I've been fishing for about 20yrs started with bobber and live bait to using rubber worms here and there and now getting into crank baits and such. I only have experience with rapala top water original minnows and poppers and catch bass on occasion but i want to extend my tackle box with more of an arsenal. I fish lake Erie, several reservoirs, rivers, large farm ponds. if you could also point me in the right direction of where and when to use the baits recommended it would be appreciated. I'm interested in large mouth and small mouth as well as walleye and steelhead. I don't own a boat so shore fishing is all i have access to.

 

i currently run 2 ugly sticks with spider wire 10lbs and 15lbs. both have spinning reals on them but interested in getting a bait caster.

Welcome aboard!

 

You're at the right place to fill up your tackle box

with more stuff. Just beware, there's this creature

that lurks here called the BaitMonkey. Once he's

on your back, it's quite difficult to get him off. He

will always find a way to make you, no, FORCE you

to spend money whether you have it or not.  

 

Your two setups now should be able to do a lot of 

what you need with new tackle like cranks and top-

waters. Maybe spend your $ there before jumping 

in to a baitcaster. Unless of course, your funds allow.

rat l trap

kvd squarebill

cavitron buzzbait

war eagle spinnerbait

31 minutes ago, Darren. said:

Welcome aboard!

 

You're at the right place to fill up your tackle box

with more stuff. Just beware, there's this creature

that lurks here called the BaitMonkey. Once he's

on your back, it's quite difficult to get him off. He

will always find a way to make you, no, FORCE you

to spend money whether you have it or not.  

 

Your two setups now should be able to do a lot of 

what you need with new tackle like cranks and top-

waters. Maybe spend your $ there before jumping 

in to a baitcaster. Unless of course, your funds allow.

yeah i can already see that. I have an older ugly stick with cheap reel and someone is giving me an ugly stick so need 2 new reels for them. buying a new tackle bag, and now onto baits. sitting watching a bobber is getting boring so i want to cast some hard baits or soft stuff just don't want to waste money on something.

They all catch fish . Try to imagine  every condition you might face and pick accordingly .For instance ,  I dont use deep diving crankbaits when fishing from bank . Instead I will use sinking lures and fish uphill . Nothing comes through snags  as cleanly as a  Texas rig . Top waters , I could get by with just a frog ,  buzzbait , floating minnow and popper .  Think of your lures as tools and try to select the best tool for the job .  Take into consideration snags . A lot of times I go cheap and still catch bass . The lowly Beetle Spin , when allowed to sink to the bottom has caught a lot of deeper bass for me from the banks .

Can't go wrong with a pearl white fluke Texas rigged. You can fish it a number of ways, but I prefer to fish it about 1-2 feet from the surface. Most species can't resist the presentation.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/beginner/bass_basics.html

 

T rigged Trick Worm in about any color would be my first bait if I had to start over from scratch.

Rat L Trap, spinnerbait, weightless trick Worm, T rigged craw are all on my rods right now. In the spring-summer-fall, I swap some out with topwaters. Summer is a long season here.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing-techniques/

5 hours ago, ohihunter2014 said:

yeah i can already see that. I have an older ugly stick with cheap reel and someone is giving me an ugly stick so need 2 new reels for them. buying a new tackle bag, and now onto baits. sitting watching a bobber is getting boring so i want to cast some hard baits or soft stuff just don't want to waste money on something.

 

Pflueger trion is an awesome reel for under/right at $30.  

 

I also have a abu Garcia Cardinal s that is a really nice reel for about the same price

I like inline spinners at different weights for targeting multiple species, and those will work for all the species you mentioned.  I mainly use some old fashioned ones, and they catch everything!

I'm a make it simple and give you some easy accessible Walmart lures that work 

shadrap #7

rc squarebill 

kvd1.5 squarebill 

3/0 ewg hooks

black and blue yum dingers

your set trust me that's all you need.

I would highly suggest you look into the Ned Rig.

 

Poorboys eerie darter 

If your just learning with a baitcaster then don't break the bank.  Get a decent Lew's baitcasting combo.  As for lures, in my opinion, must haves are:  Gary Yamamoto Original Senko, YUM Dinger, Strike King Lipless Crankbaits, Booyah Spinnerbaits, Berkley Pitbull Crankbaits, and Berkley Bad Shad Crankbaits.  Those should get you started off right.

senkos, t-rigs, spook, buzzbait, spinnerbait, chatterbait 

From top to bottom:

Zara Puppy

LC Sammy

Pop R

MegaStrike Cavitron

 

Norman Fat Boy

Bandit 200

 

Strike King Red Eye Shad

Rage Swimmer

Siebert Outdoors Cosmic Spinnerbait

 

GYCB Senko & Fat Ika

Rage Tail Cut-R, Structure Bug and Craw

Siebert Outdoors Jigs

 

That will get you started! 

From top to bottom:

Zara Puppy

LC Sammy

Pop R

MegaStrike Cavitron

 

Norman Fat Boy

Bandit 200

 

Strike King Red Eye Shad

Rage Swimmer

Siebert Outdoors Cosmic Spinnerbait

 

GYCB Senko & Fat Ika

Rage Tail Cut-R, Structure Bug and Craw

Siebert Outdoors Jigs

 

That will get you started! 

Zoom trick worm

Ratltrap

Rebel Popr 

 

3 staples in my first outing...covers all columns 

 

Goodluck!!

Cheap and effective

1. yum dinger in 5" green pumpkin or 6" lizzard you dont need both.

2. SK 1.5 square bill X2 chartruse black back and blue gill

3. rattle trap "pick a brand, bill lewis or red eye" crome black or blue and a shad.

4. Pack of 2/0 or 3/0 ewg hooks i like gamy for the price and availability.

5. 1/8 ball dropshot sinker

6. 1/0 dropshot hook

7. KVD dreamshot in a color that is working for those around you maybe kvd magic

Then when it starts to warm up a cavitron buz bait or spook or duo pencil bait.  Look on tacklewarehouse.com under top sellers and see what is working for everyone.

My must haves if I were starting over.

 

3/0 EWG hooks

Yum dingers in green pumpkin or black blue flake  (yamamoto senkos are best but nearly triple the $$)

super spook Jr.

black buzzbait

KVD 1.5 squarebill (I'd actually go with spro fat john 60, but those are harder to find and more $$)

rapala DT6

chart/white spinnerbait

black/blue swimjig

wiggle wart

booyah padcrasher (would go with livetarget hollow body frog, but again, more $$)

 

Here's my introductory setup. 

 

- Weedless wacky Senko-style bait. 

- Spinnerbait or Chatterbait or Scrounger

- T-rig setup with 3/0 EWG and weight so they can either put on a worm, craw, or creature. 

 

Lot's of other options, but this is a good start.