âI like a good mid-depth crankbait as a search bait,â Howell said. Itâll get down in the 9- and 10-foot depth range and casts really easily.â Threadfin shad is his favorite color. He throws it on a surprisingly fast reel â a 7.3:1 Daiwa Tatula Type R â but when you pause and think about it, a faster reel is better for covering water more efficiently. He flings it on a 7-foot medium-light Daiwa Tatula rod.
If Howell is trying to cover slightly shallower water, heâll reach for this lipless crankbait, most often in chrome/blue. âThis is great for working in shallow pockets or the backs of creeks, especially if thereâs grass there,â he said. He uses the same casting gear for this as the Howeller.
âEarly in the morning, thereâs usually some kind of topwater bite, and sometimes if the conditions are right itâll last all day,â Howell said. He throws this walking stickbait on a 7-4 heavy action Daiwa Tatula rod paired with 50-pound Daiwa Samurai Braid and a Daiwa Tatula Type R casting reel. âYou can really bomb this thing with that thin braid and the Tatula reel. Plus, with the heavy action rod you almost always get a hook in âem even on a long cast.â
âYou always need a spinnerbait tied on this time of year,â Howell advises. He opts for a chartreuse-and-white Hawg Caller with double willow blades and tips it with a complementing Yamamoto Swim Senko. He lobs it with a 7-2 medium-heavy Tatula road and a 6.3:1 Tatula reel.
âThis is my cleanup bait,â he says. âItâll catch âem anywhere or when the fishing gets tough, and itâs a good follow-up bait, like if you miss a strike on top or what spinnerbait. Skipping docks is also a pretty good way to catch fish this time of year.â Howell throws his Senko on a 7-2 medium-heavy Tatula spinning rod.
