This might seem like a long shot and please disregard if it is .But to those who care to respond please do.

Heres the situation:

You are approached by a stranger and given a challenge. The challenge being that you will be given a choice of 1 rod and reel of your choice, only 1 lure/bait, any kind of line you would like. You will be taken to an unknown lake that has  bass in it, in another state and can only fish from the bank. Your goal is to catch at least 1 bass over 1 pound. If the goal is met you will win a brand new Bass boat.

With that situation,what Bait/lure do you go with(color,size ect) and why?

Watermelon seed super fluke on 10 lb power pro. Reel would be a Shimano Stradic 2500 and rod would be a high quality 6'6" or 7' MH fast action.

I can cast a fluke farther than practically any other lure so therefore I can cover more water from one spot. They are almost impossible to get hung up on weeds or other cover so I'm less likely to lose it. And bass will hit 'em when nothing else is working. 10 lb power pro because I can cast it further than 20 lb and it won't be broken by any normal bass like your lightweight monos.

I would probably go with the fluke too, but I would match it with casting tackle and 12 or 15# test Yo-Zuri

Fat Ika, watermellon with black flakes (194J), 7' MF spinning gear (St. Croix Legend Elite ES70MF/ Shimano Stella 2500FB), Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft #6, Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG hook.

14lbs test flourocarbon line

6'6" rod

6.1:1 reel

Watermelon Red Senko rigged wieghtless

I would fish a t-rigged worm or lizard in watermelon seed,green pumpkin,or red shad.I'd fish it on 8 lb test XL (clear) with a 3/16 ounce weight.

6'6" Spinning Med Heavy

8# test Flouro

T-rig 1/8 oz. sinker FLW finnesse worm grape with green and red flake

I am a jig fisherman most of the time but this is my "works everywhere" bait.

A 3/8 oz single colorado gold blade white & chartreuse skirt beacuse I can fish it at any water level at any speed I want, it 's practically snagless and I can cover the most water surface with it, not because I like spinnerbaits.

I agree with Raul.  The soft plastics are all great choices.  If you put it in the context of competing, then the spinner may help you cover more water, therefore increasing chances of bite.

J

Shimano Cronarch with a 7 ft. medium/heavy g-loomis rod with 15 pound p-line. Rigged with a watermelon candy super fluke with a 4/0 gama hook. With this reel I can cast a fluke a mile and feel anything with the rod. The p-line is real tough and real smooth casting. The fluke is a good bait because it is a search bait and can be fished at any level of the water column, so You can cover alot of water with it or a small area really slow and watermelon is very natural color. Just my .02

Bridgemaster hand-poured 5.5" Paddletail Worm - Watermelon Pepper (locally available only)

1/16 oz Bullet Sinker, Texas-rigged on 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG Superline Hook

Roger

With all due respect to all the fine suggestions

But you guys are crazy  

You need to catch ONE bass over ONE pound.  That's it.

A 5" 194 senko will do that 90% of the time in 90% of the water in 90 minutes or less.

Avid has spoken  

I won't say much for the rod and reel, because I have caught as many fish with crappy rods as good ones......the bait (or lure) is what usually makes the difference.  Given the idea that this a limited time deal, I would stick to a T-rigged creature, a vaition of green or green/white, or pumpkin seed  (or crawfish, in watermelon flake or the grey/orange - yum craw bugs are awesome for getting strikes, but many of the times they are only taking the claws).  While some of my go-to baits are lipless cranks and spinners (especially for covering more area in a shorter amount of time), soft plastics are much more strategic......you can pinpoint spots where you think there might be bass, and be able to spend more time coaxing the bass out of that location.  For the more, power-style, bass fishing you throw out a hunderd lines and hope-to-god you get a strike.............more of a crap-shoot if you ask me.  I will admit that I have caught my biggest bass off of spinners and lipless cranks, but I get far more dinks on soft plastics (remember you didn't ask for a record, only a one pounder).

A mepps or similar inline spinner.    1 fish, 1 pound, done deal, easy as 1,2,3!!!!!

Due to the fact that the lake is unknown, you have to prepare for the worst (i.e. the water adjacent to the bank is surrounded by the worst brush imaginable.)  You also need a lure you can fish in other conditions, so a compromise must be made.  Since I only need to catch a 1 lb bass, I would go with a smaller worm to increase my chances of catching quantity not quality.  

Therefore, I would use a junebug Zoom 4 inch curly tail worm, Gamakatsu 2/0 hook,  t-rigged with a 1/16th oz bullet sinker, with any quality MH fast tip rod and baitcast reel.    Line would be Yo Zuri Hybrid 12 lb test.

This thread is giving me tons of ideas of what to use next time i fish from the shore

5" red shad Senko, 5/0 EWG hook. 10# flouro line, any rod and reel I have.

Black and yellow Spro Bronzeye Frog, 17 lbs Berkley Big Game, Shimano Curado 7:0:1, Quantum 7' Fast action, MH rod. WHen the fish bites, it'll be a big one.

Remember SuthernProg it's one fish over one pound...    

Heh...yeah I know, I just love froggin' though.  :

MArion

Is the stranger male or female? 8-)

Lots of good suggestions so far.  But for me, in a case of "have to catch"  and being limited to one bait.

6" Zoom lizard, salt & pepper.  The reason:   It's one of the few baits that works for me in every lake, pond and river I have ever fished, in any state.

Although, I would have considered a rapala cd-5 in the original silver/black back... but not knowing the cover situation, the lizard is a safer bet.  I can use the lizard in open water but can't use the cd-5 in a swamp.

I agree with Raul. The soft plastics are all great choices. If you put it in the context of competing, then the spinner may help you cover more water, therefore increasing chances of bite.

J

The poster did not give a time frame,therefore you have time to cover all the water you need with PLASTICS.

tough choice between a green pumpkin horny toad or a watermelon chartreuse swirl tiki stick.

mini strike king 1/4 oz, in chartruese, light spinning tackle and line.