Confidence Lure/ Style

[Reel]

If the Senko can be called a plastic worm, yes bass can remember.  When I first started to use this particular lure, it was almost magical.  Today, most of the magic is gone.  It is still a good lure but absolutely not in the same way.

[Columbia Craw]

I have a confidence lure for each specific situation I might encounter. 

[river-rat]

I would say a texas-rigged worm would be my #1 confidence bait, but I have others that I rely on also.

 

For example, a jig, flipping tube, and spinnerbait rate almost as high on the list as a plastic worm. Give me these four options and I'm good.

[Pat Brown]

18 hours ago, Reel said:

If the Senko can be called a plastic worm, yes bass can remember.  When I first started to use this particular lure, it was almost magical.  Today, most of the magic is gone.  It is still a good lure but absolutely not in the same way.

 

I would agree with this - I have sightfished enough bass to know that they can learn a worm just like anything else.  👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[MediumMouthBass]

In most types of business, life in general, and even fishing, confidence is key.

 

Some people might get to a good spot where any and every lure works, but in most cases its the opposite.

 

You can either try everything in the tray, constantly retying over and over, and become clueless on what to do. Or you can use something that feels like you were meant to fish with it, something you know, know how it will act, how it will move, how fast or slow it falls, and the where, when, and how to fish it. Thats atleast my thoughts on what a confidence lure is, there have been many days ive went out with 5-6 rods with all sorts of lures tied on. I became overwhelmed rather quickly and cut them off just to tie on the lipless crankbait, and wacky worm. (sometimes a Chatterbait or football jig as well). And the other 4 rods were barely used the rest of the trip.

And i went from overwhelmed/clueless to instantly having a feeling of purpose, certainty, and the knowledge/comfort/confidence in what i needed to do to catch bass.

 

So yeah, i dont even feel comfortable going to the lake without a 1/2oz lipless crankbait and a pack of Ochos wacky rigged. Regardless of time of year or weather. Because they have never let me down.

Oh and colors are the same way, ive got over 40 lipless cranks but in my mind i can only catch bass on reds and browns. The rest dont work. (and of course 80% of them arent reds or browns)....

[Junk Fisherman]

On 7/25/2024 at 11:01 AM, Darrell Shep said:

I hear Matt and the guys over at Tactical Bassin say

"Confidence lures" a lot. I believe confidence plays a big part when you're on the water. I usually go

7' Medium Heavy/Fast 8.5 Gear Ratio, 15 LB seagar tatsu, 1/8 green pumpkin tungsten bullet weight pegged, 2 or 3 ought Super Line Gamagatsu EWG, with a Zoom Baby Brush Hog watermelon red

I want to expand to other styles.

What's your go-to? Help a brother out.

 

 

That's a great bait.  Add blue fleck Baby Brush Hogs, watermellon red Super Hogs too.  Cotton candy is great color too.  Those are some of my favorite all time plastics to pitch.  In the same relm, get a little bigger hook and try some 4" Berkley Chigger Craws.  Black/Blue and Green Pumpkin are standard colors.  Those are all confidence baits for me.  

[Bankbeater]

A jig, plastic worm, and a senko type bait.  These three baits seem to work in a variety of different bodies of water regardless of the conditions. 

[Bazoo]

I have confidence in the plastic worm. Ranging from, Berkeley power worms, Zoom finess and trick worms, Zoom lizards and U tail worms, Zoom Fat Albert grubs, GY Senkos. Confidence in those is not that they make me feel good, but rather, I've caught bass with plastic worms all seasons when the bite is hard.

 

I can't think of anything else that will work year-round, but if the bass can be caught, they can be caught on a plastic worm of some variety (and by that I mean something "normal" not the latest and greatest).

 

Now if I had to pick a specific color and such for my confidence bait it would be split shot rig with a watermelon color Berkley Power Worm, followed by a Zoom Fat Albert in green pumpkin. However, the former must be rigged carefully to keep it from spinning.

 

Barring the plastic worm, am I confident? kinda. I know that bass ain't going to hit a lot of the other stuff at any given time, and I could likely catch a few fish here and there, but not nearly as many.

[F14A-B]

21 hours ago, Reel said:

If the Senko can be called a plastic worm, yes bass can remember.  When I first started to use this particular lure, it was almost magical.  Today, most of the magic is gone.  It is still a good lure but absolutely not in the same way.

I think you’ll have to prove that statement conclusively before I’ll believe you over Doug Hannon & his exhaustive research of the Largemouth bass. While I’m at it you wouldn’t suppose that their could be other factors that might explain your personal experience with the Senko, things like environmental conditions/changes in water pollution, states blasting weed killer in the waterways, increasing fishing pressure and a myriad of other factors..

 

If you haven’t studied Doug’s work I’d highly recommend it. Best wishes going forward. 🙂

[crypt]

I'm confident in a worm.......I'm more confident in the fact that during the day I can get at least 1 bite on a worm.

[Catt]

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

- I have sightfished enough bass to know that they can learn a worm just like anything else

 

Several times I've caught the same bass, off the same bed, with the same white lizard two days apart. 

 

I've had bass break me off in brush, couple hours later caught the same bass with my worm & hook in its mouth.

Edited July 27, 2024 by Catt
Fingers faster than the brain

[Pat Brown]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Several times I've caught the same bass, off the same bed, with the same white lizard two days apart. 

 

I've had bass break me off in brush, couple hours later caught the same bass with my worm & hook in its mouth.

 

 

Same same - definitely depends on the fish 😂😂😂👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 

 

I don't want to get anything confused here either - worm is 100% my favorite bait for bass!  😎😎😎🎣🎣🎣

[Backroad Angler]

An artificial worm is what I feel the most confident with. So many different ways to fish it depending if you're using a ribbon tail, straight, finesse, etc. Love the different types of artificial worms available today.

Wacky rigged or T-rigged fishing it slow and steady does the trick for me.

[Catt]

@Pat Brown

We've had some epic discussions about a bass's memory. Definitely fascinating 

[WackyWormNedRig]

I’m very confident in wacky worm,Ned rig, and lipless. Can throw the frog when needed. A jig once in while and whopper plopper also.

 

 

[Catt]

I have confidence in my ability to locate bass. I will catch em by whatever means necessary.

[crypt]

I think my memory is not as good as bass though.....I forgot what I was talking about.....oh well....

[F14A-B]

9 hours ago, Catt said:

I have confidence in my ability to locate bass. I will catch em by whatever means necessary.

You da Man Catt! How’s that Kistler rod holding up down there in the swamp? 

[Catt]

@alonerankin2 Which one?