Brad_Coovert

When it comes to a bait being "overrated", it is seldom the bait's fault, but more due to the angler using it. Everyone (including me) has been guilty of this: You read about or hear about a new bait or at least a bait new to you and you rush out and buy one, two or a dozen and then the next trip out, tried to force-feed those baits to the bass. The usual result was no luck and the baits ended up in the garage, bottom of the boat, back of the tackle box, etc. IMO, a minimum of one season is required to feel out a new bait and apply it to a range of conditions. I have some great fall crankbaits that hardly get a sniff the rest of the year. If I had given up on 'em, I would have never found that out. Every bait has a time and place. Brad

That's the problem with heavy grass, heavy baits get caught up pretty easily. A streamlined Trigged plastic may be your best bet. Something without a swimming tail, such as a trick worm or paddle tail worm. I would use a screw-in or Gambler style weight and a straight shank hook. This creates a package that has little to snag on the grass. For line, I'd use a superline that will cut through the grass. Good luck! Brad

Here is an overlooked color for dirty water that works on occasion: Solid white. Brad

RW, you really should post a detailed message on your after dark fishing tactics with jerkbaits. You are the only guy I have ever heard of using these at night on a regualr basis with success. Maybe it's the lake, but may be it's the master! Brad

Wow. Either we have bad QC, or we have two different manufacturers supplying worms to whoever markets Renegade. Brad

I use a snap on all of my crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwaters. Has caused no problems. All else, I tie direct to. Brad

Lots of baits to try here. There are several waking baits on the market. The Bandit Footloose comes to mind as one. River 2 Sea and Jackall make some also. There are lots of plastics that can be fished over the grass. A Senko comes to mind as does a floating style worm and many soft plastic toads like the Cane Toad or Horny Toad. Also, for plastics, if the weight is not quite enough, you can get screw in weights down to 1/32 and I think even 1/64 oz. These will add just enough weight to the bait to help drop it a few inches in the water during retrieve. Another good product for weeds is the Reaction Innovations Screwed Up Bullet Head. It is a screw in plastic guard that helps baits come through weeds with ease. GYCB also makes a great little soft plastic nose guard that you thread your hook through before rigging your bait. Of course, about any topwater should work over these weeds. Another good bait may be a swimbait, like the Lake Fork Live Magic Shad. Brad

The Chatterbait may be overrated, but I'll take a Gambler Swimblade almost any day. I've done quite well with them. Now if Byron would tell BPS to go flip sand and sell everyone the weedless version, that would be cool. Of course, BPS paid to have that made and all that, but still, I'd love to see a large bait company tell BPS "no way do you get our baits." Brad

Not too many of those. Lucky Craft has one, but they are of course over $7. You might check ebay to see if you can find one for a lower cost. I used to get a lot of LC baits at good prices on eBay. The model is the LV300N. Brad

Depending on which model you bought, you could use them as a jig trailer or you could just rig them Trigged and fish them anywhere you fish amy of your other plastics. Good luck! Brad

I will have the Flappin' Hogs soon I hope. MY restocking order is going in this week for some baits. Brad

Well, I'm finally back from the ICAST show in Vegas. I hope to post a report on new stuff soon, but I have a night tournament tonight and have to get ready. Coffee is the new scent, well at least it is for Strike King. They are gonna make a hard push with their new coffee ground injected tubes. So, now you can sip your latte and give one to the bass as well. There is a bit of "reason" behind the coffee. It's an odd story for later. Strike King also has a new plastics line coming out late this year as well that are designed to move some serious water. They have a topwater grub, a toad, a chunk and a craw. Enough for now, I gotta get the boat ready. See ya guys later! Brad

There are a lot of good jigheads out there. The Spot Remover, Pro Spot Remover, Reaction Innovation Screwed Up Jigheads, Gambler Giggy Heads and the Picasso Shakedown Heads are all good heads that I have used. There are several other brands that I am sure will work well also. As for baits, any finesse worm in the 4" to 7" range will work well. Other plastics like ZOOM Speed Craws or NetBait Paca Chunks work also. A NetBait Paca Chunk Sr. on a jighead or Trig is a great compact craw bait. Brad

Also, pay attention to the line as the bait falls. A lot of jig bites come on the fall. Brad

If those won't catch fish, no color will! Brad

For soft plastics, such as lizards, I always suggest trying watermelon, green pumpkin and black. These three colors will catch bass anywhere they live. For jitterbugs, a solid black jitterbug is a great bait. Brad

Texas rig or Carolina Rig. I like to fish these in the lakes we fish that have larger size limits, such as Patoka, Barkley or Raccoon. I mainly use them in summer in deeper water on points, drop offs, channels or next to grass edges. Brad

Thanks RW. Yep, I got some Fat Ika's, but only in Green Pumpkin at the moment. Two guys in Europe, Italy and France, cleaned me out of these baits along with almost all my kreatures. Hopefully, I will be placing a GYCB order after ICAST out in Vegas. I also placed a link on the webstore to my eBay store. I try to keep stock in both stores, but sometimes one is out. I'm still in growth mode, but I have 712 different items/colors/sizes now. ICAST may end up being the "wholesale bait monkey" for me. Also, thanks to all who have bought items at my stores! Brad

I rig my Fat Ikas on 4/0 EWG and Superline EWG hooks. Sometimes forward, sometimes backward. As for fishing them, I fish them like a Senko. Cast, let fall on semi slack line, deadstick on bottom, lift up rod and repeat a few times. Toss in a twitch or two here and there and let the fish say what they want. As with any bait, they have their place, but they are good baits. Do not give up yet! Brad

When bass become conditioned to real food and ignore it, then they will start ignoring soft stickbaits. Brad

They will be back out soon, with a modified, lawsuit proof tail I believe. Brad

For 5" Superflukes (I never fish the regular Flukes) I like either a Gammy 4/0 EWG or Gammy 4/0 Round Bend Wide Gap hook. I usually use a red hook with a pearl bait. Killer combo on some days. Brad

Most of my soft baits are left in the bags and stored in large, one compartment Plano waterproof strorage boxes. There is a box for each bait type. The rest of my soft baits are out of the bag and stored in the small Planoi waterproof containers. Of course, I have a lot of space in the boat for boxes. Has worked well for several years. Brad

Black/Red jig with rattles and large chunk trailer. Bulk plastic baits. Large curl tail worms. Moontalker spinnerbaits. Black jitterbug and black buzzbaits. Brad

Walking baits. There are a lot of them to choose from, but my perosonal favs are the LC Sammy, RI Vixens, Zara Spook series and the Spittin' Image. Brad