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Event Article


Tackling Bass in Clear Water – Lake Pardee Media Day

 

Date: 4/17/14
Location: Lake Pardee, CA
Event Dates: April 13, 2014
Reviewer: Zander






 

 

Introduction:  Targeting bass in clear water can be a real challenge, especially if anglers are used to fishing in stained water on their local lakes and rivers. Which is actually what I personally am most used to, fishing on my home water of the California Delta and Clear Lake, which ironically is usually not all that clear.

 


Greg Gutierrez, aka Double G, takes us out for round one

The Mother Lode lakes in Northern California are home to some of the clearest lakes in our region, and perhaps none more so than Lake Pardee. This jewel of a lake offers picturesque views and crystal clear water that can mesmerize anglers as visibility can sometimes be 30 plus feet. This lake is home to the California State Smallmouth record and also holds plenty of trophy largemouth bass that gorge themselves on trout and Kokanee that are stocked during the season.


Strike King sponsored the event and provided plenty of tackle we are definitely going to be playing with on our home water in the very near future

These crystal clear waters of Lake Pardee were once again the setting for “Media Day,” an annual event that is organized by Kent Brown, Pro Angler and host of the Ultimate Bass Radio Show. This great event is always a blast and brings Pro Anglers and media together for a fun and educational day on the water filed with sharing tackle tips and techniques.


Double G talks about the nuances of effective shakey head fishing in clear water

This year our focus was how to approach the challenge of getting fish to bite in ultra clear water and we got to fish with B.A.S.S. Pro Angler Greg Gutierrez (aka Double G) in the morning session, and FLW Everstart Pro Angler Jason Borofka in the afternoon session. This year Strike King was also a sponsor of the event and provided all attendees with a bounty of products to try on the lake and beyond.


Double G's favorite plastic for working cover? The Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver

We have fished with Greg Gutierrez in the past and it is always a pleasure to hit the water with Double G. Truly one of “good guys” on tour Greg has had a long career on the Bassmaster Elite Series and has qualified for the Bassmaster Classic two times, as well as won numerous titles right here in his home state of California.


Greg casts a swimbait

Greg knows how to fish clear water and employs techniques ranging from fishing swimbaits to finesse fishing plastics. What many anglers may not know is that Greg is also the new owner of Frenzy Baits. Greg has worked with Frenzy for a long time and even designed the Frenzy Vibe bladed swim jig which features an innovative pivoting hook system and a 4/0 wide gap hook for maximum hookups. These baits are designed for targeting bass in and around thick cover but tend to perform better in stained or muddy waters where that extra vibration and flash call fish in. It was this past January that Greg decided to take the reins of the company that he helped build.


Greg not only is a professional angler but the new owner of Frenzy Baits, a company he helped develop lures for in the past

In the morning at Pardee there was plenty of cloud cover and the temps in the 50’s but the water temps hovered around 10-12 degrees warmer. Even with all the cloud cover we could tell that the water was very clear and we could clearly see the Frenzy Swim jig being worked back to the boat. Greg decided to go big and tied on his favorite swimbait, the Roman Made Negotiator.


Double G's favorite swimbait for clear water, the Roman Made negotiator

Fishing a swimbait in ultra-clear water can be very effective and certainly very exciting. It is entertaining just seeing your glide bait swing side to side as it returns back to the boat but add in a lunker following that bait it is enough to get your heart to skip a beat, which is exactly what happened when we saw big fish tail the Negotiator all the way back to the boat, only to turn away as it caught sight of the boat in the last ten feet.


Fishing the Roman Made negotiator pays off as he lands this beautiful smallie

Greg employs a variety of techniques to target bass in ultra-clear water but one of his favorite is tossing a shakey head rigged worm. His go to plastics include worms from Reaction Innovations and when fishing tight to structure he prefers the smaller sized Sweet Beavers. But this morning at Pardee the swimbaits turned out to be the ticket and after getting three followers Double G patiently pounded the water hard with the Roman Made Negotiator. As the sun came up the fish started to bite and he was able to land a smallie and a largemouth, both in the 4lb. class.


Plenty of "Mercury" in the water as the pros dock for halftime

Double G talked a lot about his upcoming lure designs and the challenge of managing both a bait company as well as competing professionally. While we have always known Greg to be one heck of a fisherman we were surprised to discover just how much of a tackle junkie he really is as well. Get Double G started on talking about new umbrella rig designs or the nuances of how jigheads are shaped to alter presentations and he will happily give you the inside scoop.


For round two we join up and coming Pro, Jason Borofka

Next Section: Time for round two with Jason Borofka

 

   

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