Go Micro for Extra-Fussy Smallmouth Bass

It’s no longer a secret that very small baits, when created with proper attention to detail and fished properly, can be absolute difference makers for BIG, heavily pressured smallmouth bass (and other bass, for that matter). Great Lakes Finesse has led the fishing industry in developing premium finesse soft-plastic baits and the right terminal tackle for presenting them, especially for the biggest bass in the Great Lakes region.

Not long into the original lure development process, the GLF crew began realizing there were times that going even smaller could be the key to finding continued success, so they begin working on downsized versions of GLF’s most popular baits and the smaller terminal gear needed for properly presenting the extra-small baits.

“We found that there are times when going really small makes a big difference for catching those really big fish,” said Dan Miguel, GLF brand manager and co-founder of the brand.

The result was the creation of the new GLF Micro Series, which includes smaller versions of the Drop Minnow, Snack Craw and Juvy Craw, plus the Mini Micro Tube Head and Micro Sneaky Underspin.

Not lost in any of the Micro Series offering is GLF’s unwavering attention to the details that set apart the brand’s elite offerings. The baits’ shapes are the same – just smaller – and all feature matte finishes, true neutral buoyancy and GLF’s signature toughness. The Micro versions of the terminal pieces are built with the same quality of hooks and other components.

The Micro Series baits are approximately 40 percent smaller than the original versions. The Micro Series Snack Craw is 1.7 inches long, the Juvy Craw 2.0 inches and the Drop Minnow 2.25 inches. The Mini Micro Tube Heads use a No. 1 hook and are made to match with 1.5- to 2-inch tubes and come in 1/8-, 3/16, 1/4- and 3/8-ounce weights. The Micro Sneaky Underspins use a No. 1 Gamakatsu 604 hook and come in 3/32-, 1/8- and 3/16-ounce sizes.

• Extreme Visibility – All GLF baits were developed on the Great Lakes, where very clear water is the norm. However, these normally clear waters get even clearer at times. Combine that with bright skies, fish holding shallow and areas that don’t have a lot of obstructions, and there are situations when visibility for the bass becomes stupidly high, and that’s a time when the Micro Series baits can really shine.
• High Pressure Systems – Fish get extra finicky when the barometric pressure soars. Part of that is the normally clear skies that come with high pressure and the increased visibility already noted. It’s more than that, though. Fish (and other animals) simply tend to get less active and a bit more cautious under high pressure, again adding value in an even higher level of finesse.
• Heavy Fishing Pressure – The GLF team, all of which are avid tournament anglers, have found some of the greatest benefits from the Mico Series when fishing competitively and having to work behind other skilled anglers in key areas. Tournament fishing or not, heavy fishing pressure is a reality on premier bass waters, so having “difference maker” baits for fish that see a lot of anglers’ offerings, can be highly valuable.

Miguel uses the same general techniques for fishing the Micro Series baits as the original GLF offerings. He noted, however, that casting these baits and fishing them effectively really calls for the proper tackle set-up.

His rod of choice for the Micro Series is a GLF CX Finesse Rod. He opts for the 7-8 medium-light model, which was designed for long bombing very light baits.

He uses a high-quality spinning reel with an excellent drag system, spools it with 5-pound-test braid and adds a section of 6-pound-test leader.

As a side note, Miguel pretty quickly realized that while these baits were designed for giant, finicky smallmouth bass, they are also extremely effective for coaxing strikes from fussy crappie, bluegill, perch and other species and are apt to be heavily used by multi-species anglers!