Favorite "follow up" bait

[Felix77]

Yesterday I had a very frustrating day on the water.  I was out at my "zen" lake and after several different baits I found that the fish were striking a Sexy Dawg and nothing else.  The only problem is that each strike seems to be either before the bait or after it.  Almost like their radar was WAY off all over the lake.  Each time I missed a strike I would follow it up with either a t-rigged craw OR a finesse swimbait but to no avail.   Ended the night with about a dozen strikes and zero catches.

Led me to think ... what's your follow up technique to a missed topwater strike?  What do you use?

[BareHook]

TR or wacky Senko, unless that is what I'm using primary

[BassMaster17]

Wacky worm works most of the time, I can just jiggle it in their face and theirs a good chance they'll strike again. but with 12 misses on the sexy dawg they could just be hitting it, have you tried using a jerkbait as a follow up?

[MassYak85]

Wacky rigged senko

[Scarborough817]

in theory a weightless fluke that is a similar colour to the topwater would be best it imitates the same thing and if you just let it dead stick i can't see why they wouldn't see it as a stunned fish that they just missed

[roadwarrior]

Fat Ika or Senko

 

[Mike L]

Most anything weightless if I have one already rigged. Scarborough is right something that looks like it was killed or stunned. 

If I don't have a soft plastic rigged at the time, I'll just throw back what they missed, just passed where they missed it, and let it sit a while then make very short intermittent twitches and hope for the best. 

 

Mike 

[Scott F]

Are bass on the nests where you are? Bass that are guarding their beds are not feeding but they will bump, slap, and knock potential predators away from the nest they are protecting. A dozen strikes with no hook ups looks like a pattern to me.

[ethan-333]

wacky rig senko

[the reel ess]

Q wacky rigged dark color worm with a big exposed hook.

[smalljaw67]

The Senko is my follow up bait but I use it T-rigged weightless.

[J Francho]

Senko is my follow up for moving baits.  Wacky or weedless is more a function of cover.  If I'm using a jig or sosme plastic, another cast is my follow up.  I've tossed a jig in a downed tree 10 to no avail, and on the 11th cast, I get bit.  Important lesson there!

[DodgeRamWax]

Any senko type bait but it should always be weightless if you're missing fish on top. I've never had much luck with recasting the top water back in there but I know some guys do. 

[buzzed bait]

16 minutes ago, DodgeRamWax said:

Any senko type bait but it should always be weightless if you're missing fish on top. I've never had much luck with recasting the top water back in there but I know some guys do. 

Lake Fork Guy has a video of him fishing the Jackall Pompadeur in a pond and they miss it, he throws back, they hit it!  I'm with you in that it basically never works for me, but sure enough worked for him in that one video, much to my surprise!

i'm with jfrancho in that a senko is the usual for a hardbait miss... but if i'm already pitching a jig/worm/craw, i throw the same bait right back at them.

[Master Bait'r]

Depends on the speed of the day.  Usually a Neko rigged Lunker City Slug-Go SS, but if it's a slow day a wacky Xinkerz is usually a good call too.

["hamma"]

it depends on the waters depth, if fishing 5 feet or less, a jig and pig, if deeper a weightless plastic (usually a 3 inch version), albeit a grub, slugo, or straight tail finesse worm.

I dont fish senko's much at all,... I own a couple that i liked the color of, but very rarely even think about them. I think its because i had already had finesse type baits that work for me before senko's arrived on the scene. and I usually have a small light wire straight shank hook tied weightless on a med heavy action rod.,... like for a small worm or slugo, and it just looks funky with a wacky rigged senko on there

[Catt]

Any Texas Rigged piece of plastic, weighted or unweighed.

 

[Yudo1]

I agree a wacky rigged senkos is a my favorite follow up bait.  If it's weedy I t rig it weightless.

[greentrout]

T-rigged Zoom Trick Worm, Finesse Worm and Lizard with various weights, hooks & colors.

Good fishing.

[Bluebasser86]

Senko or a Ned. 

[lakeannaangler]

Fluke , tube, or finesse jig 

[ErikmonBillsfon]

Had a lot of missed top water strikes today in CT. I think the bass are rusty just like when we first start casting again in yhe early spring we miss casting. I throw a kietech or a worm. But also I will throw the frog further and pull it slower threw the strike zone.

[adam lancia]

I would say a fluke for a topwater miss and a senko or tube for something lower in the water column.

[Oklahoma Mike]

Almost always it's a senko. If it was a senko I was fishing to begin with, I will usual throw it over them another time or two, and possibly try changing colors. If that doesn't work I'll try a reaction bait like a lipless crank or a bladed jog.