Ep. 116: Daniel Dahlin of [FISH]rx on Bladed Jigs, Spotty Bowl Recap & What’s Coming to PCS

Hosts: Daniel Dahlin ([FISH]rx), El Charly, Luke Dean (Bait Slingers / Artemis Charters)

Episode 116, recorded live on January 27, 2026, breaks down how Daniel approached the Spotty Bowl, including bladed jig presentation, when to rotate into reaction baits, and how small adjustments in cadence, weight, and timing can turn a slow session into a full bag.

In This Episode

  • How Daniel fishes a bladed jig slow — activate it, kill it, and let the trailer work on the fall (see the bladed jig guide)
  • Why bites often come on the pause, not the retrieve
  • Spotty Bowl strategy: building a bag early, then upgrading by rotating presentations
  • The MDR C-Rig and RX Paddle Tail combo that accounted for five tournament fish
  • How drop shot, RX Slug, crankbaits, and multi-bait rigs all played different roles throughout the day
  • Why pressure and timing matter more than forcing a single bait
  • Preview of Chovie 2.0 and how it fits into the SoCal color rotation
  • Luke on the Bait Slingers mug drop and sharing a booth with [FISH]rx at PCS

What Daniel Was Actually Adjusting

One of the most useful parts of this episode is Daniel breaking down how he slows a bladed jig down without killing the presentation. His approach is to get the blade started, then kill it and let the bait fall. The trailer becomes the entire presentation on the drop.

Most anglers think of a bladed jig as a straight moving bait, but in pressured SoCal harbor water, that extra beat of action on the fall is often what gets the bite. The pause — not the retrieve — is where fish commit. For a deeper breakdown of how trailer action changes the bait on the fall, the bladed jig guide goes further into it.

That same thinking carried into the Spotty Bowl. Daniel didn’t force one bait. He rotated — drop shot, RX Slug, crankbait, swim jig head, and the MDR C-Rig all had a role depending on conditions. That flexibility was the real pattern.

Why This Episode Matters

This episode is a clear example of tournament thinking in real conditions: early fish, dead periods, mid-session adjustments, and the difference between having confidence in a bait versus making the right adjustment at the right time.

If you fish pressured harbor bass, the takeaway is simple: cadence, fall behavior, and rotation timing matter more than sticking with a single presentation all day. The spotted bay bass guide and SoCal structure fishing guide both connect directly to the ideas Daniel is working through here.

Watch the full episode on the Time On The Water YouTube channel. New episodes every Tuesday at 6 PM.

, , ,
About Time on the Water