Arizona native Josh Bertrand hits up his home water in Arizona to demonstrate the effectiveness of the power shot technique for spring bass relating to woody cover. But his unique drop shot rig adaptation has a unique BFS (Bait Finesse System) twist. A combination of clear water and cover makes a finesse power shot with a BFS reel the ideal blend of finesse and power for making quick-fire pitches to optimal cover and with the muscle to extract bass from cover.
TACKLE LISTING (retail links)
- PLASTIC – Berkley Bottom Hopper, color – Sprayed Grass: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- HOOK – 1/0 Straight Shank Hook (unspecified)
- WEIGHT – Bass Pro Shops XPS Tungsten Finesse Dropshot Weight, 1/4-ounce: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- ROD – Abu Garcia Fantasista X Casting Rod, 7′ Medium-Fast: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – Abu Garcia Zenon LTX-BFS: Buy at Abu Garcia
- LINE (braid mainline) – Berkley X5 Braided Line Crystal, 30-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE (leader) – Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon, 12-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
AN INTRODUCTION TO POWER SHOT FISHING WITH BFS
Bertrand’s setup revolves around the versatility of the BFS reel, a key component in his power shot fishing technique. By pairing a lightweight BFS reel with a 7-foot medium power casting rod, he achieves faster and more accurate casts than with spinning setups. This setup also proves effective in steering a fish away from snags after hooking up. BFS allows for the effective delivery of a light drop shot weight (1/4-ounce) and 6-inch finesse worm to ensure a slower fall and subtle presentation–crucial for wary spring bass in clear water.
LINE CHOICES FOR BFS POWER SHOT FISHING
Bertrand prefers a highly supple braided mainline to a fluorocarbon leader connected with an FG or Crazy Alberto knot. The braid flies off the reel while eliminating line twist issues and the fluorocarbon leader adds stealth. In short, a BFS reel spooled with braid to a fluorocarbon leader delivers better pitching efficiency and fish-fighting power than spinning setups around cover. You get the best of both worlds: spinning-like finesse with the power of baitcasting gear.
BFS keeps infiltrating tried-and-true fishing techniques with new adaptations. Josh Bertrand’s exploration of BFS for the power shot technique equips anglers with new and practical twists on drop shot bass fishing.
