I cant decide what to throw. I normally throw Stickbaits(***) exclusively but Ive gotten into a different mindset as of late. I bought some tubes(wanna learn them) and I also remember dropshotting was real productive this time last year,so I wanna do that too. Been seeing people bragging about Jigs and thier success and well I want to try them too.Thought of a shakeyhead presentation as well.

    So many baits..so many choices... whats a guy to do?

   I went a whole month without being on the water and now I want to get back into it. Its been raining heavy here and Im sure that has changed things alot since the last outing I made in June. Where should I start to get back into the swing of things. What bait and what presentation would be best? Water is probably a little stirred up(murky) due to the rains and the water level has most likely risen.Would it be a good idea to target runoffs whhere the rain runs into the lake.

spinnerbait, jig, topwater. cant go wrong with any

I cant decide what to throw. I normally throw Stickbaits(***) exclusively but Ive gotten into a different mindset as of late. I bought some tubes(wanna learn them) and I also remember dropshotting was real productive this time last year,so I wanna do that too. Been seeing people bragging about Jigs and thier success and well I want to try them too.Thought of a shakeyhead presentation as well.

So many baits..so many choices... whats a guy to do?

I went a whole month without being on the water and now I want to get back into it. Its been raining heavy here and Im sure that has changed things alot since the last outing I made in June. Where should I start to get back into the swing of things. What bait and what presentation would be best? Water is probably a little stirred up(murky) due to the rains and the water level has most likely risen.Would it be a good idea to target runoffs whhere the rain runs into the lake.

What is rain???  

I cant decide what to throw. I normally throw Stickbaits(***) exclusively but Ive gotten into a different mindset as of late. I bought some tubes(wanna learn them) and I also remember dropshotting was real productive this time last year,so I wanna do that too. Been seeing people bragging about Jigs and thier success and well I want to try them too.Thought of a shakeyhead presentation as well.

So many baits..so many choices... whats a guy to do?

I went a whole month without being on the water and now I want to get back into it. Its been raining heavy here and Im sure that has changed things alot since the last outing I made in June. Where should I start to get back into the swing of things. What bait and what presentation would be best? Water is probably a little stirred up(murky) due to the rains and the water level has most likely risen.Would it be a good idea to target runoffs whhere the rain runs into the lake.

I absolutely feel your pain.  I can not have enough rods set up.  I am always wanting to keep up with the VanDams.  The funny part is I will try something and if it doesnt produce fish for me immediately I tend to disregard it.  I always seem to end up with a tube, tiki stik, spinner bait, jig, back on my line.  I think you forgo to list Swimbait it all the rage.

I just started taking bass fishing serious in March or so of this year, and when I did, I read great things about Senkos. After catching a few fish, naturally that's all I fished!

For the past 2-3 Months now, I've fished a senko maybe 3-4 times and have been out over 50 times.

After Senkos I went to Shaky Head, then Drop shotting, then tried crankbaits, then frogs, now jigs and swimbaits.

All of a sudden, I fished my first tournament, and nothing was hitting the Shaky head or Jig for me, and I figured why not use the Senko, and sure enough pulled out a 7lb 2oz bass on the 3rd cast or so.

Although it's great to always try new baits, never forget the others. It's been a bad tendency of mine to only fish one way for a month or so, then try another way. It's great to become versatile.

Here's what I did when I was just getting going. I would decide on what technique I wanted to learn and then make that my #1 focus.

I would read read everything I could find about it....most of the time I would set up a rod/reel specific to that technique....even if it meant having to buy new stuff :

Then, most importantly that technique was the only thing I fished. The dedication can be hard when it's obvious that you could be doing better with another style but when you start catching fish you will know more about that lure then you ever have. It's easier to catch fish in the right conditions when you have had to catch them in the wrong ones with the same lure.

I didn't answer your immediate question on what to use now but thought this might help.

Discipline yourself.  Pick one, own it, pick another.

Discipline yourself. Pick one, own it, pick another.

I'm with Russ. I fish one lure per outing on my local ponds. Sometimes it's a buzzbait, then a Spook, maybe a popper, spinnerbait, shallow crank...the list gos on and on...But, I NEVER take along soft plastics unless that's what I plan to use. Otherwise that's what I would end up using because I know, FOR SURE, I'm going to catch a few bass if I do.

Discipline yourself.  Pick one, own it, pick another.

I'm with Russ. I fish one lure per outing on my local ponds. Sometimes it's a buzzbait, then a Spook, maybe a popper, spinnerbait, shallow crank...the list gos on and on...But, I NEVER take along soft plastics unless that's what I plan to use. Otherwise that's what I would end up using because I know, FOR SURE, I'm going to catch a few bass if I do.

Excellent advice from LBH and RW.