What to keep tied on for good quality fish

[Bassin' Brad]

This last year I was able to catch 3 bass over 5 lbs and it was an awesome experience. I like catching numbers but I'm really wanting some more 4+ lb action this year. I'll be fishing in Texas in a small boat on lakes mostly 2,000 acres or smaller, most have standing timber and some vegetation. So what should be my strategy this spring and summer  for some quality bass. Currently I'm thinking I will keep a rattletrap, a big worm and a jig tied on pretty much all the time. And when I night fish I will add a black spinner bait to that list. (2 of my fish over 5 lbs last year came on a rattletrap) I'm not wanting to give up smaller fish exclusively but I want to better my odds for some nice fish. What's yalls thoughts? If y'all had the same goal in mind would you pick differently? Should I consider adding anything? I understand it's not all in the bait/lure but I do want to choose my startup wisely. 

[Darren.]

I'd be rich if I knew the answer  

 

Do you drop shot? Ned rig? Wacky?

 

Just three choices to add. Caught my 

PB of 7.5 and a mess of bass over 6# 

on wacky rigs.

[Bassin' Brad]

Just now, Darren. said:

I'd be rich if I knew the answer  

 

Do you drop shot? Ned rig? Wacky?

 

Just three choices to add. Caught my 

PB of 7.5 and a mess of bass over 6# 

on wacky rigs.

What I'm most confident using right now would be a Texas rigged senko...I know wacky rigs can be productive but just don't use them much, but it sounds like I need to use them more! 

[Kyhokie]

I'm in North Texas and IMHO, a black buzzbait will catch quality over quantity. 

[Bassin' Brad]

3 minutes ago, Kyhokie said:

I'm in North Texas and IMHO, a black buzzbait will catch quality over quantity. 

Thanks, will definitely keep that in mind!

[WRB]

It’s not just the lure it’s where and when you fish the lure.

Catt always says he has jig and T-rigged craw worm tied on, start with those and add your confidence lipless lure.

Me it’s a jig, big worm and swimbaits during pre sawn that going on right now.

Tom

 

[Bassin' Brad]

7 minutes ago, WRB said:

It’s not just the lure it’s where and when you fish the lure.

Catt always says he has jig and T-rigged craw worm tied on, start with those and add your confidence lipless lure.

Me it’s a jig, big worm and swimbaits during pre sawn that going on right now.

Tom

 

Very true, thanks!

[ratherbfishin1]

If I’m going for big bass I go big plastics and fish the heavy nasty cover and don’t worry about snags.  That is just personal preference. Good luck this year.

[Bassin' Brad]

9 minutes ago, ratherbfishin1 said:

If I’m going for big bass I go big plastics and fish the heavy nasty cover and don’t worry about snags.  That is just personal preference. Good luck this year.

Makes sense to me!! 

[Catt]

54 minutes ago, WRB said:

It’s not just the lure it’s where and when you fish the lure.

Catt always says he has jig and T-rigged craw worm tied on, start with those and add your confidence lipless lure.

Me it’s a jig, big worm and swimbaits during pre sawn that going on right now.

Tom

 

 

Texas Rigged plastic & Jig-n-Craw ?

[Spankey]

I'm way north of you. Balls cold here man. I've picked up on more than one occasion over the years that my first bass of the season was caught on a Rat-L-Trap. I have one on all the time, or its setting there to be tied on. On a bad or slow day a Rat-L-Trap has many times saved the day. 

 

The Red Eyed Shad is the rave now. Most likely as good if not better. Proven lure that you can cover a lot of water with it.

[DINK WHISPERER]

6 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Texas Rigged plastic & Jig-n-Craw ?

You beat me to it! 

[Fish the Mitt]

I've found, albeit coming from Michigan, my bigger bites came on a Jig-n-craw or bladed/swim jig. But those are also my confidence baits so.... bias?! lol

[Bassin' Brad]

13 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Texas Rigged plastic & Jig-n-Craw ?

 

7 minutes ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

You beat me to it! 

So what type of T rigged plastic do you most commonly have tied on for quality bass? 

[Deleted account]

I find that jigs, spinnerbaits and certain top waters catch bigger fish for me on average, but I've caught some of my biggest fish on a 3" senko, swim jig and minus 1 of all things. Those who mentioned that when and where you fish are as if not more important than the bait itself are dead on.

[Bankbeater]

You can’t beat a big black jitterbug at night. 

[NHBull]

Always

Weightless wacky

Jig

Any surface bait

[scaleface]

Pick lures that will fish well in the conditions you encounter and the bigger bass will come . A combination of bottom bouncers , crankbaits , spinnerbaits and top  waters will just about cover it all .

[CroakHunter]

34 minutes ago, Bassin' Brad said:

 

So what type of T rigged plastic do you most commonly have tied on for quality bass? 

Craw, creature, big worm (straight tail or ribbon tail), and 7" senko. I would say 8 out of my 10 biggest bass have came in these lures. And to be more specific. Rage craw, Magnum Rage bug, xcite baits maximus worm, and then original 7" senko

[Bassin' Brad]

14 minutes ago, CroakHunter said:

Craw, creature, big worm (straight tail or ribbon tail), and 7" senko. I would say 8 out of my 10 biggest bass have came in these lures. And to be more specific. Rage craw, Magnum Rage bug, xcite baits maximus worm, and then original 7" senko

Sounds good to me!

[Catt]

48 minutes ago, Bassin' Brad said:

 

So what type of T rigged plastic do you most commonly have tied on for quality bass? 

I'm a plastics junkie, I throw em all ?

 

Rage Tail, Zoom, Bass Assassin, Big Bite, Yum, Culprit, GrandeBass, Gene Larew, Lake Fork, Mann's

 

My most double digits came on Gene Larew's 7 1/7" Salty Ringworm Cinnamon Pepper Neon Junebug Laminate 

[DINK WHISPERER]

2 hours ago, Bassin' Brad said:

 

So what type of T rigged plastic do you most commonly have tied on for quality bass? 

I almost always have a zoom ol monster somewhere on deck in black or junebug (FL). And a double weed guard jig in 1oz with a big rage lobster as a trailer. Same colors as the worm above. 

[MichaelCopeland]

3 hours ago, Bassin' Brad said:

 

So what type of T rigged plastic do you most commonly have tied on for quality bass? 

Ol' Monsters(red bug, junebug red and black red glitter) and 1/2oz chatterbaits have aided in catching my biggest bass. I read a book by Bud Andrews and he's caught quite a few trophy size bass by dead sticking a worm near areas he believes hold bass. He would let the worm sit still in that area on slack line for up to 30 mins. It agitates the bass due to their territorial instincts. They see something that doesn't belong there and they will move it away. When you see your line moving off, reel up slack and set the hook. I'm gonna try that soon to see how it works. ?

[Bluebasser86]

10 hours ago, Kyhokie said:

I'm in North Texas and IMHO, a black buzzbait will catch quality over quantity. 

It works the same way here too. Fish a black buzzbait all day through the timber you mentioned. I like a 1/2oz black on black Cavitron, or 3/4oz black on black Crock-o-Gator. 

 

As much as I don't like them, banging a squarebill through timber is a great way to get a big bite too. A jig, beaver, and big worm would be top options for me as well. Another that doesn't get used a lot but has been a great big fish producer for me, is a 7" stick worm (senko), T rigged with a 1/8-1/4 ounce bullet weight and flipped at the trees. Catches fish of all sizes but the big ones really like that big hunk of plastic gliding down. 

[JustJames]

I'm lucky that I live on a lake with loaded of 4-5 lbs bass. I think the most successful for me last year would be chatterbait. I like to fish around weed or lay down. Most of the hit come when chatterbait start bumping something.