Hardbaits. i simply suck with them.

[fin]

21 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I might be able to arrange something in the Flea Market, but I will need to replace a lot of the hardware on them. I have quite a few crankbaits but never use them. Mostly rapala.

I would suggest you hold on to them. I used to use soft baits almost exclusively and I was thinking about getting rid of a lot of my hard baits. This year the soft bait strategy wasn’t working so well, so I tried some hard baits I hadn’t used in a long time and it has really paid off. I’ve even bought more hard baits.

[LrgmouthShad]

13 minutes ago, fin said:

I would suggest you hold on to them. I used to use soft baits almost exclusively and I was thinking about getting rid of a lot of my hard baits. This year the soft bait strategy wasn’t working so well, so I tried some hard baits I hadn’t used in a long time and it has really paid off. I’ve even bought more hard baits.

I just don’t see myself using them. Already sold off my jerkbaits and crankbaits would be next. You could describe 90% of what I do as jigs, soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and a little topwater. If I turn around and you are right, you are welcome to say “I told you so” but I like how things are for me right now. Those are my high percentage baits and I don’t expect them to change.

[Kelvin]

Hard baits were taking up space and a waste of money at least for a while.  I tied on a Megabass Ito Vision 110 in clear green and it was ON.  2 fish in 5 cast in tough conditions.  Bite the bullet pay the bait monkey his due and tie one on....give it enough time and I promise it will change your idea of hard baits. 

[king fisher]

On 8/3/2022 at 10:24 AM, LrgmouthShad said:

I just don’t see myself using them. Already sold off my jerkbaits and crankbaits would be next. You could describe 90% of what I do as jigs, soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and a little topwater. If I turn around and you are right, you are welcome to say “I told you so” but I like how things are for me right now. Those are my high percentage baits and I don’t expect them to change.

     You will never be best friends with the Bait Monkey if you don't throw crankbaits into cover not made for treble hooks.  You will however catch bass that ignored your less snag prone lures.  Once you start catching big bass out of trees, it can be very addictive.  The higher the risk, the higher the reward.  My PB came from the middle of a large tree with many branches.  I fished a worm, and a spinnerbait through the tree with no success.  I thought I could get a big bass on a square bill, but wasn't sure I could finesse it through all the branches, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to maneuver my Kayak well enough in the strong wind to get the bait off, if I snagged.  I went for it, and the first cast I had a new PB.  Start fishing cranks in rip rap, to get confidence in them.  Rock banks were made for cranks.  The more fearless you become, with crankbaits the better friend the Monkey will be. 

[MickD]

Try a few Rapala DT's , different depths for specific fishing conditions.  Smash is a great color.  If you cannot catch with these, something is very wrong.

 

Keep in mind that they only work if fish are there and not turned off.  Often when slow works you can reel them very slowly and stop and go.  On a rocky flat I fish I sometimes crank a DT6 to the 4 foot bottom til it ticks, then stop for a few seconds, then continue.  Often works.  SMB, LMB, walleye, pike, fresh water drum, white bass. . . 

[ironbjorn]

On 8/2/2022 at 12:31 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

Well, I guess you could say I suck with em too. I do not dare start to fish crankbaits or the like because that would be an immense bait monkey rabbit hole for me. Also I hate treble hooks. Exception is lipless cranks; I'll use those sometimes.

I gave up spinnerbaits for a long time, but they've become killer for me for two years running. I've probably bought 100+ in this time frame, to the point of buying spinnerbaits to collect and never use. It's becoming really bad. I feel this in my soul.

[fin]

2 hours ago, ironbjorn said:

I've probably bought 100+ in this time frame, to the point of buying spinnerbaits to collect and never use. It's becoming really bad. I feel this in my soul.

 

As a spinnerbait addict, I can tell you the solution is simple: Start making your own custom spinnerbaits!

[Kongming]

A local told me he bends one of the hooks in on the middle treble hook to prevent snags.  Haven't tried it yet but it makes sense.  Anyone else try this method?  

[Deleted account]

28 minutes ago, Kongming said:

A local told me he bends one of the hooks in on the middle treble hook to prevent snags.  Haven't tried it yet but it makes sense.  Anyone else try this method?  

Yup, bend the one facing down so the point meets the shank, do the same on the back one too when fishing grass.

[Darth-Baiter]

while I am no expert.  I just dragged a shallow diver thru weeds.  Hyacinth?  the stuff aquarium guys use.  it was thick!!

 

I watched a video and the guy said to choose a crankbait that has an eyelet embedded into the bill versus one that is screwed in.  the lower clearances allow the bill to blowthru and not hang up.  I gritted my teeth and yanked it thru and to my amazement it would usually clear!!  

 

I got maybe 20 bass on a crank bait yesterday.  more than in my entire life.   eureka!!!  I use to only cast open water, which might have been my error all along.

[scaleface]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I use to only cast open water, which might have been my error all along.

We all go through those growing pains .

[LrgmouthShad]

On 8/7/2022 at 1:44 AM, ironbjorn said:

I gave up spinnerbaits for a long time, but they've become killer for me for two years running. I've probably bought 100+ in this time frame, to the point of buying spinnerbaits to collect and never use. It's becoming really bad. I feel this in my soul.

You and me both brother!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Remember that when you are trying a new bait to you....you don't have to throw it until your arm falls off.....throw it for 10 minutes, don't get a hit, put the rod up and go back to your confidence bait.

 

THE KEY is to keep throwing these baits here and there until you slowly catch some fish on them, once that happens that thing in your head goes off  "hey these will actually catch fish".

 

Remember to note the conditions when you do catch a fish, and then throw those baits when similar conditions present in the future.

 

As a soft plastic slow pace bait fisherman, you'd be doing yourself a huge disservice to give up on hardbaits, especially crankbaits.     Fishing is a test of patience and ability to endure trial and error.  Don't let a fish beat you buddy. 

[gim]

15 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Remember to note the conditions when you do catch a fish, and then throw those baits when similar conditions present in the future.

 

Exactly.  There is a time and a place for hard baits and there is a time and a place for soft plastics.  If you are exclusively only fishing one of them, you are limiting yourself because at times the fish are very hungry and aggressive, so there is no need to finesse them with a slower presentation.

 

My personal experience is that a faster, power approach is more effective when the conditions are cloudy, rainy, and/or windy.  Slower, finesse tactics are more effective when its sunny bluebird skies and calm.  Does this mean that one or the other doesn't work in the opposite conditions?  Of course not.  But this has been the general pattern I've observed over a 25 year span here.  Tomorrow I'm going fishing and its supposed to be cloudy with a slight chance of rain.  You can bet I will not be tossing a plastic, at least to start with.  Doesn't necessarily mean they won't make an appearance if my first initial strategy isn't working.