Volboy

Try Alley's Tungsten (Google it). Best tungsten deal out there.

X2 on Bite me

I like two baits by Kalins: Scrub twin tail trailer (use around grass or when I want more aggressive action) Sizmik grub (great shad imitation)

We're in the middle of the spawn here in TN, so it's all about soft plastics. Some fish being caught on topwater, chatterbaits, and crankbaits.

Plastics- Zoom Crankbaits- Strike King Rattle baits- Strike King Swimbaits- Keitech Topwater- Excalibur and Heddon Spook Spinnerbait- Nichols Jigs- Omega

Generally speaking, I like a small popping bait really slow around spawning time thru fry guarding (68-75 deg water). Once they get in a true post spawn feed I'll throw a Spook and Buzzbait thru the Summer. In the fall I'll throw all three.

Simms is best combination of features, quality, and light weight. Next step down would be Cabelas Guide Wear. Cabelas is nice, but it's heavy and gets really warm on a hot day.

Zoom Ole Monster for ribbon tails and various brands of paddle tails (mostly locally poured worms around KY Lake).

Swim a grub drag or hop a tube

1/4 oz and 5/16 for finesse jigs most of the year. Exception is a 1/2 oz heavy finesse jig in the winter to get deep quicker. 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz for flipping jigs. 1/2 oz and 3/4 for football jigs for structure fishing 3/8 oz 99% of the time on swim jigs Wind and depth are the biggest factors in determining the weight I throw. More wind and more depth calls for a heavier jig. Generally speaking, go with the lightest possible to fish at your preferred speed and maintain good contact with the bottom / cover.

Nichols for me

Plastic KVD 1.5; balsa WEC E2

Netbait Kickin B and Rage Menace. If I want more of a swimbait look will put a swimming fluke or small Big Bite Cane Thumper on the back.

Finesse Jigs: 1/4 oz bitty flip in Geeen Pumpkin and Eakins Finesse in same color. trailers would be Zoom Super Chunk, jr and yum Craw Papi. Swim jigs: Dirty Jigs 3/8 oz swim jig in Shad colors with small Zoom swimming fluke Flipping jig: 3/8 or 1/2 oz Arkie head jig in black n blue or natural craw colors with paca chunk trailer Football jig: 1/2 oz and 3/4 oz Omega in okechobee craw or green pumpkin with SK Rage chunk

Swim jig- more around shallow cover ( grass, wood, docks, laydowns). I'll throw it in same places as a spinnerbait or chatterbait. It's especially deadly around docks and grass when the shad spawn is going on. I also like to pop aggresively in shore grass (water willows) all year once the grass grows back. It's more of an object oriented bait to me. Swimbait more of an open water bait for me (points, ledges, flats, etc.). Will fish it a lot in the summer over submerged grass beds before they mat out. Swim jig works in this situation too.

The best knock off senko type bait I've found is the netbait version. It's just about as heavy as the GY one, but not nearly as soft, so they don't tear up as easily. As far as charter plastics go, the Havok series is great, and of course Zoom has a huge line up of shapes and sizes / colors for reasonable prices. Big Bite has also really come on with some good new designs at a fair price.

Depends on the seasonal patterns where you're located. In our area the water temps are holding in the high forties to low and mid fifties. We're in the early to mid prespawn phase. Most of the fish are being caught on classic prespawn patterns- shallow to mid depth crankbaits, jerkbaits, finesse jigs, rattle baits, and the A-rig.

The way I learned to be confident with jigs was starting with smaller finesse jigs like a SK Bitsy Bug or Eakins Finesse jig with a small trailer like a Zoom Super Chunk, Jr. You will get more bites on a smaller offering, and then once you learn to feel the bite, you can move up to heavier flippin and football jigs. Also, fishing from the bank you'll hang up less with a lighter jig.

1. Craw- either a baby paca craw or yum craw papi 2. Small swimbait like 4" Keitech on a grub or darter head 3. Sweet beaver or smallie beaver 4. Smallish tube on a tube head

Red Eye Shad in 1/2 and 1/4 oz sizes. Red, chrome n blue, sexy shad

1. Green pumpkin with reddish orange secondary color 2. Black n blue 3. Tx craw (pumpkin/ black/ chartreuse)

Depends on the type of lake/ river fishing, but around my area it's TN and Cumberland River oriented. So, here's my list: 1. Buzz bait 2. Poppin frog 3. Swimbait 4. 10" worm Tx rigged 5. Senko 6. Flippin bait on t- rig 7. Deep crankbait like SK 6xd 8. Carolina rigged 10" worm 9. 3/4 oz football jig 10. Big Flutter Spoon

Flipping jig 1/2 oz black n blue or green pumpkin / orange Football jig 3/4 oz Okechobee craw or green pumpkin Swim jig 3/8 oz white or bluegill color Finesse jig 3/16 oz green pumpkin

IMO the chatterbait really shines in three situations: 1. Over grass in the Spring right up through the spawn. 2. Around the shad spawn when bait is up on the bank. 3. When fish are on docks and marina slips in early summer. I typically use a darker color over the grass in prespawn, and when they're on shad I'll throw white or white and chartreuse.

Go head first into heroin- start buyin custom balsa baits now. I recommend the WECs from Peepers and Jawjackers.