# new bait each year



## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

every year i force my self to learn a new bait last year it was the spinner bait i would throw it all day with no luck but i would stay at it then after several fishing trips it i caught a bass then another then i Finley started to put it together the size the color and were to fish it and i would not use any thing else;no matter how tough it was to go all day with out a fish and now its one of my top go to bait's and this spring it was the jig and this has been the hardest;bait for me to date,because i have always fished fast,and for me to stay off the trolling motor and throw a slow bait like this was pain full, but as i have always done in the past,i stayed on it and it took three weekends for me to catch a bass but it happened,then it started to Finley coming together ,then i was getting the size the color and line right,and then i found myself looking for ed to the next trip out,and i will say it put some of the biggest bass in my boat this year.so this is how i teach myself a new bait each year,and it can be very painful,but it does pay off,so my question to you guys out there how do you learn a new bait, ps,this year its the swim bait,any help on then would been.nice to speed up the pain of the learning of the new bait this year,thanks fellow bassers,mark.


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## Wolfhook120 (Oct 17, 2007)

Because of the tournament season, I practice new baits and techniques at a pond I fish between tournaments. Much like your jig fishing, thats the only bait I would throw at the pond until I felt comfortable with the catching Bass with it. Then I would incorporate it in tournament fishing. It's good for every technique you want to learn, but don't have the time. Swimbaits is really nothing more than fishing a spinnerbait. Let the bass tell you what they want and how. Slow steady retrieve or faster and more erratic, shallow or deeper. Its a good versatile bait especially if they're on a reaction bite.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

I might try doing that new bait/ year it sounds like a good way to get a better understanding the sport and the fish. Plus it might be fun to learn to fish with all these different lures.


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## co-angler (Jan 3, 2010)

I have employed the same practice. Spinner baits were my choice last year as well. I really killed them by pulling the bait through grass clumps in the lake and would get hammered doing so. I caught more bass this year using that tactic. Unfortunately, I too have tournaments and can't risk experimenting during those hours. 
I do well with smaller Colorado bladed spinners in current with good rock cover catching small mouth.

This year, I try out swim baits.


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

Really good post. I do the same thing, last year it was throwing the spinnerbait more and trying to stay away from the flipping stick. This year its going to be deep cranking and a little bit of drop shotting for me.

When looking into trying new techniques there are plenty of ways to get your foot in the door. I read up as much as I can in magazines and online articles to try and figure out how and when people use a certain techniques. Youtube has a lot of small 10 minute or less video's on tips and techniques by different people (including pro's) that can get you started. Also looking at different types of products online and reading reviews to see which people prefer is also a good way to get started. 

Be careful when getting into the swimbait craze... it can get expensive and fast.


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

i use soft plastics and jigs mainly and have pretty much got that figured out, im now moving onto cranks and lipless cranks, ive toyed with them but never gave them a due chance so this year im getting a wide range of cranks and lipless cranks and start the learning curve. im like Fish G3 i try to research and read and watch fishing shows (best reality shows in the world) which helps show what conditions and whys of why there using that particular bait, i belong to a club that has a 15 acre lake that im able to experiment on with different variables present which makes it nice.


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## co-angler (Jan 3, 2010)

bassattacker - 
 I began using lipless cranks 2 years ago. I caught the 5.5 largemouth that is in my avatar on a Bass Pro Shop bargain bin special! I thought I snagged a tree! I love them now and use them often.


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## jwardy21 (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person that reads every article online about bass fishing and watches youtube videos! I try to fish a new lure every year and I think it just takes practice like anything else. This year will be the first year for fishing tournaments for me so that was good advice about fishing ponds when trying new things until you get comfortable with them in tournaments. Two years ago I dedicated myself to spinner baits and did great with them, that is my go to bait right now. I struggled at first and when you get a bit you have to pay attention to speed, cover, ect. and try to reproduce the same thing everytime you go out with any lure...As for this year it will be soft plastics. I hate fishing slow but I have a feeling if I'm going to fish tournaments and be successful I have to learn how to do it better!


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

Good luck jwardy fishing tournaments for the first time this year. I plan after I am out of college next year that I can hopefully join a club and have enough time and money to get into some tournaments. I think when you start using plastics and get the hang of it that it will be hard to get away from it. Every time I go out the first rod I pick up is a t-rig rod/c-rig with a lizard/creature bait tied on.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

One of the most productive and yet least fished lures today is the jigging spoon IMO. Most people associate them with ice fishing and/or cold water lures only. But they are equally effective almost year round not only for walleye, but bass and everything in between. Do a general Google search on "jigging spoon techniques" and you will find some good articles on catching bass with spoons. The Hopkins, Crippled Herring, Swedish Pimple style of spoons are right up there with the jig in versatility. They catch anything that swims. 
Including the current record smallie. (Snakie Rattle Spoon)


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

for you g3 tournaments take a lot of time to get the hang of to and you half to get use to loosing more than winning i fished them several years before i got in the money,but i learned a lot on fishing,them .you half to keep in mind some guys fish 3to4 days a week ,so this is where you build your confidants on different lake and times of the season,so this is why i try to master a new bait each year to be better at all seasons,and all lakes are different in their own way,and your goto bait may not work there,so good luck on cutting your tourn,teeth this year and find a well run tournament,and have fun.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

I wanted to try a very cheap tourney to just get started. They have onE out on mogadore that seems just right for me and my buddy.


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## All Eyes (Jul 28, 2004)

Portage Lakes has a bass tourney every Wed. night thru Summer run by Marty from LandBigFish.


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## Fish G3 (Jul 16, 2008)

Thanks markfish. I definitely don't expect to win for a very long time the main reason I want to be able to go out and start fishing tournaments is for a feel of how to tourny fish, and the experience of fishing waters i've never seen before. I fish mid feb all the way through november at least 4-5 days a week and I know there is an enormous amount of water and techniques that I need to learn to hopefully become successful at fishing someday.

I forgot...All Eyes you are exactly right about the spoons. I have a small selection that I pull out when I can't buy a bite and you can pull tons of fish in on them.


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## castmaster00 (Oct 23, 2007)

I have started to really enjoy fishing with spoons and it helped me get bites when nothing else would. I never would have imagined how productive spoons are. Daredevile has to be my favorite.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

markfish - If you can fish a jig, you can fish a swimbait. The key with swimbaits is to make them mimick an injured fish (at least that's what works for me). Slow it down. The hardest part with swimbaits is getting used to setting the hook. Once you get that down, it'll be one of your favorite lures.


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

I'm OK with a jig but there is a lot more to it, size color were and when to use it right,like witch one makes a good bait,and what would be the best size to start out with,and were would i start using it first,so many things to work out and so little time,its just a pain working it all out when you are limited on time,but when guys like you help out its,appreciated,so thank you ,mark


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## FLIPNPITCH (Apr 15, 2009)

I'm gonna force myself to fish soft plastic swimbaits more this year. I fish Seneca, Tappan, Salt Fork, Wolf Run, Piedmont and Clendening along with the Ohio River. I've tried the swimbaits a little but not enough to catch a fish on one yet. I've bought the Yum Money Minnows, Strike King Shadalicious, and the Bass Magics. Like I said, I just need to fish them more often to give them a chance. Anybody have much luck with them?


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

FLIPNPITCH said:


> Anybody have much luck with them?


The Yum Money Minnows are awesome. Next to a senko, they're my favorite lure for bass.


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

ive used the strikeking, bass magic and money minnow and its going to come down to what performs for you and what you like about them, all three are great swim baits, ive had tremendous luck with those three i do prefer the bass magic pro blue simply cause it caught me the biggest fish using a swim bait at 5.5 lbs from winton woods.


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## FLIPNPITCH (Apr 15, 2009)

Bassattacker and Stunner, What hooks do you guys like? I've got some Falcon 4/0, 5/0, and 6/0 in 1/4 oz and 5/32 oz. Also Bass Magic 4/0 in 1/8 oz. The few times i've thrown em its been on the 4/0 1/4 oz. hook. Man, they look good in the water.


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

i use the 4/0 1/8oz. and 1/4oz. i use the 1/8 oz. for when i wanna try and keep the bait up and the 1/4oz. for when i wanna keep it down.


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

hay bassatacker;what size and color is good to start off in the spring and were wouild i start useing it weed creek chanels shore deeper weed lines so maney questions thanks for all your help,mark


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## markfish (Nov 22, 2007)

how much time is enough time per bait and when do you just give up on it because we cant master them all right,


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