Catch More Bass — Bass Fishing Podcast

Why do two identical Zoom Super Flukes swim differently, and how many bass are eating your bait without you ever feeling the bite? Two time Bassmaster Elite Series winner Brandon Cobb reveals the rigging details, retrieves, and hookset adjustments that can help you catch more fish on a Fluke.What You’ll LearnThe best Fluke hooks: Why Brandon switches between 3/0 and 4/0 offset worm hooks and EWG hooks, and the tradeoffs between better action and better hookups.Rigging secrets: His toothpick trick, why hook placement matters, and how to keep a Fluke running straight without constantly replacing it.The right rod and line: Why he prefers spinning gear, 15 lb braid, a swivel, and a 12 to 18 inch leader.Better Fluke action: Why solid colors cast farther and swim differently than laminated colors, plus how bent tails can ruin the action.Retrieves that catch bass: When to twitch, burn, steadily reel, or pause a Fluke, and why changing cadence matters.Bites you never feel: What LiveScope revealed about bass inhaling and spitting out Flukes, and why waiting to feel a bite can cost you fish.When to throw a Fluke: How to recognize the right conditions and when to switch to a topwater, wacky worm, or jighead minnow.The biggest Fluke mistakes: Why casting distance and retrieve cadence are two of the most important things anglers overlook.Guest: Brandon Cobb, two time Bassmaster Elite Series winner.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3TSave 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10offFollow Catch More Bass. New episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Most anglers think of spy baits as specialty clear water lures. But U.S. Open champion Josh Bertrand explains why they're one of his favorite cleanup baits for catching bass after everything else quits working. Learn when to throw one, how to fish it correctly, and how to get bonus bites from productive spots before moving on.Plus, Josh shares some unusual West Coast fishing patterns, including a surprising buzzbait technique and ways to catch deep bass on tough days.What You'll LearnWhen to throw a spy bait: Why it's rarely Josh's first choice, but often his best option when a school stops biting other lures.The right water and conditions: How spy baits work around grass, rock, and suspended bass, even when visibility is only a few feet.The retrieve that gets bit: How to count the bait down, keep it above the fish, and retrieve slowly enough to produce its subtle rolling action.Choosing the right spy bait: Why Josh generally starts with a 70 mm fast sinking model and when a slower sinking version makes more sense.Josh's exact setup: His preferred medium light spinning rod, light braid, fluorocarbon leader, drag setting, and approach to landing bass on small treble hooks.Getting bonus bites: How a spy bait can catch additional fish after crankbaits, worms, and drop shots stop producing.An unusual West Coast topwater pattern: How bass feeding on dragonflies can create surprising buzzbait opportunities.Finding and catching deep bass: Josh's approach to schooling fish, spoons, blade baits, and electronics during tougher conditions.Guest: Josh Bertrand, U.S. Open champion, Bassmaster Elite Series winner, and Berkley spy bait designer.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3TSave 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10offFollow Catch More Bass. New episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Why aren't you getting bites when flipping good bass cover? Sometimes it's not the jig, Texas rig, or color you're throwing. It's where you put the bait, how it falls, and how you approach the cover.Fresh off a $500,000 Ultimate Angler Championship victory on Lake Guntersville, Nick LeBrun joins Tom Redington to share his complete flipping and pitching system. From docks and laydowns to flooded bushes and thick grass mats, Nick explains the adjustments that help him catch more bass, especially the big ones.What You'll LearnWhen to flip a jig versus a Texas rig, depending on coverHow longer, quieter pitches can produce bigger bassHow to select flipping weights, including when a heavier weight gets more bitesWhere to put your bait around laydowns, flooded bushes, docks, and grass matsWhen to use 50 lb braid versus 20 lb fluorocarbonWhy Nick prefers straight shank hooks with a snell knotHow to create a true vertical fall without pulling your bait away from bassHow boat positioning, trolling motor speed, and presentation affect your bitesGuest: Nick LeBrun, $500,000 Ultimate Angler Championship winner, multiple time national pro winner, 2018 All American champion and noted shallow power fisherman.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3TSave 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10offFollow Catch More Bass. New episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Two Bassmaster Elite Series wins on a drop shot, one targeting largemouth in heavy timber and another chasing smallmouth in open water. Joey Cifuentes breaks down the little details that separate anglers who occasionally get bit from those who consistently catch more bass on a drop shot.What You'll LearnWhy Joey relies on a drop shot for pressured and bottom oriented bass, even with the popularity of jighead minnows.How to choose hook sizes, from tiny #4 hooks for clear water smallmouth to stronger 2/0 and 3/0 hooks around heavy cover.How far to position your weight below the bait, and when to adjust that distance for grass, bottom cover, and fish behavior.When to use lighter or heavier drop shot weights, and why Joey ties directly to his tungsten weights.How Joey chooses braid, fluorocarbon leader strength, and leader length for different water conditions.Why keeping the weight on bottom while subtly moving your bait can make such a big difference.How to set the hook and manage your drag without pulling small hooks out of bass.Joey's favorite finesse worm colors, bait modifications, and other details that can trigger extra bites.Guest: Joey Cifuentes, two time Bassmaster Elite Series winner.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3TSave 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10offFollow Catch More Bass. New episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

How do you get more and bigger bites on a swim jig when everyone around you is throwing the same technique? At 77, Tom Monsoor is still beating top pros with the bait he has spent more than 50 years perfecting, and the difference comes down to the small presentation adjustments most anglers overlook.Tom breaks down how he changes a swim jig retrieve based on what the fish are telling him, from schooling bass and cold fronts to current seams, water clarity, depth, color, and changing water levels. He also explains why the right cast can still be wasted if the jig does not move through the strike zone exactly right.What you’ll learn:• Why bigger bass can sit underneath schooling fish and when to let the jig fall• When to swim, hop, lift, or work a swim jig along the bottom• How cold fronts change the retrieve and why one missed adjustment can cost a tournament• How water clarity changes how aggressively he works the jig• How to choose jig weight and trailer size for depth and forage• Why rising water can move river bass shallower• How current seams and exact presentation create bites other anglers miss• How Tom fine-tunes colors, trailers, feel, and retrieve throughout the day• Why decades of experience still separate him from anglers fishing the same waterGuest: Tom Monsoor — legendary swim jig specialist with more than 50 years refining the technique; still winning and finishing near the top against elite tournament competition at age 77.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠⁠Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠⁠Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠⁠Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠⁠

What lure details actually make bass bite, and what should you change first when your bait is getting ignored? This episode breaks down the factors bass actually respond to, including retrieve speed, fall rate, action, profile, color and contrast, sound, vibration, scent, taste, and how those priorities change with conditions and fishing pressure.Mark Sexton, Director of Fish Science and Product Testing at Pure Fishing, has spent nearly 30 years studying bass behavior and testing lures in the lab and on the water. He shares what their testing says anglers tend to overthink, what bass notice far more than we realize, and how to use that information to catch more fish.You’ll learn:• Why lure eyes and extreme cosmetic detail can matter far less than anglers think• Why green pumpkin works and why contrast may matter more than exact color• How retrieve speed, fall rate, profile, and erratic action change bass behavior• How bass use sight, smell, taste, sound, and their lateral line to evaluate a lure• What to change when bass follow a jighead minnow but refuse to eat it• How quickly bass can reject a lure after tasting it• How long bass may remember a lure after a negative experience• Why some weird looking baits trigger fish better than realistic ones• Why artificial lures can sometimes outperform live bait• What decades of lure testing reveal about the details that actually get bitesWatch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠ Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠ Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠

Jighead minnows dominate modern bass fishing, but they aren’t always the best way to get bit. BPT winner, longtime guide, and True Bass Swimbaits founder Ryan Salzman breaks down exactly when a boot-tail swimbait is the better tool—and the small rigging and retrieve details that can dramatically change your results.Ryan explains why swimbaits draw bass you may never see on forward-facing sonar, how he chooses between a soft Keitech-style bait and a firmer hollow body, and how depth, speed, line size, and jighead weight all work together.What you’ll learn:• When to choose a boot-tail swimbait instead of a jighead minnow• Why perfectly straight rigging can produce dramatically more bites• How to choose 2.8, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5-inch swimbaits• Jighead weights and line sizes for different depths and retrieve speeds• The pendulum-fall retrieve and why bites often come on the drop• Why Ryan keeps his rod around 9:30 for better swimbait action• The hookset mistake that costs anglers fish—and what to do instead• Ryan’s Alabama-rig tricks, including shaking the rig, mixing trailers, and choosing bladesGuest: Ryan Salzman — BPT winner, longtime Tennessee River guide, and founder of True Bass Swimbaits.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Fall is the season when almost anything can work, which is exactly what makes it so hard. Jeremy Lawyer breaks down the bait he keeps coming back to when bass scatter, conditions change, and he needs the kind of bite that can change his day.Lawyer has built a major part of his tournament résumé in the fall, including six All-American appearances, a 2016 All American win, and major fall success at Lake of the Ozarks. What you’ll learn:• Why reaction baits help locate scattered “wolf packs” before slow fishing ever finds them • How Lawyer uses buzzbaits, Ploppers, walking baits, and other topwaters as the water cools• Why topwater can keep producing in bright sun and even into 58–60° water in November and December • His counterintuitive cold-front rule: go shallower until water gets down around 50–53° • How he adjusts buzzbait color, blade, speed, and sound between sunny and cloudy conditions • Why he’ll sacrifice numbers for better bites—and when stubbornness with one bait can pay off Guest: Jeremy Lawyer, FLW Tour and 2016 All-American champion; six-time All-American qualifier; more than $1 million in career earnings with extensive fall tournament success.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠ Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠ Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠

The Carolina rig gets bit when nothing else will, but most anglers aren’t getting everything they can out of it. Peter Thliveros built a career with the technique and breaks down the details that separate simply dragging a C-rig from actually understanding what the rig is telling you.Peter also explains the Petey Rig, the finesse version he developed that breaks many of the rules of a traditional Carolina rig—and when he’d rather throw it.What you’ll learn:• Why Peter believes most anglers fish a Carolina rig too light and too fast• How much weight he uses and why heavier sinkers improve bottom contact• How he reads rock, shell, gravel, grass, and transitions through the rig• How Peter drags, pauses, snaps, and changes retrieve speed based on the fish• Leader length, line, hooks, and bait selection for a traditional Carolina rig• Why switching to a Fluke became one of the biggest changes in his C-rig fishing• How the Petey Rig differs from the standard Carolina rig and when it shines• How Peter uses both rigs to find productive water and generate bites when fishing gets toughGuest: Peter Thliveros, 8 time national tour winner, retired professional angler, longtime Carolina-rig specialist, and creator of the Petey Rig.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Fall bass fishing gets tough fast when everyone piles into the same obvious water. Matt Pangrac breaks down the repeatable system he uses to find overlooked bass, get bites on unfamiliar lakes, and avoid wasting the day chasing the crowd.After spending roughly a decade with fall as his primary fishing season, Matt developed a simple way to shrink big reservoirs into high-percentage water—and some of his best starting spots are places most anglers drive right past.What you’ll learn:• Why Matt starts near the lower end of the lake instead of automatically running to the backs of creeks• How fish-attractor buoys and your mapping can reveal productive fall water fast• Why vertical and horizontal structure coming together creates high-percentage bass spots• Matt’s heavy 3/8- to 1/2-ounce drop-shot setup and why he fishes it fast• How to rig and fish the backwards “chicken rig” around docks and suspended bass• How he uses heavy jighead minnows to trigger pelagic bass with forward-facing sonar• Why bridges, marinas, riprap, and ramps form his BMR² system for getting bit on almost any reservoir• How fishing pressure changes where fall bass set up—and why the obvious water can get burned quicklyGuest: Matt Pangrac — Bass Talk Live host, national-level tournament angler, Bassmaster Opens competitor, and longtime fall-fishing specialist.Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT.Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3