One of the most-productive methods for triggering a reaction strike from a bass is to drop an intruder into his hiding spot when he’s in ambush mode. That’s why Chadd Eriksen and Jonathan Phillips both look forward to banging the shallow bushes by flipping and pitching.
“My magic number for when they spawn is 60 degrees, so leading up to that mark, I really like flipping bushes,” Eriksen said.
“The bushes can either be above the surface or submerged,” he said. “Typically, you can see everything you’re fishing while you’re working down the bank. The best things to look for are bushes completely by themselves. If you’ve got an isolated bush in a pocket or bay and the water is up to that magic number, nine times out of 10, you’re going to catch a fish.”
Whether you choose to flip or pitch is a personal preference; however, the key to both is to drop a jig silently into the cover so the fish doesn’t spook. In both techniques, the bait is swung in a pendulum motion from the angler to the target with no arc; the lure flies across the top of the water and lands with the least amount of impact.
Color-wise, jigs should mimic crawfish or bluegill in a ¼- to 3/8-ounce weight, often with a soft-plastic trailer. Eriksen chooses a 7-foot-3 heavy action Cashion worm and jig rod paired with an Ardent baitcaster with a 6.5-to-1 to 7.3-to-1 gear ratio, spooled with 20-pound fluorocarbon.
“You’ve got to get in a rhythm,” he said, “and figure out how the fish are wanting the bait. If I’m fishing 55- to 64-degree water, in cover near where bass will spawn, I leave the bait there and don’t touch it. I dead-stick the bait for 10 to 20 seconds. A lot of times, they’re just sitting there looking at it, and a little sudden movement will make them eat it.”
