Hey everyone! I'm new on these forums and the one thing on my mind is BASS. When my brothers go out to catch crappy or catfish... I pull out the bass gear lol. I run spinning rods religiously and for some reason cannot stand realing with my right hand. I've been using left sided spinning reels all my life lol.

 

Anyways I've been thinking about a bass box ever since the season started. I haven't been out this year and really want to build my box and get out a few times this season.

 

So I'm a shore fisherman not by choice, but by...wallet... lol. The bulk of my success bass fishing as been with soft plastics like senkos and roboworms. I'd like to build a box that incorporates my love for softbaits with a few other tride and true varieties to catch bass.

 

This is what my box looks like in my mind

 

Senkos

4in worm - watermelon blk/red flake

4in worm - smoke blk/silv flake

3in grub - watermelon blk/red flake

3in grub - smoke blk/silver OR cream white OR black purple flake

 

Hard Baits

Bluegill Rat L Trap

Blue shad Rat L trap

 

Terminal Tackle*

Gamakatsu 3/0-4/0 work hooks (both black and red)

Spinner arms (silver willow) for grubs

Jig Heads for grubs

 

**I usually keep all my stuff for carolina/texas rigs and other jig rigs separate in a small "terminal tackle box"

 

So this box is really just what I've had success with and what I feel like I could almost always catch a bass with. Slow or aggressive, sunny or cloudy, shallow or deep. I feel like this box has just barely enough diversity to catch me a bass in all the places I normally frequent.

 

Questions:

Where can I find spinner arms? I love having the idea of having a "build your own" spinnerbait kind of on the spot variety in my box. Though I'm not a big fan of skirts (probably due to lack of knowledge about spinners) and actually have had pretty good success running the grubs on a spinners naked.

 

Since I know I'm probably don't know as much about bass as I think I do, what do you think are MUST HAVES in a Northern California conditions bass box?

 

If I DID want skirts for what I have listed in this box, What colors should I get? Considering that these are the baitfish in my area. I think.. Lol

 

Thanks guys

I started off fishing for bass on a 6' M Spinning Rod and caught a bunch of fish!  I think my most productive bait was a green pumpkin or watermelon red Baby Brush Hog. Used 2/o Gamakatsu hooks with a 1/8 oz bullet weight. I  would definiatly have some of those in your bass box.  I would also look at a 1/4 oz chartresuse/white booyah tandem spinnerbait.  You will catch a lot of fish on one of those as well.  Those are two of the baits I will throw if I am having a rough day and need a fish to build a bit of confidence.  Both will do well on a spinning rod as well.  Also look at some Spot Remover jig heads (with the spring, not the thing you jam the bait onto) and put a zoom finesse worm on there. Cast it out, shake it, hop it and drag it slowly.  You will catch some fish on that as well. Good Luck!

I've been fishing all my life, but only this year have begun to take lures seriously. My two favs are softbaits: a 3" white Mister Twister grub and green pumpkin Strike King tubes, both of which I fish with 1/8oz jigheads. It's not a softbait, but another go-to for me is a spinnerbait. The most versatile for me is Chartreuse/White with a silver Colorado blade. Go check out Bassresource's channel on YouTube. I've learned more from his videos about baits and techniques than anybody I know has ever taught me. Best of luck to you!