Volboy

Suspending jerkbait, #7 shad rap, and a t rigged tube or a small football jig. Down there you'll catch a lot of spots up on the bank, but the bigger smallmouth tend to live out off those rip rap banks on the current seams. A jerkbait will catch the bigguns.

200 bandit is a good, inexpensive crankbait. Also for banging around shallow cover in the warmer months, a square bill like the SK 1.5 is a solid choice. This time of year a # 5 or #7 Shad Rap is tough to beat too.

Dragging a 3/4 oz round rubber PBJ jig with green pumpkin twin tail trailer on deep structure in the summer.

The key is to find the fish suspended near big wads of bait. Most of my success on it has been over 15-35 ft right in the creek channel, usually near a major bend or neck down area. The key to the rig is to find the fish and bait on your electronics. Spend a lot of time idling and looking at your graph, and only throw it around the right stuff.

2014 619 Phoenix with 200 Proxs. Lots of upgrades, including tandem trailer, padded deck, HDS 8 and 7, 80 lb Fortrexx....

SK 2.5 Squarebill in shad color Bandit 300 in shad color SK series 5xd or 6 in Citrus Shad 3/4 oz SK Redeye in take your pick shad or red

Nichols are my first choice, and I also have several War Eagles

That said, if your structure fishing deep you should pour some 1/2 and 3/4 oz footballs too

Arkie head in 3/8 and 1/2 oz

GYBC Kreature SK Space monkey Zoom Brush Hog Havoc Pit Boss

#5 shad rap, suspending JB, and a finesse jig over here

#5 shad rap early Spring- craw color 300 Bandit- TN Shad Spro Fat Papa 70 in Nasty Shad and TN River Gizzard Shad SK Series 5 in Sexy Shad or Chart Sexy SK 6xd in Citrus Shad Fat Free Shad BDS7 in Citrus Shad SK KVD 1.5 Squarebill in Citrus Shad

Netbait kickin B, Lake Fork Tackle small live Magic shad, or Rage Tail Menace grub.

Assuming you can only pack 5 baits in the early Spring, what are your go to lures (45-55 degree water temps say in March). Trailers don't count as a lure, but jig heads, trig, etc do count as one. Here are my 5: Suspending jerkbait #5 shad rap in craw color 3/8 oz finesse jig with small craw trailer 1/2 oz Red Eye Shad 4" grub on swimming grub head 3/16 oz. Had a hard time leaving out the spinnerbait, but it usually doesn't produce until the water hits the top end of the range for me.

Here's my shopping list: 2 #5 shad raps 2 # 7 shad raps 4 200 series Bandit 4 300 series Bandit 4 SK square bills (KVD 1.5) 4 SK Series 5 4 SK Series 6 xd 2 SK 1/2 Red Eye Shad rattle baits Assortment of #2,4,6 Owner Stinger trebles to replace all the hooks You can cover pretty much all depths and situations without breaking the bank here. Buy more craw colors for the Spring/ shallower models, and for the 300's and deeper get mostly shad and chartreuse baits.

I pack a soft sided tackle bag with 4-5 3600 boxes for hard baits, jigs, and terminal tackle. Then I'll throw 10 or so bags of plastics in there. I'll finish it off with pliers, clippers, scent, extra spool of line, and dippin dye. If you know the general patterns and depths you'll be fishing you won't need a ton. Plus most boaters will appreciate you not bringing a huge tackle box that may crowd his boat.

Have it; love it. Will fish it one full season, and if it holds up like my other Shimanos will own more. Smooth as silk.

Used mine for the first time today. I have around 20 Shimano BC reels,(Curados, Citicas, and 3 older model Chronarchs). The new Ci4 is easily the nicest feeling, looking, and casting reel I own.

Flipping jig - Zoom Super chunk or Baby paca chunk by netbait ( if the jig has a trailer keeper I generally prefer the paca) Football jig- Strike King Rage Chunk Finesse Jig- Yum Craw Papi, length trimmed a bit Swim jig- Zoom Twin Tail grub

X2 here and a really good guy too

I've fished with a few in pro ams, PAA's, etc., and they use their sponsors gear most of the time. But, you'd be surprised that when it comes to baits, they use whatever they think will catch em. Then of course, on the weigh in stage they say they caught em good on the " my new signature series hog snatcher, 3.5 xs+....". A lot of the reel companies have really cut back on pro deals, but most of the have a rod deal and use them. Where you'll see them mix it up is usually with reels and baits.