My lizard splashed on the other side of the log I was aiming for. Since that was where it hit, I decided to take advantage of the situation. Instead of just pulling the plastic bait over the log and letting drop to the bottom, I gave it about six-feet more line. According to my electronics, this was about halfway down to the bottom.
     As my lizard descended to six-feet I stopped it and let it hang there, suspended, for ever so long. I then twitched the bait, watching the line with every ounce of concentration I could muster. Then I slowly pumped my rod-tip up and down. Again I watched the line carefully for a strike on the falling half of the motion.
     After a few moments I raised the bait to within inches of the log and to within inches of the surface. Soon after a short pause I repeated all of the motions I had done while the lizard was suspended.
     My final move was to pull the bait over the log and let the Texas rig sink all the way to the bottom. After a similar pause as before, I again repeated the same methodical action for the third time. This time however, as the lizard descended from the slow pumping motion, my line twitched and then tightened. I leaned forward, pointing my rod at the water to give the fish more line. As the monofilament became taut, I leaned into the hookset. The six-pound bass fought hard but ultimately gave-in to me and to my camera. She was released tired, but unharmed.
     The unique part about the cast that caught this fish was that it covered all three of the areas where bass generally prefer to feed. Those being the surface, the bottom and usually some point in-between, depending upon the current conditions. These three areas have lately been referred to as the bass "Strike Zones".
     Just like in baseball, the bass strike zone is one of the most important locations in the game. The key for a pitcher to be successful is to keep his pitches in the strike zone. This gives him the best chance to strike the batter out or, if the batter does hit the ball, to let his teammates do their job.
     The bass angler too has a much greater chance for success if he can keep his bait in the fish's strike zone. Then when the fish does hit, he lets his tackle and gear do their job.
     Determining the current strike zone is the trick for both pitchers and fishermen. It may take a pitcher several batters to figure out how the umpire has defined the day's strike zone. It too may take the angler quite some time to determine at what depth the bass prefer to feed on a given day. And as no two umpires are just alike, neither are fishing days or locations. The strike zone may change overnight, depending upon current conditions.
     Before we take a closer look at staying in the strike zone, let's examine the zones themselves. As previously mentioned, bass tend to feed at the surface, on the bottom and somewhere in the middle. This middle portion is the largest zone, so let's go there first.
     Most bass fishermen who understand strike zones divide this area between the surface and the bottom into to two smaller zones; the upper-middle and the lower-middle zones. The deeper the water is, the more important this division becomes. The amount of sunlight, the pH, the oxygen content and the water clarity are all-important factors when you are searching for the strike zone.
     A critical characteristic of largemouth bass should now be addressed so as not to confuse the novice or intermediate angler. The strike zones that we are discussing today are those areas in the water where the bass prefer to feed. This is not necessarily the same depth at which they prefer to stay. Even though bass may rest at the same depth at which they feed, more often than not their strike zone differs from their resting zone.
     A good example of this happened to me last year on Truman Reservoir in Missouri. My electronics showed a high concentration of fish 15-feet below the surface. The overall water depth varied from 21 to 25-feet. I spent an hour dragging spinnerbaits and deep-running crankbaits past these fish with no results.

     It was obvious the bass were suspended there because that depth provided them with the best conditions. It was also obvious that they did not intend to feed at that depth. I decided to switch tactics and my first cast with a MANN'S "Two-Fer" topwater bait presented me with a 7-pound, 3-ounce bucket-mouth. The fish came up 15-feet just to feed.      In reference to the middle strike zone, the upper-middle portion of this area should be fished, based in large part, according to visible structure. Standing timber, blow-downs, steep banks and rocky points all extend into the upper-middle zone.
     To establish the presence of structure and cover in the lower portion of middle zone you will most likely have to rely upon your electronics. Graphing the bottom often lends very valuable data about the lower-middle zone as well. Be sure to remember that, as the water depth changes, so does the depth of these different strike zones.
     Next, let's look at the surface zone. I classify this zone as all water within 12-inches of the surface. This is a favorite feeding area for bass because of the large numbers of natural prey that exist at or near the water's surface. Frogs, bugs, small mammals and birds, snakes, minnows and fry all travel though this zone.
     As was evidenced in the earlier example, bass will come from virtually any depth to take a meal off the top of the water. For that reason, most topwater lures are big and noisy. And, under certain conditions, they can be the most productive baits in your box.
     The third strike zone to consider is also the most complex. The bottom zone includes the bottom itself along with the 2-feet of water at the bottom. This 24-inch zone can be so diverse and the structure so varied that entire volumes could be and have been written on how to fish it.
     The variety and complexity of this deep zone are the exact characteristics that cause both bass and bass anglers to go there frequently. There are also more baits designed for this zone than for any other. The term "finesse fishing" most often applies to bait presentations in the bottom strike zone.
     Now that the zones and specific areas within some of those zones have been identified, let's look at lures and presentations that will keep you in a respective strike zone for the longest period of time.
     Starting with at the top, surface lures are designed specifically to stay in that strike zone. Because topwater lures float, they present bass with one of the most naturally appealing targets there are. Presentation of topwater baits varies from those that look best while sitting motionless to those that are retrieved rapidly to make a big commotion.
     Those topwater baits that are worked slowly, like frogs or injured minnows, give the angler the most time in the strike zone per cast. The old "twitch-and-sit" method can be deadly on very early and very late feeding bass. These lures tend to attract actively feeding fish.
     Other topwater lures are retrieved at medium speeds. These include Jitterbugs, Rapalas and Spooks. This group makes a bit more noise on the water and can attract bass from quite some distance. These are perfect baits to use over submerged structure. However, the faster retrieve keeps them in the strike zone for shorter periods of time per cast.

     Fast moving, water churning surface lures definitely attracts lots of fish. Buzzbaits and prop-baits beat the water to a foam. Even though their design causes them to have to be retrieved at a high rate of speed, (less time in the strike zone), their action can attract fish from very deep water. These lures produce strikes not only from feeding bass, but also produce aggressive agitation strikes as well.      Another family of lures that works very well in the top strike zone are the jerk-baits. These baits are not named because they belong to someone you do not like. They are named because of their specific presentation that makes them so affective. They come in both soft and solid plastic models.
     Jerk-baits and stick-baits are designed to work just under the water's surface. These lures, imitating injured minnows, are best used when suspended about a foot beneath the surface. Their jerky, erratic action induces lots of strikes in the upper zone.
     As we move on down to the middle strike zone, spinnerbaits and crankbaits dominate the lure choices. Because the speed of retrieve regulates the depth at which these lures run, keeping them in the strike zone for large portions of each cast is easily accomplished.
     Another real plus for these baits is their ability to follow the middle strike zone through contouring conditions. For instance, if the zone is between 5 and 8-feet and the point drops-off from 0 to 12-feet, adjusting the rate of your retrieve can keep the bait in the strike zone further.
     Please understand the difference between "further" and "longer". Being in the strike zone longer is in reference to time. Being in the strike zone further is a reference to distance. The rate of speed with which you retrieve your lure determines both time and distance in the zone.
     Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are great choices for both the upper-middle and lower-middle zones. However, the lower portion of the middle zone also has a specific type of presentation that often works very well.
     The Carolina rig is a method of floating a soft plastic bait several feet off the bottom to avoid hanging-up in structure or weeds and at the same time keeping the bait in the lower-middle strike zone. This presentation calls for a weight at the end of your line with your lure on a secondary line or leader set at a specific depth. Under the right conditions, the Carolina rig may be the only way to get your lure in a position that the bass favor.
     The bottom strike zone holds the greatest potential for both numbers and size of bass. One reason for this is that a large portion of the bass' diet is taken off the bottom. Meals like grubs, salamanders, worms, leeches and crawfish await hungry bass on the bottom.
     Another reason the bottom zone is so productive is the normal presentation for baits resembling bass meals in this zone is generally very slow. This keeps the lure in the zone for longer periods of time and covering more distance per cast than any of the other zone presentations. Every second your lure spends in the zone greatly increases your chances for a strike.
     The Texas rig is the traditional way to fish soft plastic baits in the bottom zone. This slip-sinker method allows the bass to pick-up the lure and move with it without feeling the resistance of the weight. Add this natural feel to the softness of the lure and natural action that these baits present and you can quickly see why they are so productive, thus so popular.
     Plastic is not however, the only way to fish this deep zone. Early in the spring, slow-rolling spinnerbaits along the bottom can produce fantastic results. There are also many bass fishing professionals who believe that crankbaits are not middle-zone baits. They think that a crankbait should be bouncing the bottom to be effective.
     Regardless of what depth you prefer to fish, you will only catch bass at the depth at which THEY prefer to feed. Nolan Ryan became famous by knowing the strike zone and keeping his pitches there. You too can gain fame and fortune by knowing the strike zones of the bass and keeping your lure in them.

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