Fellas,

I use the standard issue crankbaits and spinnerbaits as "search baits". My question is, do any of you guys ever switch it up and use topwaters or jerkbaits to find a pattern?  My thought is maybe when there is a tough bite or you are fishing high pressured areas, would there be a benifit to switching it up? I realize you wouldn't be able to cover as much water with either of these methods but am wondering if any of you use this to 'expand the aresenal'.  

thoughts?

FD

it all depends the time of year it is.  I will use a jerkbait in the spring for a search bait and I do cover  a lot of ground.  In the late summer early autum.   I like the topwater in all conditions, but I fish smallmouth pimaraly though.  That will make a difference.  

Tight lines

Although I prefer a spinnerbait as a search bait and to a certain extent a crankbait,I use a floating jerkbait as a searchbait from mid spring to mid summer.During early spring,I'll also use a suspending jerkbait.It all depends on the conditions and time of year for me.

I use flukes as my go-to search bait in the pre-spawn and post-spawn. In the fall, spooks and buzzers are more effective for me than at any other time of year. I'm not really very good at topwaters, though.  :-[

I also like hard jerkbaits and soft Fin'S Fish as my primary search bait in spring/summer/fall.  But if it's summer, morning, cloudy, there's a little chop on the water, and some action on the surface, then I'll use a zara spook, or spit'n image as my search baits.  But to be honest, I don't catch much on topwater (tend to set the hook too fast), so I keep a 4 black Senko rigged and handy.  When I miss the topwater strike, I set the topwater rod immediately down (letting the lure sit on the surface) and throw the Senko directly to the spot where the strike occurred this works a lot for me. I do the same with missed jerkbait strikes and swipes.

I must say that i am a hard jerkbait guy. I don't think that i can go to a store and not buy one. I think that they are a great search bait. I usually will throw the LC pointers in the spring and fall along with some Rouges and X-Raps. When the bass are really shallow I will often throw the Original Rapala or the Floating Rouge. These can really help you locate the bass then slow down and work the area with senko's or jigs.