Trevor Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Fishing LLC. presented some fishing techniques at the February meeting.
Fitzgerald began by presenting the wacky rigged Senko worm on a weightless spinning rig. He cautioned the club members not to disdain spinning tackle. He said that the spinning rig can be very effective for pond fishing. He added that he does not use the O-ring to attach the hook but hooks directly through the body of the worm. He said that the O-ring allows the hook to rotate into a position that doesn’t allow good hook setting.
He then presented a baitcasting rig, which he stated was the go-to rig of Bass fishermen. He had a jerkbait on the baitcasting outfit. He extolled the attributes of the jerk bait when fished in yo-yo fashion, often letting the bait remain motionless for as long as 20 seconds. He recommended a suspending type bait from Mega Bass.
He then moved to the latest bait to find a lot of use among pro fishermen: the blade bait, such as the Silver Buddy.
Fitzgerald said that yo-yoing the blade bait was also a recommended technique. He said that pond fishermen would like this bait because “you can cast it a mile, to the middle of the pond”. He noted that they come in weights of 3/8 to 3/4 ounce and that he uses 1/2 ounce baits.
Fitzgerald recommended changing the hooks on all baits because the ones that come on the baits are “crap”. He said get a light-wire hook from Gamakatsu or Owner “whatever you like”. He cautioned against using heavy hooks because they can change the balance of the bait and hence its action.
He mentioned a bait that he and Brian Thrift had developed: Brian Thrift Micro Jig.
Fitzgerald was well received by the membership many of whom gathered about the table at the front of the room to get a closer look at the baits and tackle that he had presented.
Jerry Lester, webmaster
The Villages Freshwater Fishing Club 