Weightless lizards deadly for largemouths (photo)

I have caught more big bass over the last two years than I have caught in my previous 35 years. No kidding.

Most of that has to do with the fact I am focusing on them through my F.L.E.X. Fishing (TM) system which helps anglers catch big fish of any species.

Part of that equation is eliminating obstacles to catching fish. I have been fishing ponds a lot this spring since the wind has made fishing open water tough if not difficult.

Most of my big fish lately have come by fishing a soft plastic lizard what I call weightless Texas rig. In other words, the hook is rigged just like it would be on a Texas rig but there is no weight.

The reason is that big, experienced bass get super spooky on small, pressured waters and I like to use large lures to catch them but ones that make a light impact.

I do a lot of sight casting to bass and if I am able to put something in front of them that not only creates almost zero splash but feels light to the fish when they strike, I have found my success rate goes up dramatically.

This spring my go-to lure has been either a six or 10-inch Rattlin’ Larry the Lizard in either watermelon seed or Sam Rayburn Red. These lizards have a 4 mm rattling chamber in the tail and have incredible action in the water.

By fishing them weightless I am able to let them sink super slowly in front of fish, reel them slowly across the surface and then let them sink just as a fish gets within striking distance or walk the dog (or in this case lizard) under the surface.

It’s absolutely killer.

Many anglers use lizards only in the spring when bass are on the nests but that is a mistake. The fact is in most Texas waters, bass never have salamanders raiding their nest anyway so it is not as if a lizard is a big natural threat. It just looks lifelike and as you can see from this photo, they will fit hit anything they can fit in their mouth if it looks lifelike and is presented with focus.

Try weightless lizards on ponds and other kinds of small water especially when you are sigh casting.

You will not be disappointed.

For more information on Larry the Lizard, click here.

(Photo by Lisa Moore)
The author with a nice bass caught on a Sam Rayburn red Rattlin’ Larry the Lizard.