What came natural to you?

[FishingBuds]

Hey all

I know Rod and reel set up is a factor, baits have to be with the correct rod.

But on a simple thought I've been thinking tonight is what came natural to me on what bait I first started off throwing.

It was the soft baits rigged either way, Man I was always succesful with that ;D

It took awhile on some of the hard baits.

I have an old friend that took off on the diving crank bait. He wouldn't fish much with softs in the beginning mostly due to more fish caught on his crank bait

NOW, I don't want this turning into soft verses hard baits >

Just the truth on what was it that you hardly needed any practice with, You know!?--- what came natural to ya :-?

[slomoe]

Plastics,t-rig then c-rig. For some reason I could see the bait without seeing the bait. Anything else I couldn't really predict the action of. If that makes any sense.  ;D

[FishingBuds]

Plastics,t-rig then c-rig. For some reason I could see the bait without seeing the bait. Anything else I couldn't really predict the action of. If that makes any sense. ;D

Yep!  good point to make(missed making that one) I could see how it should float and when it should move, could be this talent came from me being a kid and just throwing the worms in the lake and watching them fall instead of fishing with my older brother ;D

[bassboy1]

Catching large numbers of small bass, in a pond that is loaded close to its max, and not heavily fished.  Man, I am great at that.  

[Jeff H]

Finesse Fishing.  

Light line, small baits etc.  I grew up on a very clear lake that has a very respectable population of largemouth and a minority number of smallies.  I was lucky to have the time and ability (clear water) to study these fish as they reacted to these kinds of presentations.  As a process, it just went very well for me.  Until Finesse became more widely accepted, I was considered a "kook" for my "sissy" fishing.  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Original floating Rapala

[Gatorbassman]

Honestly, My screen name explains it. I seemed to understand the fluke from the beginning but I have added so much to the simple idea of making it look like a dying fish.

Onother one that comes to mind is the C-Rig. From the cast to the hookset and everything in between. It all came so natural that it suprised me. I don't use it nearly as much as I should.

[S I G M A]

t-rigged berkley 4" powerworm was the first artificial bait i caught anything on... so i'd have to go with that

[bass109]

nothing became natural to me, i guess i still have a ways to go.

[.dsaavedra.]

Original floating Rapala

x2

cast, reel, catch!

[The_Natural]

When I learned to adequately Texas rig a worm in the '89-'1990 range...it changed everything.  Bass seemed easy to catch.  About '92, my uncle had me tie on a rogue (silver/black back/orange belly) around springtime.  He showed me how to jerk it, and I caught so many bass I lost count.  The Carolina Rig came soon after...it was harder to learn but very beneficial.  A Carolina rig with a Zoom french fry was super hot in the early '90's.

[The_Natural]

Rereading the thread title...Carolina Rigging DID NOT come natural to me.  My uncle taught me everything I know, and I was introduced to the Carolina Rig during a buddy tournament he and I fished when I was 16.  We finished 5th, with him catching a nice limit, and me contributing not a single keeper.  I couldn't feel the bites.  I actually had a 3lb+ fish on, but I didn't feel him, and I tried to reel him in only to watch him jump and spit out my hook.  My rods, line, weights, and experience have changed that...but it was the toughest technique to learn before rods were super sensitive.  I slayed them on jigs before I became efficient on the C-rig.  

[Catt]

What's totally natural to me is structure & cover; shallow or deep I know how to read it and how to approach it to effectively fish it with whichever bait required to be most productive.

But since your question was lures I would say Texas Rigged Plastic #1  

[mayassa]

crank baits always work well for me and using my Calais came east to me

[Jimzee]

Flipping and pitching a jig into heavy cover came natural to me.  This is my most "comfortable" way to fish.  8-)

[cart7t]

The naturals and ones I like.

Spinnerbaits.I used to throw these so much I got sick of em. They're a fun bait to modify and play with.

Crankbaits.  I love all types.  Whether lipped or lipless, too many don't utilize these nor explore all the possibilities.

C-Rigs.  Once I was shown it just clicked. It's my go to, tough fishing search bait. I love experimenting with weight systems, leader lengths, hook styles and soft plastics.  You can C-rig minnow style baits too.

Plastic worms.  Sentimental favorite.  I learned reading Bill Dance articles.  Once I figured these out I love em.

Zara spooks. Back when I fished these a lot, I could walk em completely around an object.  A lure that is only as good as the artisan working it. It's really a bait you have to be in=tuned with to really work right.

In-line or regular buzzbaits These have always been the cats meow for me.  When that sucker is churning across the top of the water I know I'm really pizzing a big fish off and wait for it's reaction.

Frogs,Slop baits.Since the first day I tied one on I loved em. The problem for me is finding water that has slop to fish.

Now the baits I'm not so keen with.

Jigs. I've been fishing these for years but I'm just not connected with them like others are. I know there's more to these baits than what I do with them but I've just not got that one on one connection.

Senko. I loved fishing the sluggo but this bait?  I'm missing something I guess.  This is year 2 for me and I guess I'm not completely getting it even though I have a rod specifically made for fishing them.  I'll continue to experiment and learn the bait.

Jigging spoons. Ok, I admit I haven't fished these enough.  when I've had the opportunity I've caught fish with them.  Still not something I really connect with.

Drop shot. OK, I don't understand is up with this stuff?  I'm clueless.  I've got the equipment to DS but I don't do it.  I suppose I need to hook up with someone who is good with the technique and experience success. I'm just not making that one on one with this deal either.

Swimbaits. Another I don't understand.  I'm clearly missing the boat on this deal or sumthin.  I've thrown these things and gotten a nice arm workout.  Nothing in the livewell.  

Shakee heads. Charlie brewer was doing this years ago with his do nothin worms.  Great technique but I just never got into it.  Maybe I should re-explore.

[Guest avid]

Senko - If there is a wrong way to fish it, I haven't found it.  

Also the "Florida rig"  which is a variation on the Texas rig.  You take your basic T-rig setup but use a bullet shaped screw in sinker snugged right to the top of your favorite soft plastic and pitched or flipped into the muckiest weed chocked patch o water you can find.   In Florida that means your home lake

[Pencil Pusher]

When I started Bass fishing, the Texas rigged plastic worm was what I used 90% of the time. I think it was because I had fished with live bait (worms and minnows) as a kid and was pretty impatient if I didn't get a bite in a few minutes. So, I would slowly drag my bait a little ways and wait a few minutes for a bite, then move it again. So fishing the T-rigged worm was kind of the same thing: throw the bait to a likely spot and slowly move the bait waiting for the tick or the line moving then "cross their eyes". It just seemed like a natural way to fish.

[fishing man]

rattle traps, i would never throw anything else but that, and would do pretty good. untill i saw my bro fishing plastics and NAILING fish one day.

[Jake.]

Accurate casting and patience.  

But you said lures, so crankbaits.

[FishingBuds]

The naturals and ones I like.

Spinnerbaits.I used to throw these so much I got sick of em. They're a fun bait to modify and play with.

Crankbaits. I love all types. Whether lipped or lipless, too many don't utilize these nor explore all the possibilities.

C-Rigs. Once I was shown it just clicked. It's my go to, tough fishing search bait. I love experimenting with weight systems, leader lengths, hook styles and soft plastics. You can C-rig minnow style baits too.

Plastic worms. Sentimental favorite. I learned reading Bill Dance articles. Once I figured these out I love em.

Zara spooks. Back when I fished these a lot, I could walk em completely around an object. A lure that is only as good as the artisan working it. It's really a bait you have to be in=tuned with to really work right.

In-line or regular buzzbaits These have always been the cats meow for me. When that sucker is churning across the top of the water I know I'm really pizzing a big fish off and wait for it's reaction.

Frogs,Slop baits.Since the first day I tied one on I loved em. The problem for me is finding water that has slop to fish.

Now the baits I'm not so keen with.

Jigs. I've been fishing these for years but I'm just not connected with them like others are. I know there's more to these baits than what I do with them but I've just not got that one on one connection.

Senko. I loved fishing the sluggo but this bait? I'm missing something I guess. This is year 2 for me and I guess I'm not completely getting it even though I have a rod specifically made for fishing them. I'll continue to experiment and learn the bait.

Jigging spoons. Ok, I admit I haven't fished these enough. when I've had the opportunity I've caught fish with them. Still not something I really connect with.

Drop shot. OK, I don't understand is up with this stuff? I'm clueless. I've got the equipment to DS but I don't do it. I suppose I need to hook up with someone who is good with the technique and experience success. I'm just not making that one on one with this deal either.

Swimbaits. Another I don't understand. I'm clearly missing the boat on this deal or sumthin. I've thrown these things and gotten a nice arm workout. Nothing in the livewell.

Shakee heads. Charlie brewer was doing this years ago with his do nothin worms. Great technique but I just never got into it. Maybe I should re-explore.

Nice feed back Cart7,  influences me to make a list for myself.

Catt-your comment reminds me at what I'm most terrible at and that is understanding structure, Out of everything I have gain I still struggle the most on reading the lake. Points, beds and all else with it. Even tho I wanted lures, I wouldn't mind more comments on reading structure as well.

[FivePoundBluegill]

The baits that came natural for me were the original floating rapalla and the senko.

The original rapalls was the first bait I became confident in and it caught me some nice fish when I was first learning how to fish.

I learned the senko much later but the second time I used this bait I got a nice 4LB+ bass....

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

spinnerbaits.first bass lures I ever used

[Senko4life]

Soft plastics came very natural to me. But when i got tired of catching bass after bass in some of the local lakes i fish i was inspired to try getting reaction strikes.(mostly due to an article i read by Mike Iconelli)  When I started burning rattle traps and spinner baits it all just kinda connected for me.

[guitarkid]

i'd definanately say the weightless curl tail worm, or live minnows.