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RAMBLING ANGLER OUTDOORS

Late Season Bushytails Double Jig Rig For Cold Crappie Deep Cranks For Winter Bass Mapping Big Bucks Squarebill Cranks Catch More Smallmouth Off Season Tournament Prep

L AT E SEASON BU SH Y TA I L S

So, deer season is over and you have settled in

for the winter. A great time for lazing around watching football and maybe working a little overtime to keep the boss off your back when the turkeys are gobbling and the crappie are moving into shallow brush this spring. The coffee table is littered with Outdoor Life, Field & Stream and outdoor catalogs.

Thoughts of the past season still fresh in your mind, you are content, or are you.

Football season is winding down and your

A great day afield

team has already been eliminated, your boss is starting to expect you to be at work everyday and your

tant in cold weather if you plan to hunt all day. Late

wife is piling on the chores. It is time to get out of

season usually means very few hunters afield allow-

the house and what better way to spend the day than

ing you to wander freely and explore your hunting

sneaking up on some bushytails on a cold sunny day.

area while providing you and yours with some great

game for the dinner table. If you do wander deep into

Squirrel hunting can be a very relaxing

endeavor after sitting motionless in a tree waiting

the woods, far from the truck, that thermos of cof-

for the elusive whitetail. Those long hours on stand

fee, lunch and a good book or magazine will come in

should give you an idea of where the squirrels are

handy as the bushytails tend to go inactive sometime

hanging out or at least some good places where the

during the day and unless you plan on trekking back

acorns are plentiful. Squirrels may be using that area

to the truck to wait for the evening feed then these

now even if they were not early in the year. This is

items will make your wait much more enjoyable.

also a good time to reverse this scenario and use your

Late season usually means the breeding

day a field to locate some great stand locations for

season is over and squirrels usually don’t travel far

next deer season.

from home as they feed on the stockpile of nuts they

buried in late fall. For this reason spot and stalk is

A comfortable fanny or backpack is essential

for squirrel hunting. You need enough room for your

usually the best way to harvest these tasty critters.

calls if you use them. A thermos of hot coffee if you

Squirrels can be hard to see at this time because they

drink it and a book if you read. A lunch is impor-

are digging in the leaves for previously buried nuts.

Since the nuts are buried close together, and in

last waning minutes waiting it out. Call and watch for

large quantities, movement is kept to a minimum

a shot then move on to the squirrels you can plainly

therefore adding to the difficulties in spotting

hear digging high on the ridge above, this gives you

them. You may hear a squirrel rummaging in the

more daylight to work with.

leaves, if they are dry, and even though you know

the squirrel is just ahead, you just cannot see it. A

squirrels. butI have recently switched to the .17 mach

good set of low power binoculars come in handy

II with mixed emotions. The Mach II is a neat gun

for spotting squirrels that are digging. The leaves

butif you have the choice or you have not decided yet

they are moving in search of nuts tend to sur-

which gun to go with I personally would pick the 22

round them making it even more difficult to see

round which with practice and a good scope you can

them and the binoculars can help spot the moving

make just as long a shots as the mach II. The Mach II

leaves.

tends to deflect easily and at long yardages the wind

This time of year squirrels are very skittish,

The 22 rifle is the most popular round for

begins to effect the shot as well.

as breeding subsides and hunting pressure con-

If cabin fever has you down and the chores are

tinues, sneaking up on a squirrel takes patience.

piling up, get out and explore for a new area to hunt or

Late season tactics often times does not include

return to where you spotted all those squirrels during

calling. The squirrels are just too close to their

deer season and enjoy your time in the woods. Squir-

den and tend to bolt right to their hole at the first

rel hunting is a great way to introduce young people to

sight or sound of danger. There are times, during

the world of hunting and can be a great way to spend

late season that a call may help when used spar-

the day with your family.

ingly. If you can hear a squirrel digging for nuts but just can’t see it you can hit the distress call very lightly. At this close range it does not take much.

The desired effect would be a quick jump onto the side of the tree as it glances back at where the sound originated. Be ready and shoulder that rifle or shotgun quick or it will be gone. A good time to use this method of calling is when you know the squirrels are out and about and the sun is fast sinking. It is better to take a chance on getting the squirrel to present a shot than to spend the

Squirell hunting is a great way to get youngsters into the sport of hunting.

D oubl e Ji g R i g For C ol d C r appi e

W

hen the crappie are suspended sometimes it

can be tough to keep your presentation within the strike zone. The double jig rig works great in doing this and can help you catch more suspended crappie.

Crappie will suspend in the water column at certain times of the season. This technique works great when other anglers have given up after the spawn and you can have the lake to yourself searching for suspended crappie that have moved out to deeper water in the

The double jig rig

summer and again in the winter.

The first step is to locate suspended crappie

which should not be far from suspended baitfish. Locating the baitfish can be enough to begin your search with the double jig rig. To locate suspended crappie you must have a quality fish finder. I would suggest using a colored fish finder with a GPS system to help mark the schools of crappie as well as the baitfish so you know where to look for them again if you have to leave in search of more schools or more active fish.

This allows you to return to that spot later to see if they will bite. Some schools of crappie are more active during different times of the day and its great to be able to return right to where you found the school earlier.

The double jig rig utilizes two jigs and allows

you to present, to the suspended crappie, two different colors whether you use the cast and fall or vertical

6 RAMBLING ANGLER | WINTER 2011

presentation. My favorite tube for this rig is the Gary Yamamoto Tiny Ika. It is important that you keep the jigs close in weight so the jigs fall together. You don’t want one jig to fall faster than the other as this could cause some tangles.

Using a Palomar knot tie on your first

jighead leaving a two foot tag end. At the end of this tag end tie your second jighead using the same knot. Dress each jighead with a different color or type of skirt like a tube or curly tail grub. The obvious notion is to see what the suspended crappie want for that day or that body of water. I have noticed over the years that certain colors work better on certain lakes and I will stick with those shades and color combinations when I am fishing that particular body of water. I still use two different jigs but

might not use a white jig if I never had any luck

the lake. Once the location of these scattered pods of

with that color on that lake. I will put on a white

baitfish are located you can cast into the open wa-

skirt if I can’t get them to bite but more times

ter allowing the double jig rig to fall on a tight line

than not the colors you have learned catch crap-

occasionally giving the jigs a couple twitches as it

pie on that body of water will work the best. A

falls. You can see the max depth of crappie on your

journal is a great tool for figuring out these little

fish finder. It is important to keep your presentation

nuances where you fish.

above the max depth to increase your bites. After a

few crappie take your jig you will learn the depth and

Once suspended crappie or baitfish are lo-

cated on your fish finder, note the depth. You can

color of jig that works. Sometimes the two differ-

vertical jig the double jig rig or cast it out and al-

ent colors perform the same but most times there is a

low it to fall through the suspended crappie. Let

color that gets more bites. This is when you put that

the crappie tell you what they want. The vertical

color on the second jig and continue your day until

presentation works great when the crappie are

the limit is in the livewell or you are tired of catching

suspended in or around cover. This presentation

crappie. I can say I never have got tired of catching

will help limit hang-ups and with a good fish

any fish especially crappie on the double jig rig. Great

finder you can even see your double jig rig on

fun.

the screen and lower it into the suspended crappie but keep it out of the cover. This is a great presentation.

When the crappie are moving around and

not relating to cover that is when the cast and fall presentation works the best. Usually when suspended crappie are moving around they are chasing baitfish and will move up and down within the water column to get to them. This is when you want to locate the scattered schools of baitfish which is usually a certain location on

GARY YAMAMOTO BAITS PRODUCE GREAT CRAPPIE JIGS ALONG WITH THEIR AWESOME BASS BAITS WINTER 2011 | RAMBLING ANGLER 7

DEEP RUNNING CR ANKBAIT S FO R S H A LL O W WI N TE R B A S S

B

ass slow down in the winter, that’s no

secret. They will move to deeper water and can be a challenge to catch but bass must eat during the winter and will move to shallow water during winter seeking warming rays of sunlight and dying shad. Shad will begin to struggle as the water temps fall and bass know that during this time

A great day afield

shad become an easy meal. This is a great time for throwing a suspending jerkbait over main lake

contact with your crankbait.

points where bass like to suspend within the water

column but throwing deep running crankbaits like

digging into and hitting the structure and cover on the

the Strike King Pro Model or the Rapala DT series

bottom. Long slow pulls provide a built-in pause to

in shallow water is a great wintertime presentation

the retrieve the slack line but it also helps you feel the

for catching more bass when the water is cold. The

bottom. When the crankbait sticks to a rock or stump

great thing about this presentation is it triggers re-

stop the pull or retrieve. These pauses allow your bait to

action strikes from bass that aren’t seeking a meal.

float up and above the object so you can continue your

Using a deep running crankbait in shallow

retrieve. It is the contact, with the objects below, that

water may seem a little backwards but it is a great

cause the bass to react and strike at the crankbait and

way to catch cold water bass in the winter and ear-

many times the bass will be hooked on the outside of its

ly spring. You want the crankbait to hit the bottom

mouth. This is how you know you are causing the bass

as quick as possible on the retrieve and a crankbait

to react to your presentation and they are probably not

that runs ten feet will hit the bottom soon after the

feeding. This will also let you know that you have the

first turns of the reel handle in four feet of water.

right combination to catch a few cold water bass.

Pulling the crankbait down with a long sweeping

motion works great too, and allows for a pause as

taining bottom contact. The whole point of this technique

you reel in the slack line. These pauses are impor-

is to get a reaction strike from bass that are not necessar-

tant but not as important as maintaining bottom

ily feeding and the more you can get your crankbait to

It is important to get your crankbait down quick,

The important point of this presentation is main-

hit something the more chances you have to get a strike from inactive bass. Sometime a fast retrieve works best especially when it glances off rocks and stumps as you retrieve.

The reason for a deep running crankbait in

such shallow water is its ability to maintain contact with the bottom, and the angle that it hits the bottom keeps the hooks away from the cover which means fewer hang-ups. The steep angle of a deep running crankbait causes it to hit the bottom with force and it is this powerful contact that creates powerful reactions from sluggish bass. The quick diving angle will also help when the shoreline drops quickly into deeper water. When you pull and pause, the crankbait tends to follow the contour of the bottom and maintain bottom contact further out from the bank therefore obtaining the desired effect of this presentation.

The bass will always tell you what they

want as far as color and size but it is the bottom contact and erratic deflection in the crankbait that stimulates a bass into reacting, size and color are actually secondary. A seven foot medium power fast action rod works great for this presentation. A medium to fast retrive reel will work fine. You might be burning the crankbait during this time but the

ability to take up line fast comes in handy when the bass makes a sudden run towards the boat with one treble in its lip. Some anglers like the sensativity of fluorocarbon but the way these bass bite, in cold water, I prefer monfiliament. The stretch helps you get those barely hooked wintertime bass in the boat. Winter water tends to clear up on most lakes so light line may be in order and is really determined again by the size of the bass in your body of water. Eight pound test might handle any bass in your lake but in some Texas or Florida lakes eight pound test would be unheard of with any presentation. Eight pound test is probably the lightest you should go no matter what body of water you fish just by virtue of the presentation itself being hard on your line as it contacts the bottom cover and structure.

You can almost always create a reaction

bite even when the bass have lock-jaw. Fishing shallow when the water is cold may go against the norm but the bass are there. Give this technique a try and you might have the shallows to yourself and no matter what mood the bass are in, you can catch a few with this method.

Most deer hunters know

equation and the outcome has

how important big rubs are

been very rewarding.

to locating good bucks in

You should begin your scout-

a particular area. Hunt-

ing early in an attempt to locate

ing terrain features linking

the first rubs of the season. Ma-

rubs to bedding and feed-

ture bucks almost always make

ing areas can be a great

these rubs. When you locate

way to harvest your next mature whitetail. Terrain

those first good rubs of the season mark the spot or hang

features are easy enough to find. Features such as

a stand because you are in the living room of a mature

funnels, saddles, points and hubs can be located

buck. These rubs are not easy to locate, as they are few

using a topographical map before you ever scout an

and far between not to mention the foliage is still thick

area. Scouting these areas for big rubs will let you

and visibility is limited in the woods this time of year.

know there is a good buck in the area and give you

Take your time and you can find these important sign

the confidence needed to stay on stand longer. When

post.

you know where a buck is traveling and are able to utilize the terrain features linking these areas you are

The trick, after locating these rubs, is to align them within areas of the terrain features already noted. The

putting the buck into a corner and with good entry

rubs don’t necessarily have to be in the middle of the ter-

and exit to and from your stand as well as proper

rain feature you are hunting just nearby. In fact, I prefer

wind direction and serious scent control the buck

the rubs to be away from the terrain feature that links the

should eventually come by, hopefully within bow

area where the rubs are located with the buck’s likely

range.

bedding area.

The area I hunt has a good mixture of hardwoods,

Rubs, I have found, can be a double edge sword for

swamps and cutovers with lots of ridges and crop-

the deer hunter. Your initial reaction to a shredded six-

lands. Over the past several seasons I have located

inch cedar is to get up a tree and hunt within sight of that

great terrain features that tend to funnel deer through the area providing for some great hunting. In the past couple seasons I have added big rubs to the

rub. Sometimes this works but most times you should try to locate the area that the buck is likely spending his day. If the rub is in the wide open next to a field or in

Angling-Technologies is not just for fishing. I use Angling-Technologies interactive technologies for all my outdoor mapping. The ability to mark spots then download them into you own GPS is invaluable to the trophy buck hunter that relies on terrain features to ambush giant bucks wherever they hunt. www.anglingtechnologies.com also allows you to download points you found in the woods to the interactive maps online to connect rub lines to and from bedding areas or food sources.

With this technology you can plan your best routes in and out as well as the distance you must travel to and from your stand. Anglin-Technologies is a great tool for all outdoor trip planning. Check it out at www.angling-technologies.com. a stand of mature hardwoods, where you can see a mile, then that buck is likely visiting those rubs at night and a sighting during good shooting light is not likely. In the past I was hunting areas that was covered up with buck sign but I was not seeing mature bucks. I continued hunting these areas because I was seeing deer but decided I had to try something different.

Finally the decision was made to just tough it out and hunt where I thought the bigger bucks were hiding. I located the most remote areas of the public land that I hunt and began hunting terrain features that had some low browse and acorns but no deer sign at all or at least not any that I could detect.

Ironically the very first time I tried this I had a decent six point meander by my tree well before dark which was very unusual at my old stands even for a small buck. Needless to say after many hours on stand, fine tuning this technique to include terrain features, my buck sightings have more than doubled and just as I suspected I see very few does now and even though I like seeing deer activity I would

much rather see the horns.

A lake surrounds my hunting area on three sides.

I like to find two or three coves fairly close together.

These coves form peninsulas where deer bed and feed depending on what is located on these peninsulas. Ideally I prefer at least one peninsula that contains some thickets for potential beds and remember it need only be big enough for one deer if you are hunting big bucks. A lone brush pile left by a storm can be enough of a bed for these loners.

I had located some big rubs all the way out one of the peninsulas where there was no food at all and it was fairly open so I figured the buck must have been making his rounds there under the cover of darkness. Now comes the decision on where to set up for the ambush. The peninsula with the cover is where I felt the buck was spending his days so you don’t want to get too close to that area but close enough to get a shot during the day as the buck leaves his bed to patrol his area which may or may not include the third peninsula, between these two, which consisted of very open hardwoods and lots of acorns so it very

well could be where he feeds but again probably

at 10:45 am on a hot windy morning. I nearly de-

at night so you want to be setting at the entrance

parted my perch several times that morning but the

to this peninsula. So I set my stand between the

rubs gave me the confidence that a good buck was

bed and the rubs and at the end of the peninsula

in the area so I stayed. It was mid November and

with the acorns with the lake in sight of my stand.

the does were hot and this buck looked as though he

Now if the buck decides to leave his bed and

had been out a little late, cruising chicks.

check out his territory I have it covered because

The shot was true at 32 yards and I saw the nice

the rubs tell me that he prefers that area and gives

eight pointer go down. The buck came down the

me a direction I can have confidence the buck is

narrow point I had chosen for this stand. The point

traveling. If I am wrong I have enough visual

proved perfect as drainages skirted both sides and

coverage of the area to determine if the buck is

was chocked full of brush and briers, a great place

coming from another direction. It really helps

to hide but miserable for travel. Deer will use the

when you have a rub line connecting all the pen-

easiest route when not pressured and that is where

insulas, which is what I had in this location.

locating good terrain features becomes key. The

It took several days at this stand before he first

buck was on the move and had no time to waste

deer was seen. He emerged from out of nowhere

crawling through the thick stuff. He came right

down the center of the point grunting and I stopped

stand and to each his own but if you want to get

him with a light grunt of my own and sealed the deal.

serious about bagging a good buck, especially

Coincidentally the buck had just made the turn that

with a bow, then try this approach. Be patient as

would have taken him to the open peninsula to visit

this method takes some time to learn and to be-

his rubs and scrapes. These thick drainages provide

gin to see the whole picture in your neck of the

great bedding areas for does. The buck was probably

woods but its well worth the time and hopefully

checking them out for does and the quickest way was

this information will help you put together a plan

down this point. He could check both sides by smell

that puts a nice buck down.

and sound as he was signaling to any deer in those thickets that he was coming through. Deer know how to use the terrain to cover more ground to locate hot does and the sooner the hunter realizes this the better.

So get out there and do some early scouting.

Look for early rubs and make a note. Look at the big picture and try to imagine where deer are traveling and put together a plan. Locate the terrain features that tend to funnel deer movement into a confined area. Later in the season cautiously scout these locations and some new ones for active and aggressive rubs. Put it all together and you just might find that this tactic really works. Be patient as deer sighting may go down but buck sightings should increase.

This approach to hunting may not be for everyone. It took me several seasons to stay away from all the sign and focus more on where bucks like to hang during the day, which is not with the does that tend to make the more visible sign we see around fields and logging roads. Some hunters, even if you proved this method to them, would still prefer to hunt where they can see a lot of territory and a lot of deer. I do under-

Locate the big rubs and then use terrain features to find the most likely travel route of your next bruiser.