Go-to lures

[Bass Rutten]

54 minutes ago, Bankc said:

It seems like every year I form a different go-to.

100%, mine seemingly changes season to season, if not the lure type then the size or color or rigging.

[Mike L]

Magnum UV Speed Worm,

Scum Frog

Rage Bug/Craw

Spook

Fat Max ribbon tail 

 

That’s all I use 90% of the time no matter what or where 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

[WRB]

14 hours ago, Munkin said:

 

Tom, what are your thoughts on the wooden Sammy vs the regular plastic ones? I recently picked up 2 along with a Mike Bucca Bull shad to try.

 

 

As for confidence baits I have a ton of different ones based on where I am fishing. Where I live in Maryland I have to fish a lot of different water/conditions. Upper Potomac River is mostly SM in a clear to stained rocky river so a lot of tubes, finesse jigs, jerkbaits. Lower Potomac is Tidal, muddy, and all LM so baits are different for example rattle traps, big bladed spinnerbaits, etc that fish can find using their lateral line. Third set of conditions is deep really clear lakes and reservoirs which usually means light line and finesse baits like drop shot. So for all of these I have developed confidence lures over the years for each situation. The lures that crossover all of these though are; shakeyhead, flick shake, spinnerbait, creature bait, and a jig.

 

Allen 

The wooden Sammy I have is Balsa wood in Shad color pearl white with silver-gray back. The Balsa wood is very lively lure that is easy to work. Not much of a fan of the plastic models because they don’t attract strikes from bigger bass like the wooden does.

Tom

[MIbassyaker]

I try hard not to have go-to lures.  While I own many individual lures that I don't use, or have never used, there are no lure types I own that I don't find at least semi-regular use for.  I fish a variety of different waters that can have very different environments and that present very different presentation challenges.  natural lakes of glacial origin, swampy bayous, flooded gravel pits, river and stream impoundments, and free-flowing sections of several rivers of different sizes and grades... Even the types of lures I don't use much have a time and a place. 

 

While there are some I use quite a lot -- senkos, hula grubs, jighead worm, paddle-tails, spinnerbaits, buzzbits -- I can't think of any single lure or even any list of, say, 5, that I could limit myself to and be truly satisfied fishing everywhere I like to go these days.

 

 

[Dan N]

Square bill cranks 

Texas rig 

jigs

ned rig

if I had to pick one, I’d go 3/8 bitsy flip jig, craw trailer. Swims great , or  bounce, drag bottom 

[TheSwearingAngler]

I also buy more than I use.

 

I have a frog, weightless Dinger, and a booyah pond magic tied on all summer. Throw them every day. Last weekend I forced myself to throw a whopper plopper, had a lot of fun.

[PaulVE64]

So many work but sometimes I just want to chuck a topwater for the  blowups.

I also like dragging a jig along a shelf.

[Bankbeater]

This year the bass seem to be hitting jigs very slowly.  Then again I have noticed schools of shad in lakes that have never had shad in them before.

 

My top baits this year have been:

Weightless plastic worm.

Weightless stickbait.

Spinnerbait.

 

[Buzzbaiter]

Go-to baits vary by year and depend on species. Limited to five across all the species I fish for:

 

Largemouth/Florida Bass:

- 5in stickbait, weightless Texas rig

- Texas rigged craw/creature (I am of the opinion that specific profile doesn’t matter, but limited to one, the Zman Goat)

 

Smallmouth Bass:

- 3.5in tournament-style tube

- Heddon Boyo Spook

 

Suwannee Bass:

- Zoom Finesse Worm on a flickshake rig

 

I realize now that a buy a bunch of useless stuff. I think I’ll start sticking to what I know.

[king fisher]

14 hours ago, Buzzbaiter said:

I realize now that a buy a bunch of useless stuff

Anything with a hook is not useless.  Please watch your language.  This is a family forum. 

[Dan N]

I do zero topwater. I don’t think it’s a great option. Occasionally, I realize it is . But not often where I fish

[softwateronly]

I think my main problem is that I absolutely fall in love with types of bites.  I look forward to certain times of year when certain baits really shine and I get to indulge in unique types of hits that are addicting.  This became apparent when I didn't get a whiff on a jig from september thru march and then wasn't able to get on the water till late may.  8 months is too long for no jig fish and I felt it every day .  

 

scott