Hey guys,

I am just getting into bass fishing and need some help. I have a medium action ugly stik with a micthell 300 reel. As I was doing some research on what lures and hooks to get I noticed a lot of people talking about picking the right tackle for your rod and reel. Well me being a girl (I have my blonde moments) I am kinda lost on where to even begin. My setup is for bank fishing and I am a broke college student so keep that in mind lol. I mostly catfish but I am really wanting to get into bass fishing this summer to fill in my waiting time. Thanks for your help and any tips are always welcomed.

since your bank fishing you'll want something that doesn't get hung up much. spinner baits, Texas rigged worms, swim jigs, these aren't to pricey and are proven to catch bass. You might want to research lures with treble hooks first before purchasing them. Good luck and happy fishing.

Get some stickbaits such as a Yum Dinger, get some 4-inch finesse worms, and start from there. That's what I did.

there are a lot of options out there, looking at the hook shelf at walmart can be mind numbing.  hooks are made to do a specific job. 

 

plastic worms are some of the cheapest, easiest, and most rewarding lures to fish, id recommend you start there!

 

-if youre texas rigging, which is one of the top way to fish plastic baits, you will want a hook that's point end is lined up with the eye end.  these also make great hooks for wacky rigging.  you can go weightless and or add a small bullet weight.  these hooks also are great for fluke/super flukes also. 

 

-also if you go for a tube style plastic, you will want some jig heads with 90 degree line eyes.  if you cant find long shank jig heads, you may have to cut a slit in the tube.  slide the jig head up in the tube and push the line eye out the side of the tube.  not as weed or snag free so id recommend texas rigging over this, but its still a nice option.

There may be a sticky for this so I aplogize if there is. As someone who also started fresh this year it would be awesome to have a guide that shows all the popular baits and the recommended hook size and type. I would keep hook brands out as everyone has their preference.

Something like:

5" Stick bait (senko/yum dinger) - 3/0-4/0 EWG

Super Fluke - 4/0 EWG

Finesse worm - you get the point

My sizes are just examples and I know everyone's preference is different. That might be why there isn't something like this already.

Just seeing if anyone knows of a post that has all this info. Thanks

A little more info on the rod would help. How long is it , what action is it what lb test is it rated for ?

Crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits, topwater lures, and possibly some lighter spinnerbaits would work with your medium power Ugly Stick.  You might grab some Senko type worms as well though you will need some worm hooks for those.  For a standard 5 inch Senko type worm rigged Texas style but without a weight, I would go with a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG (extra wide gap) hook.  For wacky rigging in the middle of the bait I would use a 1/0 octopus style or wacky rig hook.

 

You can use your rod to fish anything, though presentations requiring a highly sensitive rod would be better with a heavier power rod .  Also, longer rods (7 foot or more) are better for slow bottom presentations requiring a lot of line to be moved on the hookset.

 

Oh . . . . welcome to the forums!

Hey guys,

I am just getting into bass fishing and need some help. I have a medium action ugly stik with a micthell 300 reel. As I was doing some research on what lures and hooks to get I noticed a lot of people talking about picking the right tackle for your rod and reel. Well me being a girl (I have my blonde moments) I am kinda lost on where to even begin. My setup is for bank fishing and I am a broke college student so keep that in mind lol. I mostly catfish but I am really wanting to get into bass fishing this summer to fill in my waiting time. Thanks for your help and any tips are always welcomed.

First off, welcome to the forums! You should head over and post in the introductions section. 

 

As far as hook selection, you want to make sure the hook you use fits the bait. The size should be chosen by the thickness of the bait usually. You want enough space between the hook point and the shank of the hook that when a bass bites the bait can collapse and there's still enough space to hook the fish. If you're looking for a few soft plastics to start with, I'd suggest a few packs of 5" Yum Dingers and 4/0 EWG style hooks (I prefer Trokars but for a broke college kid any good sharp hook will work). 

Here's how to choose the right hook:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/choosing-hooks-fishing.html

 

Here's a bunch of articles that cover the basics to get you started:

http://www.bassresource.com/how-to-fish/

 

Enjoy!

Hey guys, 

Thanks for all the information. I really appreciate it!! My medium action is 6ft with a 6-15lb test. Glenn those articles were very helpful!