Entry 268-5

Mark Davis on Fishing the BASS Elite Circuit and Preparing for the 2009 Bassmaster Classic

Part 5: Bet on the Rodent

Question: Mark, you’ve been able to fish some of the new Strike King lures all season that have just been introduced to the marketplace this summer. Which new lure are you excited about the most?

Davis: I think the Rodent is going to be the hottest new lure from Strike King this year. I’m really glad that Strike King has it in its line.

Question: What makes the Rodent so good?

Davis: The Rodent is a very-good pitching and flipping bait, and it’s also a good jig trailer. As a matter of fact, I’d say it’s an excellent jig trailer. I slide it under the hook so that the body is flat on the hook. For instance, I like a green-pumpkin rodent. I’ll use Spike-It chartreuse dye to dye the very ends of those little flappers on the Rodents. I think it really makes a great jig trailer. Now, it’s also an excellent lure to fish Texas-rigged on either a 5/16-ounce or a 3/16-ounce bullet weight. I use it for flipping. Most everyone is going to use it as a flipping bait, but I still think it’s a good jig trailer bait also.

Question: What makes the Rodent such a good flipping bait?

Davis: Although the Rodent is a bulky bait, it’s a compact bulky bait. First of all, it’s a heavy piece of plastic, which enables you to be much more accurate when you’re flipping and pitching than when you’re using a bait that’s not as heavy as the Rodent. It’s also very effective at penetrating cover, which goes back to what I’ve said about it being a compact, bulky bait. I think it really imitates a crawfish well, and I know a bass will eat it up.

Question: Mark, the 2009 Bassmaster Classic will be held on the Red River in Shreveport, Louisiana. What do you know about that river, and what do you think you’ll have to do to win this Classic?

Davis: Since the tournament is held in February, we may have really-good or really-bad conditions for fishing, depending on the amount of rainfall the area receives before the tournament, and whether or not we have a cold front arrives. But, I believe winning that event will require a lot of weight. If the river’s high and muddy, all the bass will be jammed into the backwaters. I definitely believe this tournament can be won on a Strike King spinner bait or a Strike King jig. I think those two will be the dominant baits in the tournament.

Question: You’re known as a river fisherman, which means that you fish best when you fish in a river system. Since the 2009 Classic will be a river situation, what do you think your chances are for winning it?

Davis: I think my chances are as good as anyone else’s in the field, but it’s really hard to predicting what will take place when we get there to fish is tough. But I can tell you this, I’m really excited about going there and fishing that tournament.

Contents:

• Part 1: My Three Winning Baits for 2008
• Part 2: My Number-One Classic Lure
• Part 3: Oh, Let Me Tell You about the Ocho
• Part 4: Get ‘Em on the Red Eye
• Part 5: Bet on the Rodent