Mike Iaconelli The Mojo rig isn’t one that gets the spotlight it deserves anymore—the Mojo rig, also known as the PD rig or split shot rig. Now, if you’re an angler who’s been around a while, these terms might ring a bell, but for many of you tuning in, you might be scratching your heads wondering, “What on earth is a Mojo rig?” Well, let me break it down for you. The Mojo rig is essentially a finesse version of the Carolina rig, perfect for scenarios where the traditional Carolina rig setup feels too heavy-handed. Picture this: you’re out on the water, needing to cover a lot of ground swiftly ..read more

Mike Iaconelli Alright, folks, here we are, diving into the nitty-gritty of my top four baits for the month of April. April is that time when the fish wake up from their winter slumber, stretching their fins, and gearing up for some serious action. Now, depending on where you’re located, April could mean a variety of things for those fish. Up north, we’re talking about pre-spawn action, with those fish making a beeline for their spawning grounds. They’re staging, getting ready for the big show, and most importantly, they’re hungry. That’s right, in April, those fish are packing on the pounds b ..read more

Mike Iaconelli The dropshot is without a doubt one of the hottest finesse techniques. I don’t care whether you’re fishing in shallow, dirty water or deep, crystal-clear water, there’s a time when it can outproduce just about anything else. Why is it so good? Well, it presents the bait off the bottom and keeps it horizontal. There are not many other presentations that accomplish that. It’s a very natural representation of a baitfish. Berkley X9 Braided Line To use it to its maximum effectiveness, though, you need to choose the right leader length. It’s a critical part of making it work. You nee ..read more

Mike Iaconelli Today I’m going to talk with you about  the top four baits for the month of March. You know how it goes, folks. I’m gonna hook you up with two baits for the top half of the country, let’s say from Virginia north, and two for the bottom half, let’s say from Virginia south. But before we dive into those juicy details, let’s talk about March. In most places across the U.S., March marks some phase of the spawn, specifically the pre-spawn in a lot of regions. Remember our chat in February? We discussed fish migrating towards spawning areas from their winter patterns. Well, March ..read more

Mike Iaconelli While a crankbait is a great choice for transient prespawn bass, it’s not the best option in every circumstance. Another lure that just about never leaves my deck this time of year, especially if I’m around big fish in stained to dirty water, is a spinnerbait. We tend to have a lot of rain early in the season and the water gets color quickly, so this is one I can’t live without. It’s been cold, but now water and air temperatures are creeping up. The days are longer, with more daylight. Those fish want to be headed toward their spawning zone. As they move along those transitional ..read more

Mike Iaconelli Let’s talk about my top four bait picks for bass fishing during the cold winter month of February. February can be a tongue-twister to say, but trust me, picking the right baits for this month can be even trickier. I’ve got you covered with two killer baits for the colder northern regions, and two absolute gems for the warmer southern states. But before we jump into the baits, let’s chat a bit about why February is such a challenge. February marks the transition month for our bass friends across the country. It’s the pre-spawn period, where bass are bidding farewell to their win ..read more

Mike Iaconelli By popular demand, I’m going to tell you about a tackle box that never leaves my boat. Twelve months out of the year, from New York to Texas to California, it’s always with me – it’s my panic box. It has saved my butt over the years and that’s why I always want to have it accessible, in the compartment behind the driver’s seat of my boat. It’s kind of like a bright red or bright white fire extinguisher. When I’m in situations where I’m struggling, it’s obvious and ready to help me salvage the day. Abu Garcia Veritas PLX LTD Spinning Rod & Revo SX SP Spinning Reel Why do you ..read more

Mike Iaconelli January is typically among the coldest months of the year. Depending on where in the country you live, that could mean ice, or the water temperature could be as high as the low 60s. It’s a relative thing, but my starting point is to look for deeper, more vertical areas. Up north, that could be a bluff where the depth drops from 10 feet to 30. Down south it could be a deep-water canal that is 8 feet deep. In either situation, expect the fish to be relatively lethargic. As always, I’m going to give you two baits for up north of the Mason-Dixon Line and two for south of it. Up here ..read more

Mike Iaconelli Whether you’re just starting out bass fishing or you’ve been doing it a long time, the sheer number of hooks can be intimidating. Go to Tackle Warehouse and there are hundreds of options available. It’s ridiculous, it’s confusing, it’s outrageous. Of course there are specialty hooks that apply in certain situations, but when I sat down and thought about it, I realized that there are five basic styles that I use the most. These five are in my bass boat or my kayak any time I go bass fishing. VMC Ringed Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook Let’s start with the workhorse: It’s a straight shank ..read more

Mike Iaconelli Herring are a prolific baitfish in a lot of our eastern lakes. From Virginia north, they’re mostly alewives, and from Virginia south it’s generally bluebacks. Despite some differences, they’re very similar – long, skinny, and they just about always travel in schools. When they’re spawning, bass gorge on them because they’re an easy meal. While a lot of other baitfish dart left to right or make a wide glide, bluebacks tend to move in a straight line. They’re also not necessarily blue – they have white or pearl sides and a greenish or brown back. Don’t believe me? Google them. Ber ..read more