Ding 'Em Up
By BRAD SMITH
The YUM Dinger line of soft plastics have done more for my fishing than any other bait on the market. One of my favorite techniques is during the post-spawn. I rig a YUM Dinger wacky style. I do this by running the hook right through the middle without a weight. I use a spinning rod and skip the bait right under docks and overhanging trees.
There are fish suspended between 5 and 10 feet below the surface. I let the dinger free fall on slack line until it reaches the desired depth and then pick it up a couple of feet and let it fall again. The Dinger has a horizontal fall that bass absolutely love. During this time of year the bass are not very active and most of the time you won't even feel them bite, there will just be a little extra weight on the end of the line.
I work it out from under the cover and throw it again. The 5 inch version is ideal for water that has a little bit of stain or when you want to target bigger fish. The 4 inch version is my go-to bait when it is really tough. There have been several times when the 4 inch YUM Dinger has caught tons of bass for me when no one else can get a bite. The biggest advantage for YUM Dinger is the fact that they don't tear up after one fish. I have used other brands only to find out that they won't hold up to this type of presentation. They either rip in half after a few casts or just one fish.
Brad Smith, of Van Buren, Ark., is a bass pro and guide on the Arkansas River.
