I was just wondering what everyone's confidence baits were.
If I could only have 1 it would be a 4 in. yum dinger in a green pumpkin/pearl color rigged texas style on a 2/0 red Gamakatzu EWG worm hook.
got to say mine would be a size 9 rapala original floater in bleeding pearl color. one of the most versitile baits ive found ever.
A bait that would guarntee me a fish would be a senko type worm, watermelon, or pumpkin seed.
nose hooked 4" hand poured worm/leach, dropshotted with a size 1 owner mosquito hook and a 3/16oz tungsten weight.
Lucky Craft RC 1.5 in copper green shad.
5" watermelon black gycb senko
#1 Fat Ika
#2 6" Senko (not a knock-off)
#3 Micro Munch Tackle El Gordo tube
Recent additions: GYCB Kreature, Mattlures Baby Bass swimbait
A Rapala DT-4, DT-6, or DT-10 crankbait in shad or bluegill patterns in the spring and summer, and craw patterns in the fall and winter. I always feel like when I have one tied on I have my best shot at catching a fish.
So many lures I am confident with, so little time.
A quicker list would be those lures I am not confident with:
crankbaits of all kinds (working on it and gaining some with lipless)
jig-n-pig (working on this too)
c-rig (I should be confident with it, but I seem to do better with t-rig :-?)
That's it...
The bait I would use if I could only choose one?
It's a toss up between spinnerbait or t-rig plastic worm. There are very few situations where I can't get something with one or both of these.
3/32oz watermelon Picasso Shakedown Jighead in with a watermelon/gold Zoom trickworm.
ine is a 5in chartruse with black GYCB senko. 8-)
5in wacky rigged ***
6in wacky rigged senko (Soon to be the 7in ***)
Zoom Super Fluke
Those are what put up the most numbers for me.
SENKO or Knock off if fishing golf course lakes. Knock offs work. But if I'm on a trip I want the real deal.
This time of year(summer patterns) I will spend a lot of time trying to define the "spot on the spot" on deep structures and when I do, that spot is going to see a jig/craw first. I love the precision and I love the bite that comes with a jig.
Black/Chart 1/2 ounce Rat-L-Trap
5" senko GY mad melon/watermelon/
6.5" tail GY watermelon w/ black
Kreature weightless
hmmmm....a few
Senko/Yum Dinger 4 inch size
Orange/Brown Jig with same color craw trailer
Weightless power worm pumpkinseed
#1: Chartruse and White chatterbait w/ a Silver Blade.
#2: YUM 4.5in Wooly Hawgtail Black & Blue on a 3/0 Gamagatsu Red Wide Gap Hook
One confidence bait that covers every situation? I just can't do that - - so like any good overly analytical guy I'll categorize:
Soft plastic:
Homemade 5/16 oz. Eakin's-style jig w/a Garland double Hyper Tail grub
Topwater:
Storm Chug Bug
Crankbait: (I could easily sub-categorize for days here...but I digress)
Rapala Shad Rap
Spinnerbait:
Homemade 1/4 oz. white bladed single willow
Jerkbait:
LC Pointer
One bait for all water, all seasons...
no contest... black 1/2 oz jig with a black hula grub as a trailer
The bait I have the most confidence in is a white spinnerbait. I have had better sucess on more bodies of water with it than any other bait that I throw.
Texas Rigged Gene Larew 7 ½ Salty Ring Worm Cinnamon Pepper Neon/June Bug Laminated (Camouflage).
For me it's a watermelon seed Zoom trick worm.
I just got my first Senkos today on the way back from Atlanta (no shops here carry them) so that may change soon.
3/8 oz Chartreuse Strike King Spinnerbait.
Dang !! That's a tough one to answer for me.. I've got about 4 or so confidence lures...
1) Creme 4 inch worm (purple or black), t-rigged..
2) Roostertails!!! ;D
3) Storm hopper popper
4) Gary Yamamoto 4 inch worm t-rigged, with no weight..
5 ) Rebel cricket hopper
That's about it for me, and yes they are all for ultra light fishing(on a 7 ft rod with a stradic reel) .. ;D
kb here when fishing you confidence bait and you are having a hard time getting a strike, any where you go on lake , how much longer do you wait till you change baits. and then wonder should i have thrown my best bait ?
For me it all depends on the water I'm on and the conditions.. I bank fish so I kind of run and gun until I get a hit, then work it over with another lure when things slow down or the bite stops... It's not one of those things where you just pick a spot and cast.. Gotta do a little leg work and find an interested party first or some interesting structure..
Original floating rapala. Only good for smaller fish mostly but if there is any bite at all, it will come on a floating rapala.