MONSTERBASS Ambassador Kayla of @kickedback_outdoors hails from the great state of Mississippi, just outside Memphis, Tennessee.  

Kayla got her start in bass fishing by way of crappie and fly-fishing trips that she would regularly make with her family. But it wasn’t until her husband came along that she got bitten by the bass fishing bug.  

“I actually grew up fishing, but it wasn’t until a few years ago when my husband got really big into bass fishing that he kind of introduced me into studying their behaviors and really targeting them specifically,” said Kayla. “And ever since then it’s been history.”

Growing up in a crappie fishing culture doesn’t exactly make for an easy and direct transition into bass fishing, as one might think. Kayla treasures the memories made on the water fishing with her family growing up, but it’s different from the bass fishing she primarily does now.  

“We kind of just went out and it was more of getting on a spot and catching them back-to-back-to-back. It was more about spending time with each other and just relaxing.” 

This type of fishing is lots of fun, but Kayla soon found there was a much more challenging way to spend time on the water.  

“With bass fishing, I feel like I have to put way more thought into what I’m doing. I have to fish more strategically and they’re a little bit harder to find. So, it’s more rewarding when I do get on them and catch one.” 

With the water temps dipping below the 50-degree mark, fishing is a little tough where Kayla and her husband live. On top of the tough fishing conditions, her water is more limited than usual right now as well.    

“I typically I like to fish our local lakes, like Lake Sardis and Enid. But my boat is actually down right now, so I’ve just stuck to pond hopping for the last few months.” 

“I’ve been having a lot of luck on shaky heads, finesse jigs and lipless crankbaits.”

With a limited amount of water in front of her, Kayla has focused on baits that she can either cover a good bit of water with, like the lipless, or baits that she can fish really slowly.  

“I prefer things like finesse jigs and shaky heads this time of year because I can still get that reaction out of them, even though the bite is really tough.” 

Kayla pairs her finesse jigs with “beaver style” trailers that have slow moving, subtle appendages, citing the need for baits with less action as they look more natural in the frigid waters.

“I like to just drag it along and add in some pops along the way. I really like to target fish around structure with it. I’m always looking for structure like wood to bump into and then let it fall and hit it again, just to see if I can get a reaction out of them.” 

Kayla’s goto finesse jig weighs 1/4- ounce and is typically some variation of green pumpkin in color.  

This MONSTERBASS Ambassador is very apparently enthusiastic about her fishing, even under tough conditions. Hopefully her enthusiasm, experience and tips will help you put the puzzle pieces together as well the next time you’re out on the water.