How Many Baits Do You Really Need?

[Sp032o]

Hello. I'm getting ready to go fishing this upcoming spring and summer, and I need some new baits! I barely had any baits last year, since I was new to fishing. I was wondering, what are some great all around lures to have to cover most situations while bass fishing? Also, how many baits do you really need, because I see people with a TON, and was wondering if you could be just as successfull with a much smaller variety? ( i'm asking this because im a kid and don't have a huge budget for tons of tackle like some people!) thank you, and all opinions are appreciated!

[Sp032o]

Hello. I'm getting ready to go fishing this upcoming spring and summer, and I need some new baits! I barely had any baits last year, since I was new to fishing. I was wondering, what are some great all around lures to have to cover most situations while bass fishing? Also, how many baits do you really need, because I see people with a TON, and was wondering if you could be just as successfull with a much smaller variety? ( i'm asking this because im a kid and don't have a huge budget for tons of tackle like some people!) thank you, and all opinions are appreciated!

[ABW]

As much as possible because you never know what those critters want...

 

In reality, most of us don't have an unlimited supply of tackle at our disposal. If I were you I would pick up a few techniques and gain confidence in those. If you're fishing year-round, try and find some that should work year round, like a jig.

[Sp032o]

Hello. I'm getting ready to go fishing this upcoming spring and summer, and I need some new baits! I barely had any baits last year, since I was new to fishing. I was wondering, what are some great all around lures to have to cover most situations while bass fishing? Also, how many baits do you really need, because I see people with a TON, and was wondering if you could be just as successfull with a much smaller variety? ( i'm asking this because im a kid and don't have a huge budget for tons of tackle like some people!) also keep in mind that the lakes I fish on are not extremely large and i fish from the banks with a spinning rod! thank you, and all opinions are appreciated!

[gardnerjigman]

Get some soft plastics (senkos, baby brush hogs, pitboss... Etc)

Jigs and some twin tail grubs for trailers

Few spinners

Few square bills

Some topwater (horny toads, walking frogs, poppers, spooks, buzz bait etc)

Terminal tackle (EWG hooks 3,4,5. Bullet weights 3/8, 1/4. Wacky rig hooks. Twist lock 4/0 5/0 unweighted hooks)

This will get you started.

Only other advice is get a job because every time a you get bit by a fish, you also get bit by the bait monkey....

Good Luck!

[Darren.]

Hello. I'm getting ready to go fishing this upcoming spring and summer, and I need some new baits! I barely had any baits last year, since I was new to fishing. I was wondering, what are some great all around lures to have to cover most situations while bass fishing? Also, how many baits do you really need, because I see people with a TON, and was wondering if you could be just as successfull with a much smaller variety? ( i'm asking this because im a kid and don't have a huge budget for tons of tackle like some people!) thank you, and all opinions are appreciated!

 

I'll be one to tell you that you do NOT need a ton

of baits.

 

I take a couple 3600 size boxes of soft plastic worms

both senko style and thinner worms like the Zoom Trick

and Finesse worms.

 

Then I'll have at least one box with a few jigs, some drop

shot stuff, etc.

 

I'm primarily a soft-plastics fisherman and have plenty of 

success (by my reckoning) doing things this way.

 

Where you get to have a "ton" is when you try a new bait

here and there and get another color, etc., to try out. Over

time they add up and can become a "ton". But you don't

need a lot to catch bass.

[Angry John]

Grab a few multipurpose plastics and a jig or two. Toss in a few crankbaits and 2-3 frogs and your off and running.

[Senko lover]

Don't ask this question. It leads down dangerous paths.

 

On the serious side, I'd say two of each kind (worms, craws, squarebills, spinnerbaits, ect.) should be plenty.

[ABW]

How many of these questions are you going to ask? You've already asked it like 3 times 

[HookdUP]

Don't ask this question. It leads down dangerous paths.

On the serious side, I'd say two of each kind (worms, craws, squarebills, spinnerbaits, ect.) should be plenty.

[t4bama]

You sure can be successful with a much smaller variety but once you start enjoying it you'll want to try different techniques and it cause for different baits and it just keeps going. I enjoy getting new lure to try out. 

[Big C]

Get a couple frogs, a couple jigs and a Sick fish or two.  Remember it's not what you have, it's what you know.  Nothing wrong with being a baller on a budget. 

[papajoe222]

For hard baits, I would get at least one of the following in a natural color (shad, silver, gold, etc) spinnerbait, crankbait, topwater popper/chugger, and an assortment of worms and craws for soft baits. Once you become confident in your ability to catch fish with those, you can experiment with different sizes and colors as you budget allows.

[A KGB Operative]

Should get you started for around 100 dollars.

[Dylcook91]

Couple bags of senkos, few packs of 3/0 wide gap worm hooks, and a handfull of spinnerbaits..also a buzzbait or two.

Should give you great results at any pond.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

When I leave home with just these Im good for a days outing.

 

[Jrob78]

All of them.

[everythingthatswims]

1) Senko, in green pumkin or something similar.

3) A medium creature bait to texas rig with in green pumkin.

2) A couple squarebills, sexy shad color will work in any situation.

3) White Spinnerbait 3/8oz

4) Jig in green pumkin or something similar

5) Spook style topwater

[Shockwave]

Don't ask this question. It leads down dangerous paths.

 

On the serious side, I'd say two of each kind (worms, craws, squarebills, spinnerbaits, ect.) should be plenty.

This!!! As far as soft plastics go, keep something in green pumpkin nearby at all times. Good all around color.

[Fishinthefish]

Always always start with plastics, if you're new to fishing you're going to lose hard baits, crank baits, swim baits  and top waters left and right. It takes awhile to learn how to get out of hard snags and various other tricky situations, like trees. Flukes, worms, craws. Those are the three plastics I'd recommend starting with, you can rig all three various ways and fish them top, middle, and bottom depending on how you rig and retrieve. Highly versatile, high level of success, and a very small learning curve.

[Felix77]

Senko and a keitech ez shiner is all I need in a pinch. The rest is all cake.

[Fisher-O-men]

Learn to Drop Shot roboworms.  You will catch fish.  At your age there are priorities for your limited resources. Drop hints at the right times for gift cards.

[primetime]

I made it in college fishing Berkley and Culprit ribbon tails, tubes and a few spinnerbaits and maybe a crankbait if I found one. I had a rebel in crawfish pattern, wee r I think that caught me fish for years...And you NEED at least 1 Rapala original floater in silver black and one in gold and black, F-9 is good size for 6lb test, and f-11 good for up to 10lb.

 

I would look on ebay for some used inline spinners like rooster tails and mepps for pond fishing, pack of cheap frogs, senko's, rebel pop r, worm weights and 3 colors..black, green pumpkin, watermelon red should do it and then 1 that you like.

 

Don't go cheap on fishing line. You don't need to buy Suffix 832 braid, but make sure you are buying a reputable brand. Saving a few bucks on line or quality hooks or swivels is not smart so you can get an extra bag of baits or a new shiny lure...Berkley Trilene, Stren and even Ande are good lines, make sure you pair them up with the right rod and reel (Reel needs a good drag) you can get good combo's for 40 bucks these days to do the job,

and buying the right size hooks and quality, no southbend hooks etc...You can find sales on quality stuff if you look, but line and hook is key, go cheap on that, you lose all. Have fun, buy 1-2 lures at a time and actually learn how to use them and see if you like them instead of just buying a ton of stuff. Not everybody likes a buzz bait or tubes, or frogs...and jigs are not for everyone either, but plastics are.

[SirSnookalot]

My normal everyday rotation is 5 lures, the same 5 for inshore fishing except saltwater versions of the same lures. Seldom do I use all 5 in outing, my rotation does not include plastic worms or jigs and trailers.

[Senko lover]

If you're going to go the minimalist route; here's the way I started: get a popper, a lipless crankbait, some senkos, and some finesse worms. Those are great lures to start on. If you fish really weedy ponds, switch out the lipless for a spinnerbait.