Yep, strolling a jig n minner works, but there are times I just get tired of shaking it all day. Sometimes I think I might wake up the day after hours of strolling with permanent tremors… lol.

 

What lures if any do you use to entice fish on your FFS screen beside a jig head and plastic?  I have ventured out plenty the past couple years and probably fish alternatives now half the time with similar results.  Here are my top “other FFS lures:”

 

•1/2 oz Spinnerbait

•Mepps #3 spinner

•Shimano MacBeth/39 (3 ft depth)

•Damiki Disco 38 (6ft diver)

•OSP Timy Blitz DR (10 ft diver)

 

The bottom 3 crankbaits are small BFS lures that can be thrown on either BFS casting or spinning. I seem to get far better results with the smaller cranks over the standard size crankbait… And smaller #3 Mepps over a regular size Spinnerbait most days.

With all the above lures, I feel like I can get several casts off, sometimes different angles at schools of fish where I can only get maybe 1-2 retrieves with a slow shaking jig and minnow. 

 

 

I don’t know if they are traditional or not but my #1 baits for FFS are a jighead minnow for suspended bass and a neko rig for bass on or near the bottom…. 

 

If I am having trouble getting bit on the neko i’ll go to a drop-shot.. 

 

For me that’s about all I carry on the deck any more.. I feel like if I don’t get bit on those three then it’s time to make a move and i’ll try to locate other fish…

I don't have ffs, but surprised no one talks about throwing a 2.75" tube in a smoke ish color.  You could reel it straight, yo-yo it, or let the spiral fall do it's magic.

 

scott

I don’t have FFS on my kayak but I do have side imagine and down scan. I can use those and sinking trout minnows, either 50, 60 or 70mm. It can be a lot of fun. I could see these baits being great for FFS. 

Guys in Japan are catching big ones dragging/dead sticking big hard swimbaits/gill baits on the bottom with 1-2 ounces of weight added. Sometimes with ridiculous retrieve times measured in the minutes, the big fish seem to ignore/reject the lure initially but will often eventually come around and eat it. 

20 minutes ago, Hogs_n_Logs said:

Guys in Japan are catching big ones dragging/dead sticking big hard swimbaits/gill baits on the bottom with 1-2 ounces of weight added. Sometimes with ridiculous retrieve times measured in the minutes, the big fish seem to ignore/reject the lure initially but will often eventually come around and eat it. 

Very interesting thanks for sharing 

2 hours ago, Hogs_n_Logs said:

Guys in Japan are catching big ones dragging/dead sticking big hard swimbaits/gill baits on the bottom with 1-2 ounces of weight added. Sometimes with ridiculous retrieve times measured in the minutes, the big fish seem to ignore/reject the lure initially but will often eventually come around and eat it. 

Interesting things they do in those highly pressured waters. But man, I have the attention span of gnat and would struggle doing that. Waiting 10 seconds on a jerkbait pause is about my upper limit!  

6" 3oz soft swimbaits mid column or about 5' over the bottom 

 

And if they are in the top 10fow or so and it is warmer, a bladed jig. Seriously.

Honestly, I’ve found that the bait matters less on ffs compared to the cover.  You can see tons of baits on FFS.  If you’re casting to specific fish, then a minnow is a good shout.  But if you’re just fishing to the cover then the lures you throw into the cover are the right lures.  I’ve thrown spinnerbaits and chatterbaits along the grass line (not to active fish) and you can tweak the level they are running based on retrieve speed.  If I am looking at a stump or lay down then I can throw a big jig into it and watch it bounce through the branches.  If you have active fish, then all bets are off and the bait they eat is the bait.  

I wish we had a better common understanding of terms.  I don't claim to be the authority on the subject but in my mind there is a difference between scoping and FFS.  My definition of scoping is casting at a fish you see on the screen.  FFS is a type of sonar.  FFS does not dictate what lures I use anymore than Side scan or 2D sonar.  I use FFS a lot and most of the time I'm not scoping.  When I am scoping,  the bait depends on the specific situation.  I don't have any baits that I only use for scoping.

If you want something DIFFERENT for scoping try a tube.  A straight dark gray tube ( thin wall, single dip like the originals) on a light jig head ( 1/8oz ) works well.  You don't even have to shake it.  The legs move at it sinks.