(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.)
Ever since Casey Ashley won a Bassmaster Classic using an underspin, many anglers have assumed that it’s purely a cold-weather deal. But Matt Arey has one tied on nearly all year round.
“The underspin is a super, super versatile bait,” he said. “It is a great baitfish imitator whether it is a shad, herring, alewife, whatever it is.” Bass feed on those standard baitfish all year, particularly in the South and East, so he’s sure to have one ready to go. He uses 3/8- and 5/8-ounce versions of his signature series Pulse Fish underspin most of the time, but occasionally mixes in a 1/4-ounce model when fishing shallower and more horizontally. He likes the Pulse Fish because it has a 3/0 Gamakatsu light-wire hook, a quality SPRO swivel and a blade arm that provides separation and minimizes fouling.
He generally throws them on a 7’ medium-action Lew’s Custom Pro rod, but he’ll go up to a beefier 7’3” model if he’s using the 5/8-ounce underspin, to get more leverage. He pairs it with a Lew’s Hyper Mag or Ti, both in 7:1 gear ratios and spooled with 10- or 12-pound P Line Tactical Fluorocarbon.
In the winter, he puts on a soft plastic that’s relatively subtle, like the Pulse Fish fork tail, a fluke-style lure with a flat spot on the nose to fit securely. His favorite color this time of year is pearl, and because the bass typically relate closely to the bottom he endeavors to stay in contact throughout the retrieve.
He said it’s “not one of my go-to deals” when fish are spawning, but he has it ready to throw at a moment’s notice. “As soon as they transition from spawn to postspawn, that’s when I’ll pick it up.” This is when he switches from mostly 5/8 to mostly 3/8, along with a sprinkling of the 1/4, and he tries to match the hatch, using a trailer with more action. “My cadence is pretty steady, pretty quick,” he said. He’ll reel consistently and then provide an occasional pop of the rod tip to make the lure look injured.
Then comes summer: “This is one of my favorite times of year to fish an underspin,” when the bass are relating to deep structure, he said. He needs clear water, usually 2-4 feet of visibility, but when it gets super-clear, like 7-10 feet of visibility, he may go to just a straight swimbait, without the blade.
“Fall can be one of the most confusing and complex seasons there is,” he said. That’s because fish can still be deep out on the main lake or they can be in 6 inches of water in the back of a creek. “It’s a great bait to match the hatch,” he said of the underspin. He uses a paddle-tail trailer with lots of action, up to 10 feet deep – although he noted that in some cases the fish could be 10 feet deep but over 40 feet of water. He’ll reel, kill it, pop it and start winding again.
If you want to learn some of the other secrets of how multiple-time tour winner Arey uses an underspin year-round, including why “nine times out of 10 it’s a pearlescent belly,” check out his full video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
