KEITH POCHE: Showing you how to add a little spin to my favorite Florida bait - Major League Fishing
KEITH POCHE: Showing you how to add a little spin to my favorite Florida bait
9m • Keith Poche • Angler Columns
FLETCHER SHRYOCK: Preparation and versatility are key to success in 2024
2w • Fletcher Shryock • Angler Columns
BRADLEY ROY: Change your mindset to catch more fish in the fall
3w • Bradley Roy • Angler Columns
JOHN MURRAY: I’m returning to my West Coast tournament roots this week
1m • John Murray • Angler Columns
MATT LEE: Mercury pro’s blunt assessment of his 2023 Bass Pro Tour season
3m • Matt Lee • Angler Columns
JACOB WHEELER: The Freeloader made Guntersville a special win
6m • Jacob Wheeler • Angler Columns
ALEX DAVIS: Bass Pro Tour anglers are in for a treat at Guntersville (but bring some Band-Aids)
6m • Alex Davis • Angler Columns
KEVIN VANDAM: ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’
6m • Kevin VanDam • Angler Columns
DAKOTA EBARE: Hoping to carry season’s momentum into Heavy Hitters (and beyond)
7m • Dakota Ebare • Angler Columns
CHRIS LANE: On momentum, Lake Norman history and trying to keep REDCREST in the family
9m • Chris Lane • Bass Pro Tour
MARK DAVIS: From ‘almost’ at Stage One to REDCREST, the year is off to a great start
9m • Mark Davis • Angler Columns
EDWIN EVERS: No more practice. It’s time!
9m • Edwin Evers • Angler Columns
RANDY HOWELL: Coming ‘home’ for REDCREST on Lake Norman
9m • Randy Howell • Angler Columns
JACOB WHEELER: The steam over ‘the beam’
9m • Jacob Wheeler • Angler Columns
EDWIN EVERS: Simplifying my fishing will help me reach my goals in 2023
9m • Edwin Evers • Angler Columns

KEITH POCHE: Showing you how to add a little spin to my favorite Florida bait

Mercury pro's small tweak to a staple bait will get you more bites
Image for KEITH POCHE: Showing you how to add a little spin to my favorite Florida bait
Keith Poche shows you a step-by-step process on how he rigs one of his favorite baits to fish in Florida. Photo by Phoenix Moore
February 19, 2023 • Keith Poche • Angler Columns

Like most anglers who fish in Florida, I love fishing with soft plastics. Sometimes, though, you need a little something to help your bait stand out in the murky Florida water. One of my go-to plastics in Florida is a 5-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General in green pumpkin.

To make my bait a little different, I screw in my Humdinger Poche Power Spinner on the back of the bait. It’s a unique little tool that gives your soft plastics a little flash and motion. I came up with this idea back in 2012 and I use it every time I’m in Florida in water that’s about 4 feet deep or less. I just slow roll it and the fish come out of the grass to eat it.

It takes a little bit of finagling to get it on, but it’s easy enough for me to show you how real quick.

1. Bite the tail

Photo by Phoenix Moore

The first thing I do is take The General out of the package and locate the tail of the bait, which is the pointed end. It’s really hard to screw in this spinner on that narrow of a point, so I bite off about 1/4 inch off the bait to make it flat.

2. Screw in the spinner blade

Photo by Phoenix Moore

Then, I screw the spinner into the back and make sure it goes all the way in there. A lot of times I fish this particular setup weightless and it works just fine for me. This spinner comes in a lot of different colors and sizes. Copper and gold are two of the most popular, but there’s also 10 other colors to fit whatever soft plastic you’re using.

Photo by Phoenix Moore

As for sizes of the spinner, there’s three – No. 1, 2 and 3. I focus on the smaller sizes like No. 1 because I don’t like too much drag when I’m pulling it through the water. The smaller size also helps the bait get down in the water column. If the water is a little more dingy, that’s when I’ll move up in size to get a little more thump and vibration out of it.

3. Rig the bait weedless on the hook

Photo by Phoenix Moore

Finally, I put it on a 4/0 hook and make sure it’s weedless. I like to cast this out, let it sink a little bit and then slowly reel it back in. That spinner on the back offers some flash and can easily trigger a reaction bite from a fish that’s nearby.

As you can see, it’s a pretty simple and easy process to help take your soft plastic to the next level. I hope this has helped you figure out a new way to get some bites.