Pro Justin Kerr of Simi Valley, Calif., managed once again to finish the day in first place heading into Saturday’s all-important finals on Lake Mead. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Angler: Justin Kerr.

January 7, 2011 • Justin Kerr • Archives

In Western lakes, blade baits are effective wintertime lures, especially for smallmouths. I like to use a ¾- or 1-ounce Ever Green Little Max in shad or bluegill finishes. If I’m fishing where there are concentrations of baitfish, I go with the shad finish. If I’m just prospecting new water where there doesn’t seem to be a lot of bait, I stick with the bluegill color. I like to fish rocky bottom in winter, and I don’t snag up so much when I’m using the Ever Green because it has a pair of two-pointed hooks rather than regular treble hooks.

There’s no trick to fishing a blade bait. Just cast it out, let it sink, then work it back with a lifting and falling motion. After the bait hits the bottom, I raise the rod from about 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock and then let it go back down in a controlled fall. It looks like a dying baitfish. Usually, bass will hit the bait on the drop when it’s about halfway back to the boat and they’ve had a chance to look it over for a while. Once the Little Max gets closer to the boat, I burn it back, hoping to trigger a reaction strike. That’s all there is to it. Blade baits are good search baits too, and you can fan-cast them all around you. Once you get on a school of fish in deeper water, you can always get over the top of them and switch to a vertical presentation with jigging spoons.

— FLW Tour pro Justin Kerr of Lake Havasu, Ariz.