New system promises the biggest bass in the area, wherever you live.

Deadsticking—Leaving a motionless or barely twitching bait on the surface or near it often entices suspended bass in clear water. According to Ken Huddleston, “Even if they’re not in a mood to eat, bass can’t help beating up the injured.” His 12-inch floater is designed for this approach. “When you’re getting follows but no bites, try deadsticking,” he says.

“Make a long cast and let your bait sit for at least 15 seconds. Then twitch the bait so the tail moves slightly, but the bait should move no more than 6 to 12 inches. Pause again, 10 to 15 seconds, then give another little twitch. If you had bass following right to the boat, continue that retrieve all the way in.

“From that standard retrieve, you can then slow down. In extreme cases, I’ve found that pausing up to 20 minutes between twitches works best.” That’s patience. At times, Huddleston replaces a belly treble with a 1/2- to 1-ounce bell sinker on a 3-inch dropper. He fishes this rig in deadsticking fashion, but on deep shelves to imitate a trout feeding on the bottom.

Tackling Up

Tackle selection depends on the style and size of swimbaits fished and, to an extent, personal preference. For Storm’s 3-inch WildEye Jigging Swim Shad or Swim Shad or miniature Osprey and Optimum baits, a 61⁄2-foot medium-power spinning outfit with 10-pound-test braid is ideal. Lures 4 to 6 inches long call for standard crankbait outfits, including 61⁄2- to 71⁄2-foot medium-heavy power baitcasters or spinning rods.

Monofilament in the 12- to 15-pound-test range fits these applications around vegetation and light brush. Fluorocarbon lines excel for running swimbaits a bit deeper, and also allow more powerful hooksets than mono at the end of long casts, due to reduced stretch. When using braids, match with a softer rod to prevent pulling the lure away from biting fish or tearing hooks loose. Enhanced feel with braided line will help new swimbait users get used to the relative “nothing feel” of these lures, as compared to crankbaits.

For the heaviest lures, most swimbait experts prefer heavy mono or fluorocarbon line (20- to 30-pound test), as its greater diameter and stretch help prevent break-offs from surging giants. Small snarls in braid can snap the line when you’re fishing heavy lures, launching an expensive bait into the depths. Yet few western anglers seem to use braids in the 80-pound class, which might help in some shallow presentations in thick cover. Experiment to find the best combination for your applications.

Flippin’ sticks from 71⁄2 to 8 feet long can handle baits up to 2 ounces. For fishing megabaits, select from heavier muskie rods or from a small group of specialized rods built to cast swimbaits. Kistler Rods builds the 7- and 7-foot 4-inch Swimbait Special as part of their California Series, and they recently added an 8-footer to their Helium Series that’s proved popular with swimbait anglers.