primetime

I always carry a bag of the big paddle tail 10" grape Producto worms since they are buoyant and have a different action than any other worms...They also make a really good bait called the Buzz Shad. It is a swimbait/Fluke Hybrid with a burner or Ultra Vibe spped worm tail that floats on the pause....They are inexpensive and hold up well. They also come through cover as well as any other worm and something about that grape translucent color makes them work really well on certain days...I see the 12 Fathom baits around but have not tried them yet, I won't be doing much Saltwater for a while....

I am actually the opposite, I like to fish the larger paddle tails alone or sometimes I put a willow blade on the shank of the hook...I tend to fish swimbaits with a boot tail in grass much like you would fish a toad. I buzz it on top, wake it, but usually a mix of both works best..Often if you work it in spurts to get a buzz going for a few feet, kill it, let it sink, then start working it slowly up to the surface or keep experimenting until you get bit...Some days they won't come to the surface to hit a bait, some days they want it just out of view like a spinnerbait or swim JIg, and if fishing around grass, the key is the weight...More weight creates more thump, but you also have to reel faster obviously to keep it high in the water column...The most weedless way to fish them and I have used the LF Magic shad boot tails and I remember they needed a larger hook than most baits, I think I needed a 6/0 Weighted EWG swimbait hook like the Owner Beast locks..I find 1/8 is usually plenty of weight, but i prefer to put a bullet weight in front since it comes through grass nicely and if you slip a bobber stop in front of the weight for some reason it helps keep junk off the bait. You can change the action of the bait by using pinch weights on a large EWG hook, if you place it toward the back you get a different action than the front and some days they want a bait that is not too aggressive. I would start out with a 6/0 maybe 7/0 hook on same rod you throw Chatterbaits/Swim Jigs on, and often you don't need weight if you want to get a super slow fall and keep it on top of weeds after killing it. They used to sell the Magic Shads rigged in a pack of one bait and they came with a ballhead exposed jighead that i believe was 1/16 or 1/8, much smaller shank than you would expect and I always try to use an exposed hook if possible but in Florida I rarely get that chance but the hook acts like a keel...J WIll Jig Heads, or just pick the jighead that you use on your favorite swim jig, I also add a skirt for flare and contrast in stained water to swimbaits on hooks, sometimes you get bigger bites but really it is a pretty simple technique that works really well. It's Kind of like Punching...Some days a punch skirt just won't get bit, but a straight plastic will and vise versa...I prefer a weighted swimbait alone more than on a swim jig..I prefer craw and grub trailers on swim jigs and the Lake Fork Minnow is a big soft bait, but it puts off a ton of thump...Hope that helps. That is a great bait, I need to use it more but I usually just grab a boot tailed swimbait based on size and color and so far this year I am on the smaller baits but LFT is good stuff....Good luck. I a sure other's have some tricks....

I didn't know that, That is a great looking bait...Thanks for posting that picture...I wonder what happened to the bait company, I guess they probably were swallowed up by larger companies but it is no doubt a Craw Bug and I love that color you posted. I feel bad for small companies who design a bait and then have it copied, but it seems as if that is the norm these days. I would buy some but I have way too many plastics as it is, but anyone looking for a good craw bait I would by those for sure, That style craw is my favorite clear water split shot craw bait to use, but it is deadly no matter how you fish them....Bass Seem to love them if you let them soak, the hollow inside cavity allows you to insert a rattle or scent, extra weight, but it also provides buoyancy so they are great baits.. Thanks again for the info....Did not know that.... I would agree that "realistic" is tough to define in terms of fishing...Is it shape, color, action, speed....I find almost any craw soft bait will work, the one's you mention are all really good, I tend to use the Chigger Craw as I have always loved Power bait but the Larew Craw worms slip through cover really well, and the Paca craws have great legs for action...So many on the market that are great, black and blue Zoom Critter craw in both sizes is a great trailer and stand along bait especially when you want muted action.. I still have a bunch of the old salt craws that I have not used in a while, I picked up some flat bottom flipping craws when I had a BPS gift card that I really like, but the salt craw is nice because it is thin....Good call.

Banjo minnow..First segmented swimbait ever created and first to be Nose Hooked...They worked great, because they are a soft jointed swimbait and if they were never on TV, they would be a top seller today on TW if under zoom etc...they still are a top selling fishing item especially the kit overall in the world on Wordwide tackle websites....They fixed up the funky colors, I would fish them If I saw them on the shelf somewhere, they were legit, there would be no Lake Fork Magic swimmer etc. if not for the Banjo Minnow...

I use weighted Mustad EWG hooks at times, but any of the tube hooks in the right size shoud work well...Sometimes using a toothpick or piece of heavy line to keep hook in place helps...Trokars are probably the sharpest, but I buy what is on sale and I like using a 5/0 for most tubes I flip...But I swim many on the Mustad EWG with a weight, any swimbait hook should work if right size to match the tube.

I love fishing the Lobster on top as well...It kicks up water and so do the Zoom Speed craws, Gambler Burner craws...Lots of companies have copied that design but the Zoom Super Speed craw comes in some cool colors and is almost the same action as the rage craws...I always swim the back if pitching, and often they get bit on the way back, or if you kill it it looks better on the drop then the frog or toad.... They also cast a mile.

Z Man baits and Elaztach is slowly gaining more and more market share....One Zinker lasts all day, 5 lasts weeks.

Keitechs are even more fragile, but that is why they are so good...Kalins are the most solid and durable imo.....Texture is different on all batches but I can get twice the fish on a Kalin's, but the 4.8 is much bigger than the speed shad and is fatter..For the price the speed shad is hard to beat....They all get torn up since Fish hit them so hard.

BPS....Gitzit...Strike King, Zoom, all depends on what kind of tube..The Power Team Food chain Tubes are my favorite for a weighted hook...has craw style legs, buoyant, and you get solid hooksets, skips well...Good tube... Gitzit is king imo for swimming or baitfish imitations, but BPS has a tube for all situations, the zoom tube is a good finesse tube... For a 2" tube..Buy whatever color you like...Strike King Bitsy tubes are great, BPS has a magnum crappie humbug tube with rings that is 1.75 but fat...Works great on a Road runner jighead..... All tubes work, just trim the ends like a skirt if they stick together..The new ZMan tubes are probably the best value since 1 would probably last all day, a pack all year....and they float. Power team is 3.5, the larger tubes are really big, large flipping tubes but by what is on sale...All are good, but FInesse tubes are finesse, flipping are flipping, double dipped are bigger....I would buy what is on sale in the color and shape you like best... Never forget the IKa by GYB....Casts better than any tube since it isn't hollow.

Producto makes a great 10", 12" straight tail worm with a paddle tail...The Yum 10" mighty worm is great, if you don't like the tails getting wrapped, The Culprit Fat Max comes in a few sizes that are designed for flipping weeds and the tails do not get twisted, GYB makes a great curly tail finesse worm that is 8-10" long... I use the Producto worms which come in a huge bag for like $5...They are an OEM that makes awesome baits, we see many of their baits under other labels, but Producto sells on their site and DIcks used to carry them, but I love their bigger worms...Mizmo Scorpion worms are cheap as well on Hagens Fish *, that worm looks great and while there grab some brand name treble hook, worm hooks, jigheads half the price as Barlows or any other place online, some pricing is better than Wholesale from Maurice etc....

Yum Crawbug....Savage Floating Craws on a stand up head look as real as they come...Big but real looking..The crawbug from yum for the price is as good as they get imo, also Lindy makes a small craw that looks really good....Super Realistic and great trailers for the bitsy bug flip jigs strike King makes or on a split shot rig...Lindy craws...Forget the exact name, but Yum is way to go with price...Good colors, Savage is super realistic but expensive, for a craw, if a bass is looking that long, it probably is over anyway...That is why 1.5 ounce flipping weights in clear water are so popular...Don't want fish to get a good look...in water without sunlight, which is most water we fish, they can't tell a yum from a Huddle bug from a Craw tube...

I fish them all the time...Mostly the 3.8 and 4.8....They work just fine for me, I have some Keitechs, Kalins Sizmic shad, Kicker fish, Bass Assassin and at the end of the day, they all work fine...The Keitechs are probably the best due to texture and unique scent if you like to fish them really slow and let them soak, but if casting and reeling, on a swim jig, under spin, weighted Swimbait hook...I like the Speed shad just fine. I like to fish fast, as fast as possible, and for me, I rarely let a Swimbait sit on the bottom for more than a second or two, but for the price, I would say Speed shad all day over Kalins, and they are identical to a few other brands, or were, I have not purchased them in a while after I picked up a bunch which will probably last forever....I like the speed shad since it is thinner and comes through weeds better and can take a smaller hook than the Kalin's Sizmic and Fat Impacts...Megastrike makes a squid scent now, so you can add that and have a Keitech if you don't have a place to buy the locally...BPS added some new sizes this year, I just saw the new culprit swimbait and if I needed more soft baits I would love to buy a pack but they are expensive but look different than anything else on the market..Culprit is killing it again, they slowed down for a while but they are making some great baits..That new swimbait looks Dynamite...

The Lunker City Sluggo SS is a great worm....I actually fish it more like a regular Sluggo over weeds, they are long and thing but have a nice action more like a fluke than a Worm, which makes sense since it is a "Super Slim Sluggo". If I am in clear water I almost always go with a watermelon seed SS Worm on a 1/8 or 1/16 OZ. Weighted worm hook, as I work them fast like a fluke, then kill them at weedlines or after letting it pop the surface like a fluke.... Sometimes using a different worm from a company that doesn't get alot of press is a good idea..I still fish Sluggo's more than I do Flukes, (Although I love the SK Caffiene Shad, full of salt and Falls so nicely). I still have a bunch of bags of the Exude 4" Mister Twister Slimy Slugs which were 4" Sluggo's, and they made a firetiger color which works awesome in the Spring or anytime panfish are on the menu...I like to rig the SS Sluggo and the 4" Sluggo on a light Darter Style Jighead and cast it to ledges and weedlines, if it gets to the bottom, I start doing a walk the dog and pause with rod pointed at the water, if it snags on something, popping it off often gets a strike...I like shorter baits this time of year, so if I was going to pick one worm to throw weightless since you have weeds in most good places, I would think a 4" Stick worm is hard to beat, or a Charlie Brewer Slider Worm on a Slider 1/16 Jighead snagless...It glides, will lay on muck, and have strong 2/0 hooks so you can put a 6" Ribbon tail, Zoom 4" Curly Tail, or..... When in Doubt, and you want to fish a moving bait and get bit....Hard to beat a 3-5" Grub...Kalins, GYB, or any brand and all you really need is a Smoke Silver flake, Smoke Gold Flake, and for clear water a Watermelon or GP...swim em nose rigged behind a split shot, darter head if suspended and you want to work it up and down, ball head to swim, but a good investment is some Slider Spider Heads which are weedless texas rigs that rig up easy....I love those things, get the wide gap for bigger baits, 1/4 ounce is heavy if you fish soft bottoms, I rarely fish deeper than 12' so 1/8-1/16, 3/16 are my favorites...Just do some research since some hooks are thin, some strong, and if you don't want to worry, just get the Pro Snagless and Pro Spider....Slider System is the Ned Rig of the 80's. Still works.

I am not picky when it comes to finesse worms...I usually use a zoom trick worm in 6" or 4" in Junebug, Motor Oil Red with gold flake, or Black and blue flake with chart tail for stained water. I use watermelon and Baby Bass in clear water most of the time or salt and pepper if shad are in the lake or pond.... If you want a finesse worm that floats the Z Man finesse worms are awesome, not stiff like most floaters, and they make a nice purple color for stained water and green pumpkin works anywhere usually. Some of my other favorite finesse worms are a 4" or 6" Curly tail worm-BPS Squirmin worm I stick to 5-6 colors total, also like a 4" Ring Worm, KVD Dream shot, but the Pro Senko is really good, or the BPS cut tail magnum worms in 6" black and blue...Sometimes just that little tail makes a difference but all finesse worms work good imo...I have a bunch that I am not sure what brand they are, I have done really well with that big bite Squirrel tail worm when they were on sale, for some reason fish hammered them....BPS makes a nice clone now. I plan on getting more, that was a good worm and I went through 2 packs in only a few trips.....Zoom is fine, they make a ton of good finesse stuff. I usually do not use a weight but add a swivel about 12" up to avoid line twist on spinning gear, and mono or fluoro leader from braid...I also like to use a jighead instead of a bullet weight but a small 1/16-1/4 bullet is fine,or a small split shot...Depends on how far you want to cast but you really can't fish them wrong..Wacky rigging a trick worm on a circle hook is a great way to catch numbers....

Good Job..Usually the Pre Spawn, Spawn, and Post Spawn are all going on at the same time at most lakes, and will for months... Females can be tough to catch for a few days when they are up on the bed but I never target bedding fish, but I have heard they will not feed for several days in the cycle, but I am sure that is not 100% true if you put the right bait in front of them at the right time etc. If you find them staging often they are willing to eat anything, it all depends on day, lake, and it was a good job of trying different baits, you can usually get fish on any day if you find what they want... I find Post Spawn Females are the most co-operative and that is my favorite time to fish but usually Pre-Spawn fish on the right day after a warming trend can be great. Pre Spawn fish are finicky based on weather changes and water temps overnight so one day could be great, and next morning you can get shut out in same area with same baits...Post spawn Bass are usually looking to smash anything moving and much more aggressive but good job....I have seen Big Females roaming flats looking for males and they were tough to catch, but if you backed off and fished the nearest cover or drop, then they were more likely to strike...I guess it all depends when they feel the need for calories and not love.

21.5....If I had a gun to my head, and looking at that pic...It is healthy, for sure a good bass, I would go 6lbs to be safe but it could easily be 6.5, Seven Pounders usually look different but then again, pictures are really hard to use as an accurate weight estimator. I have pics of 7lb bass that look like 4 and vise versa...I always figure for a 21" bass not having a huge fat belly it is 5lbs...I start thinking 7 plus when I hit 23" range except in Spring when Females are pregnant or in small ponds where fish do not move much so they get stocky... This fish was caught by my buddy a few weeks ago and she is clearly pregnant..We didnt get a measurement but I estimated 8, I may have gone 9 if I landed it...

If you ever saw what a small 4" Senko turns into after being in the water for a few months you would be shocked..I snagged a branch in a river I fish, and when I pulled it up, I found a hook that I knew was mine and the worm that was originally a 4" Senko was the size of a cigar and same thickness..They expand and turn to a weird soft feel, I have also caught fish in a pond I manage and they were super thin, and I cut one open one time thinking it had a disease, and I found a huge piece of plastic jammed in the gut...It looked like a small worm of some sort, but never throw line, hooks, or worms in the water.. I hate seeing birds with line wrapped around their necks or legs, same with turtles etc..every time you lose a bait, good chance a fish eats it...If Berkley Gulp made enough baits that I could use all the time, I would really try to only use Bio Degradable baits, My dog once ate an entire jar of maggots that were green, and I called the vet and went to search google and he never even became sick....That made me become a fan of Trigger X, Gulp etc...It seems Trigger x was discontinued which surpised me....They had the best Bio baits for freshwater imo...

I have been playing with this rig for a few months now and every time I walk my dog I try a new rigging option with a finesse worm, Zinker, or hula stick...I like the mushroom heads from Z-man but I have been working on rigging the longer finesse worms and zinkerz cut down to 3-4" on heavier line and a stronger hook and I think I found 2 good options that I like so far.. 1- Lazer Trokar makes a 1/16 saltwater boxer jig that Dicks had on clearance for $3 a pack, and the hook is 1/0 and will not bend like the z man jigheads, but I have been able to texas rig them on this hook or make a weedguard on the jig but the action and stand up properties still work well and I throw it on casting gear...14lb Trilene XT and pitch it deep into bushes etc.. 2- Slider Pro Spider jigheads and Pro Snagless which I really like as they both have strong hooks, but my favorite way to fish the rig in areas that you need heavy line is to simply take a Small worm hook you would use to texas rig a zoom centipede, and then I crimp on a 1/8 or 1/16 bull shot which is the same as having a pegged bullet weight. I like the 1/32 bull shots since the hook makes the rig heavier and I notice anything over 18 seems to get less bites. I have noticed that lighter line really makes a difference, but I have been going straight 30lb braid and with 6lb diameter it seems to be ok in stained water or weeds. On a good stand up shaky head, you can rig up almost any bait and the rig works, the Gamber Giggy stick on the shroom heads has been working well for me as I had a bunch of them I never used but they also float upright on the right jig... The smaller the hook the better the action but the right hook, even nose hooking them or wacky rigging with a nail allows you to get similar action, but the z-man jigheads are nice as many strikes come as you snap them off of snags, plus the hooks bend and come back so you don't lose many. I am not a fan of the weedless jigheads in weeds, I find a 1/16 slider rig with smallest hook possible works well, I do believe the Elaztach works better than a standard saltless slider worm or grub, but I am still in the trial period...Don't be afraid to mess around, A Full Zinker on a shaky rig with salt rinsed off is really good, I am starting to use that more than the half and fishing it on heavier weights and just shaking on the bottom and barely moving it....PB&J seems to give a new look as Elaztach colors look different in the water at least in stained tanic water.

hI have stored different Z-man baits together in one sandwich bag for a few months and they are fine. I make sure they are new and do not have any oil or scent on them, but I have a bag that contains some Zinkers, Flukes, and finesse worms that have not bled or stuck together....I don't think they bleed, at least as long as it is all elaztach. I can say 100% that sandwich bags keep them fine, I like to fish alot of green pumpkins, so I keep the frog, finesse worm, flukes, and craws together, and I think I have some grubz in the bag...I don't put purples in with green pumpkin, but I tend to only buy browns, black and blue, and really that is it with some watermelon..I think they key is keeping them out of the heat, I always store them in a cool spot, and only bring 3 baits in each category, one bait lasts forever, same with all the strike King Zero baits.

I have a friend who purchased a generic underwater camera that you could cast out or throw out on a roap, and it was decent if you were in a sunny area with clear water but it was hard to see since most ponds had too much sediment in the water and the light wasn not very good on it. I think the more expensive one's work well, I have watched footage of underwater camera's that look great, but this was from Amazon and was about $40 I think..It did get interest from Turtles...If you left it in the shallows and chummed up baitfish, you could see some stuff, but you couldn't use it has he hoped, which was drop it under the boat and see all the structure etc..without light you could only make out weeds.

I had a tough day on Saturday until the late afternoon, then it seemed like fish turned on and were in areas that we covered in the morning willing to strike almost anything..Lasted about an hour and stopped...Ponds have been hit or miss based on weather and unpredictable this year, but if you can find a nice sunny flat or bank with hard bottom and clear water, it seems those ponds are easier to fish especially this time of year.... I have also gotten into light line and small baits and it is not only fun but some days it works really well and on Saturday the 4" Curly tail worm on a split shot saved the day for me and my buddy did well on a small spinnerbait, but we put the braid down and went with 6lb Triple Fish camo line and that seems to work well in the tanic water we have here in Florida...If it stays warm another day, I bet it turns on, it was on a week ago...been like that now 3 different times already, frustrating but that is just how it is...I just like trying new ponds and lakes, central florida has so many it would take a lifetime to fish them all. I am amazed how good some of the public parks are and they are empty except for guys fishing for Catfish mostly...

Yes, I am that guy..I love to try new baits...I know I don't NEED anything, but half the fun of fishing is buying some new toys to try out...I have never been a brand guy, I still fish 6" BPS Squirmin worms on a split shot rig every trip, and I still use jigs and plastics and floating Jerkbaits almost all the time...And I use Frogs, love to buy them and collect them, the thrill of topwater is worth it to me...do I need 80 Frogs? No, but I also only bring what I need, I only buy stuff when I get really good deals, and I often will let friends keep lures if they like them.... I couldn't tell you anything about lures that cost over $20, I like to have plenty of colors and sizes, but I am a freak when it comes to line...I do believe on tough days 10lb test may be too heavy but 8 or 6 may work better...and yes, I color my braid since Triple fish camo line which is 3 colors and very inexpensive is my favorite line to fish....I like to be smart, Buy the line from the OEM and not pay for marketing...Saves you money, but if someone likes to buy $300 swimbaits, good for them if they can afford it and it makes them happy.... I would rather be addicted to fishing tackle than other things, At least you can sell it and make some money...and I have not known anyone who ruined their life by having too many Creature baits.

I have been humbled many days pond fishing by throwing a Shiner after I have struggled just to see if I am around fish since I figure maybe they moved in one area I can't reach.... I have spent an hour in a small pond using all the finesse tactics, stuff that always seems to work, but for whatever reason, could not get any action...I then will go catch a few shiners and toss them in the same spot...last time I did it...3 shiners, 3 really good bass as soon as they hit the water...Then I went a got a 4th shiner and watched a fish that was close to 8lbs staring at my shiner who was obviously just sitting in the little ditch that runs through the pond that is 1-2 feet deeper, and it would only stun it but not take it...After it fell of the hook and was just about Dead, it floated for about 5 seconds and was then slurped by that bass. Some days it is tricky, and you may not figure it out, but someone else could walk down to the same spot and maybe they are using the same lure with lighter line and may do better since they are fishing it slower or whatever... yes, We often overcomplicate things, studies have shown that Bass React to shapes that look like a craw without claws, and worms that are 4" long and 1/2 inch diameter at much higher rates than baits sold and we all usually prefer...I try to keep it simple and one thing that helped me alot when I moved to Florida was to hire a guide for a day to teach me how to Punch since I never did it in NY 10 years ago, and also fished as a Co angler to learn from others, but I usually learn the most from new People who never fish, they don't have any paradigms about color etc..They will almost always pick out a lure or bait that you never use because it is way to bright or gimmicky looking, and they end up doing well. One thing that works to get better...Watch how a baitfish dies...That final kick they do is important to see a few times, also watch how baitfish in shalllow water move, they dart in tiny movements, and crawfish will dart about 6" off the bottom really fast for a few feet depending on size...If you know what you are trying to imitate, and realize that you will never find Bass without structure, and bait is structure, you should be able to catch them but pressure on small lakes and big lakes is real. I fish the same ponds daily for years now, I have to think outside the box on most days to get bit, but before storms, or perfect days in Spring and Fall, they can be had easy...But it can often take a dozen casts to a stump that you know has a fish on it to get a strike...Maybe more, but there is a reason Guides only give guarantee's if you use shiners, not with lures on FLorida lakes. You can spend 10 hours on Lake Toho and not get a strike...It happens to many pro's during tournaments, finding fish in a shallow jungle is not easy. Ponds can be tougher for big fish, once over 7lbs they learn and are gone if they hear foot steps or one bad cast that is loud and not normal. They are not used to outboards etc. so if you want to fish a bank with a frog, it has to come off the bank most days, or if using a soft bait, needs to be skipped way back in areas hard to reach.... Luck is involved in Fishing 100%, but knowledge and experience makes you lucky more often than not....I Just saw a guy land a 10lb plus bass on Saturday and he was using a Mepps Comet minnow with a swivel that was something I would use for Grouper...and was off the public dock, but Females make dumb mistakes this time of year....

I punch with Yum Dingers since they have a hook slot since Texposing can be tough with baits that are really soft, or when dealing with weeds, so i like hook slots, but good sharp hooks will get through without texposing. Most baits are small a hard swing and pressure will puncture the bait and get a solid set... I do like hooks slots especially for a flipping hook with a keeper barb, I find them tricky to texpose, but I use the BPS Magna Lock hooks more than any other. I think I use the BMF hook? I was given a bunch when I was having issues with Gamakatsu flipping hooks and VMC hooks since they just are not good or I got a bad batch as they tear up baits, eyes are not welded closed, but These hooks are almost overkill but with heavy braid they are necessary imo...I use heavy duty Round bends as well, I always try to use 3/0-4/0 hooks and never an EWG but I know some guys prefer EWG, I just find they pick up junk easier so I save them for lighter cover. The Pit Boss will work as good as any bait if put in the right place, but I do have more confidence in the smaller baits from Culprit and Gambler, and recently I am into the Z-Man baits as they work well when you need to soak a bait..Palmetto bug, Punch Craw, Speed Craw, and the shrimp....Exude Fan tail shrimp is my favorite bait if I need a rattle, better version than the Havoc Slop craw, with a slimy coating and awesome colors Bass never see...Not pretty, but it works great at times since it holds that big rattle and glides through anything easy, and the rigid plastic never moves on the hook...Punching is complex, but so much fun as it is challenging and always different then you expect it to be...If only a Frog worked all the time that would be awesome....

Your days will be enoyable if fishing in a fishing shirt that breathes...I am not into Jerseys but I know lots of people are...I would visit your favorite brand, and then see if they have them on their website or email them and ask who sells them..Usually a site will have links on the bottom of who carries their stuff, but a phone call can help you find them locally without having to mail order most likely....