Megabass's
Dark Sleeper and Western Washington Bass Fishing with Stephen Zuloaga.
By
Derrek Stewart 5/16/19 updated 3/31/24
Stephen Zuloaga and a hefty Washington State Largemouth Bass.
Stephen
Zuloaga, a lifelong Southern Californian bass angler, has found new waters and
a new home in Western Washington State. Zuloaga was surrounded by So Cal's big
bait swimbait scene. He's fished with and learned from some of the best
swimbait anglers in history. Famed trophy bass hunter Butch Brown and the late Dave Roberson of ORSO
swimbaits are two of Zuloaga's mentors.
Great memories fishing with big bait swimbait angler and lure designer Dave Roberson on Lake Casitas, CA.
Zuloaga with a stout
Dark Sleeper Washington Smallmouth Bass catch.
The
Clue
Zuloaga
has applied that knowledge and an open mind to his new waters, and it's paying
off. During a typical day of fishing, Zuloaga landed a bass while fishing a jig
with a craw trailer. Just before Zuloaga netted his catch, the bass coughed up
a sculpin boat side.
A freshwater Sculpin
partially digested was found floating on the lake's surface.
Freshwater
Sculpin swim across North America and can grow to over five inches. However,
Sculpins don't always come to mind when bass anglers think about prey items and
swimbaits. That's not the case for Zuloaga; after examining the regurgitated
meal, he set out on a mission to 'Match the Hatch.'
The
Megabass Dark Sleeper, Half Swimbait, Half Jig
After
an extensive search, Zuloaga came across the Megabass Dark Sleeper. This
swimbait appeared to have excellent potential, so testing was undoubtedly in
order. Based on the Sculpin above, Zuloaga ordered the Haze and Wagasaki
patterns in a couple of different sizes and weights.
The Dark Sleeper, Haze
pattern left, and Wagasaki pattern right.
Initially,
Zuloaga had to undergo a trial period to learn the nuances of fishing this new
bait. Working with a 2.4-inch 3/8 oz and 3-inch 1/2 oz model, Zuloaga learned
that the heavier version was outperforming the lighter lure. Zuloaga attributes
the increased strikes to the heavier bait's ability to stay in contact with the
bottom.
Stay
in Touch
Zuloaga
fishes the Dark Sleeper like a jig along the bottom. Staying in contact with
the swimbait and feeling the bottom is essential to the retrieve. By being in
tune with the lure's feedback, Zuloaga knows when he's in a prime spot and a
strike is about to occur.
During
spring, Zuloaga searches for hard bottom areas with boulders and rock and
little, if any, grass. The potential for holding fish increases if the location
also features flooded trees and stumps. "When I swim up to, then pop up,
and over the cover elements, that's when the bass attack my swimbait,"
says Zuloaga.
Another impressive
Northwestern Smallmouth Bass falls for the Dark Sleeper.
Attributes
The
Megabass Dark Sleeper swimbait is a realism lure with supple paddle-tail
action, developed to target fish holding to bottom structure. A low center of
gravity weight placement and bottom fins keep the Dark Sleeper upright as it
moves with a natural attitude ideal for targeting bottom structure.
Available in ten color
patterns, three length sizes: 2.4-inch, 3-inch, and 3.8-inch, and five weights.
Weight
- Length
1/4 oz
- 2.4-inches, 3/8 oz
- 2.4-inches, 3/8 oz
- 3-inches, 1/2 oz
- 3-inches, 3/4 oz
- 3-inches, 3/4 oz
- 3.8-inches, 1 oz -
3.8-inches
The Dark Sleeper Donko
pattern shows a hook within the dorsal fin. A largemouth bass catch shows fins
parted after the hook is set; the bass choked the Dark Sleeper.
A soft
fin shields the top hook on both sides. In addition to camouflaging the top
hook design, the fins gently deflect potential snags, allowing the Dark Sleeper
to crawl through gnarly structure and cover. The soft fin material compresses
instantly during fish strikes and hook sets.
"I
know where the fish are; they're in the trees. When I started fishing here, I
lost a lot of lures. Fishing in these submerged trees is why I love a lure with
a concealed hook. The Dark Sleeper's snag-less design provides an amazing
hook-up ratio."
New
Water
Washington
is the north-westernmost state in the contiguous United States. The Cascade
Mountains run north-south through the middle of the territory, creating two
distinct climate regions. Eastern Washington is very arid. "The lakes in
the east and their topography are similar to Southern California's
waters." Bluff walls, long tapering points, clay, mud, rock, and boulders
dominate Eastern Washington and Southern California bass waters.
In Western Washington, the structure and cover
elements are drastically different. In the West's tree-rich region, the lakes
lack well-defined structure elements. Flooded trees, stumps, and bridge pilings
are the abundant cover elements on the west side of Washington. Zuloaga quickly
learned how the bass behave in these different environments.
A plump football-shaped
Washington Smallie duped with the Dark Sleeper.
Swimbaits
Across the US
Nationwide,
anglers are learning that swimbaits, especially big baits, are not an anomaly
that only occurs in the trout-stocked waters of Southern California. Swimbait
anglers across the country know that the predator-to-big prey-size connection
is not unique to So Cal.
Zuloaga
has an interesting perspective regarding the potential of swimbaits across the
United States and beyond. “There are so many swimbait anglers in Southern
California that it's easier to catch fish with swimbaits everywhere else but So
Cal. Southern California Bass are conditioned to swimbaits."
The
Best the Outdoors Offers
The best fishing has to
offer: Steven Zuloaga is out on his new home waters enjoying fishing with his
daughter Evynn and their pet Lenna. Good times!
Stephen
Zuloaga shows us what it means to keep an open mind, read the clues, and adjust
to the conditions.
Fresh
and Saltwater
Sculpin
are found in freshwater and the ocean, making the Megabass Dark Sleeper an
excellent lure choice for both venues. Southern California saltwater anglers
know that the Dark Sleeper has been on the spotted bay bass menu for some time
now.
