Are There Some Baits You Just Won't Use?

[K_Mac]

Well said Hooligan. 

[roadwarrior]

Well said Hooligan. 

 

Well, as a Moderator I have volunteered to read nearly every post on every thread.

I've been doing this awhile. This has turned into my favorite of all time! Frankly, I'm 

just amazed by some of the comments, so I'll add one of mine from a few years back:

 

"I don't fish 5" GYCB Senkos anymore because they just catch too many fish!" 

 

 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I hope everyone stops throwing swimbaits. You're right, WAAAAY too big especially in PA.

 

Here's a pic for you guys to wrap your mind around. The one on top is almost 18 inches long.

 

[Primus]

Well, as a Moderator I have volunteered to read nearly every post on every thread.

I've been doing this awhile. This has turned into my favorite of all time! Frankly, I'm 

just amazed by some of the comments, so I'll add one of mine from a few years back:

 

"I don't fish 5" GYCB Senkos anymore because they just catch too many fish!" 

 

 

 

x3 on Hooligan's post. Good Stuff and on the money.

[gobig]

[TNBassin']

Despite me buying 2 packs of Sick Fish during the Spring Classic sale, I will not buy anything that has the words "Skeet" and "Reese" on them. I can stomach Iaconelli, Aaron Martens, and Edwin Evers, but I cannot stand Skeet Reese. Seems like a total D-Bag, but I'm sure a little bit of that is all about "marketability".

[.ghoti.]

This has been one of the most interesting threads I've seen in a long time. The comments have been strange, off the wall, dumb, smart, well thought out, knee jerk, etc. All across the board. And, wonder of wonders, lgmgambler has not put in an appearance to make his gratuitous Shimano infommercial.

Hooligan made the best reply to a thread we've seen in quite a while. I have to agree with him totally.

Having said that, I do have to admit there are techniques I'm not all that fond of.

I don't throw a swimbait often. I only have a few, and the only thing I've caught on them were a couple of muskie. Nothing wrong with that; I like muskie fishing, and do it all winter, weather permitting. But, no bass caught by me on a swimbait.

Drop-shot and carolina rigging are two things I seldom do. Not a fan of either, but if that's what it takes, then that's what I will do. However, there have been very few occasions when one of those two techniques were the only way possible to catch some fish. I will drag one out now and then just to stay in practise.

[5fishlimit]

Carolina rig. I avoid it like the plague.

[ColdSVT]

I hate senkos...if I am deaperate ill throw one especially since I lost a tourny to a carolina rigged senko last year

just because I hate something however doesnt mean you wont find it on my boat...well you wint find an ugly stick on my boat lol

[NC_Bass6]

i cannot stand to fish jigs. i can throw a swim jig but i dont even count that really. ive never caught a single fish on a jig with a craw trailer, so i dont even try anymore

[The Next KVD]

So I just took the past hour of my life to read every post on this thread.  All I can say is, I may as well take up golf because 99.99% of everything mentioned, I have used and will use when the situation calls for it. 

 

I will be glad to cash a check or win an event using a technique that YOU REFUSE to use.  Umbrella-Rigs, C-Rigs, Deep-cranking, Dock skippin, Wacky riggin, heck it don't matter I will use them to beat YOU when the situation/lake calls for it.

 

Same can be said for certain colors: Firetiger is my #1 color and Bubblegum has a time and place. 

 

When it comes to $ per bait, I think it actually comes down to what brands you prefer and your confidence in them.  I have fished Megabass Vision 110's and other high end stuff and do own them but I just prefer a brand that happens to be cheaper.

 

What does this all come down to?  Every bait and every technique is a tool of the trade that has its purpose and situation.  You wouldn't use a screwdriver to pound nails just like you wouldn't throw an Umbrella rig with swimbaits into matted vegetation.

 

Each to their own I guess.  What works for someone may not work for you ( I think this is due to lack of confidence personally).  I'm comfortable with everything but that doesn't mean someone else is with certain stuff.  You fish best when you are comfortable and confident in what you are using/doing.

[Shoalamfishin]

I have to say I read have loosely followed this whole thread and just read through it all again, wow. I'll start out on techniques. I use almost every technique mostly without regard. I don't utilize dropshot or carolina rigs as often as I should but I have no problem using one when I need to; this year I know I'm going to expand and use both more often and try out the jika rig.

 

In regard to soft baits I use a wide variety of soft plastics (swimbaits, craws, etc.) mostly because I fish heavy cover and very rocky areas quite often.

 

On hard baits, I'll throw a multi-bait rig when the situation dictates (double up, tripod, or full size umbrella rig). I don't throw jig as much as I should in but I have expanded on that a lot recently; I have tended to shy away from lipped cranks due to their tendency to grab weeds and snag cover but I will throw them readily when conditions permit. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits have been consistent producers for me. I just picked up on walk the dog/cigar baits recently and really like them. Overall I with some other here in that I don't like to buy a $10-$15 bait when I know I'm gonna stand a chance of losing it or throw it into cover; I don't really buy into  GY senkos either simply because of the durability. I have some Rage Tail Anacondas that I got a deal on and they have been good but in general I don't like to pay top dollar for baits that just fall apart after a fish (super glue helps). I don't own any Storm cranks, never bought any, so I can't speak on that. 

 

I know I'm going to be expanding on a lot of things this year so I'm not really worried about what I don't throw right now I'm more or less concerned what I'm going to become better with.

 

Ultimately as above "to each his own". 

[jbird9009]

Spinnerbaits... can not catch fish on them. Have been bass fishing regularly. For 6ish years.. diff colors sizes and brands every year and not one single hookup. Maybe this is the year gonna try my best to figure those things out. Every angler swears by them

My standby of softplastics carolina or texas rigged has not worked so well either. Ive always bank fished primarily till this past year i built up a jonboat and seems like i gotta relearn how to fish.

[SENKOSAM]

Jbird, I first got confidence in them when Roland Martin won a tournament locally on the Hudson River using a huge willow leaf blade and white skirt. I did great the first time I cast them in different waters, including tidal waters. Start out casting them around the spawn over flats and any place you usually do well early season and expect some good hits. A trailer hook might be a good idea, at least at first.

Think bright and flashy!

 

That is one fad lure that is no longer mentioned in Bass Master, but what makes a lure a fad lure and more important, why stop using it when no one else seems to be?

[Hanover_Yakker]

A Strike King King Shad (wake version) - the joint just seems to stiff to me compared to my floating SPRO BBZ-1 shad.  The motion is too mechanical if that makes sense, so it just sits in a tackle tray along with other unused random/old tackle.  I've cast it one time, didn't like it, so I cut it off and tied on something different.