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A Secret Smile Live worms a hidden secret?

NRX 803S JWR drop shot rod

A Secret Smile: Live worms a hidden secret?

A Secret Smile: Spent a week in the lovely state of Missouri on one of my favorites, Table Rock Lake.

This lake has been a gentle giant and full of bounty for our yearly family reunion.  This year was no different.

Within minutes of launching my boat at the Shell Knob Bridge I had begun the onslaught.  Only took 30 minutes and I had 20 fish in my boat using a live worms drop-shotted around the pylons. Tried getting it down to 25 foot but usually only made it 12ft or so before I had a 14-18″ spotted bass well hooked.

 The split shot/drop shot Gamakatsu: Awesome at hooking the bass.

Live worms on your drop shot, but be prepared for how fast two dozen worms will disappear.

NRX 803S JWR drop shot rod
NRX 803S JWR drop shot rod

Twins anyone?

I continued to catch fish throughout the week on a variety of lures and techniques.  Got a lot of practice with an A-rig and spent quality time with a swimbait in my hands. Top water baits got a work out too.

Check out this pic of a double fish hook up on a Rebel Pop-R.

Match the hatch

They were stuffed to the gills with shad about the same size as my Spro lipless rattle bait and the new Live Target lipless baits,  producing quality and quantity on actively schooling fish. Crank baits and drop shot were responsible for the remainder of the fish brought  to the boat.

Secret smile: Fatty smallmouth table rock lake
Secret smile: Fatty smallmouth table rock lake

The moral of the story.

I met a determined young man this trip that had been unable to catch a bass off the dock at the cabins we were staying in.  3 times that week we saw each other on the dock and each time he would ask how I did and I’d give him the thumbs up.

When I asked if he had managed to catch a bass, each day I received a solemn

“no, not yet.”

 The last time I saw this kid I knew I had to change his path with these green monsters.  

The next morning I grabbed a pack of secret special drop shot worms, a pack of those awesome Gamakatsu drop shot hooks and a handful of weights. Showed him how to tie a dropshot rig up along with brief instruction how to fish it and handed it to him as I launched that early morning.

I knew that would catch him a fish…I just knew it.

Never saw that kid again, however I did see his uncle later that night.

That the boy caught the biggest bass they had ever seen!

Right there on the dock where I handed him those worms.

Talk about making a guys day!

Give back a little to the sport you love, you’d be surprised at the returns it will bring.

@ksbigbass

Never Give Up