Fishing with Kenny: Making the Old into Something New

article by Kenny Covington

Fishing is an interesting sport. There are secret spots, secret lures, and places no one knows about except for the person who is telling the story. In reality none of that is really true. While nothing is sacred that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own secrets and way of doing things. Thinking outside of the box and tweaking a few of your favorite techniques is all it takes to make them into something new.

I am known as a power fisherman. I like to use lures that will cover a lot of water in a short period of time, making the chances of finding active fish more probable. I have found ways to use lures that may not be considered fast moving but apply them in certain situations and they become one. Or maybe you can take a lure and give it a completely different presentation than what it is designed. Let me explain.

A shaky head is one of the best fish catching techniques ever introduced to bass fishing. In tournaments, it is rare to find a boat that doesn’t have a rod without it being tied on. I had used this technique a few times in its lighter line, lighter rod introduction phase with little success but it was only after being shown how to use a shaky head for flipping purposes did I become more open minded about it. A heavier shaky head size, a larger soft plastic lure and a stouter hook all make for a flipping/pitching presentation. A slow finesse approach is now something I can steadily work and cover more water. Something old into something new.

Another great example that I have experimented with is the addition of swimming frogs to buzzbaits in place of skirts that were used. The buzzbait has been around since the 1970’s and its ability to catch big bass is well documented. For several years however it fell out of favor with fishermen in favor of the newer wave of topwater lures such as the Whopper Plopper. Now that swimming frogs are being used as the main attractant of the buzzbait, its popularity is starting to come back. Something old has become something new.

This concept isn’t just limited to fishing lures. The same can be applied to rods, line, hooks and so forth. Rods come in all makes, models, sizes and buying one can be as confusing as anything else. When I buy a rod I always consider what specific technique am I trying to cover but also what other techniques can I use it for?

I probably have used every glass rod ever made for crankbait fishing. Did you know they are also excellent choices when throwing topwater lures, using chatterbaits or maybe slow rolling a spinnerbait at night? Granted you may have to make some line adjustments to the technique being used but it is still a good way to think outside the box when using a technique specific rod and create something out of what you already have. This is especially effective if you are a beginning angler or maybe an angler on a budget.

Braided line was first introduced into bass fishing for flipping/pitching into heavy cover. The more strength and smaller diameter lines were perfect when trying to get larger bass out of areas where monofilaments didn’t stand a chance. Guess what? We now use braided lines for all types of fishing. From frogs, to topwaters, to crankbaits, spinnerbaits or whatever the lure of choice, fisherman have had great success using braided lines. It only took someone thinking differently than everyone else for these ideas to come to light. Remember, something old becomes something new.

Have you ever used a soft plastic jerk bait on your Carolina rig? Or have you ever used a ¾ ounce spinnerbait in a foot of water? What about using a Zoom centipede, long a favorite choice for a Carolina rig, as favorite flipping bait? The possibilities are endless. We have so many lures at our disposal that it quickly becomes overkill. Sometimes something old can become something new because the fish just haven’t seen it. Here are more examples of what I mean.

When was the last time you used a pork trailer on your jig you were throwing? Or what about throwing a six-inch curl tailed worm? How long do you think it has been since the fish in your favorite lake or pond have seen these offerings? In the age of newer and better we often times forget tried and true. Most of today’s young fishermen have no idea how many fish have been caught on a firetiger colored Bomber 6A crankbait but I still have a lot of success with it because so few people use one.

Often times in fishing the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) theory is overlooked. It was asked of jig fishing expert Denny Brauer once why he liked using a black and blue jig and he replied “they seem to bite it so why not throw it?” Makes sense to me. When he was asked why he mostly fished his spinnerbait to close to the waters surface fishing legend Jimmy Houston said, “I like to see them (bass) come up and hit it.” Ok. Catching fish is easy, it’s the finding them that is complicated. Don’t make it more complicated by overthinking it.

As you can see there are several ways we can get more out of our lures, rods, and other equipment we use in this great sport. Before I buy a rod, or before buying a new lure, I ask myself, “What can I do with this that I can’t do with something similar I already have?” Multi-tasking in fishing is as important as a pocket knife is to a wood worker. Take something old and with a little thought you can make it into something new.

Looks like we are out of space again for another month. Be careful out in Mother Nature’s playground and if you are on the water please make sure to catch one for me! See you next month!