|
When winter bass hide where the sun don’t shine, Bassmaster Classic Winner, Davy Hite lights ‘em up with a Trigger X Hodad.
“In cold water, many bass seek shelter and insulation beneath matted cover, like hyacinths and topped out hydrilla,” says Hite, the 1999 Bassmaster Classic champ. “The right lure to make them bite” is the Hodad.
As winter progresses, bass become more sluggish. Some move deep, some suspend, and a portion of the population seeks dense cover to hide in. Thick cover comes in many forms, but for Hite, matted vegetation is the best.
“Find that, and you’ll find bass, especially in the wintertime,” he says.
The Hodad’s soft texture and slim, tubular profile allows Hite to easily punch through such thick cover. And the Hodad’s subtle appendages quiver just enough, he says, to draw the attention of lethargic, cold-weather bass without spooking them.
But what closes the deal for Hite are the Ultrabite Aggression Pheromones impregnated into each Trigger-X soft-plastic bait. Whether it’s curiosity, territorial reasons, or simply a defense mechanism, bass react to the special formulation even when they’re not in the mood to eat.
“When I won Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta, the fish were holding beneath rafts of hyacinths,” Hite recalls. “As the tournament progressed, the bite got tougher. I had to really slow down to get a reaction. And even though that event was in the heat of summer, the pattern was the same as you’d find in the wintertime - ultra slow.”
In the south, hyacinths and other forms of matted vegetation survive the winter. The cover may appear dead and brown, but it’s still healthy below the surface, and bass feel very secure hidden beneath that canopy. Knowing he has the right lure to make them bite, Hite’s only challenge is getting that bait in front of them.
“I rig the Hodad Texas style, using a 4/0 VMC Heavy Duty Flippin’ Hook and large tungsten weight - just enough weight to penetrate the canopy - no more,” he says. “Then it’s only a matter of patience and having the confidence to let the pattern develop.”
|
