Tips for becoming a Blue Marsh Bass Master

Tips for becoming a Blue Marsh Bass Master

By Tyler Frantz

            June 18^th marks a return to summer bass fishing, when anglers are permitted to target largemouth and smallmouth bass in most Pennsylvania rivers and lakes. If desired, they may choose to keep fish over 12-inches in length for a combined species limit of no more than six bass total.

            Of course, this only applies to non-special regulation Commonwealth inland waters, and consultation of a PA Fishing Summary Regulation Booklet may be necessary to confirm current fishing laws for specific bodies of water near you.

            One popular bass hotspot in Southeastern Pennsylvania is Berks County’s Blue Marsh Lake near Leesport. According to competitive angler Kris Bucher, an active member of PA Bass Federation and Lebanon County Bass Anglers, the bass fishing at Blue Marsh is just about as good as it gets.

            “The bass population in Blue Marsh is better now than in the 20-plus years I’ve been fishing there- especially for smallies, which have made a huge comeback lately,” Bucher said.

            Bucher targets the smallmouth bass in the main lake at a depth of around 12-15 feet. He uses 10-pound PowerPro braided line with an 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. He often fishes with a three-eighth or quarter ounce drop-shot rig with a size one or two hook tied 10-14 inches above the weight. He then lets his bait- either a Strike King Dream Shot or RoboWorm- do the work for him.

           

            “Don’t overwork the bait,” Bucher said. “Throw it out and pull the line tight to keep some tension. Give a few little shakes at first, then a big hop and shake it again. Sometimes they like it still too, so give the bait time to work.”

            “The smallies are really bait oriented, so it’s important to key in on live bait sources- especially in the early morning and late evening when low light conditions are best. Top water lures are effective for smallmouth during the shad spawn, which usually occurs in mid-June, but don’t be afraid to work the bottom either,” Bucher added.

            “A tube jig in green pumpkin or dark brown can be used to represent a crayfish crawling along the bottom of the lake,” Bucher explained. “Throw it out and let it hit bottom. Drag it along the lake floor by giving short little pumps while keeping your rod tip low. If the boat is drifting, the bait is moving too fast, so make sure you use the rod to control the movement of the bait.”

            Largemouth bass are known to frequent the Spring Creek Arm of Blue Marsh, and often can be found wherever sunken logs and lay-downs are present. Bucher prefers to cover water with 17-pound fluorocarbon line and Sweet Beaver creature baits on size-four EWG hooks with three-eighth ounce tungsten weights.

            “Ninety-nine percent of the time, the bass will hit on an initial fall, but if I do miss them, I will then switch to a Senko worm, which often prompts them to strike again,” Bucher said.

             Five-inch Yamamoto Senko worms in black or green pumpkin can be very effective using a one-sixteenth ounce slip sinker and a size four straight worm hook rigged wacky or Texas style.

            “A wacky-rig, which is hooked in the center of the worm, is fished by letting it wobble and fall on a slack line,” Bucher explained. “Once it hits the water, let line out so it can fish itself. Allow it to sit about ten seconds, pop it once, let it settle, and if there’s no strike, reel it in and cast again.”

           

            “The Texas-rig, which is hooked on the end of the worm has a slightly different action. Fish this by throwing it right into the junk where it will fall nose-first. Let it hit the bottom, pick it up and repeat. You can work this bait a little more by wiggling the tip of your rod to give it more movement.”

            Bucher’s final go-to for largemouth is a regular three-eighth or one-half ounce jig with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. bait in blue or black, which he uses to probe underwater structure.

            “When fishing around rock or wood, I like to throw a jig, let it hit bottom, and then hop it back out of the structure using a sharp ten-to-twelve angle,” Bucher explained. “Jigs are especially useful when the water is stained in color or while fishing at night, since jigs are a little bulkier and the fish can see them better.”

            “As summer progresses and fishing pressure increases, daylight feeding dwindles. The best times to target summertime Blue Marsh bass are three or four in the morning until about 9 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight. I’ve caught some absolute hogs in there during the middle of the night while fishing by headlamp,” Bucher said.

For more great writing, photography and video work by outdoors freelancer, Tyler Frantz, visit www.naturalpursuitoutdoors.com. Also, please LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

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