Featured Tip

"Go-To" Gonzos

The alternating weather patterns in winter from overcast and rainy to cold and clear create unique patterns that position the spots accordingly. Each year’s temperatures and weather patterns are different, therefore the fish are different — not always in the same places doing the same things year after year. As I fish these deep western lakes for active tournament-winning fish, I find myself going to the tried and true baits that entice the quality fish for the ride to the weigh in.

Jigs worked very slowly in rocky areas or in the bottoms of cuts or small creeks is one of the best methods for success. This is where the YUM Gonzo Grub is my go-to bait. I throw the 4-inch Gonzo on a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce football head and the 5-inch Gonzo on a1/2- or 3/4-ounce football head for spotted bass. When I find the depth of the baitfish or active arches on the electronics, I rig the appropriate weight jig head to make the presentation that will get those big bites.

I have found that the smaller fish seem to pick up the Gonzo vigorously and I feel the "thump" like a traditional jig bite. The tournament-quality fish I’m looking for seem to have the ability to inhale the bait by opening their mouths and expelling the water through their gills — getting the Gonzo into their mouths. That makes the bite seem like a subtle "nothingness" or something that is just different and is almost undetectable. When you feel this, set the hook! If I don’t feel the initial pickup, then the only thing I feel after a while is the little tick when they spit it out. I know this because when I feel the tick and set the hook, there’s nothing there. Another missed fish. Concentrate on what the jig is doing as you feel each rock it climbs over. Don’t hop the bait — use a slow, slithering method of moving the bait, and you will get the bigger bites we are all looking for.

The YUM Gonzo Grub has an advantage over other similar baits because the Gonzo contains LPT, live prey technology. These baitfish enzymes in LPT make the fish hold on much longer so I have more time to detect the pickup and then set the hook.

There are a few colors I use the most. Watermelon Red, Pumpkin Pepper Green Flake, Green Pumpkin and Watermelon Black Flake are the colors I like. These colors fill my needs in all water color situations I find here.

In these clear water lakes, I need to use lighter line to get the bigger fish to bite, which means I’m throwing 1/2-ounce football jigs on 10-pound line. This necessitates using a tough, invisible line that can hold up to the rough teeth the spotted bass possess. That’s why I only use Silver Thread AN40 in the Silver color. This is the best stuff for the job.

Next time you go after cold weather bass, try my "go-to" bait, the YUM Gonzo Grub. Make slow presentations, pay close attention to what the bait is doing, set the hook if anything seems different in any way and you will find a new "go-to" bait too.

Ken Sauret is a YUM Pro Staff member from California.