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.