What new baits, rigs, or techniques have you used this year? How successful have you been?

[bwillis]

After several years with minimal time to fish, I've finally been able to get out on the water a whole lot more.  Mostly in the past, it's been t-rigs, rage rigs, and swim jigs.  I came across the Tokyo rig a while back, and it's been working pretty well for me, along with the jika rig.  So what new techniques have you guys tried this year, and how have they worked for you?

[RRocket]

Really love the versatility of the Jika Rig. Was my primary technique for a LONG time. Love it! 

 

Still hoping to find a worm technique that produces. Have replaced throwing worms with Cover Scat (so fun! ) and OSP Dolive Stick (amazing action, versatile). 

 

A recent discussion about the Jackall Flick Shake had me buy versions in 4.8 and 5.8 in Cola (seemed to be frequently recommended in other threads). Didn't have much success on the weighted jig head though. Have not tried with ideal jig head (IMO) but will. Still, disappointed.

 

But I did note during the thread a couple guys really liked it on a drop shot so I gave that a go and it's producing. Not more than other things on drop shot, but it's starting to produce.  Also put it in the hands of complete newbs and they caught fish. 

 

It's early..but looks promising.

 

 

[softwateronly]

I did a couple of larger jdm orders this winter/spring with lots of new to me baits.

 

Jig heads for rolling - owner range roller, gammy horizon, and horizon lg

All 3 of these heads do exactly what I had hoped, the hooks are perfect, though I think the range roller has the better keeper set up for bait longevity.  

 

minnows for rolling - Raid fish roller 3-6.5", 7" sakamata shad, deathadders 3", 5", and 6", 5" yamamoto d shad, signal multi shad pvc, jackall bassenemy stick 4"&5", and duo pintail shad.  

 

Raid fish roller - currently my favorite for actually rolling.  Great roll, incredible look, very durable and even re-rigable without damaging the bait.  Head weight and placement is crucial for the best action, but after many fish beating up the bait, I'll rerig in the less optimal spot and still have success with a more subdued roll.  I've caught fish on all 4 sizes, but 4" and 6.5" have been most successful.

 

Sakamata shad 7" - I threw these mostly weightless and on a free rig in the post spawn.  Absolutely crushed.  They also catch on a jighead, bottom rolling, but I don't have many left and have been substituting w/ 6.5" spunk shads and jerky j's.  Wish I had a full range of sizes in champagne pepper/neon pearl.

 

Deathadders - These things finally made me understand why the Japanese anglers refer to the whole category as worms.  Just universal fish catching baits.  Ballheads, t-rig, trailers, free rig, weightless, dead sticked, swimming, they can do it all pretty dang good.  It'll be hard to never keep a supply on hand, a definite winner for me, especially the 5".

 

Yamamoto d shad - These did pretty good rolled, need to spend more time with it.  Where they crushed was weightless fluke style and on a 1/2oz 2/0 scrounger head.  It has a beautiful snake like swim at any speed on the scrounger, making it super versatile.  I'd be 10-20 seconds late on schoolers blowing up the surface, and I could bomb it past and count it down to 10' run it through and get bit.  If I was on time to 5 seconds late, I'd just burn it the second it hit the water and get bit.  Loads of fun and the longest lasting use of a yamamoto bait I've ever experienced.

 

Signal multi shad - Haven't tried it yet, hopefully soon

 

Bassenemy stick - I've only used these in Lake MI, shore fishing.  Rolling these along the boulders and walls on bfs has caught dozens of smb.  Lots of fun and very effective, but fragile.

 

Duo pintail shad - I think I haven't put these in the best position yet.  They roll a bit, relatively subtle.  They shimmy on the fall when weightless, but sink very slowly.  They twitch well and stay high in the water column.  They look great as a trailer or on a scrounger.  I've caught fish,  just haven't gotten on them it.

 

Next group of new to me is baits I could work weightless and on a free rig.  Deps Bullflat, OSP dolive stick fat, dolive beaver, dolive gill, and Norries flip gill.  

 

Deps, OSP, and Norries gill baits - All of them are very effective and very similar to me so far.  Early in the season I was pitching them weightless to the outside weedlines in 6-10 fow and they almost never make it to the bottom.  Now that the weed growth is topping out, I'm pitching it as a free rig, usually 3/8oz to help separate the weight and bait.  All of them in the larger sizes attract bigger bites.  The smaller sizes just get bit by everything.  An offset worm hook, hybrid hook, ewg hook, and cps swimbait hook all work and connect well, but I find these super fragile.  One or two fish per bait.  At these prices, I'll probably only get the large versions and pitch them at high percentage spots and times looking for bigger fish.

 

OSP dolive beavers - 3.5" on a 1/4oz free rig is perfect for shorebound lake michigan smb fishing.  The swim on the initial fall seems to really call them in.  Worth the money to me because I am limited in finding active bass when walking the shore.

 

OSP dolive fat stick - This has been one of the biggest surprises.  At least 3 different times, I worked over an area from an anchored position and then threw this weightless at my historical spot on the spot only to catch the biggest fish in that area that day.  The initial fall/shimmy/swim down is so good that I almost use it as a long range pitch.  If it makes it to the bottom, I'm 2-3 twitches/lifts, then reel in and cast again.  They haven't been super durable for me, almost fragile, but they get big bites in pressured situations.

 

If you made it this far, I commend your ability to tolerate my ramblings.  Most of these were bought with a digitaka reel order or the sales over at the the hookup tackle over the last 6 months. 

 

scott  

 

 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

Rage lobster on a t-rig and jig. Really good results.

Megabass PopMax. In bait monkey trouble here.

Mission Fish 8” swimbait. No results yet but not enough time to make judgements and I’m patient with this one.

 

[Pat Brown]

This summer I really put a lot of time in with the fluke and the frog and I feel like you can take those presentations right to the bank every single day just about.  Lights out money in the hot months.

 

Slowly but surely getting the big worms and jigs back in the rotation because I miss it - but do I really?  

 

I feel like when it's hot you really up your chances of a bite fishing a fluke and a frog and just moving (on my lakes) and sometimes bites means fish!  Been around the right ones too - things just didn't align when they were ready to go and that's fishing.  These techniques work great for tricking the biggest bass.  I just failed at other aspects when opportunities arose in the past few weeks.  Oh well!

[RRocket]

1 hour ago, softwateronly said:

 

OSP dolive fat stick - This has been one of the biggest surprises. 

Same for me with the "regular" Dolive Stick.

 

As you point out, the initial drop/swim/shimmy is incredible.

 

This is a regular on my rotation and like you I've been surprised at how good (and versatile) it is.

[Susky River Rat]

I just do basic stuff. Cranking drop shot ned rig and spinners  Can’t tell you the name of most stuff I use anyway. 
 

Edit: I’ve been using a lot of 6th sense stuff. 

[Bankbeater]

I haven't tried anything new this season.  Plastic worms rigged weightless, wacky, or with a split shot have been my best baits so far this year.

[Texas Flood]

Fishing a plastic stick bait on the free rig. I started throwing the FR around last year and thought it’d be fun to try it on a senko. 
 

 

I’ve done quite well so far this year. We’ll see how it does in the fall. 

[Spankey]

Nothing really all that different or new for me. I’ve fished some elastic craws, grubs and tube and have gotten some good results. Nowhere near a new PB river smallie for me but who know might come. 
I’ve been fishing a few new Strike King version pop-r’s. Color patterns have all caught river smallies. They are a 1/8 oz. Version but I’m chucking them on a ML spinning set up. 
I’m a crankbait fanatic, picked up a few fish on the new SK Gravel Dogs. Good river color patterns. 
Nothing real new as far as technique but first of throwing a SK pop-r type. Just wanted to try a few new things. 

[Big Swimbait]

The Free Rig has been my most productive "new" to me technique. Second will be the Raid Fishroller on the Owner Range Roller jig head. I do not have/use FFS so I use this rig like a swimbait, spinnerbait or any search type bait. The 6.5 in Super Roller has been the most productive.

[Fried Lemons]

I'm mostly dragging over main lake structure this time of year. I picked up stitching and it has gotten me some bites that I was missing with a standard drag or hop. Swing head jig is another new one. Gotten few but big bites cranking that into structure.

[gim]

I can't think of anything I've used this season thus far that I haven't ever used before.

 

Jerkbait was good early.  A spinnerbait did OK.  Since the spawn in early June a wacky rigged stick bait has been by far my top producing presentation.  Both weighted (neko) in deeper water and unweighted (under docks).

[bwillis]

1 hour ago, Big Swimbait said:

The Free Rig has been my most productive "new" to me technique. Second will be the Raid Fishroller on the Owner Range Roller jig head. I do not have/use FFS so I use this rig like a swimbait, spinnerbait or any search type bait. The 6.5 in Super Roller has been the most productive.

Free rigging looks like something I need to try

[dytmook]

I spent a lot of time with the spinner bait this spring. Had the most success I've every had with it. Caught some really nice fish on it. 

 

In the past few weeks I have been putting in a lot of work with bitsy bug size jigs (swimming and dragging). It has been fun. Nothing too fancy but newer to me. 

[T-Billy]

I started throwing rubber baits for muskie this year, Bulldawgs, Medussa's, Assault Eels, etc. Nothing fun about it, just pain....... until you get bit that is. POW!!! They hit those baits like a freight train. They've been productive enough for me to endure throwing them for a few hours each day.

 

That's all I got. Still throwing the same 'ol bass baits. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Robinhood21]

New technique I started using this year is the Free Rig with a Bellows shad.  Caught me some good ones but the bellows shad are beyond fragile so I started using a yoto worm and it seemed to work pretty good as well. 

[RRocket]

23 minutes ago, Robinhood21 said:

New technique I started using this year is the Free Rig with a Bellows shad.  Caught me some good ones but the bellows shad are beyond fragile so I started using a yoto worm and it seemed to work pretty good as well. 

Try the Raid Japan Hira Tailor.

 

Excellent on the Free Rig and more durable than the Bellows Shad.

 

 

[Robinhood21]

4 minutes ago, RRocket said:

Try the Raid Japan Hira Tailor.

 

Excellent on the Free Rig and more durable than the Bellows Shad.

 

 

I'll check it out, thanks a bunch!

[Woody B]

Not really anything new, but how about "revisiting" a technique I used years ago.   For the past couple years almost EVERYONE I saw was either throwing a spinnerbait or jerk bait.   I used spinnerbaits quite a bit in my previous fishing life 30+ years ago.  I pretty much stayed away from them due to seeing so many people using them.  This year EVERYONE is still using jerk baits, but instead of spinnerbaits they're using special FFS jig head minnows and various swim baits.   I've caught a BUNCH of Bass this year on spinnerbaits, including my best of 2024 so far that weighed 7.91 pounds.   

[12poundbass]

Like @Woody B I’m revisiting old techniques I haven’t used in quite a few years. The last outing yesterday I threw a deep diving crankbait and had pretty good results with it and has me rethinking my boycott of crankbaits. I’m going to keep at it for a bit and see if it’s going to be a staple in my outings or will I be reminded why I gave them up so many years ago. Either way it was fun changing it up!

[gim]

3 hours ago, T-Billy said:

I started throwing rubber baits for muskie this year, Bulldawgs, Medussa's, Assault Eels, etc. Nothing fun about it, just pain

Those things are tough to toss for more than an hour or two. It’s the preferred presentation here in the fall when the fish move shallow during the Cisco/tulibee spawn though. Usually occurs in early November when I’m rotting away in a tree hunting deer.