TotalNoob Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 Background/Facts: -Started fishing in mid-2017 from shore on a large/deep reservoir with minimal cover. There is some submerged vegetation in places but I'm not aware of anywhere on the lake where there's anything real thick -Gizzard Shad are the primary forage in this multi-species reservoir -Texas Rigged Plastics have been consistently producing fish for me; have generally avoided traditional power fishing due to snagging & minimal access to the lake from shore -Will be offshore this season on a Pond Prowler (10' plastic boat w electric trolling motor) -Will be fishing power presentations really for the first time this Spring - and pretty excited about it -Reservoir has all 3 black bass but Smallies are most prevalent followed by Spots and then a small-to-moderate population of LMBs Looking for advice on which 2 or 3 "power" presentations I should work on this Spring (given the above species and lake information). I suppose these would be presentations that I should have tied on essentially all Spring and have dedicated rigs for. Quote
LonnieP Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 My top lures for spring are a lipless crankbait and a flat sided crankbait like the SPRO Little John. 1 Quote
Super User Choporoz Posted February 4, 2019 Super User Posted February 4, 2019 What sorts of techniques are you thinking when you say "power"? 'Moving baits'? Or 'heavy' lures? Or???? 2 Quote
TotalNoob Posted February 4, 2019 Author Posted February 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Choporoz said: What sorts of techniques are you thinking when you say "power"? 'Moving baits'? Or 'heavy' lures? Or???? Moving Lures is what I think of when I see or hear the term Power Fishing (finesse presentations being on the other end of the spectrum). The water is still 35° so I've got a little ways here but trying to put a game plan together. I should add that topwater is something I started last year from shore so that category doesn't need to appear here. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits, squarebills, lipless crankbaits, soft plastic swimbaits - I know you can easily go down the rabbit hole in any of these categories. I'm trying to narrow it down to maybe the two top categories (for starters) based on the lake/species/forage information provided. Quote
Super User Choporoz Posted February 4, 2019 Super User Posted February 4, 2019 I think that a short list would include a spinnerbait (I suggest Megastrike or Sieberts, but there are plenty of other good ones), a chatterbait, a lipless, and a medium or med/shallow square bill. Four lures. Won't break the bank, can cover most any moving bait situations, and won't overly complicate things too fast. 2 Quote
FCPhil Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 1. Strike King KVD 1.5 squarebill 2. Lipless crankbait 3. For areas of the lake that are hard bottom try any crankbait that dives deep enough to dig along the bottom. I know you said no topwaters but if you have not already tried it the Whopper Plopper 110 is the king of power fishing! ...I doubt that comment will go unchallenged. 1 Quote
EWREX Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 chatterbaits, smaller swimbaits, lipless crankbaits 1 Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted February 4, 2019 Super User Posted February 4, 2019 Lipless crankbaits, square bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, and jerkbaits. 2 Quote
Backroad Angler Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 Lipless crankbaits and swimbaits 1 Quote
Super User FishTank Posted February 4, 2019 Super User Posted February 4, 2019 Lipless Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and small tight wobble cranks 1 Quote
J.Vincent Posted February 4, 2019 Posted February 4, 2019 Double Willow Leaf Spinnerbaits and JerkBaits ....especially if there are Smallmouth present . 1 Quote
Super User ChrisD46 Posted February 4, 2019 Super User Posted February 4, 2019 2 hours ago, Choporoz said: I think that a short list would include a spinnerbait (I suggest Megastrike or Sieberts, but there are plenty of other good ones), a chatterbait, a lipless, and a medium or med/shallow square bill. Four lures. Won't break the bank, can cover most any moving bait situations, and won't overly complicate things too fast. *Good suggestions - I would also consider a 4" paddle tail swim bait (shad color) on a 1/4 oz. jig head and what about a 1/2 oz. football jig for bottom dragging + craw looking trailer ( GP color ) ? 1 Quote
TotalNoob Posted February 6, 2019 Author Posted February 6, 2019 Look like the lipless crank is a pretty consistent theme! For those who said Chatterbait, is that taking preference over spinnerbait? Just to reiterate, this is a smallmouth-heavy reservoir (during the Spring) with shad as main forage. On 2/4/2019 at 3:39 PM, J.Vincent said: Double Willow Leaf Spinnerbaits and JerkBaits ....especially if there are Smallmouth present . Yes, largest bass population is Smallmouths. Is the jerkbait in specific reference to smallies, or the spinnerbait? On 2/4/2019 at 4:02 PM, ChrisD46 said: *Good suggestions - I would also consider a 4" paddle tail swim bait (shad color) on a 1/4 oz. jig head and what about a 1/2 oz. football jig for bottom dragging + craw looking trailer ( GP color ) ? To be honest I haven't even touched jig fishing yet!? This reservoir I fish has a lot of shale and rock w minimal cover in the few places there is shore access. Also it's Smallmouth-heavy. I've spent the first 1.5 yrs bass fishing putting effort into the Texas Rig (so effective - and cheap if you snag) and Topwater. I'm definitely ready for some "middle water column" presentations when the bite get hots. Not being confined to shore this year I will definitely be opening up and adding jigs into my arsenal, I have no doubt about that. This thread is more about identifying the best fast moving baits for Spring time fishing so I don't miss that boat during Spring. Quote
FCPhil Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 @TotalNoob despite not being talked about as much, jerkbaits work excellent for largemouth too. They just have a bit of a learning curve in how to retrieve them. You think you’re missing bites on the pauses but you just got to trust you will hook them. 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 7, 2019 Super User Posted February 7, 2019 Don't discard that Texas Rig just yet! ? 4 Quote
EGbassing Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 The pond I fish is filled with huge schools of gizzard shad and I've noticed that big willow leaf spinnerbaits work well; chatterbaits with a fluke trailer too. 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted February 7, 2019 Super User Posted February 7, 2019 9 minutes ago, Catt said: Don't discard that Texas Rig just yet! ? X2 - T-Rigs are good in a variety of situations. From running along a sandy/rocky bottom to pulling through short, submerged weeds to flipping/pitching into near-shoreline vegetation. 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted February 7, 2019 Super User Posted February 7, 2019 On 2/4/2019 at 1:52 PM, TotalNoob said: I'm trying to narrow it down to maybe the two top categories (for starters) based on the lake/species/forage information provided. Ya got 3 "categories" to consider ? Topwater, mid-depth, & bottom! In my estimation of things topwater doesn't necessarily have to be Frogs, Spooks, or Whopper Plopper's. Flukes, Senkos, & hard jerkbaits are deadly fished just under the surface. 1 Quote
Dens228 Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 Jerkbaits, swimbaits, spinner or chatterbait. 1 Quote
TotalNoob Posted February 7, 2019 Author Posted February 7, 2019 3 hours ago, Catt said: Don't discard that Texas Rig just yet! ? Not a chance! I'm glad that was the first presentation I learned. It's catch rate has kept me interested in bass fishing. Looking to expand out into middle water column/faster moving presentations when the fish get active. We have walleyes in the same res so I've tossed a jerkbait or two after dark ? 3 hours ago, EGbassing said: The pond I fish is filled with huge schools of gizzard shad and I've noticed that big willow leaf spinnerbaits work well; chatterbaits with a fluke trailer too. Do you prefer a fluke trailer over a swimbait trailer in that pond? 1 Quote
EGbassing Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 9 minutes ago, TotalNoob said: Do you prefer a fluke trailer over a swimbait trailer in that pond? Yep. It has a ton of action because of the vibration of the chatterbait and it looks just like a shad. 1 Quote
Super User MN Fisher Posted February 7, 2019 Super User Posted February 7, 2019 11 minutes ago, TotalNoob said: Looking to expand out into middle water column/faster moving presentations when the fish get active. Lipped/lipless cranks, suspending jerks, spinners/chatters with trailers (I use twin-tail grubs for this). 1 Quote
rod snapper Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 a jerkbait, a jerkbait, and um.... a jerbait Quote
J.Vincent Posted February 7, 2019 Posted February 7, 2019 On 2/6/2019 at 6:07 PM, TotalNoob said: Yes, largest bass population is Smallmouths. Is the jerkbait in specific reference to smallies, or the spinnerbait? With a high population of Smallmouth, there’s probably a sub surface feeding school somewhere on the body of water you fish. Jerkbaits and Spinnerbaits are both very effective for covering water and locating those active feeders. The spinnerbait gets overlooked because some anglers assume smallmouth like smaller lures, but burning a 1/2 oz chartreuse double willow leaf spinnerbait with chartreuse or white blades in open water with a treble hook as a trailer hook can really trigger some big Smallmouth bites. It really depends on the body of water, and I would even consider 1/2 oz Lipless Cranks for those Smallmouth also ! 1 Quote
Super User jbsoonerfan Posted February 7, 2019 Super User Posted February 7, 2019 1. Lipless 2. LC 1.5 squarebill 3. suspending jerkbait 4. Spinnerbait 2 Quote
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