What's your guys favorite baits for fishing offshore?  I'll be mostly fishing in the 8-16 feet deep but no deeper than 20 feet, around brush and what not often.  I am new to deep water fishing, so what specific models are your favorites?

Can't ever go wrong with a football jig. I also have a hard time putting down a tube off shore. 

Texas rigged zoom ole monster worm. 

In water 8 to 16-ft deep (a key depth zone in reservoirs),

I'm sure I'll fish a 'jig & twin-tail grub' and 'T-rigged Ultravibe 7" Magnum Worm'

 

Roger

 

For me, a jig,swimbait,c-rig.

Rage Tail Thumper (Blue Fleck) T-rigged; Structure Bug J-rigged and the new Siebert G2/ Rage Tail Lobster.

 

 

 

Texas Rigged plastic of some sort determined by the body of water.

 

Jig-N-Craw

 

Carolina Rigged plastic of some sort determined by the body of water.

Everything I fish in 1'-8'................except a little heavier, and/or deeper diving.

worm

Try to get use to bottom contact. You'll have to experiment with different weight to see how you make out. 

Im offended that nobody has mentioned the drop shot. 98% of my tournament winnings last season came from the drop shot in 25-50ft of water.

7 minutes ago, MainelyBASS said:

Im offended that nobody has mentioned the drop shot. 98% of my tournament winnings last season came from the drop shot in 25-50ft of water.

Even around wood?  I have honestly never caught a bass on a dropshot, unless I am sight fishing for spawning bass.  

 

What size and type of jig/Texas rig are you guys using?

Just now, IndianaFinesse said:

Even around wood?  I have honestly never caught a bass on a dropshot, unless I am sight fishing for spawning bass.  

Im only speaking for myself here, but if I locate brush piles in 15+ft of water, i can hover over the top of it using my electronics, drop down to the area above the tree and work the drop shot. More often than not, the fish come out of the tree to hit the bait.

1 hour ago, MainelyBASS said:

Im offended that nobody has mentioned the drop shot.

 

   Don't be offended, the "dropshot" is technically not a bait, it's a rigging method  

 

Roger

i'll throw a 3/16 bullet if i can get away with it and increase weight as needed due to wind (or with a craw worm) but thats just me. i do prefer worms for deep stroking and crawling thru deep brush. deep for me is the 20'-25' range.

edit: thermocline can change the latter

Little clarification

 

Fishing offshore does not necessarily mean ya gotta fish deep!

 

I fish a lot of offshore structure that tops out at 15' +/-, I also fish a lot of deep water (20-30') within casting distance of the shoreline.

I'm assuming you are talking about casting hard baits, from jigs to top waters. Don't try to force feed the bass. Try various controls of depth & speed, starting with the top and working down through the water column. Depending on the water temperature and clarity, you probably wouldn't go too far wrong with a hard (or soft) jerkbait. Good Luck!

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Texas Rigged plastic of some sort determined by the body of water.

 

Jig-N-Craw

 

Carolina Rigged plastic of some sort determined by the body of water.

this.....................

Heres a few crakbaits that I use .  

 

8 to 10 foot Norman Deep Little N

10 to 12 foot Rapala  CR14 Crankin Rap 

12 to 17 Strike King 6xd

 

Strike King Red Eye Shad for all depths .

 

I have the entire line  of Crankin Raps . They have produced well for me . 

 

I just purchased the entire line of Berkely Dredgers all in Fire Tiger , that I havent used yet . I'll give them a go this coming summer .

2 hours ago, Crestliner2008 said:

Don't try to force feed the bass. 

i should have this tattooed on my forehead

4 hours ago, RoLo said:

 

   Don't be offended, the "dropshot" is technically not a bait, it's a rigging method  

 

Roger

Texas rig and Carolina rig which are "rigging methods" are acceptable, but dropshot isn't acceptable because it's a "rigging method?" Apparently I have no idea how to use this forum. 

22 hours ago, IndianaFinesse said:

What's your guys favorite baits for fishing offshore?

 

Green machine, or a ballyhoo with a blue/white Islander, I'm a sucker for the classics.

Ol' Monster T-rigged, trick worm C-rigged, and a deep diving crank.

Football jigs, swing head with a 10" worm or beaver, 5XD or 6XD, shakyhead with a trick worm.