March 6-13, 2020 The Mid-South Tribune Page 3 Sports www.blackinformationhighway.com Spybaiting for early season bass presents new technique s By Lee McClellan, site detail and subtle movement “The spybait will stay at them. Allow the lure to sink to in the middle of these cuts and spybaits, but anglers here can get to fool the highly pressured away with 6- to 8-pound test flu - Kentucky DFW that depth on the retrieve,” that depth by counting it down coves, waiting for schools of largemouth bass in that country. and then slowly retrieve it. Watch baitfish to pass by. The cuts and orocarbon line. From thefishingwire.com The term spybait means “silent Miles said. “Hold on tight your line intently while it sinks small coves nearest the sub - The large outdoor retailers and capture” in Japan. to your rod. When a fish as bass often strike a spybait on merged river channel make the bass fishing tackle websites carry FRANKFORT, Ky. – New bass The lure resembles a diminutive hits, they smack it.” the fall. The internal weighting of best places to try. The same tech - spybaits. Some models cost less fishing techniques or presenta - version of the old Devil’s Horse Stop reeling occasionally a spybait gives it a nearly imper - nique works when casting to than $10, but most go for be - tions are cast into the market - topwater lure with a propeller on and let the spybait slowly ceptible shimmy on the retrieve, main lake points or fishing above tween $12 and $15. Make sure to each end. Most spybaits are just fish these lures in the middle of place seemingly every year and sink and wobble. This mim - thus imitating a shad. channel drops. become the newest rage, pushing over three inches long and fea - “The spybait will stay at that The mid-depth reservoirs, such the water column. If they contact established techniques into the ture finely tuned propellers and ics a thermally stressed depth on the retrieve,” Miles as Green River Lake, Nolin any woody cover or snag on a prop wash of the next new thing. incredibly detailed life-like paint threadfin shad fighting to said. “Hold on tight to your rod. River Lake, Barren River Lake craggy bottom, even a lure re - The spybaiting presentation is schemes. They weigh from 3/16- survive winter and often When a fish hits, they smack it.” and Rough River Lake, are good triever may not save you from one of those new techniques that to 9/16 ounce and are designed to triggers strikes from small - Stop reeling occasionally and let places to throw a spybait in early losing one. made a splash a few years ago slowly sink and wobble down to mouth or spotted bass. the spybait slowly sink and wob - spring. Largemouth bass are still Colors that imitate shad makes a and faded a bit with time, but this a desired depth. ble. This mimics a thermally lethargic from winter’s cold in good choice for spybaits for Ken - hasn’t impacted its unique ability The subtle nature of the spybait tucky’s world-class smallmouth stressed threadfin shad fighting early-to mid-March and will not tucky fishing. Hues of silver, to catch bass suspended in the makes it a deadly lure for late reservoirs, such as Lake Cumber - to survive winter and often trig - chase lures. blue, with wisps of chartreuse water column when the water is winter through spring. In reser - land, Laurel River Lake and Dale gers strikes from smallmouth or They stage in deeper water be - work well. Many spybaits have still cold. voirs, shad and alewives in those Hollow Lake. spotted bass. fore moving into the shallows as shad in the name of some of their “When bass are suspended, a lakes that have them are going The lure also works in the Anglers without sophisticated the water warms. A spybait mov - lure color choices, making find spybait gives a great chance to through a difficult period of the smaller highland lakes east of I- sonar units can prospect for ing slowly nearby will draw the right one easy. catch them,” said Chad Miles, year as the year grinds into 75 that hold good populations of smallmouth or spotted bass in strikes from lazy largemouth “It is effective,” Miles said. “If host of the Kentucky Afield tele - March. The coldest water tem - smallmouth or spotted bass. these lakes by casting the spybait bass while they stage at this time you can catch them on a suspend - vision show and an early adopter peratures of the year send these Check the annual Fishing Fore - in the middle main lake cuts or of year. Anglers fishing Green ing jerkbait, you can catch them of the spybait technique. “At this baitfish species into thermal cast to find some of these waters small coves and let it sink for a River or Barren River lakes may on a spybait and it doesn’t wear time of year, after the sunlight stress. to fish. count of 10. Retrieve the lure pick up a chunky smallmouth you out.” gets on the water, fish will move S ome twitch and fight for life in Miles uses the electronics on his slowly and pause to let the bait bass as well. out and suspend and get really water this cold, sending a signal boat to find schools of baitfish sink a bit. If there is no action Medium-light power spinning Tie on a spybait from now until hard to catch. They may be 10-15 to predator fish, such as small - when fishing in winter. He then from bass, let the lure sink to a rods from 6 feet, 8 inches long to mid-spring and use an underuti - feet deep, but suspended over 30 mouth bass, to make these strug - usually fishes near these schools, count of 15, then retrieve again 7 feet long designed for the drop lized, but deadly, technique for feet of water. That is a great time gling, easier to capture baitfish regardless of lure used, in the and count it down to 20 on the shot technique make excellent bass during a tough, but reward - to throw the spybait.” their next meal. The spybait cold months. next cast. Move to another cut or rods for spybaiting. Japanese an - ing, time of year. The spybait is an import from makes a perfect lure for late win - Note the depth of the baitfish small cove after the third cast. glers often use 4-pound fluoro - Japan and designed with exqui - ter smallmouth bass in Ken - schools and cast the spybait near Winter black bass often suspend carbon line for throwing

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A Charge-By-Phone) or (901) 888- native of Fayetteville, Ga., Cofer HOOP and pressing 6. spent five seasons (2014-19) at Florida State, appearing in 133 For more information on the games (84 starts) and compiling Memphis Hustle, visit mem - averages of 7.4 points and 3.7 re - phishustle.com, follow the team bounds while shooting 45.9 per - on Twitter and Instagram cent from the field and 36.6 (@MemphisHustle) or like percent from three-point range. Memphis Hustle on Facebook.