primetime

I like fishing the 4" and 6" on shaky head and often on a split shot rig. I do throw them weightless shallow, but a split shot or light bullet weight pegged 18" up seems to work really well and you can cover more water that way...At least I feel you can.....They do work really good on a shaky head which makes sense, lots of tail action. I would imagine a 4" culprit or Zoom G tail even 6" would be killer Ned rig bait. I don't just use elaztach, those Jigheads make any bait stand up, I seem to do well with any smaller bait as well. I think the key to ribbon tails on lighter line, split shot, mojo rig etc...is straight shank worm hook as mentioned above. I feel the worm needs to be straight, with culprits they have a flat bottom like a hand pour and they kind of glide slowly to the bottom so most strikes come on the fall like with a senko.. Hope that helps. I rarely go over a 3/0 hook unless fishing a 10" unless I want a heavier hook for weight. Usually just use an Owner straight shank worm hook or BPS worm hook light wire with lighter line 8-10lb test. If stained water I will just throw them on straight braid, but weightless works awesome if casting toward targets. I would fish them the way you have the most confidence if you like a sliding bullet weight for other baits, that will work just as good. I just love a light carolina rig/Split shot rig cause I feel I can feel the bottom better and stay in strike zone longer....Just me.

I actually just saw them at BPS while scoping out the inventory for the spring sale..They had them on the shelves....Guess I need to buy a bunch of packs in case their is a spark shad shortage in the near future....Never know.. Thanks I love the way it looks. I have a feeling it will be perfect for fishing slow and work well when everyone else is power fishing big paddletails.

I have a couple gift cards I need to use, and figured I would try some new tackle. I have been checking out the Spark Shad and for some reason I feel like it would be a dynamite finesse swimbait for light c-rigs, light weighted hooks, and split shot rigs in shallow water. I am wondering if I want to buy a few packs because they are Megabass, and price is in my range. I typically do not buy Megabass lures since I wouldn't use the hardbaits for what they cost with all the other brands in storage. However, I realize they make quality tackle, If I was a skilled Suspending Jerkbait angler, I am sure I would appreciate the 110 for $25, but thats not my style of fishing. I saw the 4" at BPS and figured it would be a good soft plastic to add, that darkstar swimmer is another, but I feel like the Spark shad could be a productive bait fish do not see often, kind of like the Big Hammer Swimbaits which work awesome but you rarely see them. Anyone using these regularly? Thanks.

Swim Senko...Gambler Big EZ either on a swim jig, punch skirt in front, or just a light bullet weight, or my new favorite is the Megabass Spark shad on an Owner weighted hook......Then pitching a soft bait either a big straight tailed worm, Fat max, or beaver/speed craw style bait... Then if I just need some strikes I break out a really light carolina rig and start chucking a Rage menace or Finesse worm, or will throw a floating Rapala or long a over submerged weeds. Its hard to not get bit on a floating rapala especially if you can get away with 8-10lb test mono, or if stained, 20lb braid and some days that is all I need. Long A gets bigger fish, but the Rapala gets alot more attention. Thats kind of my arsenal...I tend to swim a rage craw or speed craw on top instead of a toad, this way I can make a long pitch and swim it back to the boat or spin around and just cover water. I get bored pitching even though that is usually how the bigger fish are caught. I enjoy it when with someone who is much better than me at finding fish, this way I know that I am in the right area... I also feel that bass get pounded over and over with the same 1.5 oz weights and BB crickets all day long, usually the best spots get pounded, but sometimes you can get lucky and get an offshore spot or submerged vegetation to yourself.

I tend to fish ribbon tail worms throughout the year more than just about any other plastic worm with the swim senko being a close second...Tons of good worms and colors, but I have been using Culprit ribbon tails for 30 years and they still catch fish as good as any other worm I carry. I used to use a Power worm for a while, but last few years have gone back to the culprit in 6", 7.5" and 10" but also love the fat max since it is designed for pitching and is really thick, holds a big hook, and the colors Culprit have seem to shine in stained water more than other brands imo. In florida, pretty much everyone throws Black and blue and Junebug in stained water, some guys go watermelon Red, or green pumpkin red, Okee craw etc...But I love a Red shad Culprit, Grape, Tequila Shad, and the best color they make for spring imo is the black/copper color they have....I believe someone won a bassmaster classic about 10 years ago on a tomato colored 6" culprit when it was sunny out, the colors are really vibrant compared to other brands...They are still on every shelf at Walmart, Dicks etc. for a reason and they never market. The tail is different also. As you can tell, the culprit is my confidence worm, but I also like the Strike King Ribbon tails like the 12" Anaconda since it puts off alot of vibration, and then the 8" ringed body worm is also really good. Zoom has several good ones, Charlies makes a buoyant worm in Motor Oil that sometimes works really well. The Fat max in 7" is actually a bigger worm than a 10" cause of its weight and thickness, the 9" is really big, but its a great worm, the tails do not get stuck in weeds as bad as others. You really can't fish them wrong...Shaky head, C-Rig, Texas rig, swim over weeds instead of a frog.....I will say, I do not like the bass pro version, the tails are thin and consistency is never good from my experiences. Not sure why people stopped fishing a purple worm? Grape is killer to this day, so is solid black.

My favorite Finesse Swim jig for light line, spinning tackle is easy...Strike King Bitsy bug, not the bitsy flip, weed guard to stiff, but take a 1/8-3/16 bitsy bug in green or brown, brown orange and if cold....Put a small Zoom critter craw on back, if warming up, the little bass pro tournament finesse craws work fantastic. I just chuck and wind, hop it, sometimes wake it with a double tail grub or small 3" grub. You hook more fish with the bitsy bug than with most swim jigs and casting jigs if using light line since the hook is thin, weedguard collapses easy so you hook fish, and it just flat out gets bites which keeps you focused. Best $2.29 you can spend at dicks. Grab a pack of 3" power grubs if they don't have any small craws, or double tails etc....You can always just take a piece of a curly tail worm, speed worm, ribbon tail etc....sometimes a wacky rigged 3" senko on a light jig is pretty good.....even on a heavy jig..... I would go swim jig over spinnerbait....You can fish it more ways, and if water is clear it is money, if stained, go with a paddle tail or maybe small menace or devil spear type trailer to give it more action. If nothing else is working...Just tie on a Floating Rapala and fish it over the weeds. Hard to beat a Rapala period, especially on spinning gear. You only need a few inches of water over the weeds and it produces big fish. Keep it simple and fish the way you always do and what you enjoy and have confidence in. If you like to throw spinnerbaits, then do what you do....A jig is good since it can cover all water columns, and a bait like the rapala is a topwater/ wake bait, and can also dive a few feet if needed. For ponds, I would think those are the 2 best baits next to a plastic worm or fluke.

I use alot of the same stuff all year long....For Pre-Spawn, if I can get a topwater bite...I say you cant beat a prop bait, let it sit, barely move the blades, and bass will crush it any time of year...Torpedo, XRAP Prop etc... I probably use a lipless crank to cover water more times than not, then pitch soft plastics. A senko will work all year any time any way.... I change colors in pre spawn, like some orange and reds, so with a spinnerbait I use orange skirts, chartruese, Red traps, but then again, key is finding where the fish are located, if they are moving up, moved back out to isolated structure, find the big females and you can have a good day. A Jig will always get the job done. If only one lure, hard to beat a Jig imo. If they are moving up shallow, never hurts to throw the original Rapala as either a topwater or jerkbait, doesn't have to be suspending. If Deep, then I would go with what you have confidence in. If not comfortable throwing a deep diving crankbait, then nothing wrong with a carolina rig, Jighead and swimbait, or Jigging a trap. Just try and find the fish that are active and have a good mix of females moving up, not just males that may be in the shallows. Good news, if you can find males shallow fanning beds etc....Then the females are not far away. Find first breakline or weeds offshore is a good place to start. Pitch a plastic worm or any soft bait you like and go from there. If you find em, you will catch em.

Chuck, skip, cast a plastic worm under bushes, close to any structure and breaklines, and try to cover water...To keep it simple...You can never go wrong fishing a Paddle tail swimbait, Fluke, Senko weightless, pegged, wacky, and basically any soft plastic will produce and keep you from getting snagged fishing structure. Skipping a tube is often a good bet since most guys forget about tubes, give fish a different look. Another good option is a Speed worm for topwater or really fish it any way, have a finesse worm, then a bait like the Rage Menace, Structure bug with a weighted hook is a good option, skip it under bushes etc..Hop it and swim it and it will get bit. I actually prefer Split shot rigging or light carolina rigging plastics as often as possible. If weeds then peg the weight, but you can simply put a weight sliding free, but something about a split shot rig and a 6" Ribbon tail worm or small fluke that just flat out works. All you need is 1/8 weight, bead, or a split shot which can double as a weighted hook if needed. Just crimp a small shot on the hook shank of a texas rig. I think you will have most fun not getting snagged and throwing weedless plastics...weightless if possible since they are easiest to fish imo....But if not, just crimp on a split shot and fish. You will catch them if you put the bait in the right place. Good luck. I would also suggest a tiny torpedo or some type of prop bait for topwater this time of year if I was to pick one. You can reel it to cover water, or fish it really slow in good looking areas. They produce quality fish and lots of guys forget about them for some reason....

I agree with just about everyone, the Red Eye Shad is a perfect lipless crank for letting it fall, or worming it etc. I also catch fish with the Rattle trap and Spots letting them fall and flutter on slack line, but based on what looks better on video camera, I agree that the RES is hard to beat. I was surprised nobody mentioned the Spro Aruku Shad which is only $7.99 and is weighted in front so it stands upright on the bottom. I use 1/2 ounce for just about everything, but some days a 1/4 oz will work better. If you want to invest a few extra dollars, I would have a one knocker & silent version of any lipless crank to switch it up and get a few extra fish. Every company makes a one knocker now, but the Xcalibur XR50 now the Booyah Hard knocker is a great lure for the action on the fall as well. Others that are good & have had success with..Yozuri Vibe, Jackall TN (Expensive but works great), and the Ima Rockin Vibe...Tackle Warehouse had them on clearance a few years ago at $4. The profile, action is fantastic and they flat out catch fish. Some of the more expensive lures are worth it at times. I would never not have a Live Target Golden shiner lipless crank, and I am not a live Target fan....But when it works, it really works. This is a great article which gets into detail...Obviously no need to overcomplicate it, but the different sounds kind of matter at times, sizes...http://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/lipless-crankbait-breakthroughs/154613 Hope that helps. Lipless Cranks are one of the best ways to catch fish any time of year on any lake imo.

As Someone who loves buying lures and trying just about everything that comes out, I have boxes of topwater's, but since I now Kayak fish and have less space, I narrowed down my entire topwater box to the following: I am surprised nobody has mentioned Prop baits especially for the spring and spawn time/Post spawn when Bluegills spawn. I catch more Fish every year throwing a Heddon Tiny Torpedo than on any other topwater lure. I like the smaller one since it has saltwater hooks and can handle heavy tackle if needed. Most people will tell you to fish a prop bait super slow, and of course that works, but I often am surprised how many fish will strike a Torpedo (standard size is good as well) reeled like a buzzbait, only it floats. You can walk it etc....I only carry the following and I love topwater 1- Tiny Torpedo, Torpedo, Devils Horse/Rapala X Rap Prop cast better, and the Bagley's Bang O lure with rear prop. 2- Several Zara Spooks in mostly the middle super spook size, I like a one knocker, and the bigger ones I have are silent. 3- Rapala Skitter Walk is a good walking bait, and so is the Rebel T-10 Jumping minnow for a smaller profile but casts well. 4- As mentioned, the Chug Bug is a great lure since you can walk it, pop it etc....I also carry a Sammy & the Strike King Walking bait since the face is different for more commotion. The Gunfish style walking baits are awesome as well. 5- Lastly....The Rebel Popper is about the only popper I throw, change the front hook to a Triple Grip, leave the dressed treble or put a new dressed hook on back, but pound for pound, hard to beat the $5 Rebel. Just about any popper will work. 6- I only carry a few frogs....White and black, Booyah and Live Target walking frogs, Strike King for the Rattle, and the Spro popping frog...I also like some of the smaller Frogs becoming popular in the Bully Wa 55 or Live target 45 size. 7- For toads, I just use either a Horny Toad or Stanley Ribbit. 8- As someone mentioned, don't forget the floating Minnow baits, the Rapala Floating Minnow and Jointed minnow flat out catch fish as a topwater or wake bait, same with Bomber Long A, or Rattling Rogue for stained water. I used to have a box just full of walking baits and poppers etc...Now I can get by no problem with a dozen in total. Was tough to do since they all essentially catch fish..

I love nothing more than catching fish on spook. One of the all time best lures proven time and time again....Plenty of other good brands, but If you want a gun fish type action, they have the chuggin spook, One knocker, the old ones are silent but you have to add split rings, if you can find them on Ebay they are worth the money, especially the Signature series they used to have signed, not sure why, but they seem to glide better. I forgot one color and for schooling bass, one of the best ways to catch them is a clear spook, either the puppy or the normal super spook size 4". Some guys add a red hook to the front, I usually add dressing with a few strands of red to the back, I find I get more strikes on the pause or after it first lands with a nice dressed treble for contrasting color or highlighting a lure to match baitfish. Shiners in Florida have a deep orange red on the tips of fins, so I like to add that color on the rear treble and just swap them out if I want to change them. You can also change the action of any walking bait by adjusting the weight. Lots of articles on how to make them glide, Create more splash before they get up on plane etc...

Zoom Critter Craw, Rage Menace, Curly tail grub, finesse worm or half a worm with a paddle tail or cut tail etc...I am recently in love with the Big hammer style shad tails, which have a good kick like a GYB Swim Senko. I have a tray of baits that I purchased in bulk because they looked awesome years ago. Turns out they are the best selling swimbaits in Europe for Zander which is like a walleye. They have a super soft plastic, segments like the lake fork magic shad which tapers kind of fast from fat to thin with a t style tail like a big hammer only a bit thinner like a swim senko but long. Kropto Relax swim shads made in Europe and imported to the USA. I believe a guy on Ebay still sells them, it is a better version than any other shad style swimbait imo, the 4" is smaller like a big hammer since they measure the length of the tail into the overall size, the 2.5" are a good bit smaller than a 3" sassy shad, the 4" is perfect on a jig or jighead. Hard to texas rig them, need an open hook but the bait is a killer for any type of fishing. It looks amazing as a trailer and their is no other bait I am aware of sold in America that is similar. Never felt that plastic on any other soft bait, not hand poured, feels spongy, if you see them buy them since they are not that expensive. http://fishinglifestyle.net/2012/02/relax-kopyto-a-legendary-soft-bait-review/

I kind of collect zara spooks because I like to collect certain lures, but when it comes to fishing them I generally only use a few colors but any of them will work. I use the solid bone color the most during bright days, the silver black shoreline minnow color, the black with white pattern on it like the river 2 sea plopper, but in stained water during the summer I have had days where a solid chartruese spook will catch fish after fish. Usually when the bluegill spawn, Chartruese spooks are thrown by alot of guys, I also really like the white/chart and black/chart patterns. For saltwater, I only use the red head white body. I think that is standard down here. Usually the theory is baitfish have lighter bellies than top colors, so I use top colors for me to see, White or natural colors on bottom, something with flash, then something with chart or yellow/orange on bottom is all you really need. Black is also a color that is standard with topwater's, overall..White bottom, something with some flash, something to mimic bluegill with orange or chart on belly (You can use a chart dye to tint the belly or sides,). Then you have to have a black one just because some days black works for topwater & evening. If you are fishing alot of lakes with wild shiners than it makes sense that a bigger spook with green and gold/ or silver gold would be a good idea, but if I had to pick one color it would be that silver/black pictured above since it will work in any conditions. Never bad to just go natural and add some dye if you want which you can always get off with some sandpaper.

1/4 oz arkie style jig with my baitcaster only half full of line "Just learned this trick and it really helps avoid line problems".

I would love to try this bait, but I hate lugging around a 50lb back pack stuffed with plastics just to fish a puddle. I saw this worm at Dick's and really struggled not to buy it, I am sure it works, but at the end of the day, it is just another worm. I am sure it works like most worms. Missle makes good stuff.

Sluggo or Fluke, but usually start with a zara spook to see if they want topwater. I actually go at night after work and even though it is November and not considered the season for night fishing, I actually have been doing well, and they hit topwater as long as we don't have cold fronts, if it gets warm out, I usually just throw a senko cause stick worms catch fish as good as advertised. "Hope I didn't give the stick worm secret away". You can fish a senko/swim Senko anywhere anytime and catch as many fish you would with any other technique in my opinion. Sometimes the Senko is my fluke, or spinnerbait if I add some flash.

In my mind, You should have one of each, same with any lipless crankbait, I always mix a one knocker or the 2 tap when fishing the Red Eye shad & lately I think I catch better fish in the 2 Tap. I have only been fishing it for a few months, but I prefer it over the other one knockers I own. I throw Traps at offshore weeds all year long, the Original Red eye shad is maybe the best lipless bait on the fall, but the 2 tap will usually get me extra fish if I go through an area with an identical loud version & then start throwing the 2 tap. I would say they are both equal, but I think I like the 2 tap better than other one knockers even the silent traps because it sounds unique, Bass see thousands of lipless cranks and everyone fishes the same ones for the most part. The different sound with Strike Kings colors seem to pull a few fish that wouldn't touch the standard and sometimes the other way around. I have been messing around with different models, sounds, sizes for years to try and figure out why some guys pay $15 for certain baits, and I noticed a few years ago that often the baits with a deeper rattling or sound produce better. For example, I love the Yo-zuri Vibe which has a high pitch, and usually I catch good numbers when I throw it, but I never catch bigger fish (Could just be me) but if I switch up to a different sound same color, size etc..I find more often than not I will find a few bigger fish in same area. When fishing a trap on calm quiet days, I believe the one knocker's and deeper sounding not as much of a ruckus produces for me much more often. I love both baits, But I plan on buying some more 2 taps since the flat out work, plus for the price, and stock hooks, hard to beat the price...I would buy one, you won't regret it, I also like to always have a smaller trap and larger trap to fish the same used water. Hope that helps. For stained water I absolutely love that sexy gold color, in both versions, the Neon Bluegill for stained or deeper water also seems to be one of my confidence colors. But siver blue or anything white will always work in any lake.

The best spinning reels are the ones that are fully sealed, have best quality bearings etc. You get what you pay for, I buy some $30 reels knowing they will not last long, but too get a Spinning reel that will last, I find it has to be sealed, the Patriarch by Pflueger is in the same game as the stradic. I think every brand makes reels that are top quality but everyone mentions Daiwa and Shimano because they seem to have been making the best stuff for the longest time. It is hard to beat the Price and quality of a $100 Daiwa or Shimano. The president is a great reel, if you only fish on weekends etc. It is plenty good if you take care of it, but since you are using lighter line, I spend more on spinning reels than casting because I want a reel I know has a great drag and won't stick at a bad time. If you buy an Okuma Helios, Stradic or even a $100 Shimano, Any Daiwa like a BG, Procyon and up you are buying a good reel. The Pflueger Extreme to Patriarch are also really good, I assume the Revo line & Quantum PT reels are also good. The Daiwa BG has been around forever for a reason. For the price, Hard to beat the BG, only need the 2500 for freshwater as well.

The brand or price of a lure rarely makes much of a difference imo. However, if expensive lures or brands gives me confidence than to me it is worth paying the extra money. I find that the Rebel Pop'r or Zara spook work plenty well for me. If I need a one knocking sound, they have one, I have purchased some expensive walkers to see if they work better, and at the end of the day, they walk just like a zara spook, only difference to me is pretty finish and better hooks maybe. I pay for Swim Senko's and hate paying almost a $1 for a worm that may be destroyed after one strike, but I don't have confidence in the other brands. I feel like tackle prices has gone down, you can buy a red eye shad or strike king square bill on sale for $3-4 bucks, not sure any other brand of crankbait is actually "Better". Every brand makes lures that have the different actions you need for the most part. I have a box full of Poppers, some are eye candy that all my buddies reach for right away, but I still have more confidence in the Rebel because I know it works. It's more the presentation than brand imo. You don't need the most expensive stuff, but it is fun buying lures. At the end of a year, I find I only use 20% of what I bring. Problem is companies and magazines are always pushing all these new brands etc...Just finding a few crankbaits is confusing if you look at TW but lures are sold to catch fisherman, not fish. Just buy the lures guys used 20 years ago still in production, they are also the least expensive. The weights at tournaments were the same 20 years ago, line and terminal tackle matters most to me, I have purchased expensive line I hated, cheap lines I loved, everything in fishing is subjective. There is no "Best Lure" or Brand, only your opinion matters.

I like to trim the skirt instead of completely removing it, but I don't think their is a right or wrong answer, simply experiment to see what you like best, not having a skirt changes the action and may be what the fish want. I think most people use the same trailers, One thing I have had luck with over the years is a craw trailer without much action like a Critter craw or a Salt craw. I have no idea why this works as it looks strange in the water, but some days a trailer with less action just really works. The Menace, Paddle tail swimbait, or even a straight tail worm can work really good. I think the trailer matters more than the chatterbait from my experiences. A paddle tail gives off a completely different action than a fluke or craw.

I try to force myself to stay in 1 spot where the fish will keep replenishing, and fish something similar to what they are likely feeding on. Sometimes Roaming bass in shallows are hard to catch, so sometimes I will alternate a slow soft bait with a fast moving rattle trap. If fish are in a cove and roaming right now, food is not always what is on their mind, sometimes casting over and over in the same spot is necessary cause if you keep moving to chase each one you see, you drive yourself crazy. I really try to stay in one area and just have 2-3 different presentaions ready-Baitfish, Craw, Reaction strike bait maybe loud or big. If its sunny I downsize my line and make sure I stay far back as possible. I find that if I can see them, I rarely catch them, or it takes too much time.

Any worm in Green Pumpkin, Watermelon, black base will catch fish under right conditions. Of course I add in a purple color because Bass Like Purple, and only 2 other colors I carry are Motor Oil for clear water, and Red Shad because I have always loved that color and it does not get much usage from other people anymore at least from what I notice. I used to go crazy with colors, but if a Fish will not hit a green pumpkin, or black and blue, Junebug worm, I am not sure they are going to hit any color. Adding some chart dye to a tail can help, I like red or purple flake in all worms, and of course watermelon red. Only color I use often that is not a main stay is a GP Gold flake.

I am by no way an expert at drop shotting, but I know it is something you have to learn to catch fish on days when it is tough. I usually try to split shot worms first, but after learning not to move the rod if at all, I was able to reduce line twist which was the main reason I hated this set up. I still use the VMC drop shot hooks with a swivel, I like how fast you can change out hooks and leader, plus I find I can cast them along weed edges etc. and reel them in quicker if needed and line twist is not as much as a problem. I used to use those hooks Damiki makes with the lever on the back which makes putting the line back through the hook easier when tying knots, but I now only fish hooks with a swivel on them and I find they catch fish as well as the other hooks guys use. I know using swivels is considered "Amateur" but I will take 2 less fish a day and not deal with line twisting and I am not sure the swivel causes any less strikes. They seem to work just fine, besides, I find the dropshot to be torture to fish. Sure it works great, but d**n is it boring to use when you are not catching them as quick as you would like. I still try to fish a buoyant worm or add a floating worm weight with a split shot as much as possible since it allows me to keep the bait off of bottom and fish it faster, use baits you want to have more action etc..... If Conditions call for a drop shot, I find I often can get away with my favorite finesse technique by simply using a 4" Curly Tail Roboworm, GYB 4" curly tail, or any buoyant small finesse worm with a Mojo style rig but with a split shot. Bett's makes a floating worm weight which I love. I can also get away with a 1/0 Owner centering pin worm hook and keep it 100% weedless.

I have been fishing like ever since Moving to Florida. I used to try a new technique, take maybe 7-8 casts and then put it down. After fishing a few tournaments I realized that the only guys winning for the most part were the guys who would stick with a plan, and being in Florida, If you can't Pitch & Punch, Understand weeds and bottom composition, or effectively fish a trap in grass, and especially learn to fish the open water out in deepest parts, it was hard to compete or always have a chance. I spent an entire year doing nothing but Pitching heavy weights to learn how to catch better quality fish, I am still improving but after doing that for almost a full year, I noticed that my confidence went way up when trying to figure out other techniques. Being well rounded is not only important but also makes fishing more fun. I love nothing more than learning how to fish deeper water and struggling on every trip, then all of a sudden you catch a few fish and a light bulb goes off and then you realize what you have been doing wrong. It still pays to always have a go to technique to catch fish, but even a bait as "simple" as a spinnerbait is a technique you can always improve with, same with any technique. I stopped worrying about colors and brands and not changing lures all the time and that helps. Good Job, If you look at the best guys, they all have 1 technique they are known for, but most of them can pick up a drop shot or a Jerkbait etc. and still catch fish if necessary. Right now I am trying to learn the Neko Rig, and even though it looks easy, I have not figured it out yet, so its been a bait and rig I try all the time & force myself to stick it out instead of grabbing another worm. I like to first practice in ponds or places I know have fish in front of me to learn, this way you know if you start catching them it is most likely not luck. The guys down here you have been doing well seem to be fishing this Damiki Stinger worm on a Neko rig, you would think it is simple, but I think figuring out the right weight, line, & speed is harder than just letting a wacky rig sink on slack line.