Favorite new bait/technique so far in 2010

[J Francho]

Thanks, I have the 6" slow sink Perch Spro and caught a nice 5lber a couple of weeks back on it and you're right it catches fish. My Matt's hard Bluegill is a slow sink, next one will be a floater. I appreciate your reccomendations.

Share your success and failures....I'm still figuring this out as well.  Two seasons does not an expert make.

[oteymc]

Like several other people that have already commented, my number one addition this year is the Jig. It really seems to catch bigger fish on average. Still a lot to learn about them, like the best times to use them. Something I learned while on a guided trip was the use of a jig in open water, I always thought it was just to flip and pitch into cover.

I also used spinnerbaits for the first time this year. For me, these seem to just kill the fish or catch nothing at all. But when its on, nothing more fun.

[SharkHat]

Weightless plastics.  I used to always be a fan of heavy jigs and spinnerbaits because bigger was always better - but I'm changing my ways.

[OHIO]

I have really gotten into jigs.

I started fishing them when nothing else was seeming to work and they paid off tremendously.

I need to get back into plastics more now, but recently I can't seem to find the patience for the senko sink time.

Just pick up some weighted screw-lock hooks.

One reason why the Senko can catch so many fish is because of its sink rate.

Adding a weight would take away from its natural action IMO.

I'll still try it though and see if I can get some bites.

[Hammer 4]

Fave new bait would have to the 3:16 swimbaits I recently acquired. Haven't caught any fish wit them yet, but then I haven't thrown them much.

[Jeff H]

Wasn't a new thing for me as I did use these some as a kid but....6" double hook, pre rigged worms around docks. 18"-24" leader, ballbearing swivel, Thunder Bullets 1/8oz rattling brass bullet. Sometimes no weight. Fished along length of dock down the straight edges when shaded. They spin on retrieve because they are factory kinked and they kicked fanny!!! It has been years since I've thrown this rig and it will be used a LOT more now!!!

I just hope I can find some more of these!!

[J Francho]

I have really gotten into jigs.

I started fishing them when nothing else was seeming to work and they paid off tremendously.

I need to get back into plastics more now, but recently I can't seem to find the patience for the senko sink time.

Just pick up some weighted screw-lock hooks.

One reason why the Senko can catch so many fish is because of its sink rate.

Adding a weight would take away from its natural action IMO.

I'll still try it though and see if I can get some bites.

Another reason is that it slips through certain weedy cover, getting to fish the creature guys can't get to, when t-rigged with a bullet weight.

[Thad]

I've been fishing a drop shot for a while now but this year I really started catching fish with it. I went away from the smaller baits and less action. I almost exclusively used 6" Roboworms and I imparted a lot more action during the retrieve. This resulted in my best producing setup this year.

[slapshot]

Strike King Red Eye Shad 1/2 oz in the Green Gizzard Shad pattern.  Am really happy about 55 fish this summer - with 33 of them in just 2 nights - but it looks like I have a long way to go to get to 700   

[mr.mallard]

texas rigged finesse craw and craw cranks(though havent had much luck on the craw cranks)

[rubba bubba]

Matt Lures Hard Gill Floater

Which model hard gill floater and what presentations?  I have the Crappie floater but haven't had any luck with it yet.

[J Francho]

I think mine is the male.  My fish really aren't too picky, but I bet pressured bass would respond to making one or the other act like blue gills on beds - male holding and defending territory, female cruising.  For the most part, toss it out, wait, and slow retrieve.  If I see a wake, I'll pause, and then sweep, and pause.  It really looks like a fleeing gill.

[Captain Obvious]

A zoom weightless centipede has been a new find when they don't want something bigger. I go though an area with a jig then fish it again with the centipede. There has been times it has caught bigger fish than the jig 

[Primus]

Thanks, I have the 6" slow sink Perch Spro and caught a nice 5lber a couple of weeks back on it and you're right it catches fish. My Matt's hard Bluegill is a slow sink, next one will be a floater. I appreciate your reccomendations.

Share your success and failures....I'm still figuring this out as well. Two seasons does not an expert make.

I missed this comment from earlier but I saw your reply to Rubba Bubba about sweeping the Matt's hardgill, I will definetely have to try it. Recently met another guy from my area and he had very high praise for the Matt's Gill along with the Realprey Alewife which is a soft bait like a Hudd but more durable though not quite as realistic looking. He also throws some of the 8-10" baits and has had some success on these especially when night fishing.

Tommorrow taking the afternoon off and it's supposed to be overcast/ windy which hopefully will turn into a good day to throw swimbaits, if not then it's back to my crankbaits and jigs.

Anyway just bit the bullet and got in a Floating 3:16 Freestyle Herring which along with the previously mentioned Matt's Gill & Real Pey swimbait will be putting these through the motions this fall. I will definetely on occasion update with my successes & failures with various swimbaits and look forward to hearing reports from yourself and other forum members on their impressions as well. This category of tackle is starting to really fascinate me with it's potential and right now I'm absorbing all the info I can get on these type of baits.

[aceman387]

I just took up jig fishing a couple months back and my favorite so far has been 1/8 oz green pumpkin bitsy bug jigs with tiny baby brush hogs for trailers.

[Nice_Bass]

keel weighted space monkey.  I can work it as a top water early in the morning, and also used it to probe then and later in the day.  Works as a frog and a craw.  No line twist which is my pitfall with t-rigged craws.  Worked pretty well as a skipping bait as well.