Yet some fishermen still reject the idea of little lures and light line for largemouths because they don't believe they can hold good bass with mono testing under 8-pounds. These veterans know the percentage of strikes they get from big, spooky bass is greater when their tackle is refined and their lures are down-sized. Some of the new ultra-thin or fluorocarbon monofilament fishing lines are ideal for casting little lures, because they allow anglers to employ mono slightly heavier than normal when fishing clear waters full of weeds, deadfalls and sharp rocks. With jigs, plastic worms and mini-tube lures, many anglers wait until they see their line move before setting the hook, so they're sure a bass has a little lure well in its mouth. A bass will fight itself out quickly when played carefully on UL tackle.
Smart anglers stay well away from casting targets when fishing clear water with little lures.
You've got to keep boat noise to a minimum, and lure presentation has got to be just right. Light lures that have a soft, subtle presentation are absolutely necessary. In clear rivers, I position the boat downstream from bass, then cast above the fish for a lifelike lure presentation. Largemouths face the river flow, and food washes to them with the current. Little lures worked slow and deep with fine line are most appealing to big, clear- water largemouths.