Or small group on a jig head with a small spinner. My on pond bass came on a 2” white grub on a 1/16 oz jig head with a nickel colorado spinner like for a beatle spin with 6lb xl trilene in the early 1990’s. I was about 13 years old. Mom dropped me off at a neighborhood pond and picked me up a couple hours later. I’d never do that this day in time because of all the crime. It was supposed to have been in the 60’s and sunny. Got there and the sun went behind the clouds and the north wind picked up. I kept seeing 2-3 big bass jumping in one area. I tried to cast all the way across the pond and couldn’t. They kept on. I finally got around to them. The first cast as soon as it hit the water, bam!!! She hit it. I had a diario close face rod and reel combo. It was late March early April.
I'm almost ashamed to say I haven't even been fishing this season, only doing a lot of birding carrying camera and binos around the lake. Really tough to do both, but your channel always makes me feel like fishing again. If the lake weren't so low, or if I currently had a boat I would have been out there by now. I really dig the Abu Garcia hoodie thing you have there. Been using the Ambassadeurs since the 70s.
This resonates with me! I’ve been killing then on a micro chatterbait without the skirt and a 2.5 - 3 inch swimbait. Also a Great Lakes finesse sneaky spin has been lethal too 🤘🏽
I just experienced this the last week of May in Wisconsin. We couldn't catch anything, so I through on a tiny in line spinner to try to catch some perch. Then I started hammering smallmouth and caught a few pike. My buddy ended up going to the tackle shop to buy an in line spinner!
100% agree with you on this topic, for about four or five years I have had success doing exactly what you are saying and it works very well my only problem is I dont want to stop using these baits when its time because when they are chomping it I have such a great time!!!
The best thing is following someone throwing the same color full size bladed lure but your throwing a smaller one and catching all kinds of fish. Another tip, slow roll these smaller presentations for crappie.
Have ever tried for pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn (headbanger bangerlizard, River2Sea Nest Raider, Ned-rig Salamander Fresh Water Soft Lure(Mojito 3 inch), Jawbone Craw Crank Crawfish Hard Bait, inline buzz bait, hellgrammite, Fish Bait Goby Ultra Realistic Soft Fishing Lure, Jewel Bait Sculpin Hypertail, Savage Gear 3D Goby Tube, scrounger swim jig, and LIVETARGET Hollow Body Craw Jig) these are some favorites especially for smallies on bed up north in Wisconsin one like Big Lake up north in Wisconsin
After tons of testing different Plastics on the hover rig, I finally found one that is absolutely incredible. I have caught many on the beaver style, but other than that I wasn't having much luck with anything and I tried a lot of different baits! But I found a bait today that works absolutely incredible and has the perfect death spiral drop and amazing darting action when you work it. I used it on the bigger version with the three hook and that bait is the impulse reactionary baits smelt minnow 4 inch size and it is small enough to where it mimics a lot of what they're eating right now from what I've seen and I live on Table Rock Lake. It doesn't have a color stated but it's basically a light color almost white on the bottom and the darker color almost a brownish going to Black on top and in the back. I got tons of bites and Fish on this today and again this has the best death spiral motion when it's dropping of any bait that I tested so far and the Bass seem to love it! And then when you work it like I said it darts random directions before death spiraling again on the way down. But a lot of them grabbed it on the initial fall but a lot of them didn't as well and did it on the retrieve which I just pulled up on it to make it start up from 3 to 9 and then it would fall back to the bottom in that spiral motion and anytime it was around bass it caught it. I just wanted to share that because you wanted us to share when we found new things and I love this thing and it's going to be a favorite of mine going forward now! It caught way more fish for me then the beaver style that at the time were the ones I got the most bites on. Anyways I would definitely suggest giving them a try because they are almost perfectly representing the minnows or small Bait fish that I've seen them coughing up lately. And they are very aggressive when grabbing it I know this has nothing to do with the topic but I just wanted to share it because it's your newest video and I know a lot of people will see it because it just came out I'll be one of the first comments. But in a way it kind of does go along with the video because they're eating small bait fish right now and this mimics it perfectly
@@MattStefanFishing awsome! if it works for you like it does for me, I hope you will make mention of it, id love to hear your thoughts on it, I love your videos!
@BRYAN DAVIS I will have to try that out. I grabbed the pack and was going to use it for a free rig and then all the sudden it hit me when I was fishing that it would be perfect for the hover rig as long as the action was right and it fit properly and it turned out that the action was better than anything else that I had used and I've tried a lot of things on it and it fit perfectly and although it's not the stretchiest material, the nose of the hover rig went into the bait so easily without tearing it or anything like that so it was just amazing. But I will definitely try what you suggested as well!
Won a club tournament years ago using a 2 inch beetle on a Hildebrand spinner frame in clear water with lots of grass. I'm a firm believer like you in small lures for spawn and post spawn. Thanks for the video.
Perfect video. Live in the northeast. A few bass on bed but a lot of bass guarding fry. Frogs, 4” swimbaits, buzz style baits are just going ignored. … downsize def will try.
@@MattStefanFishing def worked. Tried that 1/8 buzzbait and had some boils behind it. Followed it with 3” swimbaits and 3/16ths finesse jigs. Caught 9 in 2.5hrs, biggest was 16” and smallest 13.75”
There really is something to it this time a year when it comes to small baits. I do tons of Crappie fishing when I am not Bass fishing and this is always the time of year that the Bass wear out my little Crappie jig. About a week ago I caught one of my biggest Bass ever on a little 2" Berkley Power Minnow while Crappie fishing a large public lake. She weighed 10.02 and is by far my biggest on a Crappie jig but I have had a couple of 7's over the years and countless 5 pounders. People that say you cant catch big Bass on tiny baits have never spent much time with a Crappie jig on the end of thier line this time of year.
For me, I go the opposite direction. Post spawn for me, its time to break out the oversized square bills and trout glide baits. I've been crushing Large small mouth with a 7" suicide glide for a few weeks now. Umbrella rig is smoking them too, but now it seams like you really have to burn fast to get bit. slow rolling a Umbrella with fast twitches is getting really good bites right now from quality fish. trout glide bait was working well, fell of a bit, but I believe it was due to presentation. I recently switched to the chad shad in trout pattern, throw it up next to heavy shallow cover and work it fast as you can chopping it. They lit it up. It was the magic. Think large meal and burn it.
You held up most of my kids tackle box! I would also include small cranks in this, got my daughter on a few with them and I have had many on a finesse crank bait
The SK micro buzz bait produced over 20 today. Lots were small, but 2 over 2 and best was 3.25 lbs. Just worked it around other patterns. I hope people are really taking the advice you give.
I literally could only get bit on a 1.6 inch elaztek style swimbait on a 1/32 ounce jighead. Just had to get it out there as far as I could next to cover or a panfish bed and wait for it to slow sink and watch the line. Caught a lot of panfish and yellow perch, but also managed 5 keeper smallies. Couldn't even get them to hit down sized cranks or underspins.
🍺Thanks Matt. Caught 2 nice smallmouth this weekend on the Hover rig 3/64th ounce 1/0 hook and a 2.8” Keitech Crazy Flapper. (Hover Finesse). “tasty, looking little morsel”. 6 lb Tatsu, 901 NRX+ with a Stella. So much fun. The bass are starting to pull/fight harder now.🤠 You guys have another Wednesday nighter tomorrow?
Come to think of it, I weighted the leader with a split shot so I could throw the toad further. So the toad was running slightly sub surface. Much like the rooster tail spinner. There ya go. Have to try that technique too
love the content you and monster bass are literally my only teachers lol 3 yrs now since iv gone from wbp (worm bober pray) to trying to become a bass angler . but hey i have no luck on lakes only retention ponds bought a yak and in 3 yrs maybe 15 in lakes I'm in Delaware any advice?
Do you think that the in line mepps would work at Lake Springfield this weekend. We have a high school event there this weekend. Just curious. As usual, love the content.
I been chucking 7.5" glides here in Southern Wisconsin with very good luck latley! nooothing else except senkos or big thick white glides have been producing... and it's so weird to me I can't belive the bass I'm fishing for are even actually chasing 7.5" bone white glide baits but it's working for me!!! I caught a new pb of 3.4# bass and many other smaller bass, do you think it's because of the amount of pressure the fish face at public landing/dams/ shore fishing in general that has been enticing the bass to only go after baits like this? ice been to many spots where the bass only seem to be headbutting any baits instead of feeding
also, which inline spinner to you use? do you change out the factory treble or not? I tried it out today for the first time and had one but it didn't stick
😂 Well, there you go. I have a garage full of rods/reels and tackle, and I would have probably done better fishing with one spinning rod and a Mepps in-line spinners. 😂
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You could also include the beetle spin with one of those small baits.
I was literally thinking that and then I read this comment LOL
Or small group on a jig head with a small spinner. My on pond bass came on a 2” white grub on a 1/16 oz jig head with a nickel colorado spinner like for a beatle spin with 6lb xl trilene in the early 1990’s. I was about 13 years old. Mom dropped me off at a neighborhood pond and picked me up a couple hours later. I’d never do that this day in time because of all the crime. It was supposed to have been in the 60’s and sunny. Got there and the sun went behind the clouds and the north wind picked up. I kept seeing 2-3 big bass jumping in one area. I tried to cast all the way across the pond and couldn’t. They kept on. I finally got around to them. The first cast as soon as it hit the water, bam!!! She hit it. I had a diario close face rod and reel combo. It was late March early April.
Yep!
I'm almost ashamed to say I haven't even been fishing this season, only doing a lot of birding carrying camera and binos around the lake. Really tough to do both, but your channel always makes me feel like fishing again. If the lake weren't so low, or if I currently had a boat I would have been out there by now. I really dig the Abu Garcia hoodie thing you have there. Been using the Ambassadeurs since the 70s.
do what makes you happy!
This resonates with me! I’ve been killing then on a micro chatterbait without the skirt and a 2.5 - 3 inch swimbait. Also a Great Lakes finesse sneaky spin has been lethal too 🤘🏽
nice!
Thanks Matt. Gonna try that in the morning. Picayune MS. Interstate ponds
Good luck!
I just experienced this the last week of May in Wisconsin. We couldn't catch anything, so I through on a tiny in line spinner to try to catch some perch. Then I started hammering smallmouth and caught a few pike. My buddy ended up going to the tackle shop to buy an in line spinner!
inline spinners can be so good
100% agree with you on this topic, for about four or five years I have had success doing exactly what you are saying and it works very well my only problem is I dont want to stop using these baits when its time because when they are chomping it I have such a great time!!!
nice!
Matt you are so right on with this
Thanks!
The best thing is following someone throwing the same color full size bladed lure but your throwing a smaller one and catching all kinds of fish. Another tip, slow roll these smaller presentations for crappie.
Good tip!
Have ever tried for pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn (headbanger bangerlizard, River2Sea Nest Raider, Ned-rig Salamander Fresh Water Soft Lure(Mojito 3 inch), Jawbone Craw Crank Crawfish Hard Bait, inline buzz bait, hellgrammite, Fish Bait Goby Ultra Realistic Soft Fishing Lure, Jewel Bait Sculpin Hypertail, Savage Gear 3D Goby Tube, scrounger swim jig, and LIVETARGET Hollow Body Craw Jig) these are some favorites especially for smallies on bed up north in Wisconsin one like Big Lake up north in Wisconsin
thanks for sharing
That's Right like my Mepps rooster tail actually squirrel hair but it does work. 👍
yep
I love the booyah pond magic spinner baits especially in a pressured lake near me
nice!
After tons of testing different Plastics on the hover rig, I finally found one that is absolutely incredible. I have caught many on the beaver style, but other than that I wasn't having much luck with anything and I tried a lot of different baits! But I found a bait today that works absolutely incredible and has the perfect death spiral drop and amazing darting action when you work it. I used it on the bigger version with the three hook and that bait is the impulse reactionary baits smelt minnow 4 inch size and it is small enough to where it mimics a lot of what they're eating right now from what I've seen and I live on Table Rock Lake. It doesn't have a color stated but it's basically a light color almost white on the bottom and the darker color almost a brownish going to Black on top and in the back. I got tons of bites and Fish on this today and again this has the best death spiral motion when it's dropping of any bait that I tested so far and the Bass seem to love it! And then when you work it like I said it darts random directions before death spiraling again on the way down. But a lot of them grabbed it on the initial fall but a lot of them didn't as well and did it on the retrieve which I just pulled up on it to make it start up from 3 to 9 and then it would fall back to the bottom in that spiral motion and anytime it was around bass it caught it. I just wanted to share that because you wanted us to share when we found new things and I love this thing and it's going to be a favorite of mine going forward now! It caught way more fish for me then the beaver style that at the time were the ones I got the most bites on. Anyways I would definitely suggest giving them a try because they are almost perfectly representing the minnows or small Bait fish that I've seen them coughing up lately. And they are very aggressive when grabbing it
I know this has nothing to do with the topic but I just wanted to share it because it's your newest video and I know a lot of people will see it because it just came out I'll be one of the first comments. But in a way it kind of does go along with the video because they're eating small bait fish right now and this mimics it perfectly
awesome! i will check it out!!!
@@MattStefanFishing awsome! if it works for you like it does for me, I hope you will make mention of it, id love to hear your thoughts on it, I love your videos!
@BRYAN DAVIS I will have to try that out. I grabbed the pack and was going to use it for a free rig and then all the sudden it hit me when I was fishing that it would be perfect for the hover rig as long as the action was right and it fit properly and it turned out that the action was better than anything else that I had used and I've tried a lot of things on it and it fit perfectly and although it's not the stretchiest material, the nose of the hover rig went into the bait so easily without tearing it or anything like that so it was just amazing. But I will definitely try what you suggested as well!
Thanks 😊for reminding me to use them. Your appreciated.
thanks!
Won a club tournament years ago using a 2 inch beetle on a Hildebrand spinner frame in clear water with lots of grass. I'm a firm believer like you in small lures for spawn and post spawn. Thanks for the video.
awesome!
Nichols makes a really good small but heavier spinner bait. Big fan of it
thanks for sharing
I'm catching them on micro chatter this week too!
Yes!
Love throwing finesse sizes - BFS gear. So much fun as well. Thanks for the video Matt
you bet!
Perfect video. Live in the northeast. A few bass on bed but a lot of bass guarding fry. Frogs, 4” swimbaits, buzz style baits are just going ignored. … downsize def will try.
thanks!
@@MattStefanFishing def worked. Tried that 1/8 buzzbait and had some boils behind it. Followed it with 3” swimbaits and 3/16ths finesse jigs. Caught 9 in 2.5hrs, biggest was 16” and smallest 13.75”
There really is something to it this time a year when it comes to small baits. I do tons of Crappie fishing when I am not Bass fishing and this is always the time of year that the Bass wear out my little Crappie jig. About a week ago I caught one of my biggest Bass ever on a little 2" Berkley Power Minnow while Crappie fishing a large public lake. She weighed 10.02 and is by far my biggest on a Crappie jig but I have had a couple of 7's over the years and countless 5 pounders. People that say you cant catch big Bass on tiny baits have never spent much time with a Crappie jig on the end of thier line this time of year.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
If I'm on the river I've got one tied on... and yes spring to fall even on lakesgotta have a mepps tired on... usually a number 3 for me
nice!
Really helpful tips Matt!
THanks!
got to have the right rod/reel set up too. the rod need to be light action and the reel needs to have lots of bearings. i use BFS bait casters
thanks for sharing!
For me, I go the opposite direction. Post spawn for me, its time to break out the oversized square bills and trout glide baits. I've been crushing Large small mouth with a 7" suicide glide for a few weeks now. Umbrella rig is smoking them too, but now it seams like you really have to burn fast to get bit.
slow rolling a Umbrella with fast twitches is getting really good bites right now from quality fish.
trout glide bait was working well, fell of a bit, but I believe it was due to presentation. I recently switched to the chad shad in trout pattern, throw it up next to heavy shallow cover and work it fast as you can chopping it. They lit it up. It was the magic. Think large meal and burn it.
sounds good
Very Interesting!!!…
Zappu makes #2 & #3 sized hooks w/ underspins for 3" and smaller baits. I no longer sleep on the JDM offerings.
ill check them out
Micro Chatterbait kills it !! Great video as always
thanks!
You held up most of my kids tackle box! I would also include small cranks in this, got my daughter on a few with them and I have had many on a finesse crank bait
Nice!
The SK micro buzz bait produced over 20 today. Lots were small, but 2 over 2 and best was 3.25 lbs. Just worked it around other patterns. I hope people are really taking the advice you give.
awesome!
I literally could only get bit on a 1.6 inch elaztek style swimbait on a 1/32 ounce jighead. Just had to get it out there as far as I could next to cover or a panfish bed and wait for it to slow sink and watch the line. Caught a lot of panfish and yellow perch, but also managed 5 keeper smallies. Couldn't even get them to hit down sized cranks or underspins.
little baits work
Also a meps is just a killer pond bait 🔥
yep!
🍺Thanks Matt. Caught 2 nice smallmouth this weekend on the Hover rig 3/64th ounce 1/0 hook and a 2.8” Keitech Crazy Flapper. (Hover Finesse). “tasty, looking little morsel”. 6 lb Tatsu, 901 NRX+ with a Stella. So much fun. The bass are starting to pull/fight harder now.🤠 You guys have another Wednesday nighter tomorrow?
Awesome! and yes we do!
I struggled Monday. Lots of rain here in NC. Gonna try these next weekend. Thanks for the advice as always.
you bet!
9" shad swim bait or glide can work wonders, just saying.
Hey Matt, I know you are focusing on smaller baits, but I throw a #5 Mepps from March thru October and bass love it and I’m one of those older guys!!!
mepps work great year round!
Rooster Tail is old faithful too
inline spinners work!
1st gen has a new bait called a top spin. I’ve been throwing the 1/4 paired with a 2.8 and absolutely slaying them with it this year
awesome!
Awesome video!! Thanks for sharing those great tips!!! Stay Safe & God Bless!!
you bet!
I’ve wacked em on a top water toad bait too post spawn. Fantastic bite
Come to think of it, I weighted the leader with a split shot so I could throw the toad further. So the toad was running slightly sub surface. Much like the rooster tail spinner. There ya go.
Have to try that technique too
Thanks for sharing
love the content you and monster bass are literally my only teachers lol 3 yrs now since iv gone from wbp (worm bober pray) to trying to become a bass angler . but hey i have no luck on lakes only retention ponds bought a yak and in 3 yrs maybe 15 in lakes I'm in Delaware any advice?
sounds like you are advancing nicely!
I do have what you just showed. When I can’t catch anything I go to them small stuff
nice!
👍👍👍great info!
thanks!
Sounds good , didn't do very good today.
bummer
Do you think that the in line mepps would work at Lake Springfield this weekend. We have a high school event there this weekend. Just curious.
As usual, love the content.
i do think it would work along shallow banks and rip rap
I've been actually catching shell crackers on a small bait. But that is certainly better than nothing. I will take a dink over a skunk any day!
catching is catching!
Another great video Matt! 😊👍
thanks!
Looking forward to seeing that little guy grow up.
right on!
Love me some small baits!
awesome
It's happening now here now, I only caught fish on 1.0 crank baits, and 4" generals.
here too!
The old man usually has it figured out.
yep!
Mr. Stefan, have your local smallies bit well on a chatterbait?
Old school works a lot of times! 👍
yes it does
So true
thanks
I been chucking 7.5" glides here in Southern Wisconsin with very good luck latley! nooothing else except senkos or big thick white glides have been producing... and it's so weird to me I can't belive the bass I'm fishing for are even actually chasing 7.5" bone white glide baits but it's working for me!!! I caught a new pb of 3.4# bass and many other smaller bass, do you think it's because of the amount of pressure the fish face at public landing/dams/ shore fishing in general that has been enticing the bass to only go after baits like this? ice been to many spots where the bass only seem to be headbutting any baits instead of feeding
i think bass eat bigger objects than we thing lots of the time
@@MattStefanFishing You really might be right!
What setup would you recommend for throwing those small bass baits?. Those look to be thrown on a spinning setup?.
light MH rods
Don’t forget strike king mini kings. They are deadly
yep!
Growing up, more than anything else, I threw a roostertail. I still have a tackle box dedicated to
Roostertails.
awesome!
also, which inline spinner to you use?
do you change out the factory treble or not?
I tried it out today for the first time and had one but it didn't stick
i really like the mepps bronze slammer
Yep👍👍👍👍👍
thanks for watching!
What’s difference between a chatterbait and a bladed jig if any?
a chatterbait is a tyoe of bladed jig
I’ve been catching more bass on bettlespins than panfish
awesome!
😂 Well, there you go. I have a garage full of rods/reels and tackle, and I would have probably done better fishing with one spinning rod and a Mepps in-line spinners. 😂
haha
If I gotta through rooster tail, I aint fishing
haha
George Cochran made his living using small baits
yes he did!
Panther Martin "Weed Runner"..... Nobody was buying them, so they were put on clearance for a while. I bought 10 for $1.99 each, two months ago.
Nice!