Each year I try a few new products that are different from the norm or at least something new to me and see if I like it. I try not to make a major investment in this but it's fun. Last year it was the Cover Scat and Bellows Gill (both winners).... So this year I ordered a whole box of different things to try. 

 

This is the one that has intrigued me the most, the Decoy Switch Head. You can tie on one end, push the pin out and attach a hook without retying. If you put it on one direction, it's like a swimbait head or slider. Turn the weight around, it's supposed to cause the bait to wobble. 

 

What do you think?  Anybody else trying something new this year?

 

 

 

bellows gills?  man, i am total goose-egging that one.  i thought it looked so good on a drop shot. the bass however, felt otherwise.

5 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

bellows gills?

I bought every color and had some luck, but nothing special. What I like the most is the

unique smell.

I finally bought some swing head jigs to try out this year.

On 1/12/2023 at 5:42 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

bellows gills?  man, i am total goose-egging that one.  i thought it looked so good on a drop shot. the bass however, felt otherwise.

It's one of those baits I always have tied on now.  I have killed it on every lake I have fished in three different states last year. On the other hand, my buddy tried it and he too can't catch a fish on them but he drags or slow swims everything. He never let's a bait sit, which is how I fish them. I free rig them with a 4/0 EWG and pop them off the bottom.  The fish hit it on the way up or immediately on the fall.

7 minutes ago, FishTank said:

It's one of those baits I always have tied on now.  I have killed on every lake I have fished in three different states last year. On the other hand, my buddy tried it and he to can't catch a fish on them but he drags or slow swims everything. He never let's a bait sit, which how I fish them. I free rig them with a 4/0 EWG and pop them off the bottom.  The fish hit it on the way up or immediately on the fall.

thanks.  free rig.  check!!

I usually try something new each year and if it works, I become a prisoner and throw it well past it's effective zone and miss the opportune times that other baits would excel in........ happens every year.

 

 

On 1/12/2023 at 8:34 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

thanks.  free rig.  check!!

I know this is not exactly an informative video but at around the 14-15min mark he explains exactly how I fish a free rig with the Bellows Gill. 

 

1 hour ago, FishTank said:

fish a free rig with the Bellows Gill. 

I saw this one, bellows gill is such a weird but good bait, I also like the free rig with little damiki baits armor shad for the SW here, 

This season I have to pick back up throwing more “pinks” for smallies and large 10” worms for lake greenies. 
 

Pink soft plastics got me a few river smallies. A phobia of pink that I’m over now. 
 

At the lake it will be a series of early mornings and end of daylights and fishing nothing but these big worms. Mixing them in more. When you throw 4”-6” worms, that 10” seems off the chart but it should work. Just have to make it work. 

 

New deals for 2023 ~

Nothing actually ‘new’, more like different version of a reoccurring theme.

~ Megabass Pop Max GG Mid Night Bone  Love at first sight with this one.

     The yellow belly got me.

~ Megabass Vision 110 R Hi-Float: in GG Perch OB.

     There are a few deals where having a jerkbait that I can fish

     Slowly in skinny water could be advantageous. We’ll see.

~Megabass SV-3 Double Willow Spinnerbait 3/8 & ½ oz. 

   Ayu and Whit Chart.  Complete Bait Monkey deal right here.

~ Z-Man Chatterbait Mini Max: Had to see what all the hype was about.

   Just got Green Pumpkin a few each in 3/8 & ½ oz along with some 3 inch        

   Yamamoto Zako Swimbait trailers also in Green Pumpkin.

   Haven’t decided what tackle to fish this one on yet. 

   Some trial & error is in my future.

A-Jay

Keitechs

Storm Wildeye Shad

Some Crankbaits

zoom brush craw

 

@A-Jay you ain’t tried the SV-3 for your smallies? I

gotta believe that thing will crush for you

12 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Keitechs

Storm Wildeye Shad

Some Crankbaits

zoom brush craw

 

@A-Jay you ain’t tried the SV-3 for your smallies? I

gotta believe that thing will crush for you

It's in the mix ~ 

 

 

A-Jay

7 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

It's in the mix ~ 

 

 

A-Jay

Yeah… that’s what I’m saying. You got them; I’m excited for you to try them

5 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Yeah… that’s what I’m saying. You got them; I’m excited for you to try them

The V9 was good.

So there's that.

https://youtu.be/NpVmd8ll1Dg?t=169

A-Jay

17 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

The V9 was good.

So there's that.

https://youtu.be/NpVmd8ll1Dg?t=169

A-Jay

Yup! ?

 

Off topic, is this your rest day?

4 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Yup! ?

 

Off topic, is this your rest day?

Yup.

Total Body 3 in the morning.

A-Jay

I've got another one. The 2-Way from Raid Japan. I am usually fine with a plain wacky rigged senko but I saw a guy last year catch four different species of fish (catfish, stiper, largemouth, and a carp) on the smaller version of this bait, in the same spot using FFS and I told myself I had to try it.

 

 

I’ve had better luck will the Bellows Gill than the Cover Scat !!

 

Please tell me what size and how are you fishing it - Weightless ? It seems to take forever to sink 

On 1/12/2023 at 6:39 PM, Bird said:

I usually try something new each year and if it works, I become a prisoner and throw it well past it's effective zone and miss the opportune times that other baits would excel in........ happens every year.

 

 

Just @ me next time ?

Drop shotting and texas rigs are something I have done very little of. Actually I’ve never texas rigged anything ever. This year I want to do more drop shot and I want to start using a texas rig in the grass beds on the river. 

6th Sense Glitch Worm and Crube.  I’m also trying the Chatterbait Mini Max.  That’s it. 

I’m going to try float and fly.  I have a 9 ft m/l action steel head spinning rod laying around so I’m going to use it on this.  I’ve just bought some 1/8 oz spro phat flies.  I just need to get a bubble float and I should be in business.  
 

I really need to get into the drop shot game.  I say this every year but, never do. 
 

small ball jigs with worms 

 

I feel my power game is good I just need to refine my finnesse game 

 

lipless cranks early in the year.  I spent a lot of money on lipless cranks last spring than barely used them all of last year 

7 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

I’m going to try float and fly.  I have a 9 ft m/l action steel head spinning rod laying around so I’m going to use it on this.  I’ve just bought some 1/8 oz spro phat flies.  I just need to get a bubble float and I should be in business.  
 

I really need to get into the drop shot game.  I say this every year but, never do. 
 

small ball jigs with worms 

 

I feel my power game is good I just need to refine my finnesse game 

 

lipless cranks early in the year.  I spent a lot of money on lipless cranks last spring than barely used them all of last year 

How do the phat flies look? Can you take of picture of them next to something else to show the size? I keep meaning to pick some up, I’ll try to order some payday. They seem like that may be great just fished like a normal hair jig too.

I'd like to catch a fish on a spinnerbait. I don't know if it's me or the area I fish but I can pretty much only catch fish on finesse tactics. 

 

I can't even get a spotted bay bass or sand bass on a spinnerbait, I feel like saltwater is my best bet. 

 

I added a feathered/mylar trailer hook to one. It looks good in the water. Hoping it makes the difference.