Simply nose-hooking a fluke-style bait often will result in more hits and a better hook-up ratio.

It's often the little details that separate the good anglers from the great ones. Here are three that will help you put more fish in the boat this summer:

Weed-guard trimTrimming fiber weedguards on skirted jigs is advice often conveyed by savvy anglers as a means of increasing hook-up ratios.But just how much should you cut 'em, and in what situations?Minnesota-based tournament angler Scott DeZurik uses both swimming jigs and traditional flipping jigs when targeting Gopher State largemouths.Since cover isn't as much of a factor when fishing a swimming jig like JimmyD's Swim Jim, DeZurik is more liberal with the trim job when missed strikes say it's time for a cut.Using four-inch bladed meat-cutting scissors, he makes one continuous cut, starting from the free end of the weedguard and finishing at the head. A couple of the inside strands are left intact so there still is total hook coverage."This way there are more bristles left at the head of the jig. The guard is more flexible at the free end, but still firm enough to keep the weeds off," he explained.For flippin' jig applications, where contact with wood and heavy weeds demands more hook protection, DeZurik still will trim guards, but not as aggressively.He starts his cut more to the outside of the bristle wrap, which allows for more fibers to remain their original length. Angling the scissors away from the jig head reduces the total length of the cut as well.

Nose-hooked flukesSoft jerkbaits, often generically referred to as "flukes," are some of spring and summer's most productive bass offerings.But limiting yourself to the classic riggings also limits the bait's versatility. During certain conditions, simply hooking the bait through the nose increases bites, as well as hooked fish.Perhaps the most fitting scenario for this application relates to river smallmouth bass, which are fish that spend much of their time in the shallows when the water is warm. Warm water equates to more active fish, ones that prefer more action, which is precisely what the nose-hooked fluke gives you.The standard rigging of a 5-inch fluke calls for a wide-gap hook in the 3/0 range. While good for fishing around cover, the long hook acts as a splint, retarding the bait's ability to bend. Hooking the same bait through the nose allows it to swing freely in a pendulum manner.A top hook choice for nose-hooking is a drop-shot hook like a number 2 Gamakatsu drop shot/split shot hook. It provides adequate hook gap and is subtle enough not to hinder bait movement.Center the placement about a quarter-inch from the tip of the nose, hooking up through it. The exposed hook equates to more hookups.Using a low stretch superline (with mono or fluorocarbon leader) or fluorocarbon, impart plenty of twitches in the retrieve as the bait cleans shallow water zones. Experiment with various cadences, with a few lengthy "kills," as some days the fish will hit on the pause.Bass in excess of dink-sizeed fish typically strike the head of the lure, so short strikes are uncommon. When the weight of a bass is felt, simply tighten up on the reel while sweeping back on the rod, allowing the understated hook to sink home.

Drop-shot tubeA tube jig for the customary drop-shot sinker often doubles your chance of sticking bass.As soon as the water is warm enough to instill a degree of aggressiveness in Lake Erie smallmouth bass, veteran guide Frank Campbell relies on a tube-jig anchored drop shot for double trouble. Campbell tailors the weight of the tube jig to the depth being fished, going as light as an eighth-ounce to as heavy as three-eighths."This is an ideal search bait setup," says Campbell. "The tube jig scours the bottom, while the bait on the drop shot hook shows bass something up off the bottom."Typically, Campbell fishes a soft-bodied minnow imitator like Berkley's Gulp! Alive! minnow on the drop-shot hook, a three- or four-inch tube body encapsulates the insert-style jighead, and 18 to 24 inches separate the two.Campbell says the tube jigs do more than just weigh down the drop-shot rig. Some days it accounts for the most fish.Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle