Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

Bass Fishing => Bass Fishing Tips, Techniques & General Discussion => Topic started by: Savage on January 17, 2006, 03:13:22 PM

Poll
Question: When it's one the line and the bite has been tough all day, what is your go-to bait to top off the limit?
Option 1: Senko votes: 11
Option 2: Grub votes: 4
Option 3: Tube votes: 5
Option 4: jig & worm votes: 2
Option 5: Dropshot votes: 1
Option 6: Other votes: 5
Title: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on January 17, 2006, 03:13:22 PM
Let us know what your go-to bait is, be as specific as you like.

If you choose other, please tell what and why!
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Bulletproof on January 17, 2006, 03:25:18 PM
I'd say a weightless tube or senko, finessin.  unless im fishing deep water.  then id carolina the same thing and take it slowww.  if that doesnt work im burning a crank or twitching a jerkbait.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Revtro on January 17, 2006, 03:50:14 PM
Weightless Senko or Tiki Stick.  On the toughest days I had last season, the Senko usually got me at least a few bites.  Weightless seems to be most effective for me fished texas hooked.  I haven't had too much success fishing it wacky style.  Not sure why.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Cheetam on January 17, 2006, 04:12:16 PM
Jig and Worm.  1/4 ounce or lighter "shaky" style jig head (or ball head in a pinch) with a 4 inch yamamoto cut tail is deadly...
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Hooksetter on January 17, 2006, 07:21:30 PM
4" Senko in smoke pearl blue or black w/blue flake Texas rigged weightless on a 2/0 Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp hook with the baitkeeper. It also works great for skippin' docks and pontoons.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on January 17, 2006, 07:51:44 PM
Hooksetter-  It's scary how close we are in bait selection, those are the only two senko colors I buy and throw, rigged the same way, right down to hook selection. :o
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: djkimmel on January 18, 2006, 12:37:45 AM
Largemouth (inland especially) probably a light weight green pumpkin finesse worm Texas-rigged on 8 or 10 pound test.

Smallies - a brown homemade hair jig (inland especially) or a small tube on a light head (Emerald Shiner hologram or greens/browns) or a 4" Xtreme Bass Tackle tube in one of my favorite colors (depends on season and location) with a heavier head so I get a fast fall and a reaction bite.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: fishon1219 on January 18, 2006, 07:00:42 AM
Strikeking 1/2 ounce spinner bait in white/chartruse with one silver and one gold willow leaf blade. Find some isolated weed clumps and burn it over them. Always good for one or to the last hour of the tournament, of course I always fill my limit by 7:00 am with a green pumpkin zoom finesse worm. What's that noise?? Oh its my alarm clock.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: McCarter on January 18, 2006, 08:39:18 AM
Rattle Traps have taken over for my go to bait in the last 2 years.  I used to throw spinnerbaits when i was having a tough time but i switched to traps and seem to have better luck with them.

If they wont bite and you have to make them bite, the trap is tough to beat.

PoorBoy himself :-\'
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: joshimoto son on January 18, 2006, 10:14:57 AM
I read the discription on the poll, Poorboy says to vote on the bait to top off the limit.

For me, the bait in question would be the one to get me something just to show up to the scales with.

I didn't get the name "Uni-Basser" for nothing. that was almost my username.

For that consistant... I'll always weight in one fish bait, I use a twin tail grub on one of my own weedless jig
heads. Watermelon red flake or Cinnimon.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Grandbass on January 18, 2006, 10:47:04 AM
Black Zoom finesse worm 1/8 tunsten wieght on a 1/0 hook. Fished so slow that its funnier watch paint dry.... 
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: dhuff on January 18, 2006, 11:52:01 AM
If I told you I would have to kill you..................................
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: fishon1219 on January 18, 2006, 12:16:01 PM
Dhuff
Please, call my mother in law and tell her!!!
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: chase5004 on January 18, 2006, 03:31:32 PM
You fellas will probably laugh, but throwing a medium diving crank, 4-8ft., (shad or craw colored). I fish it fairly fast with a steady retrieve. I can do this all day, and it has paid off in some tough times for me.

I have had a lot of success with a Capt. Micks crank. You gotta change the hooks, that is a must with these baits.

Pat
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: dhuff on January 18, 2006, 04:08:04 PM
Ok give me the number! ha ha
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Skulley on January 18, 2006, 06:35:13 PM
Berkley 4 inch finesse worm black with chartruese tail (which they don't make anymore) or a 4 inch berkley finesse worm in blue fleck both on a 1/8 ounce charlie brewer spider jig hook. 
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on January 18, 2006, 06:46:03 PM
I guess I might as well give mine up, it's a grub of all things. :P  When the bite gets miserable, I whip out my trusty Yum wooly hawgtail in green pumpkin and get busy.  The thing catches smallies and largemouth both, and will get the big ones more than you think.  Swim it or hop it.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: djkimmel on January 18, 2006, 10:23:34 PM
Quote from: emeryj on January 18, 2006, 10:14:57 AM
I didn't get the name "Uni-Basser" for nothing. that was almost my username.

Didn't you weigh in 1 bass at the DK open? I think I remember hearing the scream of triumph...

I was thinking if you had used 'Uni-basser' we could get some more members from the FBI... :D
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: joshimoto son on January 19, 2006, 10:43:47 AM
Quote from: djkimmel on January 18, 2006, 10:23:34 PM
Quote from: emeryj on January 18, 2006, 10:14:57 AM
I didn't get the name "Uni-Basser" for nothing. that was almost my username.

Didn't you weigh in 1 bass at the DK open? I think I remember hearing the scream of triumph...

I was thinking if you had used 'Uni-basser' we could get some more members from the FBI... :D

Yep, I sure did Dan, it was an unexpected surprise, hence the name uni-basser.

I now just have to take that name and expand on it... which would be to convert
the 1 bass weigh in consitancy to the 1 limit consitancy.



Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: djkimmel on January 19, 2006, 09:50:22 PM
Now you're screaming... er, talking!
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: stackenem on January 20, 2006, 08:23:18 PM
Last year on chemung The bite was tough in the tourney that I won. I used a black and blue 7inch senco just laying it on the bottom. I had five bites all day but I landed them all.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: djkimmel on January 20, 2006, 10:15:23 PM
Man! That kind of patience is hard for me. I have one particular regular fishing partner - that is his job in team events.

I remember an ancient club tournament on Center Chain where the only guy catching any bass was sitting in one hole in the weeds tossing Sluggos and letting them lay there like 5 or even 10 minutes. That might put me in a comatose state, but it sure worked for him. (Maybe if I cut back on the coffee??)
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on January 21, 2006, 10:23:25 AM
We have a guy in our club that should try that deadsticking technique, because he always ends up taking a 1/2 hour nap out there on the water!  Now that's the ultimate in deadsticking, might have to coin a new term for that, like "camping" or "planting" your bait. ;D
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Potter on January 21, 2006, 01:53:29 PM
Split-shot rig with with a green pumpkin french fry fished SLOW = 1 squeaker!!

Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: djkimmel on January 21, 2006, 02:41:08 PM
Quote from: Savage on January 21, 2006, 10:23:25 AM
We have a guy in our club that should try that deadsticking technique, because he always ends up taking a 1/2 hour nap out there on the water! Now that's the ultimate in deadsticking, might have to coin a new term for that, like "camping" or "planting" your bait. ;D

We have an independent bass club in Lansing were the back-seater dragging while napping technique is (in)famous! They call is the 'CABA back-seater pattern.' This has been going on for at least 15 years. I think we do need a new coined phrase for general international use. You have a couple good suggestions there for a start...
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: dhuff on January 21, 2006, 03:04:02 PM
A guy I fish with does the same.  He will usually be sitting in the back of the boat just draging some bait and every now and then you hear something from him.  Turn around and he usually has a nice bass on the line. 
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on January 21, 2006, 03:15:42 PM
Funny thing is, our guy is a BOATER!  If he was in back, it might be different,  I guess if a guy was doing that in back, he could be called the "Tailgunner"?  How about the "drift sock" technique? ;D
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on February 17, 2006, 04:57:11 AM
Lots of guys listed finesse worms here, and I noticed at the last FLW event, almost every other guy across the weigh-in was using them, too.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: fiker on February 17, 2006, 04:36:11 PM
yum dinger in smoke pearl (4") w/ a 3/0 hook.  Not weight. 

Sometimes let it fall, sometimes fish it like a fluke.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Bronzeback5LBER on February 17, 2006, 06:31:04 PM
Kalins grub in green pumpkin round head jig,or arkie grub in green pumpkin with red flakes on a flathead jig.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on February 18, 2006, 10:33:32 AM
Fiker-  ever try the smaller verions (3") of the Yum Dinger (or senko, or magic stick, for that matter) wacky rigged on a drop-shot setup?  The baby bass color scored really well in weedbeds for me last year.  I was just starting to learn about it, and plan to work it in some more for spot duty during tournamnets.  I did get one like this in a tournament last season out on the Bay.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: kgr624 on February 18, 2006, 12:40:09 PM
Savage,
            Wacky style is my favorite go to style with a 5x 5" strike king worm watermelon red flake. I usually use it weightless or as a drop shot style. Another way to get some wieght on this is using a split shot with a 2-3 foot leader. It helps get the worm fibrating on the way down and drives bass crazy. Another little extra to use with this set up is a #2 red hook. For some reason it works. Can't tell you why but you gotta trust me.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on February 18, 2006, 12:46:05 PM
Thanks, I'll give that a try.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Jmcfarland on February 18, 2006, 07:13:52 PM
For me its gotta be a jerkbait. Either soft or hardbaits will always produce a strike.Accept for one time but that was a bad day >:(
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: Savage on February 23, 2006, 08:08:23 AM
What make model and color on the jerk?  I like a white X-rap in clear water low light or cloudy, then the more natural green or black minnow X-rap when the sun hits the wah-tah.
Title: Re: Go to bait for a tough bite
Post by: MaizeNBlue on March 13, 2006, 11:40:28 AM
good old fashion white spinnerbait, double willow.