bobber stop. In a matter of 2 hours my partner Kris Soderman (Soddy) and I salvaged our day and put 14.37 lbs in the boat.
I’ve really started to notice in the last couple of years that despite my obsession and affinity for catching big largemouth on jigs, that some days I have to put my stubbornness aside and pick up a Texas rig. I’ve found that Texas rigs garner a lot more bites on tougher, “off bite” days, whether that be from a cold front, bluebird skies, or fishing pressure. Another great aspect of a Texas rig is the “Bonus Smallie Factor”. Lake of the Woods is a smallmouth dominated watershed, we are talking in the neighborhood of a 50 to 1 ratio. I’ve discovered that a smallmouth is much more apt to take a Texas rig, than a jig. I think this is largely in part to the morphological features of the smallmouth. Simply put, that big ½ oz. jig just doesn’t fit into their yap as easily as their large jawed cousins. There are a handful of us up here in this region that forgo the numbers game and consistency of the smallmouth bite, to target the larger average size of the relatively rare largemouth. However, a chance encounter with a smallmouth is increased with the Texas rig and is always welcome on the largemouth gear.
My mindset is that I can guarantee myself 12.50 to 16.00 lbs of smallmouth each day if I commit to fishing them all day long, I will probably catch 20 to 50 bass in order to achieve that weight too, and look, that is a great way to cash a check in a three day tournament. BUT, if I want to win, and if I want to win big, I need to be fishing blacks. Every tournament day, I’m hoping for about 7 to 10 bites, some days I only get 5 or 6. My chances of catching 17 to 20 + lbs are much greater and with far fewer fish. It has taken me close to a decade to get comfortable in this approach. The downside of this swing for the fences mentality is the high probability of “bombing” one of the three days. It is a risk reward type deal. Learning when and how to make those subtle changes like we talked about is the difference between making the top 10, or crashing and burning on that third and final day.
On day three, we were dialed in on the change that had happened. Despite bright blue skies, light winds, and two full tournament days of pressured fish, we crushed them! When you set the hook with the Lazer Trokar TK130, you set it, and forget it, period. Every key fish on the third day of Bassin’ for Bucks was absolutely pinned. In fact the majority of my fish had that big TK130 blown right through the side of their operculum (gill plate). When they are hooked like that, the rest is a formality. In fact we didn’t lose a single fish the final two days on the 4/0 TK130.
We rocketed up the standings from 13th place all the way into the Top 5 with an 18.78 lb limit. On top of that we cashed cheques not only for 5th overall, but having the 2nd biggest bag of the final day too. That was a $2,000.00 adjustment thanks in large part to the Lazer Trokar TK130 Flippin’ Hook!
“…When you set the hook with the Lazer Trokar TK130, you set it, and forget it, period. Every key fish on the third day of Bassin’ for Bucks was absolutely pinned. In fact the majority of my fish had that big TK130 blown right through the side of their operculum (gill plate). When they are hooked like that, the rest is a formality”. – Josh Peacock.
If you’re new to Texas rigging soft plastics, and or pitching and flipping in general, Lazer Trokar has come up with a great idea, the Trokar Mini Elite Pitchin’ & Heavy Cover Kit (TKMINIELITE2). Essentially, you get 15 hooks in their best styles and sizes for flippin’ and pitchin’, which all comes in this sweet and convenient little plastic box with foam slots that will fit in your day box. It comes with 6, TK120 Magworm Hooks in 4/0 and 5/0 sizes which are perfect for Texas rigging and wacky rigging senko-style baits, and 9 lethal TK130 Flippin’ Hooks in 4/0, 5/0, and 6/0 sizes.
Josh Peacock, 28, fisheries biologist, is a successful tournament angler with several top-ten finishes from Northwest Ontario. The Kenora area of Lake of the Woods is his home and he is taking his bass fishing talents to the FLW tour as co-angler in 2013.
