Productive Bait's ~ 2022 Big Fish Edition

[A-Jay]

Once I put up the Pro-V Bass boat for the hard water season,

it’s fairly routine to remove all the tackle & gear.

Most everything is stored in the ‘tackle room’ in my basement,

which allows me easy (and warm) access to work on it as needed.

 

Soon after getting situated is usually when reality sets in. With my head clouded by a mix of depression & denial, I always require ‘some time’ to let the idea of not going fishing for a while marinate and then eventually flush away.  This year I was able to foster a few dogs which was a most excellent distraction, as is working out every other day.

Anyway, I’m over it again, and so now I can at least look at my gear without sobbing.  Need to be in that state of mind to do this latest installment.  So here we go . . . . .

 

This year’s edition is being presented in a slightly ‘different’ manner.

Previous versions focused on baits that caught the most Brown Bass for me.

And this one will as well, with one caveat; these baits need to have accounted for a least one brown bass over 4 lbs. 

 

Putting this one together was a little bit of an eye opener for me.

 As I was going back through my 2022 notes, reports, pictures and video,

didn’t take long to realize that ‘the list’ of baits that qualify, is dramatically shorter than in previous years.   I was also reminded that I ‘missed’ 3 Prime Time weeks on the water in May with The Covid.   Boo . . . . .

 

A few more points of interest before I get to the meat & potatoes.

I really only ‘target’ plus sized brown bass and actually expect each bait I throw to get that job done.  However, every Basshead on the planet knows that’s fantasyland.  In the end, bait selection can be dictated by so many factors to make the magic happen including but perhaps not limited to seasonal patterns, different lakes, time of day/night . . . . the list is long & distinguished.

 

Finally and there’s been a few threads on this one recently, is specific timing.  A huge one for me and something I work super hard to get right.  Rarely do. But the few times I manage it, the reward is always worth the wait IMO.  I mention this because it may be this ‘timing’ that perhaps drives much of what is listed below.

Let’s get on with it.

 

In no particular order other than being grouped by type/category:

 

 Topwater

~Strike King Sexy Dawg Hard Knock in Sexy Ghost Minnow.

Scored multiple plus sized fish in June, Sept & October.

~Megabass Pop Max in the Perch pattern.

In the calmest/Flattest deals it’s a big fish catcher for me.

Best bass on this one was a 6 lb. Lake Menderchuck beauty.

 

Swimjig

This is a bait I used to fish a ton with decent results

 but sort of got away from for some reason. Well this time around I threw a few different makes & models as well as trailers; all paddletails.

~The Evergreen Grass Ripper Green Pumpkin in ¼ & 3/8 oz came out on top.  Whole deal is slightly downsized but still stout enough to handle powerful brown bass.  Has a killer head shape & weed guard design, quality 4/0 Gamakatsu hook, and sweet trailer keeper; Think Jackhammer in a swim jig.  Narrowed my trailer preference down to one, and I was surprised actually.  Yamamoto Kickin Zako Swimbait.  Originally purchased to ride on the Jackhammer but they never really panned out for me.  However they match up very nicely on this swim jig.

 

 

Spinnerbaits

~ Biovex Stangun Double Willow Spinnerbait ¾ oz in Funa Orange Belly continues to impress.  This one will forever have a special place in my heart as a few years back, it took my PB. A little hard to find, the Stangun has something fat brown bass like or perhaps hate, judging by how hard they smash these things.

~ Megabass V9 Double Willow Spinnerbaits 5/8 oz in Ayu.  Sort of the new kid on the block for me, but it out produced the Strike King Burner spinnerbait so it makes the list. I prefer a trailer on both these baits mostly for profile.  The Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Blade Minnow in KVD Magic does most all the heavy lifting for me.  I usually snip off the head right at the first ‘gill’.

 

Rattle Bait

~ Duo Realis G-Fix Vibration Tungsten Lipless Crankbait in Ghost Minnow &

Tule Perch ND.  It is very important to note that I ALWAYS present these baits like a blade bait; right on the bottom.

 

Squarebill Crankbait

~Strike King KVD HC Squarebill 1.5 Silent Crankbait in Yellow Perch and KVD Cataouatche Special.  While both these baits showed up in a couple of videos this season, there were no plus sized smallies taken on them.  However I did make a couple of early summer (June) trips to a new version of Lake Menderchuck (where no video was released).  Both these cranks were lights out.  Still debating on whether or not to give this one up.

We’ll have to wait & see I guess.

 

These last two categories of baits caught more plus sized fish for me than all the baits listed above combined.

 

Jerkbaits   (and this could be a separate thread all by itself)

~ Strike King KVD 300 Deep Jerkbait in Yellow Perch, Clown & Clear Ayu.

~ Megabass Ito Vision 110 Jerkbait in GG Perch OB, GP Pro Perch,

   M Western Clown.

~ Megabass Ito Vision 110 Silent Jerkbait in GG Mossback Golden Shad,

   GP Moss Back Golden Shad & GP Pro Perch.

~ Megabass Ito Vision 110+1 Jerkbait in GP Pro Perch & M Western Clown.

 

Jerkbait of the year goes to (for Most Big Fish)

~ Megabass Ito Vision 110+1 Jr. Jerkbait in GG Perch OB,

   MG Western Clown & Ito Clear Laker. 

 

Vibrating Jig

~ Z-Man Evergreen Chatterbait Jack Hammer 3/8 & ½ oz Green Pumpkin and Bhite Delight.  A Yamamoto Zako Swimbait was THE BEST Trailer in Green Pumpkin, Green Pumpkin White Laminate & Zako colors.

Produced my largest smallie of the year 6.54 lbs.  I have developed so much confidence in these baits.  I expect to get bit on every cast.  

 

Baits that didn’t meet expectations

Even if they’d produced in the past the following baits got wet a lot in 2022, but didn’t get the bites I expected.

~ Megabass Ito Vision 110+2:  Really wish I could figure this one out but

   after at least 2 full seasons it remains a mystery – no fish at all on this

   thing.

~ Berkley Stunna Jerkbait 112:  Clearly Hank Cherry loves this one but it

  hasn’t done much for me.

~ Luck-E-Strike Trickster Spinnerbait: Can’t buy a bite with one of these.

  Apparently I’m no Zen Master . . . . .

~ Megabass Sonicside Crankbait:  This one has been especially frustration.

  Mostly because it looks so good in & out of the water.  Casts good, nice   

  profile, decent swimmer and I had such high expectations going into it. 

  But this season it was a total dud.

~ The A-Rig: G Funk Baits Bama Rig with Strike King Rage Tail Swimmer,   Keitech Swing Impact FAT and / or Strike King KVD Swim N Shiner  Mounted on Dobyns Light Hook Swimbait Head or Dirty Jigs Tactical Bassin' Finesse Swimbait Jig Heads or VMC Boxer Jig Head  – usually all 1/8 oz. Baits are usually AYU and less than 4.75 inches.

Despite @T-Billy just wrecking them on one, and having been one of my better big fish producers in the past, this year it seemed the brown bass just weren’t into it. Gave up on it early to save my rotator cuffs.

 

~Swinghead with a Strike King Rage Bug: Where some seasons this rig has absolutely hammered quality smallies for me, despite my best efforts in what I believed to be just about perfect places & conditions, the bait was just Not a Player this season. Still be throwing it though.

 

New deals for 2023 ~

Nothing actually ‘new’, more like different version of a reoccurring theme.

~ Megabass Pop Max GG Mid Night Bone  Love at first sight with this one.

     The yellow belly got me.

~ Megabass Vision 110 R Hi-Float: in GG Perch OB.

     There are a few deals where having a jerkbait that I can fish

     Slowly in skinny water could be advantageous. We’ll see.

~Megabass SV-3 Double Willow Spinnerbait 3/8 & ½ oz. 

   Ayu and Whit Chart.  Complete Bait Monkey deal right here.

~ Z-Man Chatterbait Mini Max: Had to see what all the hype was about.

   Just got Green Pumpkin a few each in 3/8 & ½ oz along with some 3 inch        

   Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailers also in Green Pumpkin.

   Haven’t decided what tackle to fish this one on yet. 

   Some trial & error is in my future.

And there it is, another one on the books.

 

 

What baits have you relied on the most this season for your bigger bass ?

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/7DcB2IdYhtg

 

[Jar11591]

Nice write up A-Jay. Interesting to see which baits have “good years” and which are producers year after year.

 

I didn’t make my log as detailed as in the past, but this season was all about the spinnerbait. Took my 3 biggest fish and most fish over all. 1/2oz and 3/4oz Strike King Tour Grade double willows. Jigs weren’t as productive for me this year. They’re usually a big factor, especially early in the year. Just couldn’t find a solid jig rhythm this year. Texas rigs fished in similar situations were very on par though. 
 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

Don’t feel like I catch enough big bass on diverse, public waters to be of much help but for what it is worth, my list is a senko - especially black, zoom mag 2, spinnerbait - Nichols and Zorro Short Arm, siebert swim jig with rage menace trailer, and Nichols buzzbait.

 

I like and used Booyah coverts a lot this season but Nichols spinnerbaits seem to get bigger fish for me, often

[hunterPRO1]

topwater frog (multiple 7-8.5 lb fish) and a green pumpkin jig (couple in the 7lb range) were my number one producers this year as usual, with a 7.5lb ned rig fish last month to round it out.

An honorable mention, I lost a potential double digit fish because of a failed leader knot. this happened fishing a dropshot with a 3" white grub.

[Susky River Rat]

I had great days with neds and the berkley choppo. Both size and numbers. I do not keep track of any kind of numbers or size on paper. I do have some stand out days though burned into my head.

[txchaser]

@A-Jay thanks for doing the thread, I started out thinking the year wasn't very good, and while I got no Texas monsters, it was a pretty good year!

Flat-side squarebill - this is the bait that got me started on crankbaits and getting over weedy hell. In fact crashing it straight into a weedline is a thing. Big fish went 8lbs 15oz.

 

Silent lipless - I don't get many small fish to bite this. Work it like a trap in prespawn and early summer, and like a blade bait as it gets hot. Big fish went 8lbs 14oz.

 

4m Jackall crank on 20lb tatsu - so probably runs about 10ft. Really got to dig in on color changes and how they can make a difference. The weirdest one was when the water was clear and they wouldn't bite white or natural, but when I put a chart/blue through there I started catching them; opposite day I guess. Big fish 8lbs 2oz, on a natural color, casting shallow to deep, smashing it into the outside weed edge. 

 

A-rig - it's an a-rig, in texas. It's probably going to work well if they are on the shad.   Seriously though results were usually better with 1) gold eyes on the jighead 2) 3.3's or 3.8's, never 4.3's. 3) have had zero results with making the trailer bait larger or a different color. 4) baits matter a lot here. Jackall's swimbaits meaninfully outperform everything but Keitech, and usually outperform even those. Tight wiggle. Got some stealth a-rigs too, but never got on the fish on a day where that was the deal. Had ***-fish cast, all over three pounds, and I was howling like I caught a true monster, until I saw what I caught. It was fun though. 

 

Bubba shot - saved the day more than once. Netbait t-mac worm accounted for the bigger fish vs roboworm. There's a color I haven't found in the robo.

 

Owner flashy swimmer (mix of GP 4.3 and Bluegill Flash 3.8 Keitechs). Unexpected results here, both in really specific circumstances. Dragging it slow on the bottom, and pecking it through wood. Repeatable though, so there's that. I think in the slow on the bottom it was pure floridas and they were acting funny/inactive. On the wood it probably substituted for a spinnerbait. 

 

Giant TRD on a t-rig. It floats. Nice meaty presentation like a 7in senko cut down an inch. 

 

Carolina Rig -  braid with tungsten, brass clacker, plastic bead, mono leader. Mostly bigger baits drug behind it. Learning the presentation this year. I did seem to have better results with a 2ft leader than a 4ft. 

 

Z-man Crosseyez chatterbait - I fish this more often than the jackhammer now. The weedguards really work. 

 

6" Optimum baits paddletail - was giving me fits this summer getting fish to the boat, but BR came to the rescue. Big fish like this bait.

 

Topwater was almost a total bust this year, which was a bummer as last year it got my pb.

[A-Jay]

Good Stuff guys ~

Keep it coming.

It's a long winntah !

A-Jay

[Aaron_H]

Interesting thread.

 

My LMB this year over 5lb aren't super numerous, but it's been my best year so far. Here are the baits that produced better size fish for me in the 2022 season:

 

Jerkbaits:

 

#1 was the H2O Xpress Ultimate Jerk Shad. I've tried a couple of colors but Crackle was the deal for every plus-sized bass caught on this lure. 10lb 9oz, 10lb 2oz, 8lb 10oz, 8lb 10oz, 6lb 12oz, 5lb 5oz.

 

A very distant #2 was the Rapala Shadow Rap Shad in Halloween. I found this one on the bank and it helped jumpstart my early jerkbait success for the year, managed to get a couple of nicer sized fish on it once they were targeting smaller baitfish in the fall. Biggest ones went 6lb 1oz and 5lb 0oz.

 

Chatterbait:

 

I'm pretty simple when it comes to chatterbaits. 1/2 oz base model green pumpkin Chatterbait which I tune to have instant blade startup has been my go-to for several years. I've experimented with a few different trailers but for the past couple of years have settled with the green pumpkin Zako. I have been throwing the CrossEyez version lately as I like that O'Shaughnessy hook bend a lot, but nothing big on that version yet. Biggest ones went 7lb 7oz, 6lb 13 oz, and 6lb 2oz.

 

Topwater:

 

Topwater wasn't a crazy producer for me this year, but got one nice on on the Whopper Plopper 110 in Loon, went 6lb 0oz.

 

Spinnerbait:

 

A first to make any size list for me, but I did get one nice fish in some heavy current right after Hurricane Ian on the Strike King Tour Grade Compact spinnerbait double willow blade in white/silver. That fish went 5lb 12oz.

 

Lipless:

 

Not a great year for the lipless for me, admittedly. I got excellent numbers with it, but I struggled with size. The lipless is my all-time confidence bait, but I had some very frustrating post-spawn days where I lost several plus-sized bass, one of which was VERY large and I believe would've been another DD. My setup is typically very good at keeping jumping fish pinned, just a string of unfortunate luck, I think. The 1/2oz Booyah One Knocker in Flashy Momma produced my only sizable bass for the year at 5lb 9oz.

 

I'm hoping the 2023 season will be another great jerkbait bite in the coming months, and really crossing my fingers I can get my "mojo" back with the lipless, it typically accounts for my largest fish of the year. I did get one shot this year at a potential PB on one, just gotta try and keep them buttoned up better.

[waymont]

Biggest bass this year:

Neko BPS stick-O skipped under a dock 24" LMB

MiniMax Chatterbait- two over 22" multiple 3-4.5lb bass

Home made BOSS finesse ball head jig, with Zoom chunk two bass over 20"

Tokyo rig w/ Pit Boss 5/0 hook

Frog a bunch of 4lb+ fish

Rebel 3.5" broke back minnow fished on top, two 4lb and one 5lb bass

 

I had a great year for number and size in 2022.

 

 

 

[T-Billy]

20 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Despite @T-Billy just wrecking them on one, and having been one of my better big fish producers in the past, this year it seemed the brown bass just weren’t into it.

I've not done well with the brown bass on the bama rig yet, and have only had mediocre success with the green ones, but my goodness do those muskie ever love that thing. It produced some nice late season eyes too. I feel like I've only scratched the surface with it though. Tons of potential there. I'll be spending a bunch more time with it come ice out. I can't help but feel that one of these cold water days I'm gonna run into a big school of smallies feeding on shad, and wreck 'em with it.

 Top big bass producers of 2022 were...

 #1 the Sweet Craw on a flippin rig. It produced all four of my LM over 5# this year and another heavy 4 that was only a bluegill shy of 5#.

 #2 My garage made chatterbait. It caught four LM over 4#, my three biggest smallies of the year, all between 3.5 and 4, and was my best numbers bait as well. Most of this chatterbait success was in the dark.

[gim]

1 hour ago, Aaron_H said:

but got one nice on on the Whopper Plopper 110 in Loon

ONE bass?!  Holy cow that's only 1 better than my zero.  Now I don't feel as bad for putting it on my Christmas Tree as an ornament.

[Aaron_H]

5 minutes ago, gimruis said:

ONE bass?!  Holy cow that's only 1 better than my zero.  Now I don't feel as bad for putting it on my Christmas Tree as an ornament.

 

Was the only bigger bass, but I only threw topwater five trips this year, got 11 bass on it. Didn't throw a frog or a spook a single time this year, which makes me sad. Summer is my favorite time to throw a frog, but the thunderstorms were so bad I wasn't able to get out at all during that period.

 

Whopper Plopper is a producer for me, but we've all got different strengths so if it looks better on your tree then by all means.

[Deleted account]

When targeting big bass my best baits are jigs, spinnerbaits, chatters, big (like really big) JBs, and big walking top water and WPs, and a modified Rap super shad thing.

[LrgmouthShad]

1 minute ago, Deleted account said:

When targeting big bass my best baits are jigs, spinnerbaits, chatters, big (like really big) JBs, and big walking top water and WPs, and a modified Rap super shad thing.

Pics or didn’t happen ?

[gim]

15 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

Didn't throw a frog or a spook a single time this year, which makes me sad.

I hear ya, I really enjoy a good frog or topwater bite in general.  I haven't gotten on one in years.  I think topwaters were over fished and the bass responded negatively from too much of them.

[Bluebasser86]

I'm gonna hurt some feelings, my best big fish bait of the year was a Ned rig. I've caught big fish, and some bigger ones, on a lot of baits, but Ned has been the most consistent throughout the year by far. 

[A-Jay]

6 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'm gonna hurt some feelings, my best big fish bait of the year was a Ned rig. I've caught big fish, and some bigger ones, on a lot of baits, but Ned has been the most consistent throughout the year by far. 

Nicely Done ~

We Like Pictures.

Congrats

Incidentally, my second largest Smallies (6.94) slurped a ned rig

(just not this season).

Still one of my favorite fish catches ever.

It was like a dream . . . . . 

https://youtu.be/3OXnPQs0bqQ?t=61

btw - we like video too.

A-Jay

 

[Bluebasser86]

25 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Nicely Done ~

We Like Pictures.

Congrats

Incidentally, my second largest Smallies (6.94) slurped a ned rig

(just not this season).

Still one of my favorite fish catches ever.

It was like a dream . . . . . 

https://youtu.be/3OXnPQs0bqQ?t=61

btw - we like video too.

A-Jay

 

Man that's a football, beats our state record by a few ounces ? 

 

I should go through my tournaments this year and figure what percentage of my fish submitted this year were on a Ned, I'd be it's over 25%. 

[Aaron_H]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I'm gonna hurt some feelings, my best big fish bait of the year was a Ned rig. I've caught big fish, and some bigger ones, on a lot of baits, but Ned has been the most consistent throughout the year by far. 

 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Nicely Done ~

We Like Pictures.

Congrats

Incidentally, my second largest Smallies (6.94) slurped a ned rig

(just not this season).

Still one of my favorite fish catches ever.

It was like a dream . . . . . 

https://youtu.be/3OXnPQs0bqQ?t=61

btw - we like video too.

A-Jay

 

 

 

I have yet to unlock the secrets of triggering bigger bites with the ned rig, yet to break 3lb with it so far. Some day. Gorgeous fish, fellas.

[TnRiver46]

I was scrolling thru my pics because I couldn’t really remember. Since all the pics are grouped by month and @A-Jayis buried in snow, I’ll do one or three pics and maybe video from each month and mention the lures 

 

january

 

got a 20” 4.3 smallmouth (fishing with a buddy that has a scale) with damiki armor shad on 1/8oz round ball jighead (round ball jighead will be a recurring theme here…….. I mow through those things). It was cold, 20 something air 40 something water. 6 lb mono

 

february

 

Possible “pb” as the kids say (I don’t have a good scale or dry storage on board) on half a night crawler on a round ball jighead. This one was over 21” and taller/fatter than most of our normal SMB. 6 lb mono 

march

 

Had a decent day on the ole zoom worm on a round ball jighead. There was even a rare appearance from a green bass. 6 lb mono

 

april

 

took a trip to dale hollow, got a 19” one with the same damiki as the January pic. 6 lb mono. Also got a couple 18” ones late in April on the Spro rock crawler on 15 lb invisix 

 

may

 

nose hooked fluke bagged a nice 20” meanmouth, I saw it chase the bait down and engulf it on the clear waters of tellico lake, fun stuff. 6 lb mono 

june

 

didnt get any 20”s in June but got a 19” meanmouth on live shiner I trapped (round ball jighead) and an 18” on a zoom dead ringer (round ball jighead). 6 lb mono

 

 

 

july

 

Spro pin tail on a round ball jighead, 6 lb mono

 

August

Something on a round ball jighead, can’t remember exactly what. I think it was a different color spro pin tail. 6 lb mono 

September

 

this was a good month for smallies, always is. Got two 20” and two 19” in the shallow water river rocket in a single weekend. 1/16 oz black marabou jig got a couple, live minnows I worked my rear end off to catch got the others. Also got a 20” with a clown smithwick rogue. All on 6 lb mono 

 

 

October 

 

Another one close to PB status but I think it was a tad skinny for qualification. Darn near 22” though, live threadfin shad I worked hard to catch on a 1/16 oz round ball jighead with a #4 crappie hook in it. 6 lb mono. My friends have already taken my man card away after seeing the video so don’t try 

Honorable mention for October was an 18” with a bitsy bug. 15 lb invisix on a st croix legend tournament bass and abu 4600

november

got a 20” smallie on a live threadfin shad on 1/8 oz round ball jig head. 6 lb mono 

 

 

december

 

 Normally one of my best months, it was a struggle. Got a couple 17” on various soft plastics on round ball jig head, the one in picture on a bitsy tube. I was trying to force an offshore bite that wasn’t happening yet all month and nada, had to hit the bank a few times to get anything 

 

 

[Choporoz]

On 12/26/2022 at 7:19 PM, A-Jay said:

~Swinghead with a Strike King Rage Bug: Where some seasons this rig has absolutely hammered quality smallies for me, despite my best efforts in what I believed to be just about perfect places & conditions, the bait was just Not a Player this season. 

Curious whether you have tried Magnum Bug on swinghead?

I am only fishing for LMB and no nothing about your kind of fishing, except what I read and watch from you....but, I upsized a lot this summer to magnum and had great success getting bigger bites, particularly on rocky points.  I also got some good LMB with it on the fall in open water, which rarely happens for me with 'regular' size SKRT Bug.  

 

  Gained new appreciation for KVD 5X this year.  Was a size I had skipped previously, but was Goldilocks for a couple months when normally, I would have alternated between 2.5s and 6X.

 

  As to plastics, I cut way back on variety and got to where I was confident that plastics were the deal, I'd catch on SKRT Cut-R, Bugs, or Thumpers, or ned (TRD and Baby Goat).

 

   Caught more and better fish on buzzbaits this year, but that was simply because I tied it on more than ever in the past.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

Curious whether you have tried Magnum Bug on swinghead?

I am only fishing for LMB and no nothing about your kind of fishing, except what I read and watch from you....but, I upsized a lot this summer to magnum and had great success getting bigger bites, particularly on rocky points.  I also got some good LMB with it on the fall in open water, which rarely happens for me with 'regular' size SKRT Bug.  

 

I do fish a Magnum Rage bug Texas rigged for green bass.

Haven't put one on a swinghead but if I did I'd bump the hook size up at least 1 to a 5/0 ewg.

It's a thick bait.

A-Jay

[Deleted account]

19 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Pics or didn’t happen ?

 

DD, in ounces...

 

 

[SAL321]

A few stood out for us in 2022. 

 

Time in and time out the big fish taker for us was the baby Z-too in white or Arkansas shiner. Shallow, deep - Spring , summer , fall - it just produced the biggest fish all year. Simple as it is, it's so effective for SMB. 

 

Berkley Dredger  - 17.5 and 20.5 - Chameleon Pearl - Turned onto it in May and never looked back- Quite the assortment in clear water colors. 

 

Anglers Choice - Ridgeback Goby , fished it ned-style.

 

I really want chatter baits to work for SMB on St Clair. Just not a lot of confidence in them right now. Will work on this in 2023. 

 

Stepping up the deeper crank game as well. Trying some Evergreen and Megabass deep for the summer pattern. Same for for Spybaiting 

 

Jerkbait bait was off too. Unusually windy this year. 

[thediscochef]

2022 had some main bait themes for me - jerkbait, red eye shad, ned/wacky rig, swimbait. Some of them repeating and overlapping (red eye shad).

By the numbers, the red eye shad flat out caught big fish for me this year. 9 fish between 5 and 6 lbs. multiple 5-13s. It's still catching fish. The big ones just arent near.

Jerkbait kept me alive in cold weather and gave me a PB a couple weeks ago (7-10). I continue to work on that skill.

ned rig kept me alive with dinks in the summer when nothing else was going. gave me my first 20 fish day but also nothing over like 8" except the biggest bass i've seen in the cabela's pond lol (3.5). Wacky rig did some good work when the killer heat of the summer was over.

swimbaits killed it for stripers at whitney dam all summer at sunrise and throughout the day.

chatterbaits started the year and are still an ole reliable. biggest fish this year on that was 4.0.