Is finesse "in"? Yes. For everyone? Sorta! Here's some good stuff to gitcha wheels a-spinnin'. No particular order.

Great Lakes Finesse Sneaky Underspin with a GLF Drop Minnow

> In the summer, smallmouths generally key on bottom baits, but come the fall in the Great Lakes the craws go away and the bass switch to feeding on young of the year minnows. The underspin is killer for when this happens.

> Fish go super shallow to put the feed bag on these before going back out deep to their wintering holes.

Okay that's the Great Lakes perspective, but man we all know that underspins will catch 'em when the water's colder, and after this year I ain't bettin' against the GLF stuff!

Here's a good vid of Dan the GLF man himself talkin' the "Sneaky Drop" combo.

BOOYAH Covert Finesse Spinnerbait

It's finesse spinnerbait time! One of my fave bites and one of the "old" bass fishing techniques that works – hit windy banks! Here's a little more on this Jason Christie-designed bait:

> ...a downsized spinnerbait perfect for pressured bass [including during] the extreme heat of early fall. The double willow combination works best in clear or slightly-stained water...adding a YUM FF Sonar Minnow as a trailer to provide bulk and a great shad-like appearance.

Or whatever trailer you want or no trailer works too. Here's Jason in a quick YT vid about 'em. Reminder that he prefers a cut-down YUM Swim'N Dinger or YUM Pulse swimbait on his spinnerbaits.

Berkley PowerBait Finesse Jig

The new-ish Berkley PowerBait Jigs are real good, including this'n – Gary Klein-approved colors are real good too. Check the TW reviews....

Gotta shout out the Berkley Power Blade Compact Double Willow Spinnerbaits too. Smaller profile and it catches 'em!

I was like, "Edwin did you really design these spinnerbaits?" And he was all, "That's what I heard!" 😁 Just messin'!

Yo-Zuri Rattl'n Vibe Mini

Elitist Brandon Card talkin' at ya:

> In many parts of the country, bass get on really small threadfin shad in the fall. Shad that were hatched in the spring are usually 1-2" come fall time. Bass get so focused on small bait this time of year that they can be very tricky to catch because it's hard to match the hatch.

> This is where the Rattl'n Vibe Mini comes into play. At only 1 5/8" and 3/16-oz, it's the perfect size to mimic these small threadfin shad. ...really loud for its size. The rattles get bass' attention and the compact size makes for a perfect easy meal.

> I like to throw this bait on flat banks in creeks. Windblown pockets and small secondary creek arms are high-percentage areas....

> ...I like using spinning tackle when I'm fishing the Rattl'n Vibe Mini. I make longer casts and cover much more water by using spinning tackle. I use a 7' 1" MH iRod Genesis III Rod, 2500-size 6.4:1 reel, 10-lb Yo-Zuri SuperBraid mainline to a 10-lb Yo-Zuri Super Fluoro Leader.

> The only two colors I use look just like a threadfin shad: blue chrome and black silver.

Heddon Zara Puppy

> What seriously, the Puppy? YES! This downsized little Spook...is silent and features an extremely finesse walk the dog action that drives schooling bass wild. It is the perfect small topwater lure for catching fish keyed in on shad that won't seem to bite anything.

> Rig it on a small spinning rod and some light braid....

3" and 1/4-oz. The Heddon Spook Boyo is also 3" but is a little more stout and weighs a little more, 3/8-oz.

Couple Yamamoto offerin's

Man in many ways Yamamoto = OG finesse, even though the way it's going it seems like fishing a 5" Senko might be power fishing now! 🤔 Okay just messin', but here's a few new and newish baits that'll catch 'em:

2.5" and 3.5" Yamatanuki

Heavy soft-plastics are a thing and I believe this is the only one that has that little tail! Brown purple laminate works but they have "normal" colors too!

3" Scope Shad

3" of money!

> The flat head makes it pair perfect with your favorite jighead or underspin to catch suspended fish....

> ...made from Yamamoto's Mega Floater Formula so that it will sit perfectly horizontal when paused, making it a great option for dropshots.

Once I asked some Yamamoto baits hanging around in my boat, "Why are you so salty?" They didn't answer – just them being salty again! 🤣

Catch Co Tight Rope Firework Super Finesse Jig

A really good ball-head finesse jig, as the many reviews on TW say. Colors are good, hook is good, skirts are the right length. Not much more to say than that. 1/4 oz.

Jewel Pee-Wee HD Spider Jig

You could fish this jig (5/16 and 7/16) or the also new Pee-Wee HD Football Jig (1/2 and 5/8) if you want a stouter hook than the popular Pee-Wee Football Jig. All of 'em are good, designed by the jig master himself Gayle Julian. I have all 3 in my jig box...not that that matters just sayin'! 😆

Z-Man TRD GobyZ

2.4" of TRD Z-Man ElaZtech plastic with a paddletail that looks just like a goby or tadpole? Do I need to say any more than that?? In other words, an entirely new Ned and dropshot look.

FishLab Nature Series Nymph

Gotta shout out this 3.5" or 4.35" "mini swimbait" again because nothing else is like it. Damiki it, swim it and gotta Carolina rig it:

REELS

Abu Garcia Zenon X Casting Reel

The least $$ of any of the Zenons ($350) and the "heaviest" – it's only 5.5 oz. More lightweight baticasters are being made now, but these are the only ones with the Abu name/rep.

Okuma X-Series Casting Reel

5.6 oz and very nice. Do you need to fish light baits with a lightweight reel? Not at all, but it sure does "feel" better, like more in balance especially since all rods are so lightweight now. Light bait, light line, light rod so...light reel?

KastKing MG 12 Elite Casting Reel

Skeeter Reese likes it for casting small baits and sho nuff it does that well – and weighs just 4.8 oz. The 4.4-oz KastKing Kestrel Elite Bait Finesse Casting Reel costs significantly less ($220 vs $300) but make sure you want a BFS reel before going down that road...

LINES

You're only as good as your line man! Here's some good ones in my 2c:

Seaguar AbrazX fluoro

Seaguar's toughest fluoro and as Mark Daniels Jr points out is their 2nd-best in terms of quality. So much confidence in this line. If not, can't go wrong thatn Red Label fluoro.

Here's a good 2-minute YT vid of MLF Bass Pro Tour AOY Matt Becker talkin' 'bout how and why he fishes his Damiki/FFS rig – uses 15-lb Seaguar Smackdown Stealth Grey Braid to a 10-lb Seaguar Gold Label fluoro leader. Gold Label is "Japanese-style" fluoro in that it has a smaller diameter than other fluoros.

He likes a 1/8-3/8 jighead with a 3" Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm – and he makes it sound easy...🤔

Sufix Advance Fluoro

Feel the same about this line, very tough, a little bigger diameter vs others if that matters to you. Sufix Advance Mono is one of my fave lines too.

Berkley 100% Fluoro

Consistently good. Solid. What else can you ask for in a line? For mono, you can get Big Game down to 8-lb.

Pitbull Braided Line Cutter 2.0

Here's your periodic reminder about these outstandin' cutters!

- Fall power baits and more comin' soon in part 2! -