Every bait I throw is a " search " bait.

Some just move slower than others.

 

You asked about flukes.

I have better hookup ratio with them nose hooked but you can't throw them in the junk that way.

I twist a spring in the nose.

Low light conditions: toad

Every other time: paddletail swimbait Texas rigged  

48 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I'm going to agree with @thediscochef on a walking bait. I can cast my 13 Fishing Dual Pitch Pencil a long ways. When I'm searching for bass, distance is paramount. Plus, it's so noisy that it draws bass from a distance.

 

My other favorite search bait is an underspin. I like it because it lands more softly than a spinnerbait, which matters in shallow water, and it can be used throughout the water column. It's also nearly weedless and a great trolling bait when I'm paddling from spot to spot. 

I love how everyone casually glosses over the cattle prod 

 

I love the walking bait. It's probably my most thrown lure this year 

51 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I love how everyone casually glosses over the cattle prod 

 

I love the walking bait. It's probably my most thrown lure this year 

Yeah I noticed along with the dynamite, pretty sure id be much more effective with the dynamite...but would probably take me out at the same time ..rofl ..

 

54 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I love how everyone casually glosses over the cattle prod 

 

I love the walking bait. It's probably my most thrown lure this year 

 

It's fun to fish, for sure. One retrieve last fall, I saw a bass charging it from the right and another from the left. Now, that's a search bait!

I fish lakes with a trolling motor only. I might have a destination but I'll fish my way there. Spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, cranks and chatterbaits are all good while on the go , but if I come across something good I'll stop and fish it more thoroughly. I had to learn the roll cast to fish quickly and efficiently. 

A Texas rigged worm is also a good fish finder.....you can cover more water than you think when fished a little faster..... works for me....

1 minute ago, crypt said:

A Texas rigged worm is also a good fish finder.....you can cover more water than you think when fished a little faster..... works for me....

Yeah I would agree but this lake at this time of year has lots of algae growing and anything bottom like that, every time you reel it in its covered. Its bad enough on my spinner baits and other shallow crank baits. Really not sure what kind of algae it is since when the water heats up it goes away but right now its pretty bad and grows on everything.

1/2 ounce Spinnerbait 

6 hours ago, crypt said:

A Texas rigged worm is also a good fish finder.....you can cover more water than you think when fished a little faster..... works for me....

Was about to recommend a t rigged junebug curly tail worm

Weightless fluke and a squarebill(specifically a Rapala Rocco) The Rocco comes through cover better than most other squarebills in my opinion. I can drag the Rocco through a laydown with full confidence if there's a fish in there it's gonna hit.

I’m kind of surprised no one is mentioning a 4.8 Keitech on an Owner Flashy Swimmer hook.   I’m using it more than ever.  

8 hours ago, bishoptf said:

Yeah I would agree but this lake at this time of year has lots of algae growing and anything bottom like that, every time you reel it in its covered. Its bad enough on my spinner baits and other shallow crank baits. Really not sure what kind of algae it is since when the water heats up it goes away but right now its pretty bad and grows on everything.

Just swim it

Swim this through the water column, something will smack it

14 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

I’m kind of surprised no one is mentioning a 4.8 Keitech on an Owner Flashy Swimmer hook.   I’m using it more than ever.  

I've done the same with a 3.8 swimbait. Today I threw a swim jig and a Texas rigged Pit Boss. I fished

the heaviest grass I've ever encountered. My options were limited as was my success.

22 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

It's fun to fish, for sure. One retrieve last fall, I saw a bass charging it from the right and another from the left. Now, that's a search bait!

absolutely love when they're stalking it and you can tell

I like a 4.3" Keitech Swim Impact Fat OR a Lucky Craft LV 500...both for their versatility but for different reasons. In the case of the Keitech I can put it on a 4/0 1/16oz swimbait hook and cover water pretty quickly and then if I find a spot where I think I might want to slow down for a bit I can use the same hook and just swap over to a 5" fluke.

 

On the other hand the LV 500 is nice because you can retrieve it anywhere in the water column or yoyo it off the bottom...so if you aren't sure where they are depth wise it can be a great one to start out with.

I'll be a bit of a contrarian here.  

 

I wouldn't be looking to cover a ton of water once you start seeing those water temps in the 60-62 range, or better I wouldn't be looking to fish fast.

 

I think a whacky rigged senko is unbeatable all the way through the spring, and you can both cover water and slow down with that bait.    

 

The biggest thing I've learned over the last several years is that you really got to take your time and slow down once you think those fish are starting to spawn.   

 

10 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'll be a bit of a contrarian here.  

 

I wouldn't be looking to cover a ton of water once you start seeing those water temps in the 60-62 range, or better I wouldn't be looking to fish fast.

 

I think a whacky rigged senko is unbeatable all the way through the spring, and you can both cover water and slow down with that bait.    

 

The biggest thing I've learned over the last several years is that you really got to take your time and slow down once you think those fish are starting to spawn.   

 

 

I'm going to a big bass bog tomorrow, Alex, and because of you, I'll have a Senko tied to one rod. Should I use one of my big Senkos or an average one?

19 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I'm going to a big bass bog tomorrow, Alex, and because of you, I'll have a Senko tied to one rod. Should I use one of my big Senkos or an average one?

Awesome, and to me the whacky rig just covers every phase of the spawning process so well.  It appeals to those females who are just moving up, it's one of the few ways I've found to catch them really good when they're on the actual bed, and it's devasting for the post spawn phase when the males are fry guarding.  

 

I only use the 5"  standard Yamamoto senkos.   I use the VMC crossover rings in #5 size and after a few years of searching for the best weedless whacky hook I've settled with the Ryugi Talisman hook.  I love the owner ones like the Jungle but the darn Ti weedguards break off way to quickly.   

 

Ryugi Regular Guard Talisman Wacky/Neko Hook 4pk | Tackle Warehouse

Five inches, it is! I had good luck in 2024 with dark ones that had chartreuse tails. Maine bass like chartreuse. 

If you are fishing fairly clear water a 3 to 5 inch swimbait usually works for me this time of year. Usually on a 1/4 jighead depending on depth I'm targeting. 

So much depends on season, water levels, weather conditions, time of day, and water quality.  In spring I search early with a HB frog, and Zara Spook.  As the sun comes up high, I go with a zoom u-vibe, fluke, Senko type bait, or a swim jig.  In the afternoon I reverse the bait selection.

Spinnerbait 100% 

1A) bladed jig

1B) Spinnerbait

2) Buzzbait

Thinking of going out, we have had over the weekend a ton of rain but while these small lakes are up they have large over flows and self regulate pretty quickly. Not sure if I should wait till tomorrow or go today since never know how the weather really affects them. Overcast now, wind 10-15, but will be come partly cloudy to sunny this afternoon and the wind will drop.

 

Here is what i am tying on and will have on the deck, spinnerbait, fluke, swim jig, square bill rocco, underspin, fritts 5 biggun amd normal fritz 5 and whacky rig.

 

I think if it were to stay overcast I like the idea of a buzz bait, I may tie one if those on also, lol.