Bass Love Hellgrammites!

It's a perfect morning to be on the river, let's see if we can tempt some smallies with a big Nikko Hellgrammite!
Gear used on this trip:
Lure: Nikko Hellgrammite 4.25" magma amzn.to/4jQ70ga
Rod: St Croix BassX 6'8" M XF amzn.to/3JJPBEO
Reel: Daiwa Zillion SV TW G amzn.to/3F6TCCc
Line: Daiwa X8 Grand 15lb amzn.to/3V6T1XR
Leader: Daiwa J-Fluoro 12lb amzn.to/3SqD0wb
Pliers: Umpqua Rivergrip amzn.to/49z5vO0

[@rapala555]

THERAPY TIME 😊😊

[@halis455g]

Real therapy😂

[@jackmorgan729]

My actual therapy 😭

[@Ummmmmmm12345]

Frrr

[@Gondrong78fishing-rf9zt]

Hadir pendatang baru kawan mantap spotnya mancing sukses slalu salam fishing salam kenal semua ❤❤❤❤🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@christophershelton1735]

I love how you save some summer trips for when it’s cold. I can’t wait until spring.

[@Dave-ll6ei]

I learned while growing up along Ten Mile Creek in Pennsylvania that Hellgrammites and soft shell crabs were the smallmouth bass’s favorite meal.

[@paulburns3165]

Love how simple your kayak setup is (no electronics or a bunch of extra gadgets) and you still catch tons of fish.

[@t.c.2776]

He usually does run with a depth / fish finder

[@axps6457]

Good old down scan is all you need. If it's shallow, not even necessary!

[@t.c.2776]

@ Won't argue with that... but that will limit you to shallow waters or guessing... side scan is nice as it gives you a wider view so you don't pass up a great spot... I do prefer to sight fish like this for bass and for trout, but do fish deeper waters at times and several Dam lakes with a lot of sunken trees and old buildings.

[@rickpettry3249]

Love seeing you catch bass from under the shore grasses. My dad always cast into small holes as we wadded, fully expecting a bass to bite. Now he's gone, and I do the same with high expectations that a bass is lingering. With substantial success. Your video series are classic river and creek bass fishing. Thanks much.

[@brianathern9154]

Love that your dad showed you that. It's definitely a high percentage target my brother and I hit. We have an old stone bridge piling that has a washout and it's money. Blessings brother

[@Dromio]

"Looks fishy" is an understatement. Current, grassy banks, and a ton of weeds; I'd say that wading section was an 11/10 on the "looks fishy" scale! :)

[@Strykenine]

I know you hold some of these back over the summer, and I know I'm not the only one who appreciates it. Can't wait for springtime.

[@johnweber2247]

Listening to the gurgling water and picking out the current seams and eddies where I would throw my lure. it is as close to wade fishing my local rivers as I can get at this time of year. In northern Ohio we just had a couple of warmer days and rain break up the 6" thick ice and the rivers are now racing toward Lake Erie. Thanks Matt for helping this fishing addict get through Winter.

[@htuckey]

Winter mornings are mostly kinda gloomy around here, at least six out of seven are, then the seventh gets brightened up real good when you post one of your excellent videos -- and take us along with you! Thanks again, Matt! We used to use live hellgrammites quite a bit. We rake them out of the river and catch them in a net. An older gentleman who taught me quite a bit about fishing showed me how to hook and fish them. He used to keep them under his hat when we waded the river!

[@geraldduncan5646]

Your own personal customization of some of your lures is very impressive. Plus, I really enjoy,(as I’m sure many others do as well), your “exited calmness” let’s call it. You never get over the top crazy whenever you tie onto a sizable fish. Again, nice job,Matt. HAPPY GROUND HOG DAY!!

[@CatchReleaseRepeat]

The pure serenity of that intro paddle... These are the nuggets of warmth that help get us through the long cold winters. Matt, I would watch a full video of you just paddling in silence.

[@ndyakangler]

I actually filmed a half hour paddle across the lake on this morning I planned on uploading, but the first ten minutes or so as I started it was just starting to get light on the horizon and the GoPro doesn’t do that great in low light. The footage is always dark and a little shaky, I think the shake reduction turns off below a certain light level. I might still upload it though.

[@CatchReleaseRepeat]

@ndyakangler In my personal fishing adventures, those quiet pre-dawn paddles are sometimes worth more than a whole day of fishing. If you ever upload videos like that, I imagine there's a niche group of viewers who would enjoy warching them. Myself included.

[@jlmize1507]

Thank you for this episode. Temps have finally climbed above freezing in Indiana. Getting the shakes from wanting to set that hook. Love the Nikko Hellgrammite, which I learned about from you a few years back. I learn much from you about lures and techniques. Great channel. Greater fisherman. TLF

[@supernoodles91]

This is the most chilled fishing channel to watch!

[@sparkymann4159]

I watch Richard Gene the fishing machine for excitement and NDYak for relaxation. Love the content, please keep them coming. Shout out from from KY.

[@thatfishingnoob]

Great combo

[@hookedonreelbaits]

I love how insanely relaxing your videos are man

[@paboy_26]

Dude I love your videos I came upon your channel by falling asleep watching a different channel and I woke up to you and been hooked since and I just have to say your videos are so laid back…and your calm voice just is so relaxing lol love the vids love you man 👍 keep it up! 😊

[@reallymysterious4520]

Good morning from Canada !

[@MadeInOntario]

Your videos have become apart of my morning routine at work.. coffee and fishing videos. Great video man

[@whitededits]

I rig the 3” Nikko hellgrammite in a similar way, except I Texas rig a size 1 or 1/0 Gamakatsu g-lock worm hook and with the weight at the bottom. The contours of the bait run perfectly along the slightly upturned hook point in this configuration, and when the bait runs up the line after a catch, you can pull the line with one hand and the weighted end of the bait with the other and the hook will just snap right back into place. Cool to see the different ways people rig them. Thanks for the great video!

[@andresroelalvarado5943]

It's so relaxing and calming your videos are the best. I live in Mexico City and here is always running and running and the security is awful these days we don't have time for nothing. Seeing your videos with all that nature you have is spectacular so relaxing your videos are

[@larrymwilson]

I live in Cuernavaca and go to DF a couple of times a month. Never seen much of a security issue other than the normal stuff.

[@battleboy2138]

the Bob Ross of fishing! such a refreshing channel....that fishery is incredible and a treasure to fish

[@Christian-q5e]

**Cries in Michigan Winter** Two more months ...two more months 🎣

[@nickherson5441]

For real!!!

[@thomasmetzger9234]

Same here in NW OHIO !

[@CatchReleaseRepeat]

I feel you over here in WI brother!

[@KzooKayakFishing]

Right there with ya!!

[@lieutenantdan9865]

saginasty here

[@brianathern9154]

Fantastic video and love the hellgramites. I may give that rigging option a go. Those are pure snacks for smallies most anywhere. Blessings Matt

[@DranoelSniktaw]

It’s so easy to tell when you really love a program when ‘you’ say it’s time to end and I think…”wait, we’ve just started.” I love fishing. 😃 And it seems I love fishing by proxy too. Funny, never found that in other programs. No hubbub in your program. It’s just let’s get fishing. It’s like we two have just quietly hit the river to fish. Thanks for the fishing adventure. Amanda 🎀

[@squonto47]

You haven’t lived until you’ve worked in a fishing store and had someone come in asking “hey, does you’s guys sell dem…whatchamacallit….helmagranites??”

[@Ccunning]

The Mr. Rodgers of fishing, man. So relaxing and always an awesome way to start a Saturday morning!

[@redbeard6606]

Sunday morning coffee and a great day on the water. Thanks for taking us along.

[@The72challenger]

...sure have some scenic panoramas...make fishing worth it all.

[@Madisonrvr]

Man do bass and trout love those undercut banks, even the small and shallow ones. Great video as always my friend.

[@randallburgess46]

Those bass were really beautiful looking 👀 fish 🎣. They all had really good color to them. Thank you for taking me along, it’s the best way to start the day!

[@serenitystuller995]

This video made me sad... Only because it ended tho!!! I love your channel. So peaceful. So calm.

[@ndyakangler]

I have another vid from this stretch I’ll upload in the next couple months. I caught probably 20 nice smallies on that trip tossing a black wacky worm so it will be a longer video.

[@flyslinger2]

I love the Nikko 4.25” also. Your rigging method is called tiny child. My fave way to finesse fish smallies. I also use the ZMan TicklerZ in California craw patten rigged tiny child. Another smallie slayer.

[@larryreed7455]

Some of the very best fishing videos I've ever seen! Thanks!

[@TrueNorthOutdoorAdventures]

Loved that cast & catch at 16:12! Another amazing Video Bro.

[@thefox267]

Amazing smallie action😎 and gorgeous river

[@smelltheglove2038]

Man, nothing better than smallies. Theyre pound for pound the best fighting fish in north america.

[@supernoodles91]

As a UK angler, I'd love to fish for them!

[@CopleyintheCreek]

I just joined the Nikko Team but I've been using them for years. Best soft plastic I've ever used

[@DanKoning777]

"One of my favorite stretches of river"-me too and I don't even know where it is. Good stuff as always; just like the 478k subs reflect. 👍

[@mwevre1876]

All I do is Tenkara on small streams and creeks, but I love watching your videos.

[@thatfishingnoob]

My buddy just started making some of these. They’re gonna be GREAT. Good stuff Matt!

[@fiodarkliomin1112]

Awesome fishing 🎣 skills Hooks up the fish from the bottom of full of grass... applause for you 👏

[@MrPatino187]

Man nothing beats waking up to NDYak new video with a fat bowl and a brew 👌

[@atuuschaaw]

Made me feel so warm on this February day! ♥

[@rayhollingsworth2588]

Love the Hellgermite!! Nice catch 👍

[@MrbourqueB]

Nice to see you going sport mode in the river 🤘

[@tomkoz513]

These are my best lures for a couple summers now. I use the 4.25 in deep water and the 3 inch in the shallows. On par with ned rigs. Amazing fish catching machines.

[@AbstractArmorHLF]

Cast therapy. Thanks to Nodak, those Niko hellies are my go-to softy for smallies.. Thanks for teaching Nodak....

[@stevetiernan7394]

Thanks for breaking the winter doldrums. Stay safe!

[@ThatTopwaterBite]

Cool rigging technique, thanks for sharing! Another awesome outing!

[@stonefly69]

Great vid, ND! Tight lines!

[@joshuasimmons8160]

Your rigging technique is so clever

[@Baby-u2z]

its almost spring i’m excited!

[@reallymysterious4520]

Happy February !

[@conormulcahy4388]

Most underrated smallmouth bait ever

[@BearTracksFlyFishing]

Trout love them, too! And I love your channel! Keep up the great work!

[@ethan14498]

Can’t wait for spring fishing over here in Canada

[@steadychill5775]

I feel this.

[@andrewillomitzer3711]

Same... bass opening season was legendary this year

[@HailLordranKnight92]

Bro imma true blue collar confederate flag flying dog huntin God fearing country boy from North Florida and let me tell ya you've inspired me to get a dang kayak and leave everything behind! Lol good job my friend good job

[@pauldockins9635]

Always makes me relaxed.

[@curmudgeon2942]

Hellgramites are the absolute best live bait for a river. Obviously a great lure as well.

[@andybales7318]

Leeches are another...i think Berkley made a leech soft plastic...great for creeks/rivers

[@ArtClassShank]

​@@andybales7318 and so does Nikko!😊

[@andybales7318]

​@@ArtClassShankjust saw them...look good, I think i might buy a few packs..have u used them?

[@jdalend]

Love it... Still got a ways to go up north....this gets me itchin to go

[@the2060ish]

Fish Whisperer keeping us entertain in the winter. 👍🐟🐟🐛

[@marksieber4626]

Used to use a similar helgremite made by a small manufacturer that was white. Deadly in the current on the Juniata in central Pa.

[@christophershelton1735]

Sad when he says “ that’s going to do it for this trip”. Can’t wait for another one.

[@StonerCreek74]

I'm very jealous of the weather up his way this time of year! It must be nice!

[@ndyakangler]

This is from September, I just don’t have time to edit the four videos a week I film that time of year. I save some footage for winter so I don’t have to post 26 videos in a row of ice fishing panfish.

[@StonerCreek74]

I guess my attempt at sarcasm or joking isn't too good, sorry. I know where you're located, and thanks so much for saving some warm weather footage for us. Keep em coming, man!

[@ndyakangler]

@@StonerCreek74 Lol I confuse a lot of people with these old uploads so I’m never quite sure. Definitely looking forward to some warm days on the river again though!

[@kristopher2651]

Great vid! Keep em coming!

[@Wilaby-tanks]

THE BEST FISHING YTUBER IS BACK

[@ThomasCornellmusic]

Can’t wait for spring here in Ohio

[@andybales7318]

@@ThomasCornellmusic same here...ice is starting to melt finally

[@cceabe4640]

Great video. Very relaxing

[@CarlHungus-du2zb]

I bought those after watching another video where you used them. Caught 50+ bass in 3 hrs.

[@howarduhlian6136]

Awesome as always 🤘🏿🤘🏿

[@tayloralexis1504]

Thanks for the best therapy session

[@mikebromelow8514]

A wonderful break from all the plane crashes! 😢

[@LetYourSpiritFly]

Such a beautiful river! What a dream stream 🎣 you ever get out there on the fly rod?

[@seccox8834]

Thank you

[@OnPoints-p3m]

I use hellgrammites in the Ozarks of South Missouri you find under rocks down there they are tougher than boot leather and you catch two or three fish on one. The Smalley's can't resist them

[@showmefish]

I have several hundreds of dollars of lures. You name it and I probably have one of them. What I have found is that each and every one of them is AMAZING at catching bass fishermen. Bass? Hit or miss. I never take them with me anymore, no matter the time of year. I fish two baits. In streams and rivers (anything with moving water), I fish Yum hellgrammites in Copper Creek color on a 1/15 oz Zman Bullet Finesse Jig head. In lakes, I fish smoke pearl jam Yum Dingers on a 4/0 AWG hook weightless except in winter I add a nail weight to get it down deeper/faster. I catch every time while my buddies spend all day trying to outthink the bass.

[@leokeesic3657]

It was weird when I was living in Minnesota in the 80s, in the same rivers. That there were never ever any small mouth. None.😮

[@bobrich1950]

This is freaky. The first minute or so, it reminded me of a video from a few years ago( was planning on scrolling through old videos) where the rapid extended across the entire river. Can't recall what you were throwing then, but i had commented that i would have worked the whole thing quarter casting up river with a top water. And low and behold, i'd bet all my fishing gear(or maybe a $1) that this is that spot !! Too cool !

[@ndyakangler]

I fish this spot at least a couple times a year. I have another video from this stretch hammering a ton of fish with a wacky worm I haven’t uploaded yet either.

[@bobrich1950]

@@ndyakangler Thanks Matt. Keep up the great work here. Sincerely hope all is going well.

[@ifacecheck]

whats cool as well is that visually the hellgrammite looks more natural with the neko weight attached.

[@emojiman4560]

This looks like an EXCELLENT Trout River!!!

[@northernbassalliance1442]

No trout unfortunately

[@Mark-dx8rr]

A Fantastic video!! It made my Saturday morning, if didn't have to work today, I would be down on the Rappahannock or Rapidan river here in Virginia. I was wondering what river you are fishing, it's beautiful, and a lot of green vegetation for February. Sure looking forward to more of your videos!!

[@ndyakangler]

This was filmed in Minnesota last summer. It’s pretty icy out there right now.

[@Mark-dx8rr]

@@ndyakangler Oh okay, lolol!!!

[@SumDood1]

I definitely need to get some of these baits to try.

[@smelltheglove2038]

I definitely need to take a trip to thw northern plain states. He's consistently fishing some of the nicest waterways. I'm over here in the mid-atlantic and have to deal with crowds and trash.

[@JaySunfish]

Nice! I’ve never seen one of those, from the thumbnail I thought it was a stonefly but it’s pretty big and kinda looks like a small centipede

[@summertime303]

I like your rigging idea.

[@libertyvilleguy2903]

I speak for all 478k of your subscribers: we envy your life.

[@OnPoints-p3m]

Bro you're making me Jones for summertime even more. Stuck in this frozen tundra in North Missouri did have some luck ice fishing last week. Larry largemouth

[@kockarSO]

Great video, as always. I never fished for the smallmouth, because there isnt any here, but i wonder have you tried punching those grass mats? Works wonders for the largemouth in hot days...

[@andybales7318]

GREAT way to weight that bait...👍 would never have thought of that

[@CatchReleaseRepeat]

I use a similar technique for some z-man and mule plastics. The Z-man hook keepers are engineered really well to grab on to any kind of super stretchy plastics.

[@Bow-Man]

Woohoo 🎉 🎣 Come on spring 🌱

[@southsideronnie]

Nice fish! Thanks for sharing!!

[@bruceterman8862]

Found your channel and have been “binge watching” videos from up to 7 years ago. Very entertaining and informative.been taking notes and buying some of baits and things that bring you results for my upcoming smallmouth crusade in June on Elk Lake in upper Michigan and just general fishing in the lake that I live on in SW Michigan. I’ve seen a couple videos where you saved some Crappies, Perch, etc. for the frypan. what about Smallmouth? I’ve had them and they’re delicious. Your thoughts? Thanks for some great fishing!

[@timroot4207]

Thank you !!!

[@taylorrobinson3893]

I am going fishing as soon as I get back from my California trip

[@buymoredip9082]

Had two 40+ degree days in Minnesota and I went looking for open water 😂 I need summer asap.

[@octobersky64]

Great show tks for sharing 😊

[@UdontKnow8]

It’s the Bass Master!!

[@solanaceae2069]

Colder than Eskimo pies over here. But I'm getting ready.

[@Drewsfishingtrips]

I have yet to fish helgramites up by me I’ll have to try them in spring.

[@bassman8144]

Absolutely beautiful!!

[@broinsocali]

Nice catches