Man, I Cant Catch A Bass On _______

[Choporoz]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

 

Do you find that a brighter color works better in murkier water?  I don't even usually try them in murky water but I do have a couple or bright colors I could use (clown, tiger stripes).

My jerkbait box is a lot more boring than it used to be.  I don't carry clown, bright purples, and neon perch type stuff anymore.  Instead of colors, I focus more on opacity.  Clearer and translucent in clean water; opaque in dirty water.  Won't claim it is better or smarter than focusing on colors, but I'm sorta over caring about jerkbait colors most of the time.  If it looks kinda natural to me, it's good to go

[LonnieP]

Chatterbait. They might would work for me but where I fish, I can’t make more than a few casts without getting snagged and losing them. 

[crypt]

chatter bait also.......they don't work......

[Munkin]

Right now anything! River is low, clear, and hot so nothing is working.

 

Allen

[Fried Lemons]

I've given up on topwater. Used to look forward to summer topwater but these days trying to get a topwater bite is like pulling teeth.

[Raul]

Just now, Catt said:

Full size Brush Hog!

 

Kill em on a Baby Brush Hog but zero on a full size.

 

Newbie ! ( j/k )

To be honest I might have caught half a dozen fish on a Brush Hog in all these years and nothing eye whopping. 

Baby BHs, now that's another story.

My kryptonite are buzzbaits, I just can't catch even a cold with them, nada, nothing.

 

[JimmyKing]

Spinnerbait. As a child I caught a really nice LMB on a Mickey Mouse rod and reel and a beetle spin fishing for crappie and I don’t remember catching anything on any kind of spinner since. 

[Mike L]

For me it’s probably a crank bait and to some degree a jerk bait, most anything with low hanging trebles. 
 

Its really not that I don’t like them it’s mostly because I don’t throw them enough.
I almost always have my most success with single hook t rig’s…

Over, in, through and under any and all the vegetation I can find. 

The only exception would be a trap, but just don’t throw them enough as I’d much much rather pitch, flip or drag a plastic 100% of the time. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

[SC53]

Whopper plopper

[DinkDonkey30]

Man I’ve thrown chatterbaits with and without trailer, all different sizes, all different colors, deep shallow, in grass, mud, rock, under docks, you name it I’ve tried it on a lot of different bodies of water. No dice at all. Switch to a crank or lipless or spinner bait game on. I’m convinced when I tie on a chatterbaits fish literally send out a mass message then pack up and leave.

[BayouSlide]

19 hours ago, crypt said:

chatter bait also.......they don't work......

 

Man, they work for me on nearly every outing, often when nothing else will...a confidence bait that is in the running if not leading my total catch rate. Second has to be a shaky head, followed by various flavors of crankbait.

 

I'd say I can't catch a cold with a frog (one blow up) or with a wacky rig (did catch one casting to it on the bank after seeing it on FFS). I seldom throw a frog but I keep casting a wacky rig waiting for it to produce...waiting, waiting. Never caught anything on a fluke but I'm ready to give 'em another try.

Never caught anything on a drop shot so now I usually throw a shaky head or hover bait instead.

 

Interesting to see what various members offer as unproductive baits...just reinforces my idea that any bait can be a confidence bait for someone and that all baits can produce under the right circumstances.

[Susky River Rat]

Chatter baits and rattle traps.

[Munkin]

On 7/18/2024 at 10:51 AM, Catt said:

Full size Brush Hog!

 

Kill em on a Baby Brush Hog but zero on a full size.

 

Same thing here! Caught 2 fish on the full size after cutting the head off down to the top of the arms.

 

Allen

[Woody B]

Big.......meaning oversized swim baits.   I plunked down ~$50 for a Shimano Armajoint.  I caught one 8 inch long Spotted Bass on it.   I gave it to a friend of mines 13 year old nephew.  He caught a 4 pounder on it from a country club pond.  I've got a Megabass Magdraft that I use occasionally.  I've never caught a Bass on it either.   I kinda laugh anytime I cast one of those huge baits.   

[BigAngus752]

Buzzbait.  Has never happened.  In defense of the buzzbait, I gave up on it years ago so it doesn't even get a chance anymore.  I can't justify using it when I know for certain I am going to catch them walking a Zara Spook or retrieving a Whopper Plopper, depending on conditions.  

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Buzzbait.  Has never happened.

Same here - I actually gave mine away.

[Bird]

Soft swimbaits and lipless cranks. 🤮 

 

It use to be chatterbaits but I found a new lake this year " stained water " and the bass hammer them.

[Munkin]

Can't believe I am seeing flukes and buzzbaits on this thread? Topwater has been horrible this year for me so far. That said besides a popper nothing works as well or is easier to catch fish on than a buzzbait. 

 

Allen

[Mobasser]

12 minutes ago, Munkin said:

Can't believe I am seeing flukes and buzzbaits on this thread? Topwater has been horrible this year for me so far. That said besides a popper nothing works as well or is easier to catch fish on than a buzzbait. 

 

Allen

I agree. Buzzbaits have worked this summer as well as they always have. They're a must have for me.

[Bazoo]

Chatterbait is a no go for me. I've never caught on one, even when my friends use them to good success. I can't catch on them on a farm pond or a lake. I always lose them at the river so not sure there yet.

 

I rarely have success with a lipless, but occasionally.

 

I haven't caught anything on the berkley glide bait yet... course... I ain't fished it much, nor do I have much of an idea of how.

 

Texas rigged, Carolina rigged, plastic worms of any type used to be my black hole, and now... they are my confidence bait.

[12poundbass]

Whopper Plopper!

 

Ive tried and tried and I just can’t get a bass to hook up. 

[Brian11719]

^ same. I even paused one watched the bass come right up to it then just pass and swim away...beginning to think this just isn't the topwater lure for me...which is fine because I like walking a spook more anyway.

[chubaka]

Drop shot and Jerkbait

[scaleface]

I have not fished chatterbaits much until recently. A new lake I have been fishing has a lot of moss, little wood and chatterbaits have been getting smashed. Toss it to the edge or in any open spots.  Before ,on other waters  when I was fishing a lot of wood I opted for a spinnerbait.  

[herder]

I've never caught a fish on a Whopper Plopper, I caught one 12' bass on a chatterbait, pretty sure I've never caught on a lipless.