A 4.7:1 Baitcaster Is Hard To Beat This Time of Year

I've been using this Pinnacle model with all my crankbaits since the water got cold, and I swear by it. Combined with keeping your rod tip tilted up, a slow retrieve with this reel usually keeps your square-bill crankbaits moving along with only occasional hangups.

This reel, combined with a BPS medium-light crankin' stick and a Bill Norman Thin N, accounted for three bass and one white perch today. My other rig, consisting of a Lew's reel, a St. Croix medium crankin' stick, and a Rapala Shadow Rap Shad put one bass in the boat.

The bass today included an 8-incher, 12.5-incher, a 1-5, and the 1-8 pictured at right. I once again was fishing the same stretch of West Neck that has been working for me throughout this late season. And as has been the case most of the time here lately, I had the place all to myself.

With yesterday's temps as warm as they were, water temps were hovering in the mid-40s when I launched about 10 o'clock this morning. They were reading in the upper 40s when I quit about 2:15.

Can't say when I'll get out again. It all depends on the weather. My goal is to log my 300th bass this season before I have to lock down for the winter. I'm still six fish away from that mark, which, given the current trend, likely will require a couple more trips. Whether I make it or not, I'll be content, because I've already eclipsed my totals each of the past two years by a hundred fish.

I had a note from Ron already when I got home this afternoon. He fished Tecumseh this afternoon. "'Twas a bit breezy and cool," he said, "but not too bad."

Rob launched about 2:30 p.m. and didn't find a bite until about 4 p.m. He started with a few very small chain pickerel and a few dink bass (pictured at bottom). By sunset, he had caught a nice 12-inch crappie (left, along with the crappie Ron's buddy gave him) and a 21-inch chain pickerel.

A buddy ended the day with a 16- and an 18-inch bass, as well as two nice crappie that he sent Ron's way for a taco dinner. The 18-incher hit a beetlespin slow-trolled just under a bobber. He noticed his trolled bobber cruise alongside his yak and then proceed ahead of it before he realized it was being pulled along by the bass.

Once more, Ron's successful bait was his XTS Minnow. He didn't even try another bait today. He worked the bait slowly, just below the surface.

"Next time, I'm going to try a Shadow Rap shallow," he said. He noted, however, that they tend to run a bit deeper and are snag magnets.