By Bob Jensen
Fishing the Midwest Fishing Team

(photo by Bob Jensen) At times it doesn’t get more basic or better than a Ned Ocho presentation. That’s what this smallmouth and several others wanted one day not long ago.

Boy oh boy has it been hot! Record heat in some areas! For safety reasons, many anglers are limiting their time on the water to early and late in the day to avoid the heat.

When we go fishing, but especially when our time on the water is limited, we want to use techniques that increase our chances for getting bit.  \Sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, the best technique for getting bit is a simple technique. Following are some simple ideas that will catch fish.

Many, many times over the years, in the heat of the summer, a very basic presentation has been responsible for an outstanding walleye catch. And it doesn’t get much simpler than a leech or minnow under a slip bobber set-up. This rig will appeal to almost any fish that swims, but is especially popular with walleye and panfish chasers.

A slip bobber enables an angler to suspend a wiggling live bait right on a fish’s nose, or very close to it. When the fish need to be convinced to bite, that’s often what it takes. Some anglers like a small jig below the bobber; others prefer a couple of small split shot and a hook.

Many of the most successful slip bobber anglers use a #4 red Mustad UltraPoint Octopus hook. The spot of color provided by the red hook makes a difference much of the time.

I remember another simple presentation that resulted in a memorable walleye catch. We were on a Midwest lake known for walleyes. This lake was very similar to many bodies of water that are home to walleyes. The fish were on rock humps in depths from nine to thirteen feet.

We chose to employ a similar very simple rig, but it was also different. We located the humps with sonar, then anchored within casting distance upwind. We tied a hook to our line and attached a split shot or two about eighteen inches above the hook. A leech was added and cast to the hump. The rig was retrieved slowly with lots of stops.

Very simple. Very effective. That red Octopus hook that we used under the slip bobber is a good choice with this technique also.

More and more, anglers are choosing to use plastic instead of live bait, and there are some good reasons to do so. Plastic baits require less care, it’s available in lots of colors and shapes, and it catches fish of all species. A plastic tail on an eighth or three-sixteenths ounce jig is another very simple presentation that will appeal to fish in warm or hot weather.  Thread an Ocho or Ned Ocho onto a jighead and cast it anywhere you think a fish might be hanging out.

If you’re right, that fish will usually take the jig/plastic combo. If you want to fish a little faster, replace the Ocho with a Rage Grub. These baits have an action tail that will be better when the water is a bit stained or if you want to cover an area quickly.

A basic presentation can be very productive at any time of the year, but basic isn’t always best. There are times when, if you want to catch bigger fish, you’ll want more than a hook and a splitshot. And there are other times when a faster presentation will be better. Let the fish tell you what they want, then give it to them.