4 Finesse Tricks When Bass Won't Bite!

Bass fishing can be tough! You see other people catching them but every time you go to the lake its too windy, too cold, or too hot. Whatever it is, the bass just aren't biting when you're there. If you're tired of struggling to catch a bass, try these four techniques next time you're at the lake!

Tim is always catching fish. Whether its raining, snowing, or the conditions are perfect, he always manages to get bit. He's an incredibly talented angler but he also has a ton of confidence in his presentations. Over the years he's dialed in these four techniques to get bit under nearly any condition. No matter where he goes in the country, he always has a dropshot, a ned rig, a neko rig, and a finesse swimbait in the boat. 

Taking it a step further, he has very specific baits he throws with these techniques to ensure he's maximizing his time on the water. Below you'll find links to the gear he uses with these techniques, his favorite baits, and the exact colors he trusts as he travels the country. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Dropshot Worms... 

-Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher 3.5": http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

Colors: Green Pumpkin Purple, Smoke Purple Flake

-Strike King Dream Shot OPT 3.5": http://bit.ly/2aAoUoR

Colors: Magic, Triple Magic

-STH Crush Worm 3.75": https://bit.ly/3s5BcIn

Colors: Bang, Green pumpkin, Smokin Joe

Dropshot Rigging... 

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light (Size 2): http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pencil (3/16 oz): http://bit.ly/2UY7cgx

Ned Rig Worms... 

-Roboworm Ned 3": http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Colors: TW Black Blue Pumpkin, Desert Craw

-Missile Baits Ned Bomb: http://bit.ly/2XCOGwd

 Colors: Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core, Green Pumpkin

Ned Rigging... 

Tungsten Head- Swagger Flanders (1/10th): http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Lead Head- Z Man Ned Lockz HD (1/10th): http://bit.ly/2kIgRYK

Neko Rig Worms... 

-Missile Baits Quiver Worm 6.5": https://bit.ly/2xehVgx

Colors: Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core, Green Pumpkin

-Yamamoto Senko 5": http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red Flake

Neko Rigging... 

Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse (Size 1/0): http://bit.ly/2kfdv37

Band- G7 Worm Protect Tube (7 MM): http://bit.ly/2PWEkUs

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Pagoda (3/32): http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

Finesse Swimbaits... 

Bait- Keitech 2.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Pro Blue Red Pearl, Electric Shad

Hook- Dirty Jigs Guppy Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

All-Around Finesse Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7' Light+: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Power Pro 15 lb Braided Line: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget All-Around Finesse Combo...

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju 

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  
We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

3 Ned Rig Tricks For Winter Fishing!

The Ned Rig is amazing in the Winter Time! Fishing in the cold can be tough, especially if you're second guessing your lure choice. With new brands piling onto the Ned Rig bandwagon every day, its hard to know which baits to focus on and how to dial them in for cold water fishing. In today's video Tim explains how to adjust your weight, how to choose the right ned bait, and when to fish these presentations. 

On the surface, ned rig fishing is very simple. Grab a ned bait, grab a light jighead, throw it out and try not to move it. As the technique has morphed the last few years so has its ability to catch fish in a variety of conditions. Focusing in on details like the weight of the head, whether or not your bait floats, how much it moves underwater when you shake it, are all key pieces of the puzzle. While the Z Man Finesse TRD remains the gold standard, there are so many other amazing baits that will help you get bit in changing conditions. 

Below you'll find links to a handful of Tim's favorite baits. He's included his top 2 colors for each bait, and even included a brand new Salamander ned bait that you should check out. He's also included his favorite heads and the gear he uses to fish them. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Heads... 

-Owner Block Head: http://bit.ly/2qL0A8n

-Swagger Tungsten Flanders Head: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Tim's Favorite Bait... 

-Roboworm 3" Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Colors: Desert Craw, TW Black Blue Pumpkin

New Bait... 

-Savage Gear Ned salamander: http://bit.ly/3rSNi8g

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Green Pumpkin Purple Copper

Great Ned Baits... 

-Z Man Finesse TRD: http://bit.ly/2hs4RtR

Colors: Green Pumpkin Goby, MudBug

-Z Man TRD CrawZ: http://bit.ly/2U9vx6P

Colors: Canada Craw, Green Pumpkin

-XZone Ned Zone: http://bit.ly/2mRiYhF

Colors: 309, Green Pumpkin Purple

-Missile Baits Ned Bomb: http://bit.ly/2XCOGwd

Colors: Super Bug, Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core

Storage Boxes/Line Box...

-Plano Edge 3700 Thin: https://bit.ly/2VX5eAL

-KVD Speed Bag Small: http://bit.ly/2GYT4RC

Tim's Ultimate Ned Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis Conquest 902: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

Reel- Shimano Stella 2500: http://bit.ly/2U8Pkzg

Line- Power Pro 10 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 5 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Mid-Range Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Power Pro 10 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 7 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Ned Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sniper Fluorocarbon 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Want TacticalBassin Apparel?  
We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Winter Tips For Dropshot and Ned Rig Fishing

Still struggling to catch Winter Bass? Tim has some advice that will help you catch more fish during the cold water months. When you're finesse fishing with Ned Rigs, Dropshot, or a tube, its critical that you change your cadence in Winter. The same method you were using in Fall will not work anywhere near as well as this slower approach. 

The difference between fishing and catching really can be as simple as going slower. If you're still shaking your baits like you did in Summer and Fall, you're making a mistake. At the very least you need to fish your baits slower and more methodically with longer pauses between movements. At the most, you need to literally drag your bait across the bottom without any movement of the rod tip at all. 

Slowing down sounds easy but if you're not used to it, its much tougher than you might expect. If you struggle with slowing down Tim suggests sticking the tip of your rod underwater. The resistance if the water makes it more difficult to "over work" the bait and also makes you more aware of your movements. Don't let the Winter cold get you down, keep adapting and you will find the fish you're searching for. 

Below is breakdown of some of Tim's favorite baits and equipment for finesse fishing this time of year. 

Favorite Baits... 

Finesse Tube- Dry Creek Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

Fat Tube- Big Bite Baits Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

Straight Tail Worm- Roboworm 4 1/2": http://bit.ly/2asZyH3

Shaped Worm- Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher: http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY

Ned Worm- Roboworm 3" Ned: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Favorite Colors: Green Pumpkin, Morning Dawn, Old Ugly, Margarita Mutilator

Best "Bang For The Buck" Spinning Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Line- Power Pro 10 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Great Budget-Friendly Spinning Combo... 

Rod- Daiwa AirdX 7' Medium: http://bit.ly/2P7Z3Vu

Reel- Daiwa Revros 2000: http://bit.ly/34nCGCj

Line- Sunline Sniper 8 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

7 Finesse Baits To Catch Stubborn Winter Bass

The Fall to Winter transition brings cold water and lethargic fish but savvy bass fishermen have no trouble getting bit under these conditions. Some of the biggest bass of the year can be caught in the Winter months along with surprising numbers of quality fish. During the cold water period Tim often turns to finesse fishing to find the consistent bite. He has a handful of proven techniques and he's sharing them with us today.

Winter fishing doesn't have to mean mundane fishing. There are a ton of techniques from jigs to swimbaits, flies to worms, that will consistently produce in cool to cold water. You're not limited to one or two methods, though light tackle is a common thread amongst most of them. Today Tim gathered the gear for 7 of his favorite Winter techniques and he's explaining them for us.

Below you'll find a breakdown of the baits and equipment Tim trusts to get through the Winter months. From late Fall all the way to the start of Spring, you can rely on each of these finesse techniques to produce. Try a few and find the method that produces best on your home lakes.

Finesse Football Jigs and Trailers...

-Dirty Jigs finesse football 3/8-5/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2d2apsm

(Super Matt Brown, Go To, Brown Craw)

-Keitech tungsten Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2FDQ3o1

(Brown Purple, Green Pumpkin Blue)

-Bass Patrol Round Rubber Football 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2Hbyf5x

(Brown/Green Pump, Brown/Orange, Brown/Purple)

-Yamamoto Double Tail 5" Grub: http://bit.ly/2db9w1p

(Green Pumpkin, Cinnamon Purple)

Finesse Tubes and Heads...

-Dry Creek 3.5" Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

(Crazy Eddie, Green Pumpkin, Old Ugly)

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

-Provider Tackle 90 Degree Tube Head 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2LY9eMj

Neko Rigging Components...

-Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

(956- Watermelon Copper Orange Red, Natural Shad, Electric Shad, Green Pump Purp/Cop)

-Swagger Tungsten Pagoda Nail Weight: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

-G7 Worm Protect Tubes: http://bit.ly/2PWEkUs

-G7 Worm Tube Pliers: http://bit.ly/2PRMNrG

-Owner mosquito light 1/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

-Gamakatsu Stinger G finesse Size 1: http://bit.ly/2otYTPg

Ned Rig...

-Roboworm Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

(Desert Craw, TW Black Blue Pumpkin)

-Swagger Tungsten Flanders Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Finesse Swimbaits...

-Dirty Jigs Guppy Head 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

-Keitech Easy Shiner 3": http://bit.ly/2bxJK6H

(Electric Shad, Pro Blue Red Pearl, Tennessee Shad)

-Cool Baits Down Under 3/16 oz Underspin: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

-Megabass Okashira head 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

-Megabass Spark Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

(Albino, Purple Haze, Baby Bass)

-Megabass Dark Sleeper 2.4": http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

(Donko, Shirauo, Wakasagi, Haze)

Dropshot Rig...

-Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm 4.95: http://bit.ly/2CMB33J

(Lickity Split, Morning Dawn, Purple Smoke)

-Roboworm Alive Shad: http://bit.ly/2kDNeYw

(Hologram Shad, Morning Dawn, Neon Shad)

-Trokar Dropshot Hook size 1: http://bit.ly/2ahxJOr

-Owner Mosquito Light Size 1: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

-Swagger Tungsten Dropshot Weight 1/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2V2B63h

Flies...

-Spro Phat Fly: http://bit.ly/2mboisG

-Cumberland Pro Lures Float N Fly: http://bit.ly/2o9PE63

-Punisher Lures Float N Fly: http://bit.ly/2qrH9oA

Tim's All-Around Favorite Finesse Combo...

Rod- G Loomis Conquest 902S SJR: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Line- Sunline XPlasma Asegai Braid: http://bit.ly/2OR5i2j

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget-Friendly Finesse Combo...

Rod- Shimano SLX 7' Med Light: http://bit.ly/2AdvIC1

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Sniper 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju