For me, it has to be bass jigs. I know they catch big fish, but I have never caught a bass on one. I have zero confidence. It may be where I fish, the bottom is mostly mud and muck and I feel bottom presentations just get buried. I do keep trying and someday maybe that bite will come and I can add jigs to my bass fishing resume.

Glide baits.

That is all.

😐

A-Jay

I really struggle with jerkbaits and spooks and I’ve spent a lot of time with both. I’ve had very little, sporadic success with both. A problem I have with jerkbaits and pretty much all treble hook lures is I’m reckless and like to throw everything around wood. 

Not a master in anything, but have dedicated time to a wide variety of baits on my home lake:

 

Things I'm working on and increasing my success rate; neds, jig worms, and deep cranks

 

Things that are slipping away from me and sometimes not finding success even though I've had it in the past; a-rigs, all topwater, and glides

 

scott

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Glide baits.

That is all.

😐

A-Jay

Ditto

 

Probably because I never think to throw one. 
 

 

 

 

Mike

So many lures so little time!
Tom

3 hours ago, rboat said:

It may be where I fish, the bottom is mostly mud and muck

I don’t like jigs on muck bottom. An 1/8oz Texas jig creature does much better for me

I am the worse frog fisherman. I have had luck with them, mostly bad luck.

Rat L trap for me.

While I'm not bad I always want to get better with jigs in general.

Also glidebaits

" .... just can't figure out..."   

 

That's gotta be anything beyond a Senko, 3.8" paddle tail, and jerkbait for me.

 

I'd say jigs would be the top of my list, to pick one.

Jigs came easy for me. Frogs I suck with. Never caught a jerkbait fish even though I've tried plenty of times. Spinnerbaits, Jigs, and weightless Texas rigs are my bread and butter. Been doing well with big swimbaits too.

I have a love hate relationship with hollow body frogs. I have read and keep hearing that hook ups are  often hit and miss. But man, I hate to loose a big fish (or any fish for that matter). They are becoming scarce and fishing a frog can be frustrating. 

 

I would add to this topic that I hate getting hung up with bottom contact baits. I don't get hung up as much as I use to but it seems to me that the art of not getting stuck in a rock or a downed tree has eluded me. 

From the thread title, I would say jerkbaits for me.   I understand them, but I haven’t put enough time into them to be good at it and I know how much they catch fish. 

I rarely pick up a treble hooked topwater anymore and jerkbaits catch a lot more pike than bass for me. I used to boat a lot more nice sized fish on neds but I couldn’t tell you that last fish over 3lbs I've landed on one. 

Edited July 20, 2025Jul 20 by 10,000 lakes Bassin
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Punch rig.  I have yet to build any confidence, but I keep trying.  Like the OP, I am patiently waiting fora break through.  

Drop shot. It's like my 260 lb self twirling on toe point. It just doesn't feel right.

I’d say frogs. They miss the frog so much and just end up head butting it. I miss a good hook set. It’s just giant pain haha. And I don’t put enough time into it. Because I can have just as much top water fun on. A plopper or piper in my area. 
 

bladed jigs. Ughhhhhh I’ve caught a few on them. Caught a nice catfish on one lol. But I just can’t get them dialed in. I’ve tried for years lol. 

For what it's worth - I believe firmly that it's user error for me - so with that out of the way:

 

Deep crankbait.

 

I love squarebills.  I LOVE lipless crankbaits.

 

I can't connect the dots and make deeper cranks work with any sort of consistency for me around here.

 

It sucks because I really enjoy cranking shallow wood and rock and grass and flats etc

 

When I start to target any fish deeper than about 8 ft with a crankbait - I skunk.

Chatterbaits. I love a jig and I love a spinnerbait. Combine the two into chatterbaits and I’m useless. 

Swim jigs……and with that I’m in on @DogBone_384 challenge.

 

 

It can only end in misery,,,,,,,,,,,or not 😉

It has to be hollow bodied frogs.  The bass around here just won't come out of the vegetation after a frog. When I do catch a frog bass I can't tell if it was a feeding bite, or a reaction strike.

Crank baits. As a primary bank angler they just feel like a way to constantly snag and throw cash into the river. When I do get the opportunity to fish off a boat I focus on what I know.