2012 Episode Synopsis
by Charlie Wray

Episode 223: Lucky Bug Bass and Moonshine Pike

Today, the Mercury Marine Destination takes me out to Lake Erie for Smallmouth Bass, then some Pike action in Saskatchewan. It has been a very rough year for high winds on Lake Erie and the Bass have turned off traditional methods, I knew I had to do something different and going to small lures and light line is often the first step. This trip, I had my 1850 Crestliner Raptor with 175 Mercury Verado. This is a perfect sized boat for any waterway, and handles the chop, even a Lake Erie chop extremely well.  The Mercury Verado continues to amaze me at how fuel efficient it is, even with the long runs. Let’s face it, if you are worried about fuel, you are not going to cover the water you need to find fish. You must have the confidence in your boat and motor, and I sure do.  As a side note, this year Crestliner has now introduced a 2050 Raptor, this is a 20 foot version of the 1850 Raptor (18 ½ feet) I love so much and it is even rated for a 300hp Verado!

Crestliner has been making premium welded boats for over 40 years, and until you ride in one, you truly can’t appreciate the smooth dry ride and solid feel. I turned this ideal fishing boat into an even better one with the addition of the Minn Kota I-Pilot! This amazing feature allows you to record a track so you can repeat it exactly, and spot lock works just like an electronic anchor. Cruise control so you can present your baits at precisely the correct speed, despite what the winds and currents are doing, along with advanced autopilot with GPS accuracy. Talk about a perfect system for staying on fish, or precisely controlling a drift speed.  This is exactly what I did this day.

With the success I had out West with the Lucky Bug for Salmon, I thought this might just be the ticket for inactive Bass.  The Luck Bug is basically a fly with a molded plastic lip that turns it into a mini crankbait. It has all the attention grabbing characteristics of a fly, but even more with an enticing wiggle!!! This Lucky Bug catches fish!!!! It can be worked slow, and is available in a wide range of colours and sizes. I picked a #6 size and a brown pattern that looks just like a little Crawfish, man did this work! Using a bottom bouncing sinker on a dropper line from a 3 way swivel, and 5 foot leader on 6 lb test Seaguar fluorocarbon, I had this combo ticking bottom and the Lucky Bug swimming enticingly about 2 feet off the bottom, directly in the strike zone of the bottom hugging, inactive Bass. The Minn Kota I-Pilot was a huge help in controlling a perfect drift speed.
This is finesse fishing, and time for light lines. With small hooks and hard pulling Bass, I passed on my usual braided lines and opted for 6 lb test Seaguar Abrazx. This main line fluorocarbon is incredibly abrasion resistant, thin, less stretch than mono and offers tremendous knot strength. Since this is Seaguar main line fluorocarbon, made with Seaguar resins, it also means it is virtually invisible under the water. With these great abrasion resistant qualities, I had absolutely no worry about working close to the bottom with light lines.

Working with light lines also means a drag on your reel you can count on, and not to hang up for even a second, and rods need to be flexible, yet sensitive.  For this presentation, I chose an Okuma Trio spinning reel, matched up to an EVx rod. This is a high quality outfit, with great feel, that will not put a huge hole in your wallet.

Then later in the show, the Pike are in the thick stuff and Moonshine spoons are the hot lure, time to take off the treble hook and make your own weedless presentation. I have used Moonshine spoons before for Salmon, but this was the first year I have used them for Pike, and they have been incredible. Not only the rock hard finish that holds up to the teeth and abuse, but the bright glow finishes that are so visible, even in the murky and tannic waters of the north. Even on bright days, the glow spoons charge on each cast and has just that right glow to drive the Pike crazy! I took off the treble hook and replaced it with a 4/0 Mustad Ultra Point Ultra Lock worm hook, and used a small grub rigged weedless on the single hook.  The Firetiger pattern on the Moonshine was the winning ticket and the small dark grub that looked like a leech was the perfect partner.
Conditions change in minutes this far north, and I have had my fair share of very expensive rain suits leaking at the worst possible times. I started using the Viking brand rainwear a couple of years ago, and they have been 100% waterproof, tough and reliable in the most soaking rains. One of the best things about Viking, they look like fashionable coats and jackets, yet are also your reliable rainwear, no need for an extra bulky bag specifically for your rain suit. I also usually wear the Viking bibs all day anyway, even when it is not raining, they are great for keeping clean from Pike slime!  Tackle for Big Pike needs to take the abuse, and I have found the Okuma C3 Carbon Cone Concept rods to be one of my absolute favorites. Light in weight, but possesses a powerful hookset and strength that can control a monster Pike. I match this up with one of the Okuma low profile reels, like the Serrano or Citrix (Citrix is also available in left handed models) and I load it with 30 lb test Tuf-Line XP.  This braided line is thin, and gives you a no stretch hook set that is needed to drive the hook home.

When catching so many Pike a day in the far north of Saskatchewan, I like to grab the leader to handle the fish at boat side, and by making my own leaders with 80 or 100 lb test Seaguar fluorocarbon, I can grab the leader without cutting my hands like wire would. The Seaguar is not only invisible and abrasion resistant, but when Pike wrap in the leader, they don’t hurt and cut themselves either, so this is a win, win situation, both for me and the Pike. I don`t have to worry about the wire kinking all the time and breaking either, Love that Seaguar Fluorocarbon!

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