Upsize that Senko to a 6 or 7inch, try the 7inch Kut Tail (shakeyhead).  Sometimes you gotta throw them some groceries!!   

#1 most productive lure for quality & quantity

 

I've researched all B.A.S.S & FLW tournaments (Pro & Amateur), all amateur tournaments I could find results for (2001-2017), and the Texas Share-A-Lunker program.

 

What I would have to mention is under the category of plastics would be T-rigs, C-rigs, Wacky, Drop Shot, ECT which are techniques.

 

This list includes all worms, craw worms, lizards, creatures, tubes, Fluke type, & Senko type baits; which is why it's listed as plastic lures.

 

The data shows a staggering 5 to 1 ratio.

 

#2 is a Jig-n-Craw ?

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It works the same way here too. Fish a black buzzbait all day through the timber you mentioned. I like a 1/2oz black on black Cavitron, or 3/4oz black on black Crock-o-Gator. 

 

As much as I don't like them, banging a squarebill through timber is a great way to get a big bite too. A jig, beaver, and big worm would be top options for me as well. Another that doesn't get used a lot but has been a great big fish producer for me, is a 7" stick worm (senko), T rigged with a 1/8-1/4 ounce bullet weight and flipped at the trees. Catches fish of all sizes but the big ones really like that big hunk of plastic gliding down. 

That all sounds good to me. I'm thinking I will definitely pick up some 7" stickbaits, my pb actually came on a 5" stickbait but it just seems kinda small sometimes, so moving up to the 7" sounds good. 

4 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Upsize that Senko to a 6 or 7inch, try the 7inch Kut Tail (shakeyhead).  Sometimes you gotta throw them some groceries!!   

 I'm thinking I will definitely pick up some 7" stickbaits, my pb actually came on a 5" stickbait but it just seems kinda small sometimes, so moving up to the 7" sounds good.

This may be because I've been reading spoonplugging too much, but focus more on where you are fishing rather than the bait. Once you know location, time of year and depth you can effectively choose a bait based on that. personally i would go out with the following

• T-Rigged plastic beaver or worm depends on the depth and cover
• squarebill or deep crank again depending on depth and cover
• and a big swimbait or glidebait which again can change depending on the depth of the fish

Keep a buzz bait tied on. A jig will get you more fish with some big ones mixed in and a swim bait may produce a big girl, but a buzzer will produce more quality fish on a given outing. 

If it’s the morning I’ll always have a frog on, have caught My pb and several close to it in the morning on a frog (pb came on a scum frog). It could be the difference in lakes too. That being said I always have a t rigged craw and jig w/craw trailer tied or very close by. Usually have a shakey head tied on my spinning gear too

Post spawn the Bomber Long A Minnow shallow on points leading to deep water . 

1/2oz jig in solid black or green pumkin works for me.

 

Allen

On Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 5:13 PM, ratherbfishin1 said:

If I’m going for big bass I go big plastics and fish the heavy nasty cover and don’t worry about snags.  That is just personal preference. Good luck this year.

This

3/8 or 1/2 oz arky jig. Flip it, swim it, drag it. It catches big fish. 

A close second Depending on conditions and mood of the fish a lipless crankbait especially around grass.

3/8 oz jig and a t rigged creature bait.

Jig. I Like 3/8ths and 1/2oz 99% of the time in Green, Brown or Black with accents colors in the skirts or trailer. 

I have great luck flipping ol monsters at any cover. Back in the day guys used to flip big worms all the time. I can't understand why its not popular anymore. 

So if you want to target big fish why not look at a bigger fish bait lie a 7 ot 9 inch slammer, 316 wake bait for night action or an swaiver.  A bbz rat is also a great bait that's cheap and produces nice fish.  The 40 is a good all around size and a 50 will target the larger girls.

Is the lake pressured a lot? In my experience places that are pressured a lot have big bass that are hard to fool and need more inconsistent retrieves to get them to strike. Jerkbaits are good for this but just about all lures can be retrieves inconsistently (start and stop). The biggest fish I caught last season was on a whopper plopper (start and stop) and my PB was on a small glide bait (start and stop). Maybe look into the savage gear shine glide in the smaller size if your water is clear. 

16 hours ago, FCPhil said:

Is the lake pressured a lot? In my experience places that are pressured a lot have big bass that are hard to fool and need more inconsistent retrieves to get them to strike. Jerkbaits are good for this but just about all lures can be retrieves inconsistently (start and stop). The biggest fish I caught last season was on a whopper plopper (start and stop) and my PB was on a small glide bait (start and stop). Maybe look into the savage gear shine glide in the smaller size if your water is clear. 

These lakes do get fished, but I don't think they get fished real hard. Thanks for the advice! The the water is generally murky..