What's the First Thing You Throw?

[papajoe222]

I think we all have some sort of a plan thought out before we hit the water. That being said, under fair conditions (not post, or pre-front), what's the first thing you're throwing?  For me, it's some sort of hard/moving bait and usually that is a crank of some sort.  I'll make an educated 'guess' as to what depth the bass should be and pick a crank that will run a little deeper. My other go to is a C-Rig.  There are occasions when I'll reach for a spinner or swim bait.  My reasoning is simple, I'm targeting active fish, or fish that will respond to a reaction type of presentation and I can cover water quickly with them.

Shallow docks or lay downs, creek beds or drop offs, points, or humps don't make a difference in the plan. Mind you, neither of these are my confidence baits. Those I'll go to if my initial plan either doesn't pan out, or if the bite on them dies off.

[Skunkmaster-k]

I try topwater first in the summer , then switch to a swim jig if I get no love. 

[Sphynx]

Tons of options here, mostly season, species and water body depending...I throw very different things in springtime for Alabama spots on Lake Mitchell than I do in the fall on the Columbia River for Smallies, and something entirely different again in Texas or Louisiana for bucketmouth in the summer, if I were given my choice of what they would bite, I would say that topwaters and moving baits are preferred for a search bait, but if I am in an area I think might be holding a monster I am going to be tossing jigs and swim baits, during the winter I get my choice between ultra finesse techniques (ned rig, shakeyhead etc) or slow rolling a spinnerbait, or a jerkbait, though I have heard others have had success burning cranks I've got no confidence in that yet, so until I see it personally work or not I won't endorse or condemn it.

[Catt]

52 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I'm targeting active fish, or fish that will respond to a reaction type of presentation and I can cover water quickly with them.

 

I throw a Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw for the exact same reasons.

 

In my little pea brain all lures are reaction lures, bass sees lure, bass react.

 

There's a major conception that Texas Rigs & Jig-n-Craws have to be fished slow & on the bottom.

 

Unarguably the #1 & #2 most productive lures ever is the Texas Rig & Jig-n-Craw in whichever order ya want to put them in.

 

I ask myself why wouldn't I want to throw #1 & #2 first.

 

Everyone goes for the early morning shallow water bite, that same early morning bite happens in deepwater offshore.

[Bluebasser86]

I don't have a certain bait that I throw first in mind. I always have a lot of rods out and which one I pick up varies wildly. Topwater is the fun option during summer time, but a lot of days it's a bladed jig, jig, T-rig, wacky rig, even a Ned. 

 

 

[DINK WHISPERER]

Hollow body frog. Always good for the first 2 hours at least. 

[schplurg]

This weekend I threw what was already on my T-rig, some craw I forget which probably Zoom speed craw, and tied my PB. I often throw whatever is tied on if it's reasonably close to what I want.

[Finessegenics]

Usually a 3” to 3.5” swimbait on a round jighead. Cover water quickly that way. Earlier in the season, that would be a spinnerbait but as of lately, the smaller swimbait has been my search bait. 

[Kenny Yi]

hopelessly trying to force feed bites on any moving bait, then ultimately settling on a finesse jig and catching at least 2-3 fish per outing

[scaleface]

I'll have to change the question to "What is the first thing I throw most often , in the lake I fish most often? " Then I will guess spinnerbait ..

[Mike L]

Depends on what looks good that might hold fish where we stop.
Then based on weather, depth, clarity and cover I’ll decide. 

Most of the time tho it’s usually something on top. 
 

Every outing is different 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[gunsinger]

Predominately some variety of worm unless I see schooling bass as I’m approaching the ramp.  Then it’s a jerk bait or top water.

[Tatsu Dave]

6 hours ago, Catt said:

There's a major conception that Texas Rigs & Jig-n-Craws have to be fished slow & on the bottom.

TRig but we always fish them moving in the water column, weighted or weightless a steady twitching retrieve. If something hits and misses I let it fall to bottom for a second and then start the twitching retrieve again. Water depth averages 2-8' most everywhere with the occasional 15-20' spots, on them I count it down part way and same retrieve. Maybe a stickbait, crawfish, large grub, ribbontail worm, or a new favorite the swimming tube craw. Only throw surface if they are chasing shad up, then a whopper plopper is my current choice. I'm more particular about color than what is on my TRig.

[GaryH]

If their really going nuts on top then top water but vast majority of the time it will be a T-rig or Gig. 

 

 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

Depends on conditions. This weekend I started out with a flipping jig and I kept that rod in my hand majority of the time because it just produced. I’m looking for the really nasty shallow shaded cover right now

[Ski]

I let the water, cover, structure and wind dictate what is the best presentation for the conditions @ that time .

[HookInMouth]

Usually a texas rigged creature and that's almost always a rage tail menace grub with a 1/4 oz tungsten worm weight. This is my senko. It always seems to catch them. 

[Mobasser]

In the hot weather, usually first is topwater. I don't give it much time if nothing strikes, and quickly switch to a plastic worm

[Functional]

depends on when I start. Early morning is a topwater, anytime after 7/8am is a spinner. Can fish a spinner a lot of ways to cover the water column and activity level. After that its shaky heads, jigs and jerk baits.

[gim]

I prefer to start with a moving lure too and target more aggressive fish.  Its pretty easy to tell whether that approach will work or not in a brief period of time.  I often already know based on the conditions but I like to try anyways.  Topwater, spinnerbait, chatterbait, crankbait, etc.

 

Lately it seems like those are working when I get overcast or rainy conditions but when its a bright sunny day they don't usually work so I have to move on to a slower finesse plastic approach.

[Bubba 460]

 

Summer, water temperatures above 80, open shallow flats, points, it'll be top water, buzzbait or whopper plopper to see what's happening. If not much going on there then it's a skinny dipper, weightless along shallow shore structure. No takers?... Go to  jerkbait, crankbait, or spinnerbait along slight drop offs or shallow creek channels.  still nothing?... A lightly weighted wacky in three to eight feet of water feet of water. If all else fails move to just outside of grass-line and drag a Texas rigged worm or creature bait then small jig or large Ned.

 

So in summery; I went from fast moving top-water, to shallow water, to mid water, to deep water. Each bait went a little deeper and each bait got a little slower. If it's hot and I don't catch a bass in three hours, I have plenty of grass to cut.   

 

Photo below ~ Daughter Lee, with about a 4 # bass caught on a skinny dipper up shallow.

 

[ThrowinPlugs]

Popper, ned, spinnerbait. That order. After that, I throw the tackle box at em til something sticks.

[ironbjorn]

A start with a lipless and I end with a lipless. Why? It always gets bit. It will tell me where the fish are (start) and when I'm done picking them apart with various baits I always throw a lipless around to catch more anywhere and everywhere (finish).

[Spankey]

I’ll throw a Pop-R type first in summer but as other mentioned I don’t play with it long either. I’m ready to throw a worm or beaver out there regardless to what was going on with the pop-r. 
 

The old Rat-L-Trap generally will start the morning off ok also. 

[DaubsNU1]

Buzz-bait at first light, or maybe a whopper-plopper. Love the top-water action at dawn.