What’s Your Go-To Search Bait?

[EWREX]

56 minutes ago, EWREX said:

chatterbait with a smaller profile trailer

i'm going to elaborate a little more per season up in my part of the country

 

pre spawn: jerkbait / squarebill

spawn: jerkbait / chatterbait

post spawn: chatterbait / topwater

fall: chatterbait / topwater / jerkbait

[Catt]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Coming off plane, getting to an area and machine gunning the water to a froth with a search bait - doesn't appeal to me and rarely results in my best catches. 

 

c'est fini ?

[Bird]

Spinnerbaits most definitely but not sure I'd dub it as a " search " bait but rather a year around go to bait.

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

c'est fini ?

I learning @Catt

A little at a time.

A-Jay

[Aaron_H]

Lipless would be my favorite if I had to pick one (to the surprise of no one familiar with my posts). But a chatterbait is a moderately close #2 for me, and the jerkbait is fast becoming a favorite now that I'm putting the effort into learning it.

[FrankN209]

48 minutes ago, CrashVector said:

Keitech easy shiner or a chatterbait.

What heads are you using for the easy shiner?

[Mr. Aquarium]

2 hours ago, Big Rick said:

I'll bite.

 

So, after you've perused the maps and charts and have landed on the spot you chose what is the bait you pick with the most confidence that you'll get bit?

 

I understand it all depends on the "spot". But, I know in your mind there's that one bait that you gravitate to. 

 

As a side note, you've spent so much time on Menderchuck you shouldn't need a map!  I figured you had it memorized!

 

In warm water mine is a topwater. In cooler water it's a spinnerbait or Jackhammer. 

When I go and fish a spot new pond or one of my favorites. I likely know what the water clarity will be and the forage. I will have some idea of what to expect. I will also start with my confidence baits. A jig, texas rig, topwater, and swimbait.  If it’s clear deep and sandy I’ll have a tube tied on and go more finesse. 

[Chris Catignani]

I always have a spinner bait and Rattle Trap tied on....but it really depends on the lake and the season.

[TnRiver46]

Worm 

[gim]

10 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Worm 

Lol why did I expect this as a response from you.

[cyclops2]

Live bait or cut up Perch.  Answers all questions

[TnRiver46]

20 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Lol why did I expect this as a response from you.

Because fish love worms! 
 

might as well search with something they will hit. 
 

I’ve tried searching with spinnerbaits and crank baits and never found anything 

[Sphynx]

Well, it changes seasonally and depending on what I'm fishing near, I generally don't like treble/open hook options in heavy vegetation situations, and I find squarebills work best when dragged over the top of hard structure they can bounce off of, I don't have any electronics to help me with any of this stuff, so I'm pretty much stuck doing it the hard way, for exploring a new to me area I find that Walmart brand spinnerbaits (yes, the $1 variety) to be an invaluable tool, I have always kind of thought about a spinnerbait as the 4x4 of the bass fishing world, they come through almost any kind of cover, quit spinning when you are dragging them through unseen vegetation, give differing tactile responses when banged against wood, rocks and metal, and can still tell you if your fishing in a muddy/soft bottom area, plus fish eat them sometimes and aren't especially easy to get hung up and broken off...I don't really attribute huge percentages of my yearly catch to one, but it does for me what a graph does for guys in boats and it tells me what I'm fishing around, once I get that part sorted out it's pretty easy most of the time to pick an area apart and find the pattern that will get me bit that day.

[GreenPig]

Clear water- Super Fluke,  JB or 3"/4" Swimbait

Unclear water - Spinnerbait or Squarebill 

[Mike L]

Small popper on top

Some sort of cut tail swim worm for mid level

Some sort of craw for bottom lazy ones. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

[WRB]

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

A chart / map of the lake ~

A-Jay

^^^this^^^ and my sonar unit.

Tom

 

[DitchPanda]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Worm 

This is your answer for what is your favorite flipping bait, search bait,finesse bait or supper on the way home if you didn't catch fish

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

This is your answer for what is your favorite flipping bait, search bait,finesse bait or supper on the way home if you didn't catch fish

One of my favorite top waters too haha

[J Francho]

It depends on depth, speed, and profile of presentation, type of bottom, and any cover present.  The answers to the riddle could be as diverse a bait as a top water, a T-rigged worm, a lipless trap style bait, spinnerbait, square bill crank.... and on and on...

 

All baits to me are "search baits." There is not a time I'm not searching for a bite if I'm casting.

[BassNJake]

25 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

This is your answer for what is your favorite flipping bait, search bait,finesse bait or supper on the way home if you didn't catch fish

 

Most places carry "worms" but down her they've got them Dancin' Rascals

At least that's what i picture when he says worms

 

[Deephaven]

Spinnerbait/Lipless if I need to cover water.

[Bankbeater]

Depending on the time of year and the conditions, either a crankbait, lipless crankbait, spinnerbait, or bladed jig.

[TnRiver46]

50 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

 

Most places carry "worms" but down her they've got them Dancin' Rascals

At least that's what i picture when he says worms

 

Hahahah what in the world???? Clear bottom cup is genius though. I hate opening up worm cups before purchasing but I’ve bought an empty tub or two before. Sometimes the cashier opens it to prove there are worms in there 

[Log Catcher]

I usually start with a crankbait and a spinnerbait. I will alternate between the two. If no takers then I switch to soft plastics and jigs.

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Because fish love worms! 
 

might as well search with something they will hit. 
 

I’ve tried searching with spinnerbaits and crank baits and never found anything 

I thought these moderators were supposed to have all the answers and be able to catch fish on any type of lure. Guess I got fooled again. LOL

[CrashVector]

7 hours ago, FrankN209 said:

What heads are you using for the easy shiner?

 

The H2O express rattling saltwater jig heads...the greenish ones.

 

This site won't let me post the link