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The 5 Biggest Bass Ever Caught

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It’s the most highly-coveted record in fishing… the world record largemouth bass. Break the world’s mark and fame and fortune will be yours. Here’s a list of the top 5 biggest largemouth bass every caught…

1: The Beast from the East (22.311 Pounds)

World Record Largemouth
Caught in 2009 by Manabu Kurita in Japan’s Lake Biwa, this beast, by weight, is heavier than the long standing record set by George Perry in 1932. However, since Kurita’s fish only weighed just slightly over an ounce more than Perry’s, by rule the IGFA declared it a two-way tie for the heaviest bass ever landed.
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How to Sardine-Wrap a Plug

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Not many things work better for river kings than a sardine-wrapped plug!

For some reason, there seems to be a lot of mystery out there regarding sardine-wrapped plugs for salmon. It may be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated, but there’s really nothing to it. Here’s a quick crash course on how to do it.

It all starts with good bait!

You have to start with fresh bait. The bagged, mushy kind just won’t cut it. I catch my own, brine them on the boat and then vacuum seal and freeze ’em. You want a firm, bright bait with all its scales intact.

Next, a quick fillet job…

Take a sharp knife behind the sardine’s head and make a cut down to the backbone. When you hit the spine, turn the blade flat an cut a fillet from the side of the fish.

Now, just flip it over and do the same thing on the other side

Time to make some sardine pants!

Cut the fillet into sections. How large a piece you use depends on the size of the plug. In this case, I was wrapping smaller K14 and M2 sized plugs, so the pieces need to be smaller so as to not overwhelm the lure’s action. Using a pair of scissors, make a cut down the center line down each piece so that they look like little pairs of “pants.”

Fire Cure will preserve wraps and give them extra scent

At this point, you are ready to roll…simply place the baits on the belly of a plug and wrap it on with stretchy thread. However, you can also do some “aftermarket” upgrading too…Lately, I have been making my wraps the night before fishing and then sprinkling some Pautzke’s Fire Cure egg cure on them and letting them sit in a plastic tub overnight in the fridge. The cure toughens the baits, gives them extra color and, of course, you get that great sodium sulfate scent (+ krill and others) that kings love.

The finished product…

Now, wrapped up and cured, these plugs are ready to go!

More Salmon Techniques

Plugging for Steelhead 101

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Now that side-drifting’s all the rage for steelhead, pulling plugs is rapidly becoming a lost art.

Not too many years ago, most steelheaders who fished from boats backtrolled wigglers like Hot Shots and Wiggle Warts. Then, side-drifting eggs got popular – thanks in part, to some schmuck who wrote an entire book on the subject – and a lot of anglers…well…pulled the plug on plug pulling.

There’s no denying that drifting eggs will almost always produce more steelhead than any other method, but pulling plugs does have its moments. They can be a real day saver in high, off-colored conditions but also often yield spectacular results when things are low and clear as well.

In tight quarters, you can sometimes put a plug into a spot that no bait drifter could reach – and, generally speaking, plugs also give you your best shot at a really, really big fish. In addition, plugging is a cool way to get people who maybe can’t wade or cast all that well – kids or older folks – into some steelies.

But all of that’s really just a bonus.

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How to Tie Yarn Balls for Steelhead

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Lately, my wife’s been saying maybe I should have married yarn instead of her

I the January 2011 issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine, I wrote an article called the “Ultimate Steelhead Bait,” which highlights why yarn eggs are a wonderful tool for those of us addicted to chasing anadramous rainbows. I also talked about how to fish them. Well, here’s kind of the companion piece… how to tie the little buggers!

Yarn Selection

For steelhead fishing, I like pinks and oranges, sometimes mixed with white and/or a little chartreuse. It’s going to be different everywhere you fish, so go ahead and experiment on your local creeks. Half the fun of making Yarnies is trying out new color combinations.

There are several yarn manufacturers out there and I mostly use the UV stuff put out by Steelhead Stalkers and Glo Bug Yarn by the Bug Shop in Anderson, CA. Overall, I think Steelhead Stalkers makes the better product, but I do like some of the colors the Bug Shop has, so I often mix and match. Anyway, I’ll show you the way I do it with each brand.

Tying a Yarnie

First off, you’ll need some bad-ass scissors for making yarnies. Most folks say to buy the fancy fly tying variety, but I really prefer this style. They’re sharp as hell, spring loaded and you don’t have to mash your fingers into the rings, which is a lot more comfortable in the long run. This pair is made by Fiskars and my wife buys them at the fabric store.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and drop $20 for a really good pair of scissors!

Okay, starting with a Yarnie made from Steelhead Stalkers’ yarn, cut two or three 1- to 2-inch strands (it’s super thick and “fluffy,” so you don’t need a lot).

It doesn’t take much Steelhead Stalkers yarn to make a yarnie

Next, stack it like a furry ice cream sandwich…

A little pinch between your cheek and gums…kidding of course!

Next take some thread…either Miracle Thread, or better yet, Ghost Cocoon, and make 10 very tight wraps in the middle of the yarn and break the tag end off…

Make sure the wraps are tight!!

What you end up with is a little butterfly looking critter. Ah, isn’t he cute?

While this would probably catch a fish, there’s some trimming yet to be done!

Now, squeeze one of the “wings” tight and trim it in a half-circle…

Making the half circle…here’s where the sharp scisssors come in handy!

Flip it over and do the same thing to the other side. When you’re done, the yarnie starts taking shape. Fluff it out at this point…

Almost there…

Okay, now take the “fluffed-out” Yarnie and trim any mohawks and wild hairs and you’re done…

A few last clips…

Glo Bug Yarn version

Before we get into rigging, here’s a quick version of how to tie a yarnie with Glo Bug or similar yarn…

Use at least 4 strands of Glo Bug Yarn because of its skinnier diameter

Wrap 10 tight ones with the thread in the middle

Now, fold all 8 strands together, pinching the “elbow” tight with your thumb and finger

Same deal, cut the loose ends in a half-circle. But don’t cut the other side!

Fluff all the loose ends out…

Use your thumb as a guide and trim, trim, trim until you get a nice round(ish) ball…

The only bummer is how much material is wasted with this method…

Rigging

Rigging a yarn ball is simple…you can add it to your bait loop if you’d like, but for drift fishing, I prefer to run the hook right through the center of the “bait,” and push it up tight against the hook’s eye. Next, add a small Fish Pill to the back end and you’re in business!

Where legal, add some scent and you’re really got an effective steelie weapon! Shy away from the sticky and gel-based ones and stick to oils or straight liquids. The night before I fish, I’ll throw my yarnies in a small Zip-Loc with a couple squirts of Mike’s Salmon Egg or Shrimp Glo Scent or Pro Cure’s Sand Shrimp oil. The yarn will absorb some of the scent and then, as it washes out, you can add a dab or two when needed throughout the day. You can also mush up some roe or loose eggs and dip your yarn in the juice… they milk just like the “real” thing.

Mmmm…steelhead food!

Hopefully, this is the end result of all that cuttin’ & fluffin!

More Steelhead Techniques

3 Tips to Help Improve Your Outboard Jet’s Performance

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Forget push-up bras, keg cans, iPods and 52-inch flat screens…for my money, outboard jets have to be one of the best inventions of all time. I mean, anything that allows me to blaze 30 mph through 2-inch shallows is definitely on the short list of cool stuff to own.

But on the other hand, there are days when I want unbolt my outboard and use it as an anchor. Talk about an inefficient way to propel one’s self upriver! Outboard jets are about 30 percent less efficient than their prop-driven cousins…and that’s when the stinking thing is brand spankin’ new. After some good use, the output goes down even more.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to help make your outboard jet run like new again.

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