Thanks for answering our questions.  Ten used ago I had 2 rods in the boat.  One had a Rat-L-Trap.  The other had a Texas-rigged worm.  Now once we get into Summer, I have a Senko -style worm, a jig, crankbaits, chatterbait, topwater, Ned rig, drop shot, Banjo-minno, blah,blah,blah.  How do you weed through all the options and new “hot” lures?  I rarely throw a Rat-L_Trap anymore, but it was great for years.  I just talked myself into using it more this year.  What do you think?  Thanks, Sam

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Thanks.  

**Good question Sam and I will most likely do a video on this for my Youtube channel because there is so much to address here.  It's easy to get mired down in the endless selection of baits and your certainly NOT alone.  My fishing mindset consist "keeping things simple" and viewing things through a "lens" that centers around my personal angling style in combination making high percentage choices and decisions.  Let me unpack that a bit:  

 

The Lens: 

#1 Got to look at the lake through a seasonal lens. What seasonal patterns do you perceive exist. For Example: Seasonal patterns like Spring = Spawn centered, Fall = shad/baitfish migration and generally shallower/flatter areas so baits that would fish best in those types of places best and with that in mind.

 

#2 What type of water body are we fishing, which includes current conditions and species of bass.  

Example: Stained water and predominately Largemouth then I will look shallow with more "traditional" bass baits (spinnerbaits, Jigs and square bills) and if its a deeper, clearer reservoir with smallies or spots then I use baits that fit that type approach. (jerk baits, top waters, finesse swim baits, smaller finesse size jigs, etc.) 

 

#3 I will ALWAYS start with baits that I have historically been most proficient with and have the most confidence in.   When I don't know what is happening I know that the search part may require me to go through a couple of places and periods with little to no success before I fine tune what is happening.  With that in mind I need to have baits that I can confidently fish (believe I will get bit) for a longer time until contact is made.  Once contact is made I may consider making a bait selection adjustment if I think there may be something that they might want better.

 

*Color selection:  Low light, low pressure weather system (overcast and/or wind) I lean more to moving type baits and bright skies and high pressure weather system I lean more towards baits that I can fish low and slow  (deeper in water column and slower speeds) 

*Lure color: clear water and bright conditions = natural or more translucent (green pumpkin, water melon)   darker days and stained water = darker or brighter (black blue, junebug)

*I put little stock in "whats hot" and more in things that are tried and true.

**Lures are just tools.  Some are designed to be used in certain water depths and speeds while others will be much better suited with the opposite end of the spectrum. Example: spinnerbait = shallow - faster, football jig = deeper - slower.

 

I hope I wasn't too long winded here, however I will leave you with this in an effort to boil it down.  My personal opinion is that no matter what the conditions are like (weather and water), species, water body or seasonal time frame bass can be caught (and quite well) year around with one of the 4 fundamental baits:  crank baits, spinnerbaits, jigs and worms. 

Good stuff.  Thanks