Are you into finesse fishing for largemouths? Finesse fishing is not only a fun way to target bass, it can also challenge your abilities and patience. First off, you will need to understand several solid ways to finesse fish for bass, and then you will need some quality rod and reel combos. For the tips on what I believe are real good finesse tactics, I'll cover that below. As for the rod and reel combo, KastKing has got you covered on that end. Let's take a look at those combos, plus the best 5 tips I can offer for finesse bass fishing – that "work!"

The best 5 fishing tips for finesse bass fishing

Shaky Head

Depending on where you live, bass could already begin bedding and the shaky head is one sure-fire way to get bit. If not, making casts with this bait to areas bass cruise is another hot area. A shaky head is a smaller weight, with a relatively short worm or grub. The idea is to allow it to sink, then slowly give the rod tip a few wiggles. The shaky head is a lure that can be fished with both spinning and baitcasting finesse rod and reel combos, but I prefer using a spinning combo for this. The spinning combo, in my opinion, will allow for slightly longer casts if needed.

Drop Shot

Drop shot fishing is another great finesse tip that allows you to pin-point your presentation to feeding fish. This is a technique anglers with forward facing sonar are using most. The rig consists of a smaller weight attached below a hook. On the hook, a smaller worm or creature bait is used. Make a cast, then allow the rig to touch bottom. Slowly use the rod to get the bait jerking and wiggling in place. For drop shot fishing I always will use a spinning rod and reel combo. I feel the ability to "work" the bait the way I want is easier to obtain with spinning gear.

Lightweight Texas Rig

When anglers think of Texas rigged worms, they always think heavy weights for punching through thick matted grass fields. On the finesse side of things, rigging a Zoom Speed Worm with 1/16 or 1/8 ounce weight is great for working edges of wood or grass. Make your cast parallel to the structure and slowly reel it in, coming as close as possible. Vary your retrieve from slow to fast until you get bit. For unweighted Texas rigs using lighter weights, I still want a baitcasting rod and reel combo. Tossing these baits tight to structure is paramount, and I feel the baitcaster will allow you more accuracy.

Finesse Pitching and Flipping

Similar to Texas rigged style of fishing, most anglers always think of this method as heavy line, heavy weights and large baits. However, finesse pitching and flipping can be done with finesse rod and reel combos and works great on bass feeding on smaller baitfish, or just playing lazy! Similar to the Texas rig above, I use a Zoom Speed Worm or 3-inch Big Bite Baits Fightin' Frog for this technique, and will either rig with a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce weight. As I am trying to penetrate cover, the need for slightly heavier weights is needed. The difference between standard heavy weight and bait pitching and flipping is I am not blasting through cover, but picking out holes and dropping the bait in. For this style of finesse fishing, I use a baitcasting outfit with heavier braid of 15 to 20 pounds, tied directly to the lure.

Wacky Rig

Last but surely not least in the finesse fishing world is a wacky rig. A wacky rig flat out catches fish on those days when they just won't bite. The rig is probably the simplest of all the rigs, and easiest to use. The wacky rig is simply a size 1 or 1/0 hook and smaller 3 to 4 inch stick worm. Hook the worm in the middle and make a cast to any area you feel bass are lying. Allow the worm to gently sink to the bottom on free-line. Here is where bright colored braid comes into play as it allows you to easily detect the slightest pick up. For this, you can use either a baitcaster or spinning, but I prefer the spinning reel with no more than 8-pound test braid and a 6 to 8-pound test fluorocarbon leader.

The Hot Rod and Reel Combo

KastKing has a lot to offer where finesse fishing is concerned. And, make no mistake, these rod and reel combos are not just for bass and will work on any fish where finesse tactics come into play.

Kestrel SFS Fishing Combo - Ultimate Finesse Spinning Combo

On the spinning side of finesse rod and reel combos, KastKing's SFS combo is a rock solid addition to your game. The combos, depending on the rod length are super light to light, and offer solid hook-ups and smooth casting for any finesse style you choose.

• IM8 ultra-high modulus graphite blanks rolled under extreme pressure with Nano resins to create extremely light and sensitive rod blanks, providing ultimate sensitivity for anglers
• American Tackle Ti forged guides with aluminum oxide Duralight rings, and American Tackle VIBE2 Reel seats
• Weighing in at only 4.6 ounces
• Carbon fiber drag washers deliver 10 pounds of smooth stopping power and the reel is built with a 7075 aluminum main shaft & 2014 aluminum drive gear, solid brass pinion gear, and a shallow cut CNC 6061 aluminum braid-ready spool

Kestrel BFS Fishing Combo (Bait Finesse System)

On the baitcasting side of the spectrum, the BFS system from KastKing is awesome. For me, I like the longer 7-2 rod as it allows pin-point accuracy when throwing smaller baits. Whether you choose one of the shorter rods or my choice, this BFS will have you slinging smaller baits to wary bass.

• Unparalleled casting accuracy and control
• IM8 ultra-high modulus graphite blanks rolled under extreme pressure with Nano resins to create extremely light and sensitive rod blanks, providing ultimate sensitivity for anglers
• American Tackle Ti forged guides with aluminum oxide Duralight rings, and American Tackle VIBE2 Reel seats
• Ultra-light 4.5 ounces
• Palm Perfect Design at 37.5mm ensures a comfortable fishing experience all day long
• Ultra-lightweight shallow feather spool weighing only 5.6 grams. This micro-spool excels at handling smaller diameter lines, perfect for finesse fishing. With minimal effort, the shallow spool accelerates swiftly, enabling anglers to effectively cast lures down to an impressive 1/32 ounce

Finesse bass fishing can be both fun and rewarding. Nothing beats reeling in a larger bass then on a finesse set-up. The thrill of the fight, plus ability to get the bass to bite is rewarding from an angler's standpoint. Grab your favorite finesse rod and reel and hit the water! Until next time, tight lines and screaming drags!

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