Toledo Bend Guide - How To ''Mop Up'' On Bass

Right before the end of the year I had the opportunity to try out some baits that I think are just pure dynamite. These baits are made by Buckeye Lures, a USA company that produces a fine line of custom made products.

In case you are not familiar with Buckeye Lures they are headquartered in Martinez, Georgia and make some of the finest fishing lures on the market. If you’re looking for Quality then Buckeye Lures will be the place to shop. Each of the baits are made with only the finest materials available. Superior craftsmanship and attention to detail make these baits perform more realistically in the water -- and this boils down to more action and big time strikes.

Jeremy Altman, President of Buckeye Lures, put it very well when he said, “One look at our baits and you’ll see why fishermen everywhere are calling Buckeye Lures “Better than Luck”.

Buckeye Lures has a wide selection of products ranging from jig heads, jigs, buzzbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. For purposes of this article I would like to present a few of these baits so that you can get an idea of how innovative this company really is, and I will end up featuring a bait that should especially interest you Texas/Louisiana anglers -- the Mop Jig.

Spot Remover – This quality jig comes in four models and has a Mustad Ultra-Point black nickel hook. It’s a classy looking set-up and comes in colors of black, brown, green pumpkin, with the “Finesse Jig” also available in black/blue, orange pumpkin and white. A size is available for all your fishing needs and range from 1/16-oz up to 1/2-oz. The Magnum size comes with a heavy-duty Flipping hook.

The “Pro Model” bait has a spiral wire coming out of the head that allows you to easily attach a plastic trailer such as a worm or craw. The head of the bait sits flat on the bottom of the lake and the bait stands straight up off the bottom allowing it to be easily seen and taken by a hungry bass.

Flat Top Finesse Jig – A great jig that also comes in a good assortment of colors. This jig sets upright with the hook in the best position for a solid hook-set. This jig was designed with the help of pro angler Charlie Ingram.

If you are a tournament angler and looking for that special bait that will give you an edge over other anglers then check out the Su-Spin Blade and the Ditch Blade.

The Su-Spin Blade is a beautiful bait that looks more like a shad than the real thing. The bait has two small spinners running below the head and when you add your favorite fluke, grub or minnow -type bait to the hook the bait really comes alive. This bait will be great for all your fishing needs but should be outstanding for schooling fish.

The Ditch Blade – This unique bait will easily reach those fish positioned in deepwater and should be very easy to chunk when the wind is howling. A sinker strategically mounted on the lower spinner shaft will keep the bait running true and allow you to effectively work any depth of water. The bait is compact in size, has a strong hook and features beautiful colors ranging from pearl, blue, chartreuse, shad, plain lead and baby bass. Like the Su-Spin Blade, you can add your favorite plastic body to give it a “can’t resist” appeal to the bass.

The Wake Bait – This is a brand new addition to the Buckeye Lures arsenal and literally comes alive when it hits the water. If the bass are chasing shad or thumbing their nose at your normal baits then try The Wake. It is amazing.

Football Jig –
2008 was the year of the football jig and I can assure you that this will continue throughout 2010. This jig has great colors, a heavy-duty weedguard and a super sharp hook making it one of the very finest jigs on the market. The bait comes in ½, ¾ and 1-oz. size.

Colors are brown, perfect craw, black, black/blue, brown pumpkin, watermelon red, Texas craw, cinnamon purple, gold craw, green pumpkin and PBJ.

Mop Jig – Mop Jig

Anglers in the Southeastern part of our country have known about the Mop Jig for some time. This has been a “bread and butter” bait for many anglers and was brought to the spotlight when South Carolina’s Davy Hite used the bait to win the 2006 Pride of Georgia tournament. The Mop Jig then started getting national attention when others followed Hite to the winners circle using what was referred to as “the unusual looking bait that catches Big bass”.

When I received the Mop Jig to test, my first reaction was to trim the 4 to 5-inches of live rubber skirting (like most anglers seem to do). That is a mistake and once you drop the bait into the water you will see why. The Living Rubber skirt suddenly gets very seductive and undulates like no other bait on the market today. The bait looks somewhat like a crawfish in a defensive mode and that seems to be what attracts the attention of big bass. Add a trailer to the jig and it is just outstanding.

My next thought was that the profile of the bait was too large to catch smaller bass -- and that too was a mistake. I caught two pound bass on the bait so the size of the bait is no issue. And when I saw the bait doing it’s gyrations in the water I just knew that this bait could put some serious bass in my weigh-in bag.

One interesting fact that I found out during the recent Bass Master Classic is that the jig originally started out as the “Heavy Rubber Living Jig”. Pro tournament angler Davy Hite was sharing a room at a tournament with Kevin VanDam and when he showed KVD the bait VanDam just laughed and said that Hite needed to trim the bait because its long rubber skirt looked like a mop. Thus was born the name “Mop Jig”.

One of the keys to this baits success is the way the skirt is tied to the head. Wire is wrapped tightly around the throat of each skirt making it flare out more than normal. The head design of the Mop Jig is a rocker type with a flat bottom that is angled at 45- degrees, thus allowing the plastic worm or craw trailer to stand straight up in Mr. Bass’ face. The bait comes with a couple of rattles on the shank to attract those bass that may need something a little extra to make them hit.

Most of us in this part of the world want a quality hook that will perform well when a 7- pound or bigger bass is on the other end of the line. The Mop Jig has a 5/0 Mustad heavy duty flipping hook that will certainly get the job done. Be sure that you have some fairly heavy equipment and stout line when fishing this big bass bait.

One important item when you are fishing the Mop Jig is to not work it too fast. Slow down your retrieve and allow the bait to sit longer in one spot than you normally would. Then shake the jig on a somewhat limp line which will move the rattles and skirt without actually moving the bait. This action will cause the shirt to flare and move about in a tantalizing manner. Hold on tight to your rod when doing this because the strikes can be awesome. Another thing to keep in mind is that the longer Live Rubber skirt sinks slower than most of your other jigs, and this is great for attracting bass when they may be in a finicky mood.

Many of the anglers in Texas and Louisiana know that a jig can be one of the most reliable baits you can be chunking for quality size fish. The Mop Jig will add another dimension to your fishing by giving big bass a unique and lifelike appearance that they haven’t seen before and just can’t resist. I have a feeling that all of you Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend anglers will just love the Mop Jig. It is a bait for serious anglers and will stand up under the wear and tear of rocks, trees …and BIG bass.

Whether you are a tournament angler or just lunker hunting on your favorite fishing hole, the Mop Jig may well be the bait that helps you catch that bass of a lifetime.

Well there you are, a quick look at some of the newest baits on the market from one of the premier companies in the world – Buckeye Lures. All of the baits are made in the USA and as I stated previously -- the quality is outstanding.

For more information regarding the complete line of products contact the following: Buckeye Lures 310 Commerce Drive Martinez, GA 30907 Phone (706) 863-5468 or 1-866-GOBUCKEYE Or go to the website www.buckeyelures.com Cap