(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
Mark Daniels Jr. earned his fishing stripes in the Bay Area of California, and particularly on the California Delta, where an angler who was so inclined could do well fishing nothing but straight heavy braid.
“It is a straight up, hardcore, power-fishing mecca,” he said. That fits many anglers just fine, because most of us love the feeling of hand-to-hand combat that comes with flipping or throwing a big topwater. “You want to crack one. You don’t just want to wind one in.”
When he first got out on tour, though, he was in for somewhat of a rude awakening. He did okay, but on more than one occasion he got his butt kicked by a single angler or a group of anglers utilizing spinning rods and light line, so he forced himself to get acclimated to finesse techniques. “It has become something that I really love,” he said of using a spinning rod. He carries spinning rods with him to every event, but he’s especially likely to pull them out on pressured fisheries or in clear water. Here are his top five light-line techniques, in order of preference:
First is a dropshot, which he uses all over the country. “It has saved me time after time,” he explained.
Next up is a Neko Rig, which contended for the top spot. He uses a variety of soft plastics, but the rigging is always the same – a nail in the head and a wacky rig.
Third is a Ned Rig, which was the main player in his Elite Series victory on South Dakota’s Lake Oahe “It is absolutely deadly.” A 2.75-inch Z-Man TRD with a Finesse ShoomZ Head produces number of bass, including some giants.
Number four is an “old school” Texas Rig, usually with the weight unpegged for more action, which can be fished in heavier cover than some of the others.
Rounding out the quintet is the shaky-head, which he doesn’t use as much as some of his colleagues, but he’s especially certain to have it ready to go on spotted bass fisheries, as they seem to love something about the profile.
He fishes all of these rigs on medium to medium-heavy spinning rods, usually between 7 feet and 7 feet, 3 inches in length. He said proper line choice is the most important element of finesse fishing, and one that should not be taken lightly. He relies on high-visibility Seaguar braid, 15-pound test ,which he calls a “happy medium.” It provides great strength, but also maximum distance on his casts.
To that main line he adds a leader of Seaguar Tatsu, usually 6-, 8- or 10-pound test, rarely any higher. “It’s the best fluorocarbon money can buy,” he said. While it’s not inexpensive, since he’s only using short lengths of it, a single spool should last the average angler an entire fishing season. “If you buy a spool of it you’re not going to want to use anything else.” He connects the two lines with the Alberto Knot.
If you want to get more insight into MDJ’s finesse-fishing secrets, including how small balsa crankbaits like a No. 5 Shad Rap fit into the mix, check out his video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
