Carolina-Rigging the Spike-O

Another technique that I use a lot at this time of year is fishing the Spike-It Diamond Flash 5” Spike-O on a short Carolina rig. I only use about 2 feet of leader coming off my barrel swivel going to the Spike-O. Later in the spring, I fish the Spike-O with 3 to 5 feet of leader. At this time of year, I believe the shorter the leader, the better. I prefer the natural colors, like the blue holograph, green pumpkin and most of the other holographic colors. In many of the lakes I fish, I generally find the bass deep and the holographic colors appear to be more natural to the fish. The reason I like the Spike-O better than the lizard or the plastic worm is that it’s a do-nothing bait. Rather than having a wiggling, jumping or swimming motion, the Spike-O glides through the water, and therefore makes it a very-subtle bait. This is a bait the fish can easily see, catch and eat. It’ s also a very-tempting come-here type of bait. I think the bass are being lazy at this time of the year. Often the water is still cold, and they’re not very active. I think they want a more-subtle presentation that doesn’t cause them to expend as much energy as a fast-moving bait. When you drag this bait, it slowly glides above the bottom, causing many bass to bite. I don’t believe it will bite a faster-moving bait. Because the Spike-O doesn’t look like any other lure that most anglers fish on the Carolina rig, it gives the fish a different look than what they’re accustomed to seeing, especially with the holographic colors. I can’t really get inside a fish’s head and tell you why they do what they do. However, I can tell you that at this time of the year, using a short leader on a Carolina rig with a Spike-O with holographic colors will catch bass. That fact is what’s most important.

TOMORROW: BLADE BAITS