Bass Assassin

[Excalibur]

When fishing a 5" bass assasin on a 1/4 oz leadhead, what's the correct way to retrieve it ?

Do you just cast out and reel back in slowly or fast ?

What kind of cadence / action should you do ?

I tried looking for how to fish 'em on the net but most references discuss using them unweighted.

Just looking for some pointers.

Thanks,
Ex

[Otter]

First, most places like the Narrows where people are throwing 5" BA's require at least 1 oz jig. Most guys that I see out there will cast up-current, let it drop, jig 2-3 times, then retrieve fast. The current puts most of the action on the lure. Some guys don't jig or reel at all, just let it drift then retrieve and repeat.

[kidwithoutaboat]

i caught plenty of fish on a5" with a half ounce jig at the narrows. really depends on the current. if its really swift current i like to let it drift while retrieving very slowly and occasionally twitching, rod tip upward. if the current is not so swift, but there is alot of stuff on the bottom, i like to retrieve at a moderate pace, twitch and let sink for a second. if there is not alot of stuff on the bottom, i like to let it sink down and work it with long, sweeps.

[CAST DADDY L]

Just Let It Fall To The Bottom And Then I Count To 5 And Reel In Slow Until I Reach My Limit And B-4 It Hits The Bottom.

[chuckingstuff]

I've never caught anything on a fast retrieval. An old Korean guy told me to go super slow and it's worked for me.

[CrawFish]

Sometimes slow is not enuf. A couple of weeks ago when I was there, I tried all kind of retrieves, but it didn't work. I had to change the size and color to pick up some hits. Thanks Flea for the tip.

[fishingrod]

A 5" straight tail limetruese BA on a 1/2oz jig head is my goto lure. I have caught many stripers do the following: cast, wait about 5-10 seconds for it to hit the bottom then flip the bail, reel in the slack then bounce it off the bottom with a twitch,twitch, reel in the slack, twitch, twtich, repeat. However, back in August/Sept there was school stripers in the B-more harbor that would only hit a fast steady retrieve for about 5 seconds and then pause and then retrieve quickly again. This fast retrieve caused some violent strikes all day. It wasn't quite topwater action but you could see then just under the surface slam the BA's.

So now I start with the fast retrieve, pause, repeat retrieve first to see if this wakes them up. If that does not work then I bounce them of the bottom. Sometimes its a fast twitch sometimes it's a nice in slow gradual jig. You just need to experiement and see what kind of mood they are in that day.

[punkineeeter]

it is innate response for predetory fish like striped bass, to strike at anything in close proximity that is twitching or moving rapidly...even if they arent hungry, they will snap at it if it is close enough.

for lures, i usually employ the yank and reel method...i give the rod tip a good snap and reel in in spurts to take up the slack....this seems to be the case for everyone else here who fishes lures too...

[kidwithoutaboat]

A 5" straight tail limetruese BA on a 1/2oz jig head is my goto lure. I have caught many stripers do the following: cast, wait about 5-10 seconds for it to hit the bottom then flip the bail, reel in the slack then bounce it off the bottom with a twitch,twitch, reel in the slack, twitch, twtich, repeat. However, back in August/Sept there was school stripers in the B-more harbor that would only hit a fast steady retrieve for about 5 seconds and then pause and then retrieve quickly again. This fast retrieve caused some violent strikes all day. It wasn't quite topwater action but you could see then just under the surface slam the BA's.

So now I start with the fast retrieve, pause, repeat retrieve first to see if this wakes them up. If that does not work then I bounce them of the bottom. Sometimes its a fast twitch sometimes it's a nice in slow gradual jig. You just need to experiement and see what kind of mood they are in that day.
wow, i ran into those same fish in the harbor. thats pretty interesting. the best was in september when topwater started there were like 5 guys throwing at my favorite spot and a school moved in and everyone hooked up at once with fish from 20-24"

[fishingrod]

kidwithoutaboat, there were times we were out there and there was about 4-5 of us in kayaks, canoes and small bass boats and all of us would have fish on at the same time with fish 20"-24". We were fishing near that boat marinas and probably woke some people up at 7AM because we were all hooting and hollering with excitemnt because the action was non-stop!

I have not returned to the harbor since the fuel spill. :(