What do you follow your search baits up with?

[Fishlegs]

8 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

When I caught muskies, if we had a lukewarm musky, we'd leave the area and then circle back after 20 minutes to an hour. Do any of you do that when a bass has hit? I don't because I'm paddling, but those of you with engines could easily do this musky trick.

Absolutely. Whether I miss a fish, or catch a fish in a spot I like to go back to it. Sometimes a fish is caught in a random spot, but more often I think the fish is in that spot for a specific reason. I want to fish that spot again for that reason.

[Functional]

33 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

When I caught muskies, if we had a lukewarm musky, we'd leave the area and then circle back after 20 minutes to an hour. Do any of you do that when a bass has hit? I don't because I'm paddling, but those of you with engines could easily do this musky trick.

yes definitely, will also do it if I come across a lot of markings on sonar at a piece of cover I'm trying. If I cant get them fired up I come back a few times throughout the day and throw a few test casts. Usually I do this going from one spot to another as a quick "pit stop" to verify. 

[Fishingmickey]

     I've thrown spinner baits a lot over the years!  I use either a weightless swimbait or Senko as a follow up when I got a fish that boils on the spinner bait and doesn't take.  I think that the follow-up bait slowly sinking in the spot where the boil was imitates a stunned or crippled bait and triggers that lit up bass to eat.

[Swamp Girl]

7 hours ago, Fishingmickey said:

I think that the follow-up bait slowly sinking in the spot where the boil was imitates a stunned or crippled bait and triggers that lit up bass to eat.

 

This makes sense, Mickey.

[GRiver]

I’ve fished frogs in the pad, I had a hard time waiting on the pull, after

a strike.You know watch the line, and wait. Had an old timer tell that even if you see your lure there floating, wait they might come back. I have had it happen, big splash, no line movement, wait for what seems like forever. Then a slow vortex as they inhale it. 

[FishTank]

My routine is generally big bait followed by a small bait. For example, 6in Magdraft and then a 5in Senko or a big spinnerbait then a small bfs trout bait.  

 

I just remember short strikes are not accidents. If they hit or follow a bait, you just need to throw something they can attack and swallow. 

[TriStateBassin106]

Jig or something finesse like a hover rig worm or ned rig. Usually does the trick 

[JHoss]

+1 for the senko and fluke crowd. I usually keep the wacky rig close by and with a footish of line out so I can just pick it up and throw. 

[primetime]

I like to toss a weightless senko or trick worm, wacky and texas rigged. 

 

Mepps Aglia or Rooster Tail on my light setup if worm doesn't work. I just recently started fishing spinners again after fishing them all the time as a kid. Kind of mad I have not used them much in bigger bodies of water....

 

 

 

 

[greentrout]

2 hours ago, primetime said:

I like to toss a weightless senko or trick worm, wacky and texas rigged. 

 

Mepps Aglia or Rooster Tail on my light setup if worm doesn't work. I just recently started fishing spinners again after fishing them all the time as a kid. Kind of mad I have not used them much in bigger bodies of water....

 

 

 

 

The Rooster Tail with a bait caster 3/8 oz. gold is a killer in open water situations.

Good Fishing

[primetime]

On 3/12/2025 at 9:03 PM, greentrout said:

The Rooster Tail with a bait caster 3/8 oz. gold is a killer in open water situations.

Good Fishing

I like to throw spinners over weeds, open water, wake em etc....Especially on new water to find fish in my Kayak. If you catch a Crappie, Bluegill, Small bass, Shiner etc....You know you are in an area where there is fish.....I been getting into some of the bigger Mepps Aglia Salmon sized spinners and different colors like Black with yellow dots etc....Spinners flat out catch fish. 

[greentrout]

22 hours ago, primetime said:

I like to throw spinners over weeds, open water, wake em etc....Especially on new water to find fish in my Kayak. If you catch a Crappie, Bluegill, Small bass, Shiner etc....You know you are in an area where there is fish.....I been getting into some of the bigger Mepps Aglia Salmon sized spinners and different colors like Black with yellow dots etc....Spinners flat out catch fish. 

Usually carry a few with me when fishing ponds and small lakes. 1/8oz. 1/4oz. and 3/8oz. Use: Rooster Tail, Mepps, Panther Martin, Blue Fox and Nitro (BPS). Panther Martin has a guide to inform you which lures are good for Bass. Most offer single barbless and single hooks if you like that. Agreed. They do catch fish.

Good Fishing 

[scaleface]

I always have a Texas rig handy. So i just grab it. Probably not the best follow up bait but i'm not dedicating one of my combos just with a follow up bait.

[Jar11591]

17 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I always have a Texas rig handy. So i just grab it. Probably not the best follow up bait but i'm not dedicating one of my combos just with a follow up bait.

I’ll use a Texas rig as a follow up if I get a blowup on a frog in some timber, where I don’t dare put a wacky rig. I’ll try the frog a time or two more but if she doesn’t go for it again she’s getting the Texas rig. 

[primetime]

On 3/15/2025 at 8:46 AM, greentrout said:

Usually carry a few with me when fishing ponds and small lakes. 1/8oz. 1/4oz. and 3/8oz. Use: Rooster Tail, Mepps, Panther Martin, Blue Fox and Nitro (BPS). Panther Martin has a guide to inform you which lures are good for Bass. Most offer single barbless and single hooks if you like that. Agreed. They do catch fish.

Good Fishing 

Good info. I carry small box full of all of the above mentioned. I also like the Joe's Flies spinners BPS sells. I grew up on Long Island where the company who makes Panther Martin is located, so they used to give them away as prizes in local tournaments when I was a kid. I really like the Panther Martin design. 

 

If you like Inline spinners, one of my favorite here in Florida is essentially a weedless version/Spinnerbait, Snagless Sally by Hilderbrandt. They make a great spinnerbait and buzzbait fish rarely see. I am a big believer in throwing stuff fish do not see since we all fish the same areas in lakes and ponds for most part and fish 100% get conditioned. 

 

I actually need to replenish a few of by blue fox spinners....Sometimes its easy to overcomplicate bass fishing and the stuff that always worked, still works....

[greentrout]

^^^

"Sometimes its easy to overcomplicate bass fishing and the stuff that always worked, still works...."

DITTO