Professional Bass Angler Todd Woods of Los
Angeles, California, is not a stranger to the winner's circle. Major
professional victories include the 2019 Won Bass Arizona Open on Lake Havasu
and the 2016 FLW Costa event at Clear Lake, California—two distinctly different
fishing venues.
Fishing in the Co-angler Division, Woods
was crowned champion at the 2023 MLF Toyota Series on Lake Havasu,
Arizona.
Baitfish and Bait Birds
Whenever bait fish are on the top of a
bass's menu, Woods has a proven swimbait approach that handles diverse
locations and ever-changing conditions. Schooling bait fish, a shad spawn, or
anytime the bass target bait fish, that's when Woods casts a Basstrix Paddle
Tail Tube Swimbait. Woods also points out that when bait birds, like grebes,
work in an area, it's an excellent sign to test the Basstrix bite.
Swimbaits
Woods explains that he fishes this lure
anywhere he goes. "There is always bait somewhere," he says. Basstrix
offers a wide range of swimbait sizes and patterns. The Basstrix line of
swimbaits allows Woods to adjust length and colors to match well with a lake's
live bait fish and the day's conditions.
The 4-inch center, 6-inch top, and 7-inch bottom are the Basstrix Paddle
Tail Tube Swimbaits sizes most used by Woods.
"Depending on how I want to fish the lure, I rig the Basstrix swimbait
with either a Blade-Runner Hollow Swimbait Insert or a Blade-Runner Spin Trix
underspin."
Hitch at Clear Lake, Gizzard Shad, Pre-spawn periods, or anytime the
bass are on big bait fish; Woods uses the 7-inch Basstrix shown above with a 1
oz. 6/0 Hollow Swimbait Insert.
Woods uses a Blade-Runner Hollow Swimbait
Insert for deeper presentations meant to contact the bottom. This insert is
available in various sizes to suit a range of depths and swimbait sizes. It's
available in six weights from 3/16 oz. to 1 oz. Each weight also comes in
various hook sizes.
A 6-inch Basstrix Paddle Tail Tube Swimbait with a Blade-Runner Hollow
Swimbait Insert in position.
The lead weight harness of the Blade-Runner
Hollow Swimbait Insert features a wire bait keeper and a loop wire for
attaching a belly hook if desired. To place the insert within the swimbait:
Use a sharp razor blade to make a one-inch
slice along the spine of the bait where the hook would emerge.
Slide the insert's line tie inside and push the
line tie through the top center of the lure's nose.
Align the swimbait with the weighted hook
system, and the bait will be ready.
The 6-inch Basstrix with a gold 3/8 oz. Blade Runner Spin Trix top, 3/8
oz., white head silver blade Spin Trix center, and a 4-inch Basstrix Swimbait
bottom.
When fishing higher in the water column,
the Blade-Runner Spin Trix underspin head is Woods' swimbait hook of choice;
water clarity determines blade color: gold in stained water and silver for
clear conditions.
Action
When baitfish schools are established,
there will always be individuals within the school who behave differently from
the majority. Woods believes baitfish that separate themselves either by
position, action, or both are targets for predatory bass. Slow-rolling the
bottom, deflecting off cover and structure elements, ripping like a jerkbait,
and working his swimbait like a jig are a few of the methods Woods uses to make
his deception become the target.
A-Rigs
Woods also employs an Umbrella Rig, also
known as an A-Rig, when fishing baitfish situations. Woods uses a Dark Horse
Custom A-Rig. Many A-Rigs on the market have fragile wire arms. "That's
not the case with Dark Horse products," explains Woods. "I like the
wire on Dark Horse Baits; it holds up to adjustments, flexing, hard-core
fishing, and big fish strikes." Dark Horse has various A-Rig
configurations that comply with individual state fishing requirements.
Dark Horse A-Rig is a five-arm model with two active and three dummy
positions. It is shown with the Blade-Runner Casting Rig Hooks and Bass Pro
Shops Speed Shad Swimbait.
Woods uses different-sized Blade-Runner
Casting Rig Hooks for the baits with hooks on his A-Rig set-up. Lighter-sized
hooks accommodate shallower running A-Rig presentations. The more massive heads
provide a deeper running A-Rig. Switching hook size allows Woods to easily fish
different portions of the water column and match up with different-sized
swimbaits.
The Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Speed
Shad is Woods A-Rig bait for both hooked and dummy baits. Woods explains that
the Speed Shad is as effective as other popular choices but has better
durability. Woods uses different sizes and colors to allow Speed Shads with
hooks to stand out from the dummy baits.
Woods prefers an unpainted Casting Rig Hook
in clear water, stating it's more natural looking. In dirtier, stained waters,
a painted Casting Rig Hook is selected. Woods finished in second place at the
2014 Won Bass US Open on Lake Mead, Nevada. The A-Rig was a prime lure for
Woods at this prestigious high-level event. Woods would swim the A-Rig directly
below bass that were working bait fish on the water's surface.
Woods lands a five-pound bass anchoring his day-three winning bag at the
inaugural 2019 Won Bass Arizona Open held on Lake Havasu. The author was Wood's
AAA draw partner/net man on the final day of the competition.
Equipment
For the Basstrix Swimbait and A-Rig
presentations, Woods employees an ABU Garcia Fantasista X casting rod paired
with a Revo Winch LP reel spooled with Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon line.
Woods uses ABU Garcia Veritas PLX TE
spinning rods and Revo Rocket SP spinning reels for lighter finesse techniques.
The Retrieve
When listening to great seminar speakers,
they'll often point out an Ah Ha Moment during their talks. Speakers frequently
say, "If you remember anything, remember this one, it's a biggie."
Woods' advice about retrieving is one of those big things!
Woods explains that he can demonstrate
outstanding lures, detail the best terminal tackle to pair baits with, and
which techniques and conditions to use them for, but there is an aspect that is
more important than an angler's tools. Woods points out that the details
anglers should be seeking are typically overlooked. "The specifics of the
retrieve are critical to success." The difference between just reeling in
a lure versus imparting a specific action triggers the biggest bass in the
system to strike.
Everywhere you fish, whether it's somewhere
new or your home lake, the conditions are always different. Where the winning
fish are and what triggers them to bite are continually changing. "It will
never be enough just to cast the same lure the winner uses."
It could be how you rip a lure when you
contact grass, detecting the bite the moment you punch through the top of a
vegetation mat, or the difference in how your bait swims based on the line type
and diameter. The subtle nuances within an angler's retrieve give a lure not
just life but, more importantly, the proper life. That's what anglers should be
looking for, and that's what produces successful angling. "The retrieve is
the most important aspect of any lure you discover."
The winning feeling, Woods completes his wire to wire win at the inaugural WON Bass AZ Open!
Collaborations
Todd Woods partners with these outstanding
companies: Abu Garcia, Anglers Marine, Ben Green Insurance, Berkley, Costa,
G-Money Jigs, Mercury, Lowrance, Ranger Boats
Being the Bait was originally released on 4/29/19, and the updated version was pinned on 4/29/24.
MLF AAA Havasu Champion images by Charles Waldorf. WON Bass AZ Open images by Billy Egan. Title
photo and bait-box photo by Jessica Haydahl Richardson https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdeGNu9QzkK3mL640_AWOww. Collage creations and all other images by DSF.
