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When you can yank a 4# river bass out of a beaver hut, you know you have the right Lew's Combo |
April has once again been a mystery with the weather patterns. 2024 was much of the same, up and down temperatures, dry conditions and then a lot of rain. It almost seems to be on repeat for 2025 as Iowa has gotten quite a bit of rain lately. Many times I think anglers make it more difficult to catch bass this time of year than they need too. Sure, there are a lot of great baits that can catch fish this time of year as we swing towards May, but if you want to keep things simple and go out and catch some bass, make sure and have these to combos ready to go.
1- Pitching Stick: this rod can be used to pitch jigs or a Texas-Rig plastic of your choice. My favorite has become a Lew's Custom Pro 7ft 3in rod with the SuperDuty reel offering the flipping switch. This Med/Hvy fast action rod can handle heavier jigs as well as 1/8oz Texas-Rigs.
2- Bladed Jig/Spinnerbait rod: A rod that can handle these baits need to have a little backbone to it, but a lot of flex to get your bait where you want it. The Custom Lite Rod in the 7ft 3in length offering medium/heavy power and moderate action is the one you want. I pair this rod with the all new Custom Pro reel from Lew's. This combo has served me very well around heavy cover and rocky shorelines. The balance of this rod/reel combo allow my to throw it with ease and pick out small targets to hit during this cold water period.
These two rods have been used heavily the past 6 weeks on the water chasing largemouth and smallmouth bass. It is critical any time of the year to properly match your baits with the correct rod. Using the correct rod will help you make longer and more accurate casts with your baits. Make sure and check your reel gear ratio as well. This will control how much line you are bringing in with each turn of the handle. Some baits you will want a slower retrieve, like a crankbait, while other techniques like a jig or Texas-rig will require a faster gear ratio.
Take some time this month to align your combos to the baits you will use with them. Memorize the actions and power of your poles so you can make quick decisions on the water to allow you more fishing...I mean "catching" time!