When most people think about summer fishing they think that the largemouth does deep, don’t overlook shallow water and thick cover. Big bass are waiting in the thickest of cover, awaiting to ambush prey. Use a heavier bullet weight like ½ to 1 ounce (preferably tungsten); also use a rubber bobber stop to peg the weight to make your bait weedless. The heavier weight pushes through cover better and the faster fall garners more strikes. Use a 5/0 heavy-duty straight-shank hook. Snell your line to your hook––this will pull the shank of the hook upwards, resulting in better hook-ups in the top of the fish’s mouth.
With warming water temperatures, pompano that are usually found inshore look for cooler water with current, like bridges and piers that are close to deeper channels. Best times to target pompano are during the moving tides. Pompano will wait for food while facing the oncoming current, so drifting small shrimp and crabs down current if a sure way to catch them. The G. Loomis Pro Green rods are ideal for these situations.
After a day of saltwater, brackish, or even dirty freshwater fiahing, it’s important to clean off your reels to keep them performing at the highest level. Without proper cleaning, salt and dirt can damage them inside and out. Shimano Reel Service Manager Doug Bouse shares his simple maintenance tips for cleaning your baitcasters after a day in the salt. • 4 8-ounce pompano fillets
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil • 2 limes, halved • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Directions 1. Rub the fillets with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. Grill the fillets skin-side up over a medium-hot fire for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip them and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through. 3. Remove the fillets from the fire, drizzle them with the olive oil, squeeze a half lime over each, and sprinkle them with the parsley. |