Talking baits and presentations; I'm a proponent of showing, or doing something different to give me an edge or up the odds in my favor. Sometimes it's a small change in the lure or presentation, other times, it's in the rigging.

A few years back I started punching heavy pads and weeds.The snell knot was recommended and that's what I used. I got to thinking, if the cam action it offers to punching couldn't be applied to the good ole Texas rig. Yep, it works great and there is less stress on the knot on hook sets.

What about other rigging, I thought? One of the reasons a glass bead is used on a C-rig is to add sound. Why not on a T-rig?

Do these additions make a big difference, I doubt it, but any advantage I can get, I'll take.

Do you do anything to improve your chances? Hook upgrades, coloring plastics, or adding a color to a hard baits, adding rattles to soft plastics, etc. If so, how's it working out for you?

When things get tough I don’t always change confidence baits, I always change cadence! This is one of the simplest things to do, but a very effective thing. If I was swimming a a bait, I let it fall to the bottom then snap it up and fall again. Another change is let it sit after initial fall, and then a slow pull along the bottom. Another is a lateral jerk with immediate slack in the line after. This will cause a walk the dog action along the bottom with plastic stickbaits. I keep changing cadence until I find something they like. You can do this with many baits in your arsenal. One thing I never do is open the tackle box and start tying new baits, because one thing I’ve learned is you can’t catch unless the lure is in the water. Another lesson is if things are tough slow down, fish are curious and even if not feeding will move slowly to a sitting bait to investigate the intruder!

Another thing I will do is go into stealth mode. I turn off all the electronics, so no pinging. I stay off the trolling motor, and let the wind push me through a promising area. I have become a much more patient fisherman in my golden years.

I like to take a chartreuse Spike-It marker and whatever soft plastic I'm using , run that marker all the way down the back of the bait. It creates a two tone effect that I believe, looks more appetizing. Nothing a bass eats is one solid color.

These are some of the things I’ve done over the years….

When rigging a Fluke type bait I always rig so the hook eye sits about 1/4” back either below or on top which makes it dart up or down when I hit it.

(To lock the angle in place I heat the nose very lightly with a lighter then cool it quick)

I reverse the front blade on all prop baits

Either use or paint the belly’s of jerk baits bright orange.

Chartreuse Spike It for watermelon or greenish colored plastics

Always use Snell knot for all bottom contact baits.

Always used red hooks for t rigs (before changing all to Trokar)

For all jerk, trap and top water hard baits I always change the front treble to a red one.

When using a large flat tail worm I use a razor to split from about 1” into the body.

Mike

I have my wife call me. Every time she calls I literally catch the biggest fish of the day. lol

All great ideas. Like @geo g, I too change my cadence, but I found that I often couldn't remember what retrieve I was using when a bass hit, so I now I say the cadence as I change it. For example, "Slow and steady...Yo-yo...retrieve and pause...." Just hearing the cadence increases my change of remembering what cadence triggered a hit.

Talking baits and presentations: how do you improve your odds of catching?

So this one could get fairly in-depth, but I'll go with the abridged version.

Small picture—Stealth: Make every effort to remain undetected.

Meticulous boat position and long casts are the foundation.

Aftermarket hooks & hardware on everything.

I'll often dye/color soft plastics, mostly trailers.

Silent jerkbaits can be trip changers.

Big picture: There are no details; everything matters.

Sounds overwhelming, but IME, it is not.

It starts with building good habits and pays off when I can eternally maintain them.

Learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

A good 'ol fashioned ritualistic dance usually does it for me, other boats steering clear for about a thousand yard radius is a nice little bonus

When I am fishing with a jerk bait, sometimes I have a bass that just follows it (smallmouth). In the clear water I fish them, I can often see them following quite a ways off.

When I notice this happening, I either 1) change my cadence, or 2) change colors. One of those works most of the time to trigger a fish into biting instead of following.

If only that worked for muskie fishing...

The way I get the real big ones to bite is fish a lure with old, dull rusted hooks, tied to old frayed line. Works every time.

On 3/22/2026 at 9:03 AM, Swamp Girl said:

. . . I too change my cadence, but I found that I often couldn't remember what retrieve I was using when a bass hit, so I now I say the cadence as I change it.

This happens more often than I like to admit. 😄

I do many of the items listed in this thread as well. However, keep in mind there are two sides to this coin. While these actions may improve your odds on some days, on others they may decrease your odds. For example, adding rattles to a jig or T-rig in gin clear water may be the worst thing you can do to improve the bite. It doesn't hurt to try something, but be ready to experiment if your changes aren't working.

Downsizing is pretty smart a lot of times. So is upsizing! That goes for the bait/weight/hook/line etc - playing around with the variables to either stand out or blend in more intentionally makes for better days on the water for sure.

Does live bait count?

Theres a lot of small community lakes in my area. They are much easier to fish than large reservoirs. Just put the trolling motor down and concentrate on making good cast . A lot of the other boats fishing them are either crappie anglers or not so skilled bass fishermen.

A few I can think of:

1. I won’t cast a jig without a rattle

2. Slow down in your thinking. If it’s tough, sit and eat a snack. Ask yourself where should the fish be, and why/when should they be there.

3. Do something other people aren’t doing. Fish the bank that nobody goes near. If you would pass it up, so would everyone else and these “nothing banks” I call them often have quality fish.

4. Your eyes will ALWAYS be more reliable than your graphs. People get so wrapped up in “seeing” with their electronics, they forget to look with their eyes.

Rig everything at home vs on the water = more casts = more fish.

I'm a fanatic on a straight worm, Ned , fluke or any soft plastic for that matter and will re-hook over again until it's perfect.

Don't fish with LOUD TALKATIVE fisherman.

Took a long time highschool friend fishing and he was so loud with jokes and laughter that we skunked during the prime of fishing season......no joke.

3 hours ago, Swimbaitstud said:

Your eyes will ALWAYS be more reliable than your graphs. People get so wrapped up in “seeing” with their electronics, they forget to look with their eyes.

So true. I fish with a swiveling head. I also fish with a teenage boy whom I call the Kid. One thing I love about the Kid is that I can say, "Did you see that?", referencing a feeding bass, and he always did see just that, which is why he catches as many fish as me.

by going fishing