I know this is very general but... Let's assume you were fishing a lake in the Kentucky/Tennessee area next weekend. You had 3 rods of your choice. What 3 baits would you have tied on?

Jerkbait

Lipless

Jig

18 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

Jerkbait

Lipless

Jig

Bam ! 

(shut it down)

A-Jay

Sorry....

1.5

Jerk

Jig

Ned rig

Float and fly

Suspending jerkbait

Lipless

Spinnerbait

T-Rig

Wiggle Wart

Shad Rap

Jerkbait

The OP ask about Kentucky/Tennesse. The answer is 

1. Lipless  2. Jerkbait - because that’s what they’re hitting right now

3. T-rig. - because you should always have a t-rig tied on.

Yeah, Texas rig, jerkbait and lipless.

Have to try a jerk bait.  Have to try a shaky head.  Have to try a ned rig.  Have to try a jig.   Have to try a white spinnerbait (parallel any bluff banks). Might want to try a float & fly.  Might want to try a Biffle Bug.  Can't go fishing without trying a wacky senko.  Perhaps a soft plastic shad instead of a jerk bait.  Maybe a Bubba size swim bait, maybe a more modest sized swim bait.

 

Why stop a 3 rigs?   Without trying very hard, we're up to 10 different rigs and we haven't mentioned Wiggle Warts or Tubes and how heavy a jig were we going to throw, might need to bring several rigs just to cover the range of jig weights.    Brewer Sliders are an option nearly any time of year.    Glad I could help.

1. Jerkbait

2. Dropshot Zoom Worm

3. Jig

Fish the 3 baits you have the most confidence in.....Then adjust depth as needed with any of them.

 

I often make the mistake of trying too many options, but have gotten better at just sticking with what I have confidence in and know have always caught fish for me in most conditions.

 

Plastics

Jigs

Lipless cranks & jerkbaits

This time of year I would be using a lipless crankbait, bladed jig, or some kind of plastic.

If ?

jackhammer chatter bait 1/2 ounce 

kinky beaver 5/16 pegged tungsten weight

maybe a shakeyhead with a green pumpkin trick worm if things were tough

Crankbait

 

Jig

 

Lizard

Dropshot w/ 6" RoboWorm

T-Rig Creature Bait

Lipless 

Lipless

Crank

Jig

 

In that order.