What size rod is best for swimbaits?
8-foot
A swimbait rod should be stiff, not for the bass, but for the baits, which can weigh 4 ounces, or more. Many fishermen prefer longer rods as well, both for the extra casting distance and added hook-setting power. The sweet spot for a swimbait rod is an 8-foot rod rated for 1- to 4-ounce lures.
Is calico bass good to eat?
Calico bass is a very popular sport fish to catch in Southern California, many anglers release a good majority of them. However if you keep them they are also definitely good eating.
Where can I find calico bass?
While you find calico bass anywhere you find kelp or rocks along Southern California’s coast or offshore islands, both Florentino and Moyer agree the top spot for trophies is Catalina Island. “I fish all the islands off Southern California, but my favorite is Catalina,” says Florentino.
Can you keep calico bass?
The calico bass, also known as kelp bass, is one of the few species afforded game fish status in the Golden State. They even strike the same types of lures, allowing Southern California calico pros to use similar techniques. Some Calico bass lures don’t look all that different than smallmouth bass lures.
What rod should I use for small swimbaits?
Swimbait Summary To throw smaller swimbaits, I suggest a medium action, 6 1/2- to 7-foot, high-modulus graphite rod. A rod of that length will allow you to make long casts without any compromise in accuracy. Either spinning or baitcasting gear is fine.
What line do you use for big swimbaits?
The best line size for big swimbaits is largely determined by the weight of the lure itself. With a 7-8″ soft plastic hollow body swimbait you can get away with using fresh line as light as 17lb but for most large sized swimbaits I prefer to use at least 20-25lb fluorocarbon.
Does calico bass taste good?
Calico bass taste good but they are slow-growing so I generally release them, especially the big ones. However, I have eaten an occasional small one. They can be prepared many ways and have a firm, flaky white meat. I usually use a medium weight saltwater baitcasting setup.
Is calico bass healthy?
They’re slow to grow so let them go. But if you keep them, yes, they’re very good… especially compared to Sand Bass. I’d only keep one if it was bleeding and unlikely to survive.
Can you eat calico bass raw?
The thread started with a question about calico bass for sashimi-answer yes, it is OK when served “Usuzukuri” style with ponzu and momijiorishi instead of soy sauce and wasabi. Most white meat sashimi is served “Usuzukuri” (thinly sliced raw fish) here in Japan.
What kind of fishing rod do you use for calico bass?
For his calico bass setup, he favors a 9-foot Shimano Teramar 90H rod paired with a Tranx supersize baitcasting reel loaded with 80-pound braid and short trace of 50- to 60-pound fluorocarbon. The long rod and the heft of the surface iron, almost 3½ ounces, allows him to rip off long casts over the kelp and cover lots of water.
How big of a lure do you need to catch a calico bass?
Big calicos often bust through the floating kelp to attack a lure. Other times, they pounce on it as it crosses an open patch of water. Moyer likes a 7½- to 8-foot rod, with a light tip for casting swimbaits, but plenty of backbone to horse a big calico out of the kelp, which is decidedly more difficult when the fronds are on the surface.
Are there any tournaments for calico bass fishing?
Over the past decade, the popularity of calico bass surged, thanks to tournaments sanctioned by the Saltwater Bass Series (SBS) and Salt Water Bass Association (SWBA) reminiscent of the freshwater bass tournament phenomenon. Calico bass fishing is accessible to many different styles of boats too.
What’s the difference between Calico bass and smallmouth bass?
Some Calico bass lures don’t look all that different than smallmouth bass lures. Just like their freshwater counterparts, calico tournament anglers have advanced successful techniques for targeting the largest specimens, those fish that propel anglers high in the standings.
