..what is the ONE lure that you can count on to catch fish?

 

For me, it's the Kalin's 3" Lunker Grub in Smoke Salt Pepper color on 1/8oz darter or ball head jig. It out fishes even the senko in my experience, and it equally catches smallmouth, spotted, and largemouth bass effectively. I have a smorgasbord of lures, but at the end of the day, when I really need to catch something and the bite is tough, the Kalin's 3" grub always saves the day. I'm curious to find out what others like to use when bite is tough or if you just want to have a maximum chance of catching something. If you could only choose one lure to save the day what would it be?

A Cabin Creek Salty Critter Jr tube in Green Pumpkin Blue flake, rigged on a 1/4 oz Cadman's Smallie Crawlin jig. Never fails me! It's a small 2.5", extremely soft, finesse tube. The smallmouth absolutely cannot pass it up here!

Zoom Speed Worm

3/16, 12lb Sniper

 

 

 

 

Mike

The Senko which we have dubbed "skunk repellant" is the go to. It could be a 5" T-rigged weightless or a 4" rigged wacky style, it doesn't matter, it will get bit. 

A 4" plastic worm.

 

This past season I probably caught more bass on a swim jig/Keitech Fat than the next three presentations combined. 

If those failed a Rage Tail or Sweet Beaver on a T-rig didn't.  

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Zoom Speed Worm

3/16, 12lb Sniper

 

 

 

 

Mike

 

Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm 

1/8-1/4 oz depending on depth & wind

Watermelon Neon with the tail dipped Spike-It Dip-N-Glo Garlic 

15# Big Game 

I cant count on any lure to catch fish.

Right now here in Middle Tennessee, there is not a single fish above 25'.  The only bait I can consistently get bit on is a ned, and they flat chow it.  It has consistently caught fish on days that I would have gotten skunked before I started fishing it.  Summertime, the good ole wacky senko will always get bit.  

5" YUM Dinger, Texas rigged, beating bank cover can normally make a bass happen on the worst day for me.

 

If that doesn't work, the YUM Kill Shot on a drop shot has proven itself on my local PFA, and it sees otherworldly fishing pressure.

4” Berkley Maxscent The General Worm (GP/Watermelon) weightless, wacky-rigged

worm..................

 

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

I cant count on any lure to catch fish.

I'm in the same boat but I'm gonna throw that spinnerbait until God says "Enough is enough" ?

3 hours ago, scaleface said:

I cant count on any lure to catch fish.

I’m with @scaleface.  If I’m having a bad day,  I start looking at my map not my tackle box.

Ika

4 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

I’m with @scaleface.  If I’m having a bad day,  I start looking at my map not my tackle box.

Map AND Sonar - find where they're hiding.

No such thing, really.   What I do is just make my best guess depending on seasonal patterns and apparent conditions that day. Water color makes a difference.  Water temp makes a difference.  Water temp compared to air temp makes a difference.  Sun/clouds/ wind /presence or absence of vegetation all make a difference  Summertime, I like to put my home made jika rig one the bottom, a foot and a half away from the deepest weed line I can find, next to and amongst where the weed line goes from thick to sparse.

 

Fall, I like throwing a jig, or a jika rig, or a 1/2 oz Biffle bug on 45 degree gravel banks that have the wind blowing into them OR I like to go as far back into the cuts as depth allows and pitch to objects OR throw spinnerbaits/chatterbaits should I see shad.   Some days the squarebill has seriously outfitted the spinnerbait/chatterbait option for me, at least on Truman Lake.

 

Spring, I like throwing jerk baits or lipless cranks or soft plastic minnow type baits or Brewer Sliders.

 

Wacky Senko gets thrown from time to time nearly any season.

Weightless T-rigged Green pumpkin Senko tipped in JJ's chartreuse.  That's why I always START there.  90% of the time, I stay there.

I have two favorites

 

Bagley Honey B in Tennessee Shad or Chartreuse/Black Back

 

Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw in Sapphire Blue or Black/Red Glitter with a 3/16 or 1/4 oz. slip sinker

 

 

2 hours ago, riverat said:

 

Bagley Honey B in Tennessee Shad or Chartreuse/Black Back

One of my all time favorites . I like Baby Bass chartreuse  belly .

A special bait only I know about. 5" green pumpkin black flake senko.

TRD 

Geez..I guess I am the only guy to get skunked on this website.. I have no save the day that works EVERY time. I'll have to find a "lesser" website to hang out with.

11 minutes ago, LCG said:

TRD 

Whenever I see this on the side of a Toyota pickup truck all I can think of is those license plates that say something with missing letters. Like "GDGuy" for "Good Guy" for instance. TRD just doesn't cut it for me.