By: Colin Toneys
When things get tough like they always do in fishing, the power fishing tactics may not get the job done all of the time. This includes crankbaits, swimbaits, topwaters, or any other type of reaction baits.
That's when it’s time to finesse fish: down-sizing the baits we throw, the line size, and even slowing our presentations.
The bait that seems to always get me bites while finesse fishing is the Mister Twister Poc’it Fry.
Poc’it Fry Fineese Rigging Favs
The Mister Twister Poc’it Fry has a slender, almost stick bait profile and body design gives you that almost-do-nothing-kind-of-action which drives bass crazy. Bass can't help but to inhale it, which is perfect for when things get tough.
My favorite part about this bait other than always seeming to get lots of bites no matter what the conditions are is how versatile it can be rigged.
My favorite two ways of rigging the Poc’it Fry would be as a NED rig, or on a drop shot rig. Both of these are, in my opinion, a couple of the most proven finesse options there are.
When I am going to fish the Poc’it Fry as a NED Rig, I will fish it on a 7-foot medium to medium-fast rod. This setup gives you a long whippier style rod to get longer casts with the light bait, but also gives you play in the rod to help keep a small hook in the fish's mouth.
Line Selection
The next step is going to be line, I like to fish it on either 6 or 8-pound braid attached to a either a 6 or 8-pound fluorocarbon leader. Matching braid and fluorocarbon line size gives it the more realistic action on finicky fish.
Why I like using braid: When you make a long cast with this bait you have a little hook and braid being no stretch allows you to get good hook sets at further distances.
Jig Head Style & Weight Selection
For the jig head, I use a mushroom style jig head. Weight being from 1/15 oz to 1/5 oz depending on your water depth, how rough the water is or if you feel as though a lot of your bites are coming on the fall.
Customizing Poc’it Fry for NED Rig
The final step to this killer technique is the Mister Twister Poc’it Fry. When I rig the Poc’it Fry on my jig head I cut the bait in half giving you the perfect size to fit onto your jig head and fit the profile, also giving you another Poc’ it Fry already cut when it is time to re-rig another one.
Color Preferences
My two personal favorite color options are Watermelon Seed, which is a perfect natural color option for clear water, and for dirty water my favorite would be Junebug.
NED Rig – How To Fish It
How to work this technique is simple: Cast it out and let it sit for a little bit then I usually do one or two things to work it. One of these 2 ways of working the bait will get you bites:
If this technique is not in your arsenal yet you need to start learning it, it seems when they will not eat anything they will eat a drop shot.
We all have probably fished a drop shot at one point or another and it’s a proven tournament winning technique and all around fish catching machine.
I think this for the simple fact it can be held next to structure for so long and has great lifelike action if it’s tied right and uses the appropriate bait.
My go to bait for a drop shot is the Mister Twister Poc’ it Fry . With its body style it can imitate many different things to fish, whether that be bluegills, shad, even goby’s on the great lakes.
Rod Selection
When I decide to fish the drop shot I am going to start with the right rod, typically in a finesse situation around rock, wood more of a cleaner type bottom it is usually done with a spinning rod. The spinning rod I like to use is typically a 7’ to 7’ 4” medium to medium fast.
Line Selection
Most of the time I run braid as my main line to a fluorocarbon leader, just like on the NED rig setup, I match my line sizes whether it be 4, 6 or 8-pond test.
Hook Size
The hook I usually run when I am drop shotting is a 1/0 when I am nose hooking or wacky rigging the Poc’it Fry.
Leader Length
When it’s time to tie the rig up depending on time of year or where the baitfish are located, it will all dictate how high or low you tie your hook onto the fluorocarbon.
When bed fishing, or when fish seem to be relating to the bottom more than the top of the water column I may only tie it up 6-8 inches. When fish are higher in the water column to feed on baitfish or other things I may tie it up 15-18 inches.
A good starting point if you are unsure what they are doing or for someone who is new to this technique is to go 12 inches up. This is usually a happy medium and always seems to get bites.
When I tie my hook on for my drop shot rig I tie a palomar knot and the most important step to this is running the tag end back through the eye of the hook what that does is kick the hook out more on your line rather than laying limp on your line.
Weight Size
The weight size is totally up to you depending on how rough or calm the water is or how deep you are fishing a good starting point for weight sizes are an 1/8 oz all the way up to 1/2 oz.
My favorite drop shot bait is the Poc’ it Fry for the simple fact it has so much action in the water especially on a small finesse drop shot hook the ends dance and shimmer constantly becoming a very seductive presentation.
I like to use the same colors as in the NED rig presentation. Whatever they are feeding on Mister Twister has you covered for color options.
Drop Shot – 3 Ways To Fish
When you work this bait in the following three ways:
Here’s how I work a drop shot for the three above methods:
Let it hit the bottom, leave slack between your rod and the weight. You do not want to be trying to work the weight, you want to work the bait. If you are feeling the weight, you need to give more slack or bow in your line.
Do not over shake your rod tip, a few shakes and let it sit. You don't realize it, but when there is wind or any kind of waves, your Poc’it Fry is doing all the work for you. One of the most common mistakes when drop shotting, is overworking the bait.
When you make your cast blindly work it for a little while then drag it until you feel the bottom change. If you hit a rock, a piece of grass, whatever the structure, let it sit and anticipate that bite. If you are going to drop shot you need Mister Twister’s Poc’it Fry in your arsenal.
If finesse fishing is something you don’t do, you need to start or if it’s something you already do, either way, you owe it to yourself to pick up some Mister Twister Poc’it Fry’s.
The Mister Twister Poc’it Fry always gets bites, I swear by them.
When things are tough tie-up a NED rig and a drop shot, fish slow and put a Poc’it Fry on both of them and finesse fishing will be something you will always want to do.
