BRAD WIEGMANN'S WIFE, JUDY, BRINGS
HOME THE BACON. PHOTO: BRAD WIEGMANN
Chum ‘em up After pulling a few sunnies from a school, the rest of the fish can get lockjaw. Wiegmann fires up the bite with a stream of chum. “I’ll use pieces of bread,” he says, “but crumbled up granola bar or pieces of sandwich will work in a pinch.” Slab brim have a small mouth. "There's no reason to glob the bait on the
hook," Wiegmann says. A small piece of worm or artificially scented bait is all it takes. Use scissors to cut the bait into bite-size pieces.
Swingin’ Single To stay close to the structure and keep fishing, Wiegman uses a single paddle blade that he operates with one hand. “I can spin, go in reverse, even grab ahold of the structure or push off with one hand, while keeping my other hand on the rod waiting for the tap, tap, tap.”
MACROCHIRUS, IF YOU DON'T MIND." PHOTO: BARRY BECK
"I'D PREFER, LEPOUNIS
Bluegill Stabbing for Slabs
Don’t laugh. It takes skills to get ‘gills. Brad Wiegmann (
www.bradwieg-
mann.com) is a sponsored bass pro, full-time guide and widely published outdoor writer; one of his favorite escapes is blasting bluegill.
While many anglers stand on the dock and cast out a bobber and worm for bluegills, Wiegmann reverses the strategy. “Look for the biggest bluegills tight to dock pilings,” he suggests. Wiegmann positions his kayak a few feet away from the structure and uses side-scan sonar to search out the fish. “Don’t get too close or you’ll spook them,” he warns. Then he lobs his bait into the struc- ture. If the bluegill stop biting, Wiegmann suggests leaving the hole for a few minutes then returning to pick up the action.
Bobber Lobber In spring, Wiegmann likes to pluck big bluegill off their spawning beds. When he sees a bald spot in the bottom that is hosting aggressive bluegill, he tries to stay as far away as possible and cast into the hot-spot. “Don’t cast a bobber like you cast a lure,” Wiegmann warns. Instead of whipping the bobber out with the rod tip, Wiegmann says to lob the bobber and bait. “Keep your arm stiff and use the whole rod to cast the bobber.” This keeps the bobber and bait from spinning, reducing the risk of tangling the line and allowing the bait to fly farther with better accuracy.
38 … KAYAK ANGLER Gear & Gadgets
Backwater Paddles Assualt Hand Paddle Backwater Paddles Assault Hand Paddle is a single paddle blade made of hard plastic with an EVA foam grip. The little blade fits in a crook or crevice in the kayak ready to de- ploy in tight structure.
www.backwaterpaddles.com
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