Road Trip Lure Ideas

[Phoenix Guy]

For a guy like me that has never been there, can you give me some ideas of what kind of stuff I should be throwing on Wilson Lake at the end of April, first of May. Thanks, NP

[papajoe222]

I'm in the same boat (and cabin) as you when it comes to this lake.  I know I'll be bringing plenty of tubes along with some mid-depth running cranks, spinnerbaits with chartruse in the skirt and a selection of topwaters in some bright colors. As far as other soft plastics and techniques, I'm clueless.  I hope you and Mike have it figured out by Wed. when I get there. 

[roadwarrior]

Rage Tail Baby Craw & Lizard, Red Eye Shad, GYCB Senko & Fat Ika, small paddle tail swimbaits, jerkbaits,

shakey head,  swim jig, Sworming Hornet, Bandit 200, Wiggle Warts, spinnerbait and the Alabama Rig.

[papajoe222]

Rage Tail Baby Craw & Lizard, Red Eye Shad, GYCB Senko & Fat Ika, small paddle tail swimbaits, jerkbaits,

shakey head,  swim jig, Sworming Hornet, Bandit 200, Wiggle Warts, spinnerbait and the Alabama Rig.

In other words, bring everything.   Works for me

[roadwarrior]

A couple of years ago about 90% of the group's total catch was on Rage Baby

Craws and Red Eye Shad. Another year on Pickwick I caught 78 bass in one

day on a Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad. The Senko is a consistant

producer and for one guy the Bandit 200 & 300. Last year's "kick butt" was the

Rage Tail Menace and Siebert Outdoors Cosmic Spinnerbit. For me it was ShakE2

with a GYCB Kut Tail. Right now tournaments are being won with the DT6, Red

Eye Shad, jerkbaits and The Rig. 

[00 mod]

I will have 2 dedicated rods that never change the entire trip. 

 

1.  1/4 shakey head rod

2.  1/2 oz jig rod

 

These 2 produce on the TN river year round, and EVERYBODY should have them tied on.  I think the A-rig bite will be done by then.

 

Other lures I would have would be senkos and flukes, mid depth cranks (6-12') and swim jigs/soft swim baits.

 

I will also be throwing topwater every morning and evening.  Water temps around here are already in the low 60's. 

 

Jeff

[bassin is addicting]

i sure hope the topwater bite is good.  last year on Pickwick it was...those were some of my best days.

[Brian Needham]

yep, Rig bite will be done for the most part by the trip rolls around.

 

Last year I fished with

 

Bassin is addicting: we caught jigs and shakey heads

00MOD: jigs and shakey heads

Glenn : senkos

Kerri: jigs..... best 5 from that day are my profile pic..... and if I may brag a bit,  the opening picture of the roadtrip video

 

it depends a lot of who you fish with...... Rhino and the crew fished senkos and grubs.... and going to catch PLENTY of fish doing to

 

Glenn, 00Mod, and others fished deeper and catching plenty of fish on shakey heads(Zoom trick worms and magnum shakey worms) and football head jigs.......

 

the difference is the "two camps" for the lack of a better term, were on 2 different sets of fish, one shallow, one deeper...... I had the pleasure of having some of both camps in my boat last year and caught PLENTY of fish both ways. As I have said before bring it all that your trunk will hold, you'll use it.

 

By sunday I had 4 rods on my deck...... 2 sizes of football jigs, a shaky head rod, and a senko rod.

 

COLORS:

shaky head worms: watermelon or watermelon seed or watermelon candy

Jigs: green pumpkin with orange or PBJ.... green pumpkin type trailer

SENKO: color didn't matter but you cant go wrong with Green Pumpkin

 

Sizes:

shaky: 1/8, 3/16, 1/4

JIgs: 1/2 and 3/4

Senko: 5 inch

 

Crankbaits: I didn't fish a crank last year but Randy Haynes dominated the everstart while we were there on a  6xd in sexy shad and citrus shad

 

Swimbaits: the Surret brothers finished 2 and 3 in the same everstart throwing 5 inch big hammers in Sara's shad on Wilson (locked through each morning)

 

Topwater: I didn't throw it last year but I know bassinisaddicting and a few others caught some quality fish on frogs

[Brian Needham]

here is the summary of my week last year:

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/118040-road-trip-chronicles/?hl=roadtrip#entry1291470

[Brian Needham]

IMO the main idea of coming to a roadtrip is to fish with other folks. I was very excited to fish with othes last year... to see what they throw, to see how they fish, to see their favorite baits.

 

I learned a lot in a week. I learned new baits, new techniques.

 

case in point:

1.as crazy as it sounds I didn't know how to fish a senko until the roadtrip last year. I owned them, had a box full of them, but never caught many on them..... Glenn gave me a GREAT lesson. Now I don't launch my boat without one tied on.

 

2. 00mod taught me how to how to be a better shaky head fisherman..... I fished them before and had a box full of them, but never felt that comfortable..... now a year later I feel like I am a decent SH fisherman and never launch one without it.

 

3. Bassinisaddicting never caught a jig fish until the roadtrip last year. It wasn't the style of fishing he was used to being a co-angler in his club...... ask him if he goes to the lake without one now! Plus I learned from Jon about fishing in general, and cranks(even though we didn't fish them) just hanging out and talking every night since we were room mates

 

you are about to fish the TN River at arguably its peak time of the year, especially for numbers....... just bring your favorite baits, your favorite colors.... and the stuff you struggle with or want to learn.

There will be someone that is on your "struggle bait" bite, and you will learn, that I guarantee!

[Mike L]

This is Great.

Thanks fella's I was gonna ask this very thing!

Since I've never caught a smallmouth I'm gonna need all the help I can get!

 

See you in 2 weeks

 

 

 

Mike

[.ghoti.]

This is what I will have tied on my rods when I leave home for this trip. Some of these will change no doubt, but this will be my starting point.

 

1. 4/0 ewg hook, no weight, Senko backwards Ika, Houdini shad

2. 1/8oz gammy jighead, Zman worm, Rage Tail menace, Cutt-r worm

3. 5/16oz Evo Shake2 jighead, Space Monkey, hula grub

4, T-rig, GYCB Kuttail, Rage Lobster

5. Small crankbait

6. Spinnerbait

7, Spinning rod, tube, dropshot

 

I will probably take only four rods at any one time. And one small bag. Which four, and what bag will be the questions for each day.

[roadwarrior]

We may have an opportunity to fish some prototypes.

This could be The Year Of The Bug!

[soopd]

If any of you guys know how to fish in the tailraces I would be throwing a swimbait. A lot of the bigger fish on WIlson come from up that way.  

[Gatorbassman]

Pack your confidence baits and a few that you want to work on and you shouldn't have a problem catching fish.