Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

You get to go to a new body of water that you have never fished before and know nothing about and you get to use one bait, what will it be!
You can have several in different sizes and colors but if its a jig, crank bait, spinner bait or swim bait it can only be that bait!

George

Hard for me to put the drop shot down while looking for fish.

I would first consider time of year, water temps and type of lake, not knowing that, first thoughts are finness worm ,jig. crankbait.

Without knowing time of year or water temp I'd have to go with a dropshot (I hate drop shotting but it works). But typically I'll start with a spinnerbait to find fish followed by a jig.

I am probably going to throw a Senko, just for the reason of having the ability of fishing it in a bunch of presentation. Green Pumpkin/Black Flake I can always catch a fish on would be my confidence bait.

George

Plastics i.e. plastic worms will catch fish 365 days a year on any lake. All you have to do is get the presentation right based on all the factors that are in the air about this scenario and presto your a stud! ...

While Rippa is probably right, im bringing my jig(s) with me - swim jig, 1 ton, finess, football head and arkie - i would rather spend all day lookin for that THUNK of a jig then shakin worms

Ya got me Ash ....Hell take your newest 10 oz. dead stick bait and swing for the fences. I guess I read into the question somewhere that he wuz looking for a high percentage bait which a jig can be. But I seem to have jig seasons rather than an all year love affair like a worm offers. I know that I have spent some effort teaching a scant few some of what I have absorbed about this sport over the years and a 4 inch slim profile is the prefered size according to everything I've read about bass. From my socal experience dropshot'n and worming in all it's variations are must have essential tools on our highly pressured waters yet from my norcal roots and upbringing I would be happy in the back seat with ya try'n ta get some Larger largemouth on something that does not entail cobwebs for lines and spinning rods that could pass for fly rods.

You should have told us what time of year we would visit this mystery lake. If just catching a bass is the goal, a drop-shot 4 or 6 inch Berkely Power worm or a similar size Robo worm probably would get the quickest bite. A dark color would work best in cold water months and a shad or watermelon color would be effective in mid-summer and fall. However, morning dawn color seems to work all the time!! If the water was dirty - or off color, I might want to move more water using a dark colored jig with some bulk and a paddle tail trailer.

I can feel u out there Larry crawling the rocks with that jig looking for big mamma! You write like Dean Sault used to on here

OK Mr. Hemphill here are a few more clues!
February, Pre frontal, 55-65 degrees air temp with light breeze and water temp in the 50's, medium depth lake to 60 feet with sparse points, rocks and cover, rip rap dams and a few shallow tully flats.

George

A Rig.

had to say it!

a nose hooked live crawdad ? (Or for Elshere 6 crawdads on a bama rig )

Now that I have all the info, George - that changes everything - LOL! I'll stick with my choice. But---a Staysee 90 ripbait - in a Feb afternoon???

7" Line thru osprey tournament talon. catches fish everywhere all year

A worm(plastic). you would like to catch a fish?

spinner bait

You know when you really start thinking about it, it is amazing at how many presentations you could make with a worm or Senko!!
Drop shot, Texas Rig, Carolina Rig, Wacky Rig/weightless, Nail Head, Dart head, Shaky head, Split Shot, etc.
I think the 4" or 6" worm or Senko bait could be everything you would need!

George

Senko 5" p/j

I would need two baits: a jig and a deep crank. I want to cover water and learn about what is down there. A heavy jig with fluoro will allow you to feel the kind of bottom, and what cover exists. The crank will help you do the same.

My 1st time out I dont care about catching fish. I want to dial in the right areas so the next time I go I am productive. If the water is clear ill throw a swimmer to pull the fish outta their hiding areas.

If you are looking to catch fish the 1st time out on a new lake its hard to beat a senko.

I have to ask you BeefMaster....is that you in the pic?? if so...that hair is definately mastering beef i'd imagine! right on brother!

i would have to have a jig. a jig can be used to fish lots of other plastics, including senkos. jigs are not just for fishing a skirted jig.

bo

It's hard to choose one so I'll give my TWO....
To be honest, I'd have to say a drop shot or a lipless (Ima Rock n Vibe or LV 500).They both flat out catch fish anytime of the year at any place.

1) D-Shot: Put a big worm on it or a small worm. Fish it shallow or fish it deep.
2) Lipless: fish it deep or shallow. Burn it or Yo Yo it. Just can't beat a lipless.

These two presentations have the most versatility in my arsenal, no doubt.

In conditions presented sounds like Old Ugly Tube on a 1/8 oz darter head... maybe Green Pumpkin.

Kap

senko!

Jigs...

Would have to be a senko for me.

Lots of ways to fish em to cover any depth and type of cover.

Like em or not senkos catch big bass year round. Its by far not my favorite thing to fish as I would rather have a frog or swim bait bite going, but senkos get bit.

Rat-L-Trap.....

1/2 brown and Purple jig w/ a watermelon and red flake trailer that bait just flat our catches fish you can fish it on the bottom or swim it .

g-man wrote:Jigs...

Your Favorite Black and RED right G?

bass king wrote:I have to ask you BeefMaster....is that you in the pic?? if so...that hair is definately mastering beef i'd imagine! right on brother!

No thats not me. Im follically challenged, or headed that way. Its a funny pic I stole way back when.... still makes me laugh. glad you enjoyed it.

Rippa, I love ya like. a brother and I respect the hell out of you. I've got no secret weapon, I'm just a stubborn *** jig fisherman, who would rather feel that THUNK then that tic. I know a 4" worm will put em in the boat. I just learn more about the fishery through the transmissions of a jig. It has cost. Me fishless days but its what I prefer.

I think a Senko can be used in so many presentations that it would have to be the bait for me to use! You can fish it weightless, wacky, texas rigged, on a drop shop, split shot or dart head so I think it offers the most versatility of all baits.

George

With out a doubt, brown 1/2oz rubber jig with a 164 Yamamoto 5" single tailed trailer. Of course, depending on the body of water, temps, conditions and time of year, I might have to dip into my array of jig trailers to load the boat. That jig-n-grub is my first choice every time! Course. most of ya already knew that would e my answer, ain't changed since day 1 on this sight! HAR!

1/2oz brown rubber jig w/ a couple orange or red strands, and a #330 5" Yamamoto double tail grub trailer for the spot lakes (#180 single tail too - the Hemphill Special). 3/8oz brown rubber jig w/ arkey head, and various trailers depending on....(pork, beavers, brush hogs, grubs), for the Delta.

PB largemouth (Delta w/ Bassmeout), smallie (Scotts), and spot (today at Bullards; I'm still shakin' a bit) all came on these jigs!! Thanks to Larry Hemphill and Andy Cuccia for drilling the importance and value of the jig as a big fish tool into my melon - can't thank you guys enough. There's a ton of other baits to throw that work - if I can only choose one, I'm fishing the jig, year round, on any pond.

CG

Jig, chatterbait type lure, and maybe a jerk bait

Jigs one of the fastest ways to put a pattern together no matter what time of year your fishing

Easy question for me, regardless of time of year. SENKO There are so many ways to fish it, shallow to deep.

I remember the conversation Richard Dobyns had with Heidi from Yamamoto a couple of years ago. He was FLW AOY and had caught all of his fish on a Senko in 3 events and several on it the 4th event. These events were scattered through out the year...but Senko was still the main weapon almost all the time.

It's probably one of the dumbest looking baits of all time.....but one of the best of all time too. It always works!!

Pre spawn deep structure lake, what I always fish my hair jig with custom pork trailer....anywhere anytime!
Why fool around during pre spawn trying to catch a few keepers on worm or Senko's when the biggest bass in the lake are eating crawdads!
If I didn't know the seasonal period and numbers the lowly plastic worm gets the nod.
Tom

Oldschool wrote:Pre spawn deep structure lake, what I always fish my hair jig with custom pork trailer....anywhere anytime!
Why fool around during pre spawn trying to catch a few keepers on worm or Senko's when the biggest bass in the lake are eating crawdads!
If I didn't know the seasonal period and numbers the lowly plastic worm gets the nod.
Tom

exactly!! plus just about any other soft plastic can be fished on a jig.

bo

Cooch wrote:With out a doubt, brown 1/2oz rubber jig with a 164 Yamamoto 5" single tailed trailer. Of course, depending on the body of water, temps, conditions and time of year, I might have to dip into my array of jig trailers to load the boat. That jig-n-grub is my first choice every time! Course. most of ya already knew that would e my answer, ain't changed since day 1 on this sight! HAR!

From a Google search on images-164 Yamamoto (since I've not memorized the numbers like the pros). Ash's response from 2010 came up with the combo- how cool was that? (Answering 'what three baits are must haves). Cooch mentioned his three, you know the first one mentioned was?
http://www.westernbass.com/forum/viewto ... =2&t=61619

Cooch, while looking for your second favorite lure mentioned, your pic came up with some awesome peacock bass, didn't know you went down there, very cool.