11 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Jerkbait

 

Really want to become a better jig angler and need to start using topwaters more so plan to use those more in 25'.

I'm going to change it up this year and use lures that I can catch bass with.  

44 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

I think I am starting to understand them. I’m paying attention to how they float or sink and how they sit and twitch. The problem is I like fishing lures around cover so I’m tempted to do crazy stuff like try to pull them through laydowns. I need to try some more inexpensive options like the H2O brand 

Wake baits

29 minutes ago, king fisher said:

I'm going to change it up this year and use lures that I can catch bass with.  

 

I wish that your strategy wasn't Mexico-specific. I'd love to use it in Maine too. 

 

Turd baits

More weightless flukes and various Texas-rigged plastics like worms, craws, and creatures. That's what I've been throwing most for the past couple years, but I'm branching out a bit more in terms of brands and specific models/colors. Also planning to throw more tubes.

1 hour ago, Columbia Craw said:

Turd baits

My favorite! 

Not any particular lure, but a category. Texas rigged soft plastics. I fish a lot of soft plastics as trailers for different jig, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc., but other than worms, I very rarely fish them by themselves. Beavers, Creature Baits, Swimbaits, and Toads will see more action this year.

Crankbaits and more Carolina rigging 

19 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I think I am starting to understand them. I’m paying attention to how they float or sink and how they sit and twitch. The problem is I like fishing lures around cover so I’m tempted to do crazy stuff like try to pull them through laydowns. I need to try some more inexpensive options like the H2O brand 

 

You're a braver man than I, but I'd bet you could trigger some big bites in the thick of that. How many jerkbaits it will cost you to get one out, though, I couldn't say.

 

Those H2OX ones haven't let me down. Definitely swap out the hardware on them, though. Also check out any Dick's in your area, I was able to score ~20 Vision 110s for around 9 bucks each between their clearance and their buy 5 get 5 free deal, almost makes me want to step foot in there again (almost).

I HAD planned on trying out jigs in 2024. Invested HEAVILY$$$ in jigs and jig trailers. Bought a highly regarded dedicated jig rod and baitcaster. And did same for "swimming worms" But I was enjoying so much success using 3.8", 4", 4.5" 5" and 5.25" soft plastic flukes and boot tailed swimbaits (rigged weedless) and chatter and willow chatterbaits, frogs and Pop-R baits and even tandem colorado and IND bladed spinnerbaits I just never used any other baits. 2024 was the first time in at least 3-4 years I even used a non-willow leaf spinner bait and holly crayolas did I catch the bass on them from mid April till post spawn. I had very little success using willow leaf SB's but on a whim decided to try a War eagle tandem CO SB in mid April and was shocked how well this particular bait worked. 

 

Literally I caught fish 90%+ of my outings from Mach till September using one of the above listed baits. I caught bass ranging from hand size to 5.75lbs. I guess I just don't have the discipline to put down a bait that is working well to spend time learning how to use a bait I have zero experience with.

 

2025 I am really going to try to fish swimming worms and various newer weedless rigs like the free rig and floating worms. Invested HEAVILY in Ned rigs and Shakey head rigs back in 2022 but never got around to trying either, will though this year.

Chatterbaits. I've never caught a fish using it. Tried different weights, colors, with and without trailers. Thinkin I might have put more time into them. I catch bass aplenty  on swim jigs, go figure!

Big swimbaits. I plan on fishing big baits atleast 75% of my hours on the water.

46 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Big swimbaits. I plan on fishing big baits atleast 75% of my hours on the water.

 

That's quite a commitment, but it sure works for @Fried Lemons.

Quote

 

Hair and marabou jigs, under a float or free.

Though I think I've been saying that for 20 years 

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

That's quite a commitment, but it sure works for @Fried Lemons.

True and true. I've got the gear and I've caught enough little bass, it's time to dance with the big girls.

all of them because that means i'm fishing more

8 hours ago, GreenPig said:

True and true. I've got the gear and I've caught enough little bass, it's time to dance with the big girls.

 

I look forward to seeing your photos!

 

At this point, with our bass sealed beneath ice, I'd be happy to catch a nine-incher.

44 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I look forward to seeing your photos!

 

At this point, with our bass sealed beneath ice, I'd be happy to catch a nine-incher.

Sigh...I feel your pain. Same thing here.

 

I sometimes open the garage door to have a peek at the boat hibernating in the garage...

12 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Big swimbaits. I plan on fishing big baits atleast 75% of my hours on the water.

I started specifically upsizing when the standard size bait bite is slow or non existent and it had a very positive result on quality of fish I catch. Like if the zoom fluke is working but not well I wont hesitate to throw the 7.5 in its place. I was always thought big baits would weed out the smaller fish from biting but it has had the opposite effect in my area. It just increases bite rate overall. It seems that way across the board other than with crank baits. Certain times down sizing seems to have a better bite than upsize but not drastically. I also can’t say how it changes with a frog bite as I really only throw stand size frogs. I have a few smaller ones but I can’t get the action out of them like I should. I don’t know if it’s me or the frogs or both but I’m pretty successful with regular frogs so I lean towards it being the sizes. 

@DinkDonkey30 my time fishing says you're onto something.  I fish Michiana mostly, and until a few years ago never knew how effective a bigger profile can be.  Throwing big baits isn't a cure all, but it definitely revolutionized my catching. 

 

scott

14 hours ago, softwateronly said:

@DinkDonkey30 my time fishing says you're onto something.  I fish Michiana mostly, and until a few years ago never knew how effective a bigger profile can be.  Throwing big baits isn't a cure all, but it definitely revolutionized my catching. 

 

scott

 

14 hours ago, softwateronly said:

@DinkDonkey30 my time fishing says you're onto something.  I fish Michiana mostly, and until a few years ago never knew how effective a bigger profile can be.  Throwing big baits isn't a cure all, but it definitely revolutionized my catching. 

 

scott

You must be pretty close to me. I live in Elkhart Co Indiana.

29 minutes ago, DinkDonkey30 said:

 

This makes sense from reading I've done.

 

When fish are actively chasing baitfish, they prefer the maximum return for their calories burned during the hunt. Why expend the same energy for a tiny meal?  So the biggest baitfish they can handle is often preferred.