2018 ~ My Most Productive Baits - By Season

[webertime]

Pointer 100 (spring)

Jackhammer (spring summer fall)

Carolina Rig with Speedcraw (spawn to fall)

Drop Shot 3" Swing Impact (summer to fall)

YoZuri Trap of some sort (fall)

Keitech Football highest with a 2.8 swimbait (summer through "I'm stupid for being out here")

[Munkin]

 

A-Jay here is the Repoman that I have. It looks NIP but the rear feather has a brown tint like it has some rust to it. Based on one of your previous posts I could trade for some LC pointers in Ghosy Minnow since you want to get ridof them.

 

Allen

[A-Jay]

On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 7:57 PM, Munkin said:

 

A-Jay here is the Repoman that I have. It looks NIP but the rear feather has a brown tint like it has some rust to it. Based on one of your previous posts I could trade for some LC pointers in Ghosy Minnow since you want to get ridof them.

 

Allen

Sending a PM 

A-Jay

[J.Vincent]

 

January - Strike King Bitsy Bugs and Berkley Gulp Shads Drop Shotted

 

February - Custom Nuetrally Bouyant Cotton Cordell Big O

 

March - Same as February

 

April - Storm Arashi SquareBill Craw Pattern and ZMan ChatterBait + Yum Christie Craw Trailer

 

May - Same as April

 

June - Yum Christie Craw Texas Rigged with 3/16oz Pegged Cone Sinker and Tandem Willow Leaf SpinnerBaits and 1/2oz Terminator Flipping Jigs

 

July - Culprit 7 inch Ribbon Tail Texas Rigged, Senkos Texas Rigged, BOSS Outdoors 1oz Punch Rig + Christie Craw, Berkeley Pit Boss Texas Rigged with 3/8oz Cone Sinker and Hollow Body Frogs and 1/2oz Terminator Flipping Jigs

 

August - Same as July

 

September - Sammy style Walking Bait, BOSS Outdoors Swimjig with various Trailers

 

October - Same as September but also Cotton Cordell Traps and Bill Lewis Rattletraps

 

November - Custom Nuetrally Bouyant Cotton Cordell Big O and Yum Christie Craw Texas Rigged with 1/8 oz Cone Sinkers

 

December - I don't fish this month

 

 

* just realized I rarely thow a Jerkbait or a Split Shot Rig or a Buzzbait or a Popper and here is the funny part ....I currently live near Erie and St Clair and havent thrown a Tube Jig in over a year : ) 

[ChrisD46]

Great Job A-Jay !

[thinkingredneck]

On Sunday, October 07, 2018 at 7:41 AM, Boomstick said:

I've been thinking a lot about this actually.

 

I think for me, in May and June, I had the most success with a War Eagle Colorado willow spinnerbait in 3/8oz with trocar hooks that practically set themselves, however I did not get to fish much as I was in the hospital with colon cancer, and it took a while to get the staples removed post surgery which were rather painful.

 

In July, I was pretty wiped out by chemo. I had some good success with the ned rig, drop shots with a Roboworm and spinnerbaits when I did make it out, but I had my best fishing day of the year fishing a River2Sea Ish Monroe Biggie Smalls in Horizon Shad, so that takes the trophy.

 

I think I only made it out one day in August, and if I recall I got skunked.

 

In September and October (to date), I've been largely fishing local lakes and have had good success with the Norman Fat Boy in Nutter Shad color and the Ish Monroe's alike.

 

For the season overall, I have caught more fish on either the Norman Fat Boy or the Ish Monroe crankbaits than anything else.

Man, I hope you have a better year this year!

I don't think I caught them on anything but T rigged plastic worms.   I tried some paddle tail swim baits with no success.  Life intervened a lot.

[snake95]

Coming at this as a small-time weekend pond warrior, for me, 2018 was the year of going back to basic plastics.

Until this year, I was crazy about cranks, walkers, poppers and buzzbaits, with the occasional trickworm thrown in.

Had very little time to fish this year, but made the most of short bursts.

 

Springtime: senkos and Yum Dingers.

I know.  Boring.  I guess the news there for me was that I overcame my lack of enthusiasm for them, and threw them in hot, pressured conditions in Florida and Georgia this spring and well into the post-spawn.  I was very surprised at how successful I was by tossing them into flats where bass were either spawning or protecting fry.  I learned to skip them under bushes all around the ponds, and did well with that.  As a result of the success, Senko fishing became fun for me. 

 

Oh yeah: no matter where I'm throwing them, I almost always fish them weightless and Texposed, with a 3/0 to 5/0 worm hook or EWG.  I'll use a superline EWG if I want the weight and have one at hand.   Almost always trying to get bit on the fall, but found myself using them to pepper an area of flats where I felt like there might be fish.  Kind of a slow way to cover water, but it worked.

 

Springtime and all summer long:  toads.

It was the year of the toad.  I killed them on toads all year long.  I tried all types: Keitech, Zoom, and others.  In the bright mid-morning in Florida, late at night in GA.  Right off the bank, and in open water. Horney Toads with 4/0 and 5/0 superline EWG's.

 

Honorable mention: flukes.  Also "nothing special" but I had a lot of luck with weightless flukes worked near surface among lilly pads and along weedlines for largemouth on small ponds up in Ontario.  Not a lot of strategy to it, but with the super-clear Ontario water, I started off with a subtle green pumpkin or Disco violet and never varied from those.

 

Fall: night fishing with chatterbaits and walking baits.

Had very little previous experience with chatterbaits, but they worked well for me at night with paca craw trailers.

Also fished walking baits in place of buzzbaits late at night in very calm waters.  That worked well too.

 

@A-Jay I really enjoyed the post that started this.

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

This year was screwy.  Spring was great, but from mid-summer on was a struggle.  Early fall looked like things were going to turn around, but nope.

 

March and April: 3 of my top 5 bass for the year so far were caught.  Lipless crankbaits, shallow running crankbaits, and jerkbaits caught most of my bass.

 

May was things started getting weird: A 3", or 4" Stik-o on a split shot rig kept the skunk off me for most of my trips. The crankbait and lipless bite dried up, and the bass weren't going after jigs or plastic worms at all.  The topwater bite started off very slow, but picked up as the month went on.

 

June:  Most of the bass I caught were on topwater, and jigs.  I picked up one or two here and there on plastics, but for the most part I stuck to jigs and spooks.

 

July and August: No clear winner in the bait department here.  Almost all of the baits I used caught bass, but no size or numbers. 

 

September and October:  With the exception of the bass hitting some crankbaits these months were just like June.

 

 

 

[Hillbilly Bennett]

2018 was the year of the Senko for me. I know, it’s boring fishing, but this year it was the main performer and the only consistent bite producer all year long. It started in late February and early March when I had difficulty catching on the jerkbaits and crankbaits that I love to throw. I’d pick a few fish up here and there but after getting very frustrated my first few trips out, I picked up a wacky rig and proceeded to nail them consistently in every lake I went to. The color varied by lake and the conditions but the dang Senko kept catching right up in to May. I got on a pretty good topwater bite in April and May and was able to incorporate a jig and Texas rigs with pretty good success as well. I took dad with me to our annual post spawn trip to Guntersville and we caught the lake up, off colored and with plenty of current. Poppers, jigs and t-rigged craws loaded the boat with bass, and 2 monster heart breaking drum, for 5 of the best days of fishing all year. That lake is just amazing. As the heat kicked in in June-early August I used the Senko again on light Texas rigs to work the grass in my home lakes in eastern KY. This was the 1st time I’d used a Senko this way and had a ton of success fishing them like that. The dog days of mid-August through mid-September were really tough this year. The grass bite stopped for me and my off shore spots didn’t produce much at all. Even night fishing was slow. But I again got my dad to go on a spur of the moment trip to Chickamagua after the hurricane that hit the south east passed through at the end of September. We caught Chick with the exact same conditions as Guntersville and had 4 days of huge bass and huge numbers. Black and Blue Reaction Innovation Sweet Beavers and Missile D-Bombs caught the most fish for us and landed me a 6 1/2 pounder for my biggest fish of 2018 but a War Eagle spinner, a buzz bait and a lunkerhunt frog caught the biggest down there. Dad caught a 10lb 7oz personal best on the frog and he hasn’t let me hear the end of it since. We were on them from the minute we got there and they were still eating everything in sight when I had to leave to come back to work. Things picked back up in October and my wacky rigged Senko, squarebills, flukes and War Eagle spinnerbaits produced. We hit Guntersville again the 1st week of November and it wasn’t as fast and furious as usual but we were able to put together a few good days on poppers, buzzbaits, squarebills and, of course, a wacky rig. The last day It was below freezing that morning with a steady 25 mph wind that made things miserable but I got locked in with a Strike King 2.5 and loaded the boat with it in the Goosepond area when nothing else would get a bite. That was my last day out this year as obligations, and the snow, have kept me off of the water since then but that day left me with the warm fuzzy feeling that only fishing can bring. Gotta get back out soon or I’m gonna lose it. That was my 2018 year of fishing. Tight lines everybody! 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

2018 was the year of the Senko for me. I know, it’s boring fishing, but this year it was the main performer and the only consistent bite producer all year long. It started in late February and early March when I had difficulty catching on the jerkbaits and crankbaits that I love to throw. I’d pick a few fish up here and there but after getting very frustrated my first few trips out, I picked up a wacky rig and proceeded to nail them consistently in every lake I went to. The color varied by lake and the conditions but the dang Senko kept catching right up in to May. I got on a pretty good topwater bite in April and May and was able to incorporate a jig and Texas rigs with pretty good success as well. I took dad with me to our annual post spawn trip to Guntersville and we caught the lake up, off colored and with plenty of current. Poppers, jigs and t-rigged craws loaded the boat with bass, and 2 monster heart breaking drum, for 5 of the best days of fishing all year. That lake is just amazing. As the heat kicked in in June-early August I used the Senko again on light Texas rigs to work the grass in my home lakes in eastern KY. This was the 1st time I’d used a Senko this way and had a ton of success fishing them like that. The dog days of mid-August through mid-September were really tough this year. The grass bite stopped for me and my off shore spots didn’t produce much at all. Even night fishing was slow. But I again got my dad to go on a spur of the moment trip to Chickamagua after the hurricane that hit the south east passed through at the end of September. We caught Chick with the exact same conditions as Guntersville and had 4 days of huge bass and huge numbers. Black and Blue Reaction Innovation Sweet Beavers and Missile D-Bombs caught the most fish for us and landed me a 6 1/2 pounder for my biggest fish of 2018 but a War Eagle spinner, a buzz bait and a lunkerhunt frog caught the biggest down there. Dad caught a 10lb 7oz personal best on the frog and he hasn’t let me hear the end of it since. We were on them from the minute we got there and they were still eating everything in sight when I had to leave to come back to work. Things picked back up in October and my wacky rigged Senko, squarebills, flukes and War Eagle spinnerbaits produced. We hit Guntersville again the 1st week of November and it wasn’t as fast and furious as usual but we were able to put together a few good days on poppers, buzzbaits, squarebills and, of course, a wacky rig. The last day It was below freezing that morning with a steady 25 mph wind that made things miserable but I got locked in with a Strike King 2.5 and loaded the boat with it in the Goosepond area when nothing else would get a bite. That was my last day out this year as obligations, and the snow, have kept me off of the water since then but that day left me with the warm fuzzy feeling that only fishing can bring. Gotta get back out soon or I’m gonna lose it. That was my 2018 year of fishing. Tight lines everybody! 

Nicely Done Sir ~ 

A-Jay

 

[CrankFate]

Berkely Powerworms, especially chartreuse tails.

[ChrisD46]

Reading A-Jay's year end lure list caused me to hyperventilate ! ... *Door bell just rang - my son answered and yelled out : "There's a monkey on the front door step to see you" ...

[Hillbilly Bennett]

On 12/12/2018 at 4:48 PM, A-Jay said:

Nicely Done Sir ~ 

A-Jay

 

Thanks A-Jay. I enjoyed your original post so I figured I’d share. I’m jonseing to get on the water right now but Bass Resource  and all of the holiday tackle sales are helping keep me sane for the moment. 

[A-Jay]

50 minutes ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

Thanks A-Jay. I enjoyed your original post so I figured I’d share. I’m jonseing to get on the water right now but Bass Resource  and all of the holiday tackle sales are helping keep me sane for the moment. 

 Thank you ~

And I share your 'jonesing' my friend.

A-Jay

 

[Hillbilly Bennett]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

 Thank you ~

And I share your 'jonesing' my friend.

A-Jay

 

Shew, the winter drives me insane. We’ve already had some decent snow here in eastern KY. Not to high jack the thread but I see you are a big fan of the Repoman Walking baits. What are your thoughts on them VS The Vixen since they have the same mold? 

[A-Jay]

20 minutes ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

Shew, the winter drives me insane. We’ve already had some decent snow here in eastern KY. Not to high jack the thread but I see you are a big fan of the Repoman Walking baits. What are your thoughts on them VS The Vixen since they have the same mold? 

For me what made the repo man special - was The Sound.  I can fish any number of walking baits that have a very similar size, profile, walk & action - But few have that distinctive one knock - glass like sound. 

Something about it made the big smallies here eat it with reckless abandon - see here

Have not fished a Vixen so I can not compare them. 

The Strike King Sexy Dawg is very close and what I now fish. (below)

A-Jay

[Hillbilly Bennett]

14 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

For me what made the repo man special - was The Sound.  I can fish any number of walking baits that have a very similar size, profile, walk & action - But few have that distinctive one knock - glass like sound. 

Something about it made the big smallies here eat it with reckless abandon - see here

Have not fished a Vixen so I can not compare them. 

The Strike King Sexy Dawg is very close and what I now fish. (below)

A-Jay

Those are some beautiful smallies A-Jay. I have never fished the Repo man but I can say that the Vixen has a different, more glass-like sound than other Spook style baits. It is definitely louder than a sexy dawg and has a different sound than the other spook style baits I fish. I’m partial to Reaction Innovation lures but I think that if you’d check them out and I think you’d like them. 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

Those are some beautiful smallies A-Jay. I have never fished the Repo man but I can say that the Vixen has a different, more glass-like sound than other Spook style baits. It is definitely louder than a sexy dawg and has a different sound than the other spook style baits I fish. I’m partial to Reaction Innovation lures but I think that if you’d check them out and I think you’d like them. 

Thanks ~ 

OK - I'm going to take you on your word and try to pick up one or two Vixen baits.

They are still a little hard to come by at times, but I guess that's half the fun.

Thank you for the recommendation and I'll be sure to let you now how it goes.

Like I need more hard baits !!!!

A-Jay

[Hillbilly Bennett]

10 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Thanks ~ 

OK - I'm going to take you on your word and try to pick up one or two Vixen baits.

They are still a little hard to come by at times, but I guess that's half the fun.

Thank you for the recommendation and I'll be sure to let you now how it goes.

Like I need more hard baits !!!!

A-Jay

I’m with you there man. My dad is an old school fisherman and it drives him crazy at the number of lures and the amount of gear I keep in the boat. Lol Gotta feed the bait monkey!

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

I’m with you there man. My dad is an old school fisherman and it drives him crazy at the number of lures and the amount of gear I keep in the boat. Lol Gotta feed the bait monkey!

OK HB ~ 

Just scored two.

 

Now it just about 119 days or 17 weeks or 3 months & 29 days until ICE OUT !!! 

A-Jay

 

[Hillbilly Bennett]

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

OK HB ~ 

Just scored two.

 

Now it just about 119 days or 17 weeks or 3 months & 29 days until ICE OUT !!! 

A-Jay

 

Haha! Counting down! That Lime Ice is my favorite color too. I hope you catch some giants on those things. Send me some pics when you do. 

[A-Jay]

40 minutes ago, Hillbilly Bennett said:

Haha! Counting down! That Lime Ice is my favorite color too. I hope you catch some giants on those things. Send me some pics when you do. 

You got it ~

A-Jay