Advertise on podcast: Catch More Bass — Bass Fishing Podcast

Two Bassmaster Elite Series wins on a drop shot, one targeting largemouth in heavy timber and another chasing smallmouth in open water. Joey Cifuentes breaks down the little details that separate anglers who occasionally get bit from those who consistently catch more bass on a drop shot. What You'll Learn Why Joey relies on a drop shot for pressured and bottom oriented bass, even with the popularity of jighead minnows. How to choose hook sizes, from tiny #4 hooks for clear water smallmouth to stronger 2/0 and 3/0 hooks around heavy cover. How far to position your weight below the bait, and when to adjust that distance for grass, bottom cover, and fish behavior. When to use lighter or heavier drop shot weights, and why Joey ties directly to his tungsten weights. How Joey chooses braid, fluorocarbon leader strength, and leader length for different water conditions. Why keeping the weight on bottom while subtly moving your bait can make such a big difference. How to set the hook and manage your drag without pulling small hooks out of bass. Joey's favorite finesse worm colors, bait modifications, and other details that can trigger extra bites. Guest: Joey Cifuentes, two time Bassmaster Elite Series winner. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off Follow Catch More Bass. New episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

How do you get more and bigger bites on a swim jig when everyone around you is throwing the same technique? At 77, Tom Monsoor is still beating top pros with the bait he has spent more than 50 years perfecting, and the difference comes down to the small presentation adjustments most anglers overlook. Tom breaks down how he changes a swim jig retrieve based on what the fish are telling him, from schooling bass and cold fronts to current seams, water clarity, depth, color, and changing water levels. He also explains why the right cast can still be wasted if the jig does not move through the strike zone exactly right. What you’ll learn: • Why bigger bass can sit underneath schooling fish and when to let the jig fall • When to swim, hop, lift, or work a swim jig along the bottom • How cold fronts change the retrieve and why one missed adjustment can cost a tournament • How water clarity changes how aggressively he works the jig • How to choose jig weight and trailer size for depth and forage • Why rising water can move river bass shallower • How current seams and exact presentation create bites other anglers miss • How Tom fine-tunes colors, trailers, feel, and retrieve throughout the day • Why decades of experience still separate him from anglers fishing the same water Guest: Tom Monsoor — legendary swim jig specialist with more than 50 years refining the technique; still winning and finishing near the top against elite tournament competition at age 77. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠⁠ Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠⁠ Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠⁠

What lure details actually make bass bite, and what should you change first when your bait is getting ignored? This episode breaks down the factors bass actually respond to, including retrieve speed, fall rate, action, profile, color and contrast, sound, vibration, scent, taste, and how those priorities change with conditions and fishing pressure. Mark Sexton, Director of Fish Science and Product Testing at Pure Fishing, has spent nearly 30 years studying bass behavior and testing lures in the lab and on the water. He shares what their testing says anglers tend to overthink, what bass notice far more than we realize, and how to use that information to catch more fish. You’ll learn: • Why lure eyes and extreme cosmetic detail can matter far less than anglers think• Why green pumpkin works and why contrast may matter more than exact color• How retrieve speed, fall rate, profile, and erratic action change bass behavior• How bass use sight, smell, taste, sound, and their lateral line to evaluate a lure• What to change when bass follow a jighead minnow but refuse to eat it• How quickly bass can reject a lure after tasting it• How long bass may remember a lure after a negative experience• Why some weird looking baits trigger fish better than realistic ones• Why artificial lures can sometimes outperform live bait• What decades of lure testing reveal about the details that actually get bites Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠

Jighead minnows dominate modern bass fishing, but they aren’t always the best way to get bit. BPT winner, longtime guide, and True Bass Swimbaits founder Ryan Salzman breaks down exactly when a boot-tail swimbait is the better tool—and the small rigging and retrieve details that can dramatically change your results. Ryan explains why swimbaits draw bass you may never see on forward-facing sonar, how he chooses between a soft Keitech-style bait and a firmer hollow body, and how depth, speed, line size, and jighead weight all work together. What you’ll learn:• When to choose a boot-tail swimbait instead of a jighead minnow• Why perfectly straight rigging can produce dramatically more bites• How to choose 2.8, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5-inch swimbaits• Jighead weights and line sizes for different depths and retrieve speeds• The pendulum-fall retrieve and why bites often come on the drop• Why Ryan keeps his rod around 9:30 for better swimbait action• The hookset mistake that costs anglers fish—and what to do instead• Ryan’s Alabama-rig tricks, including shaking the rig, mixing trailers, and choosing blades Guest: Ryan Salzman — BPT winner, longtime Tennessee River guide, and founder of True Bass Swimbaits. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Fall is the season when almost anything can work, which is exactly what makes it so hard. Jeremy Lawyer breaks down the bait he keeps coming back to when bass scatter, conditions change, and he needs the kind of bite that can change his day. Lawyer has built a major part of his tournament résumé in the fall, including six All-American appearances, a 2016 All American win, and major fall success at Lake of the Ozarks. What you’ll learn:• Why reaction baits help locate scattered “wolf packs” before slow fishing ever finds them • How Lawyer uses buzzbaits, Ploppers, walking baits, and other topwaters as the water cools• Why topwater can keep producing in bright sun and even into 58–60° water in November and December • His counterintuitive cold-front rule: go shallower until water gets down around 50–53° • How he adjusts buzzbait color, blade, speed, and sound between sunny and cloudy conditions • Why he’ll sacrifice numbers for better bites—and when stubbornness with one bait can pay off Guest: Jeremy Lawyer, FLW Tour and 2016 All-American champion; six-time All-American qualifier; more than $1 million in career earnings with extensive fall tournament success. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T⁠  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off⁠  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3⁠

The Carolina rig gets bit when nothing else will, but most anglers aren’t getting everything they can out of it. Peter Thliveros built a career with the technique and breaks down the details that separate simply dragging a C-rig from actually understanding what the rig is telling you. Peter also explains the Petey Rig, the finesse version he developed that breaks many of the rules of a traditional Carolina rig—and when he’d rather throw it. What you’ll learn:• Why Peter believes most anglers fish a Carolina rig too light and too fast• How much weight he uses and why heavier sinkers improve bottom contact• How he reads rock, shell, gravel, grass, and transitions through the rig• How Peter drags, pauses, snaps, and changes retrieve speed based on the fish• Leader length, line, hooks, and bait selection for a traditional Carolina rig• Why switching to a Fluke became one of the biggest changes in his C-rig fishing• How the Petey Rig differs from the standard Carolina rig and when it shines• How Peter uses both rigs to find productive water and generate bites when fishing gets tough Guest: Peter Thliveros, 8 time national tour winner, retired professional angler, longtime Carolina-rig specialist, and creator of the Petey Rig. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Fall bass fishing gets tough fast when everyone piles into the same obvious water. Matt Pangrac breaks down the repeatable system he uses to find overlooked bass, get bites on unfamiliar lakes, and avoid wasting the day chasing the crowd. After spending roughly a decade with fall as his primary fishing season, Matt developed a simple way to shrink big reservoirs into high-percentage water—and some of his best starting spots are places most anglers drive right past. What you’ll learn:• Why Matt starts near the lower end of the lake instead of automatically running to the backs of creeks• How fish-attractor buoys and your mapping can reveal productive fall water fast• Why vertical and horizontal structure coming together creates high-percentage bass spots• Matt’s heavy 3/8- to 1/2-ounce drop-shot setup and why he fishes it fast• How to rig and fish the backwards “chicken rig” around docks and suspended bass• How he uses heavy jighead minnows to trigger pelagic bass with forward-facing sonar• Why bridges, marinas, riprap, and ramps form his BMR² system for getting bit on almost any reservoir• How fishing pressure changes where fall bass set up—and why the obvious water can get burned quickly Guest: Matt Pangrac — Bass Talk Live host, national-level tournament angler, Bassmaster Opens competitor, and longtime fall-fishing specialist. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Why do some bass bite, get hooked, and still never make it to the boat? Cody Stahl breaks down the overlooked tackle decisions that affect everything from getting a bait through the strike zone to keeping a big fish pinned. Fresh off a record 22-pound Bassmaster Open winning margin without forward-facing sonar, Cody brings an unusual perspective: he’s a tournament pro, fishing-rod designer, and former soft-plastic mold designer. He explains the details most anglers never think about—and why the “best” rod, hook, or material depends entirely on how you’re fishing. What you’ll learn: • Why Cody used a 3/4-ounce lipless crankbait on a 7'5" extra-heavy, extra-fast rod in Florida grass • Why 20-pound fluorocarbon gave him advantages over braid with treble hooks • The difference between rod power, action, modulus, and spring-back speed • Why higher-modulus graphite can be better for jerkbaits but worse for some crankbaits • How he chooses rods for ChatterBaits, frogs, jighead minnows, wacky rigs, and bottom-contact baits • When to use an EWG versus straight-shank hook—and when to change your hookset around cover • Why round-bend and EWG treble hooks can serve completely different purposes • What a lure designer notices about swimbait tails, plastic hardness, seams, and action Guest: Cody Stahl — Bassmaster Open winner; record 22-pound winning margin; tournament pro; fishing-rod designer and former soft-plastic mold designer. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

What are the five best baits to have tied on for fall bass fishing? Zack Birge gives the exact five he’d trust if dropped on an unfamiliar lake anywhere in the country—and explains how he changes locations, retrieves, and presentations as fall progresses. Birge is coming off a monster 2026 season with three tournament wins and a Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year title. More importantly, he keeps his fishing remarkably simple and lets the fish tell him what they want instead of cycling through 15 or 20 rods. What you’ll learn:• The five fall baits Zack would rig for an unknown lake• Why the first strong cold front matters more than the calendar• Where to fish before bass push deeper into creeks• How he approaches clear highland reservoirs versus shallow, dirtier lakes• When to throw a buzzbait, walking bait, squarebill, bladed jig, or finesse jig• Why fall bass may crush one bait today and ignore it tomorrow• How bite location inside a creek tells you which areas to run next• When jighead minnows and Alabama rigs become bigger players as water cools Guest: Zack Birge — 2026 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year; three-time tournament winner in 2026; elite shallow-water and power-fishing specialist. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Most anglers can have a great day. The harder skill is avoiding the days when nothing works. Ryan Lachniet breaks down the decision-making system he uses to catch bass consistently—how he chooses dependable water, avoids high-risk patterns, adjusts when fish won’t commit, and uses LiveScope to make better decisions instead of simply chasing dots. Ryan’s approach is surprisingly conservative for a young pro: find the best version of the safe option, secure dependable bites, then take calculated shots at bigger fish. He also explains why he’d often rather have LiveScope throughout practice than during the tournament itself. What you’ll learn: • How to find the “best of the safe options” instead of gambling on one winning spot • When to use LiveScope early and when to save it for bigger bites • Why forward-facing sonar may be more valuable in practice than tournament hours • How to tell whether a Scope pattern will still work when you turn the screen off • Why crowded community holes can be the smartest bailout when fishing gets tough • What to change when bass follow a lure but refuse to bite • Why Ryan changes baits before worrying about color • How to decide between pattern fishing and staying in the best area Guest: Ryan Lachniet — MLF Pro Circuit rookie with five straight top-25 finishes at the time of recording; second in Angler of the Year points. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Big bass often see a jig without ever committing to it. Bradley Hallman breaks down the Little Brown Jig system he refined over decades—the exact bait, tackle, casting targets, and patient retrieve that catch fish other anglers leave behind. This is more than simply downsizing a jig. Hallman explains how head design, weight, skirt density, line size, casting accuracy, and the final 30–60-second pause work together as one complete system. What you’ll learn: • Why 5/16 ounce is his primary choice in 7–8 feet of water and shallower • When to step up to a 7/16-ounce jig for deeper water or heavier line • Why he wants a ball head, 60-degree line tie, stout hook, and sparse skirt • His 6-foot-10 casting-rod setup and when to use 10-, 15-, or 20-pound fluorocarbon • How he pairs a brown jig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw • Trailer-color changes for stained, dirty, and clear water • Where to cast around docks, shade lines, gravel, rock, brush, and channel swings • How “squatting” a jig for 30–60 seconds triggers the biggest fish to finally eat Guest: Bradley Hallman... Two-time tour winner; longtime national tour pro; flippin' and jig specialist. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Why can you be surrounded by bass and still struggle to get a bite? Cal Lane explains how rigid expectations about season, location, current, water level, and fishing pressure can keep anglers committed to a pattern that no longer exists. Recorded before his breakthrough Pro Circuit win at Lake Champlain, this conversation reveals the decision-making system behind Cal’s run of top finishes. Through real tournament examples, he explains how he determines whether to stay shallow, move offshore, trust LiveScope, fish current, or abandon the bite he expected. What you’ll learn: • How to recognize when you’re forcing the wrong bass pattern • When to leave visible fish, productive practice water, or a confidence spot • How cold fronts, floodwater, current, and pressure reposition bass • When to choose shallow power fishing over offshore electronics • How Cal uses ChatterBaits, swim jigs, buzzbaits, a 10XD, and an Alabama rig • Why persistence catches fish but stubbornness can ruin a trip • How to eliminate dead water without fishing randomly • What to trust when the bass stop doing what they “should” do Guest: Cal Lane — Pro Circuit winner and consistent top 10 finisher known for adapting between shallow power fishing and offshore techniques.   Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Which new LiveScope transducer should you buy—and could choosing the wrong one cost you bass? Alton Jones Jr. shares three days of on-water testing with the Garmin LVS42HD and LVS44, including where each transducer shines, what changes from the LVS34, and which model makes the most sense for most bass anglers. You’ll also learn how Alton uses Perspective Mode, screen size, gain and filtering, multiple-transducer setups, and the Garmin Spy Pole to see more fish and make more efficient casts. Then he breaks down the Free Rig system he uses when pressured bass ignore minnows, drop shots, jigs, and other common presentations. What you’ll learn: • Why the LVS44 is the better all-around choice for most bass anglers • Where the LVS42HD’s close-range detail and target separation matter most • How far each transducer can clearly show fish, bait, timber, and bottom cover • Why Perspective Mode helps identify fish and locate overlooked structure • Gain, ghost reject, noise reject, and screen-size adjustments that improve visibility • The best one-, two-, and three-transducer LiveScope configurations • How the Garmin Spy Pole improves boat and transducer control in wind and current • The Free Rig setup: 3/8-ounce weight, 17–20-pound line, total-slack fall, and alternate casting angles Guest: Alton Jones Jr. — Bass Pro Tour champion with more than $1.5 million in career earnings; one of the sport’s most accomplished forward-facing sonar anglers. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

A bass lure can still catch fish and no longer be the best option for the job. Tournament pro and Core Tackle co-founder Matt Stefan breaks down which proven baits still deserve a place in your boat, which techniques are losing ground to better alternatives, and the new baits and rigs pros are trying to keep quiet. We cover the rise of urchin-style baits, why movement and fall often matter more than lure shape, and Matt’s current buy, hold, or sell rating on Ned rigs, shaky heads, drop shots, tubes, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, topwaters, and more. Matt also explains how he evaluates new techniques, why some old-school baits are making a comeback, and how Core Tackle designs specialized hooks and rigs to make existing presentations more efficient. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3

Fish a Ned rig with less guesswork and more bottom contact. Brian Latimer breaks down the simple setup, retrieve, and location rules that help this subtle bait catch numbers—and why most anglers make it harder than it needs to be. This is a complete Ned rig clinic covering jigheads, plastics, weights, colors, line, leader length, hooksets, seasonal patterns, and the places where the technique works best. What you’ll learn: • Why simple, low-action plastics often outperform baits covered in appendages • When to use a 1/5-ounce head and when to lighten up to 1/10 ounce • Why Brian prefers a light-wire Finesse ShroomZ over heavier and EWG-style hooks • How 10-pound braid with a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader reduces break-offs • The bottom-contact and slack-line retrieve detail most anglers miss • Why “nothing banks,” bridges, current, steep points, and deep winter fish fit the Ned rig • How to tightline, fish vertically, and let current move the bait • Why a numbers bait can still produce tournament-quality bass Guest: Brian Latimer — Professional tournament angler, Lake Seminole FLW Tour winner, fishing educator, and founder of Straight Up Fishing. Watch the full video podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLJHIrTVplvfzK7I8FEog0BXmrt83Yc3T  Save 10% on MillerTech lithium batteries and all other products: https://tinyurl.com/MillerTech10off  Follow Catch More Bass—new episodes every Monday at 2 PM CT. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catch-more-bass/id1842586566 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2QGQyLEtWoErDF6vD7igy3