Nemesis Baits is a custom bait company specializing in innovative designs as well as offering some old favorites that catch fish time after time.


First Impression of the Upskirt Jig

by Tim Cook

Despite a cold windy day in late March...

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Jason Fowler and I decided to check out Pinhook Lake for the first time in South Bend, IN. This lake is not known for its bass fishing but was only a couple miles from his house so was a good choice. Pinhook used to be connected to the St Joe river before being cutoff when Riverside drive was constructed. The lake is basically shaped like a horseshoe and loaded with lay downs, perfect for jig fishing.

We dumped in at about 9AM and found the water temp to be 48-50 degrees. We both started throwing jigs to lay downs along the shoreline with no bites. Half an hour into the day Jason finally stuck one that went just under 3 pounds. I decided to change up jigs until the bass told me what they wanted since the bite was so slow. I must have changed jigs, trailers, and skirts 10 times in the next hour with no results. In the mean time Jason put his second 3 pounder in the boat on a spinnerbait. Then I noticed the one and only Nemesis Upskirt jig sitting in the bottom of my jig box. I thought this would be a great time to give it a try since it was a 1/4oz and would have a slow fall which is what I was looking for. I added a rattle and a floating strike king cyber flex chunk to slow the fall even more and help the bait stand up when sitting on the bottom.

Not 15 minutes later I got my first bite shaking the jig in a lay down, it went 3-9. The bite was still somewhat slow, it took another ½ hour for my next bite but this bass hit my jig as I was slowly pulling it away after a pitch to a lay down, she went 3-10. I thought to myself that must have been a fluke so I kept with the same retrieve. But again not 20 minutes later another bass hit my jig as I was slowly swimming it back after a pitch to a lay down, she went 4 pounds even. I said to Jason they want the jig slowly swimming along the bottom. I don’t think he was convinced but he would be by the end of the day. Shortly after we found an area slightly warmer with a sunken tree off the bank sitting in about 5-6 foot of water. I started swimming my jig slowly bumping the branches when I got smacked by another 3-10. I had 4 more bites in the next 4 casts with the same retrieve over that tree and put 3 in the boat, they went 3-3, 3-10, and 4-10. Maybe 30 min later I had another bite, swung and my line was cut clean, friggin pike took my only up skirt jig. I went the next 5 hours without a bite with the other jigs I used. I just could not match the flare when paused or sitting on the bottom and color of that rubber skirt or the way that jig would swim. Whatever the factors may have been the up skirt jig was the deal that day on that lake. My first impression I was blown away to how the Nemesis jig out fished so many other jigs that day. Could it be a fluke? I seriously doubt it, but I can guarantee you I will find out.

A day like today is a perfect example to not give up on a bait that should work in those conditions. If you tie on just one jig or tube for example and decide they are not biting it today without trying different variations and retrieves you could be missing out on an excellent bite. Sometimes it’s the small details that can make the difference from loading the boat and having a bad day.


The first KLBA is just around the corner. These are open and friendly Tuesday evening events on Kent Lake. Please visit the thread at Great Lakes Bass for more information:


Be sure to look for the Nemesis sponsored modified at central Michigan circle tracks this spring. These 600HP, 2,300# cars really attack the track. If you have not experieced racing up close you are missing out!