Here is a collection of tips and tricks. If you would like to add any fishing tips for fellow anglers, send the tips to tips@howtobass.com

Jigs

    Jigs are a great year-round lure. We would highly recommend having a jig tied on at least one of your rods. Use these tips below to help out your success with jig fishing.

Tips for jig fishing at boat docks:
    - Swimming a jig is simply that. Cast it out and reel back at a steady pace. We would recommend hopping
      the jig if you are not getting anything on a steady retrieve.
    - Swimming a jig usually works best for deeper docks.
    - Crawling jigs down steeper drop off's works great.
    - On sunny days, aim for the shady parts of the dock. Bass hide waiting to ambush their target.
    - Fish will usually suspend next to the dock pillars.

Tips for jig fishing in weeds:
    - In heavy weeds use a heavy action rod, with braid line and at least a 1 once jig.
    - In heavy weed mats you want to use a pointed or triangular shaped jig head to puncture the top layer of
      mats.
    - Shake the jig in one spot for 30 to 60 seconds. Your goal is to get that lunker interested.
    - If your fishing wood or light weeds, use a medium heavy action rod with a pitching jig.
    - Try to match the hatch. Anything from white to mimic gizzard shad, or gold for shiners (southern bait fish),
      to green pumpkin to mimic a crawfish.

Tips for jig fishing on points or rocks:
    - In clear water 90% of anglers will tell you to use crawdad colors.
    - Remember when it gets cold to slow down! Crawling a jig works great.
    - During the warmer days try jerking the jig. (Like setting the hook but with less violence.

Tips for pitching to wood:
    - Most anglers use a standard 3/8 to 1/2 ounce jig in black and blue
    - The muddier the water the better.
    - Some anglers prefer casting to the branches first, and some go straight for the guts.
    - When there's a current, fish the down current side of the tree. Bass will wait there to ambush prey.

Other Jig tips:

    - In cold water situations, drag your jig along the bottom until you hit structure. Once you find your        structure, bounce the jig and wait for the bite.

    - When casting, flipping or pitching into stand-ups or docks you always want the jig to fall straight down in         the strike zone. This will sometimes mean pulling line off the spool to allow it to hit bottom. Once on        bottom bounce the jig a couple times and re-cast. Most strikes will happen on the fall.

Spoons

      Spoons are a great way to fish deep water but you can also fish them in shallow situations. They come in an array of shapes and sizes. Here are some tips to help you out on your next spooning adventure.

    - Fish spoons in deep open water or humps, deep channels and other clear areas.

    - Be careful of weeds, stumps ect. Spoons snag very easily.

    - The more curved the spoon, the more flutter you'll get on the way down.

    - Select a spoon that is about the size of the local bait fish.

    - Reel thick spoons in faster and thinner spoons slower for the right "wobble".

    - Fish a spoon in the river by casting upstream and retrieving downstream.

    - Make sure you use a swivel. You can have major line twists and risk the spoon cutting your line.

    - Spoon dull? Use a metal polish to bring it back to life.

    - Give your spoon a different flash by adding reflective tape and/or spraypaint.

    - Bend your spoon (if you can) to give it more flutter action.