Can a young pup teach an old dog some new tricks?

That’s the question, and the answer is, yes, if the old dog is willing to listen.  When it comes to fishing, age has nothing to do with knowledge, skill, or experience that only time on the water can teach.  Now this brings me to my young friend and teacher, Justin Perelli.  Justin has been a friend of mine for a very long time, and I have seen him grow from a novice fisherman 20+ years ago to the accomplished tournament winning angler that he is today.  It’s safe for me to say that Justin has spent more time on the water in the last 20 years honing his skills as a fishermen, than I have in the last 40 years.  Practice days on the water for him start at first light and do not end until an hour or so after dark, and he puts that kind of time and dedication into the sport before every event, and then goes fishing just for fun. Last week he stopped at the house for a cup of coffee and to show me some new baits that he was looking forward to using this season.  After the usual chit chat about family and work, we got down to what we really like talking about… you guessed it. . . fishing!  One thing led to another and the topic of Candlewood Lake came up.  I have had some really good days on the lake and some really bad ones as well, however, when Justin competes on Candy he is usually at or near the top of the leaderboard, so I just flat out asked him how he does it and how he has managed to catch so many 6+  pound bass in the last 10 to 12 years.  Some guys would take an opportunity like this to BS you and send you off on a wild goose chase. Justin simply emptied the plastic bag filled with new Megabass baits he had brought with him on the table and said, “Here’s your answer.”   This is when school opened and Megabass 101 began.  Take a seat my friends because Professor Perelli  is about to school us in the art of jerk baits and  unlocking the secrets of jerk baiting Candlewood Lake.  Listen and learn from one of the best:

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My time on the water like yours or any other tournament angler is limited, and I have to make every cast and every minute count.  I want to catch as many fish and as many big fish as I can in the 8 or 9 hours that the event runs.  It’s not like fun fishing where you have as much or as little time to get the job done.  When a check is on the line I use the best… the best rods, the best reels, the best line, and what I consider the best baits made. . . Megabass lures. 
 

*Attention to detail:  They have realistic eyes, with a custom paint scheme that blends paint to make a realistic and natural finish.

*Quality construction:  I continue to catch fish on baits that are 14 to 16 years old.

*Castability:  I can cast these baits a long way on bait casting gear and even into the wind thanks to the multi-way moving balance system.

*Fishability:  You can work this bait three or four days in a row and not be in pain (how many other jerk baits can you say that about?)

*Action:  The action from these baits has never been duplicated, and they are the most erratic baits you will ever throw.

Now that we know what sets the Megabass brand apart from the rest, it’s time to learn where and when to use them.  The first few weeks after ice out I’ll begin the season by throwing the Vision 110+1 because the water is still cold and the bass tend to be deep.  The 110+1 has the same great action as the 110, but it goes a few feet deeper, and I can draw fish up from 35 feet of water with this bait.  As the water starts to warm into the mid to upper 40s, and those deep fish start to move shallower, I throw the Vision 110 almost exclusively.   Should we have a cold front pass through and the fish slide off a little or get tighter to the cover, then I’ll go back to the 110+1.  As the season progresses and the smallies are all over the bank and you can pick your targets, I’m throwing the shallower running 110 at any visual cover I can find and everything in between.  When I am running down a long featureless bank I will switch up to cranking the Megabass Flap Slap.  The cool thing with the Flap Slap is that it is a cross between a flat-sided crank bait, but it also doubles as a jerk bait.  So, you can crank it up and strike the cover, pause it, then work it like a jerk bait for a few feet and then continue cranking.  It is a great search bait to use in practice to help you find productive areas that are holding fish.  I have been fortunate in my fishing career to have caught 50 small mouth over 6 pounds and 4 over 7 pounds, and I’ll bet that more than 75% of them have been caught on the X-80, the Vision 110 and 110+1, and my changeup bait the, Flap Slap.  These baits are not just for the spring and fall.  I catch solid bass on them all year long.  You just have to change your location and the speed with which you work them.  What I am most excited to try this year is the new squarebill S-Crank that should hit the market late this April.  The S-Crank has taken two years to develop, and the square bill is so unique it has been patented.  If I had just one bait to use on Candlewood, and only one, the Megabass Division 110 would be my lure of choice because it works.  Good luck guys . . . now it’s time to go fishing!

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I hope this interview with Justin has answered some questions about the baits that work on Candlewood and how to use them.  Before you know it we will be on Candy in search of some of those spring time giants. 

By the way, you no longer have to travel or go online to pick up these quality Megabass baits.  Frank’s Tackle & Field in Wanaque is now a Megabass dealer.  There is nothing like being able to go into your local tackle shop to check out what’s new and compare products’ size and color side by side.  So support your local sport shops, and while you’re there don’t forget to pick up some of these money-winning baits before you hit the lake this year.

Tight lines,

Paul