Coming Up Next Week at The Catch Fish Crew

Get ready for an entire week focused on winter bass fishing strategies! Here's what's dropping December 3-6:

* Tuesday: "How to Find and Fish Deep Winter Bass: The Complete Guide" - Your roadmap to locating and catching winter bass in deep water

* Wednesday: "The Ultimate Guide to Blade Baits: Winter's Secret Weapon" - Everything you need to know about this deadly cold-water technique

* Thursday: "Mastering the Slow-Roll: The Ultimate Winter Retrieval Technique" - Perfect your retrieve for maximum winter success

* Friday: "Understanding Winter Bass Movements: A Professional's Perspective" - Learn how the pros track and catch bass during the coldest months

Don't miss these in-depth winter fishing articles dropping each morning at 6 AM EST!

🦃 Post-Turkey Day Bass Tactics

I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving with family and friends! While most folks were sleeping off their turkey comas, some of you diehards probably snuck out for some Black Friday bass action. Smart move – the crowds might've been at the malls, but the bass were definitely feeding up for winter!

Speaking of feeding up, that leads us perfectly into this week's featured lure...

🔥 Lure Deep Dive: A-rig Mastery

The Alabama Rig is absolutely crushing it right now as bass are schooling up and gorging on shad. With water temps dropping into the 50s across much of the country, this multi-bait presentation perfectly mimics those tight balls of baitfish that bass are hunting down.

Why it's hot right now: Bass are feeding heavily before winter sets in, and they're targeting schools of bait. The A-rig's ability to imitate a small pod of fleeing baitfish triggers those predatory instincts like nothing else.

Best A-rig Components:

- Main Frame: YUM YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr. or Shane's Baits Umbrella Rig

- Swimbaits: 3.8" Keitech Swing Impact FAT or 3.8" BioSpawn ExoSwim

- Jigheads: 1/8 oz for the top arms, 1/4 oz for the bottom

- Leader: 15-20lb Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon

- Main Line: 65lb PowerPro braid

Optimal Retrieve Speeds:

- Shallow Water (1-10ft): Medium-fast retrieve with occasional pauses

- Mid-Depth (10-15ft): Steady retrieve just fast enough to keep the baits swimming

- Deep Water (15ft+): Slow roll near bottom, counting down to desired depth

Pro A-rig Tips & Tricks

1. The Different Sized Bait Trick: Instead of using the same size swimbaits on all arms of your A-rig, try using a slightly larger swimbait in the middle position. This creates the appearance of a wounded bait trailing behind the school.

2. Color Combinations That Kill:

- Clear Water: Pearl/white with silver flash

- Stained Water: Chartreuse/white with gold flash

- Dirty Water: Solid white or chartreuse

3. Location Sweet Spots:

- Main lake points with nearby deep water

- Creek channel swings

- Bluff walls near bait schools

- Submerged timber on channel edges

4. Common Mistakes to Avoid:

- Don't fish it too fast

- Don't use too heavy of jigheads

- Don't forget to change your baits when they get torn up

- Don't overlook shallow water on cloudy days

Hot Spots: Where Bass Are Biting Now

Northern Region: Focus on deep main lake points with A-rigs

Southern Region: Shallow cranking is still producing

Mid-Atlantic: Jig bite is heating up around bridge pilings

Western Region: Drop shot fishing excelling in clear waters

🎙️ Podcast Feature: Catching Up with Nick LeBrun

This week on the podcast, we had an awesome conversation with pro angler Nick LeBrun, currently ranked #22 by BassFan! We caught up with Nick while he was actually on the water (and yes, he caught a fish during our chat on a black and blue jig!).

Key highlights from our conversation:

- His humble take on rankings: "It's important not to compare yourself to others"

- Insights on being a left-hand retrieve angler in a right-hand world

- His must-have Yamamoto bait recommendation: The Slinko

- Thoughts on the new MLF rule changes and keeping the sport accessible

- Safety tips for anglers (including his go-to eyewear choice for protection)

Plus, Nick shared a fantastic tip about the Slinko's unique bubble trail feature that triggers strikes - a detail many anglers overlook. He emphasized how this bait has produced for him across the country, from Louisiana to New York to Florida.

You can follow Nick's fishing adventures on social media @NickLeBrunFishing on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

🤔 Did You Know?

The Alabama Rig, which has revolutionized multi-bait presentations, was actually invented by Andy Poss in 2011. He got the idea after watching saltwater fishermen use umbrella rigs for striped bass. The lure became so effective that it was banned in Bassmaster Elite Series and MLF events – talk about a game changer!

👋 Until Next Time...

Tight Lines & Big Fish!

The Catch Fish Crew's Letter is your weekly source for the latest bass fishing insights, tips, and entertainment. If you enjoyed this edition, share it with your fishing buddies!

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