This week, Clark Wendlandt discusses fluorocarbon line, the best times to fish buzzbaits and the different applications for light-, medium- and heavy-action rods.
This week, Clark Wendlandt discusses fluorocarbon line, the best times to fish buzzbaits and the different applications for light-, medium- and heavy-action rods.
If you are interested in participating in future columns, submit questions along with your full name and address via e-mail to askthepro@jacobsinteractive.com.
Q & A with CLARK WENDLANDT
Q: I have been using fluorocarbon line on my bait-casting reels for quite some time. However, can fluorocarbon line also be used on spinning reels and, if not, why not? Also, which line do you suggest using on spinning reels?
- Jerry Richards , Fairfield, Texas
A: Fluorocarbon can be used on spinning reels and I actually prefer it. The line is much more sensitive than monofilament lines and it is denser. So, instead of holding lighter-weight baits up, fluorocarbon line cuts through the water better and allows the bait to sink faster and more naturally. To answer your other question, I typically use lighter tests when throwing spinning gear. In most examples, I would probably use Seaguar line, between 6- and 12-pound test.
Q: I have never really done well with buzzbaits except in the early-morning or late-evening hours. I know bass can be caught midday on buzzbaits, but what conditions and patterns should I be looking for during that time of day to have success?
- James Lemaire , Parks, La.
A: Good question. The problem is that I can’t tell you a definite situation that you can catch fish on a buzzbait all day long. It totally depends on the lake you are fishing. However, I will offer you several situations that could suggest that the bait will be successful during the middle of the day. For starters, I have had success with this technique in the post-spawn period when many fish are just coming off the beds or guarding fry. I always feel a buzzbait is a great bait this time of year and I will always try it after the sun comes up. I have also caught many fish on buzzbaits during the summer on lakes where the fish stay shallow throughout the year. I would typically target isolated cover. The best time to use a buzzbait all day long is during the fall when the big shad have moved very shallow. Sometimes, a falling water temperature will also help this bite. The shad get very sluggish and a buzzbait reeled very slowly can be awesome for targeting big fish. I hope this helps, but the bottom line is you just have to experiment.
Q: I’ve been hearing about heavy-action, medium-action and light-action fishing rods for some time now. Could you please explain some of the differences in rod action and the types of applications that each would be better suited for? Thanks.
- Eric Strauch , Woodbury, Minn.
A: Rod actions are very specific to certain baits. Personally, I use Falcon Lowrider rods which actually have a description of what the rod is designed for right in the name of the rod. My personal opinion is that light-action rods have very few applications in bass fishing. The reason is that the lighter action the rod is, the less you can tell what your bait is doing. And knowing what your bait is doing is the key to a good presentation. The lightest action rod I would throw would be a medium action or #4-action rod (Falcon numbers there actions from 1-8, with 1 being the lightest and 8 being the heaviest). The #4-action rod is the lightest action I will ever use and I use this for crankbaits, top-waters and jerkbaits. I use the #5-action or medium/heavy rod with spinner baits, weightless worms, some bigger crankbaits and small jigs. I use #6- and #7-action or heavy action rods for flipping, pitching and Carolina rigging. Good Luck.
Q: When pre-fishing for a tournament, often you are on the water longer each day than the hours of the actual tournament. So, what happens iif you find fish late in the evening, well past weigh-in time? How does that factor into your tournament strategy?
- Chris Chinn , Cottage Grove, Minn.
A: In my opinion the more time you have on the water, the better your chances are of finding the right pattern or presentation that might help you in the tournament. I always practice until dark. However, if you find that the fish will only bite on a certain spot very late in the day (after tournament weigh-in time), there is still some useful information you can glean from this situation. One option, if you have multiple days to practice, is to try that area early the next morning and bend your hooks down so you don't catch the fish. The bite is what you are checking for. If you get no bites or don’t have any more practice days left, fish that area towards the end of the day or as your last resort. Remember, your strategy should also depend on how many bites you’ve had in the area and how big the fish were. Good Luck.
Clark Wendlandt of Cedar Park, Texas, is one of the most successful pro anglers in the history of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. He started his FLW career by winning the Angler of the Year award in 1997. Since that year, he has 15 top-10 finishes, including three tour victories. In 2000, the shallow-water fishing specialist not only won the FLW Tour event on Lake Murray, but he also captured his second Angler of the Year title, becoming the only angler to win the trophy twice. In 2001, Wendlandt won the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake, capturing the top prize of $200,000 and further cementing his place among the nation's most elite anglers. Wendlandt took home the first-place prize at the 1999 FLW Tour event on Beaver Lake as well. Wendlandt's current tour sponsors include Kellogg's, Yamaha Outboards and Stren.
