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Bank or boat fishing?
Dirty or clear water?
What kind of vegetation will you be fishing?
Spinning rod or baitcaster?
Average size fish in the lake?
Shallow or deep?
Bank or boat fishing?
Dirty or clear water?
What kind of vegetation will you be fishing?
Spinning rod or baitcaster?
Average size fish in the lake?
Shallow or deep?
Bank
dirty
low vegetation
spinning rod (pretty sure)
Like 10+inches
rather shallow like 5-10ft
RsimpsonBank
dirty
low vegetation
spinning rod (pretty sure)
Like 10+inches
rather shallow like 5-10ft
Like soulskier said, you absolutely cant beat senkos. If you wanna save a little money yum dingers are the same thing and dont tear quite as easily. In addition to the wide gap hooks id get some wacky rig hooks as well. Nothing beats a wacky rigged stick bait in shallow water.
Id also get either a spinnerbait, chatterbait or swim jigs as well. With the chatterbait and swimjig youll also want a plastic trailer. I prefer berkley havoc subwoofers, or lake fork live magic shads.
If you dont know what anything i named is let me know. Ill throw in a link for ya
A senko is a great all around bait, but I would recommend the Z-Man Zinkerz since they are infinitely more durable and one bag might last you weeks depending on the action you're seeing.
Check out this video for a rundown of 5 great ways to rig them.
(and a link in case that doesn't work for whatever reason)
As for your other presentation, I'd go with a shakyhead. See the video below for a basic idea of what that is and how to do it. My favorite worms are the Z-man Finesse Wormz (again because of durability and flotation) and I usually cut off the first ribbed section to shorten the worm a bit. My favorite jigheads are the Alien heads as they push on super easy and stay stuck.
One more alternative you may want to consider is a tube. They are super easy to fish and get slammed. Check the Video out and see how you feel! Tough to go wrong with any of the presentations mentioned.
Also the Z-Man hula sticks are a pretty awesome alternative to the senko- slightly shorter and they have "dreadlocks" at one end that really add a lot of flutter.
Thanks for all the suggestions /tips! Im honestly really thinking about saving up for a kayak or maybe canoe from like Craigslist unless i can find something new for cheap. I could also probs use my dads old row boat once he gets a new one but that ones heavy unless i rigged up some wheels on it for now. I'll only be able to pretty much use these in the place close to me untill next summer when i can drive. Sorry for the kinda long dragged out questions but will a boat improve my luck and what are some good ones to look at?
RsimpsonThanks for all the suggestions /tips! Im honestly really thinking about saving up for a kayak or maybe canoe from like Craigslist unless i can find something new for cheap. I could also probs use my dads old row boat once he gets a new one but that ones heavy unless i rigged up some wheels on it for now. I'll only be able to pretty much use these in the place close to me untill next summer when i can drive. Sorry for the kinda long dragged out questions but will a boat improve my luck and what are some good ones to look at?
Dude I am a huge fishing nerd these days and I love helping my friends and such get into it so don't feel bad at all for asking!
I would 100% say go kayak. Keep your eyes peeled on craigslist and be ready to roll when you see a good deal. Canoes are cool too and more roomy but are generally a bit more pricey too. I picked up a cheapo $350 future beach fishing kayak from Dick's and it has served me well over the years.
Getting off the bank is the single biggest thing you will ever do for your fishing though. Hands down. Once you can hit EVERY spot on the lake and most importantly the deep spots and interior edges of weeds etc, you aren't even going to believe the fish you will pull.
Huck_NorrisA senko is a great all around bait, but I would recommend the Z-Man Zinkerz since they are infinitely more durable and one bag might last you weeks depending on the action you're seeing.
have you have good luck with those? I bought 1 bag and the first one i pulled out was completely hollow, just floated.... Then the rest just seemed to light to really get the action that i live in senkos and dingers, they sank really slow and were basically unusable if there was any wind/waves. Guess im just asking if u got a bad bag? I love their swimbaits and craws for puting on jigs though
.Hugo.have you have good luck with those? I bought 1 bag and the first one i pulled out was completely hollow, just floated.... Then the rest just seemed to light to really get the action that i live in senkos and dingers, they sank really slow and were basically unusable if there was any wind/waves. Guess im just asking if u got a bad bag? I love their swimbaits and craws for puting on jigs though
Oh they've got the action but you have to use a weighted wacky rig which I neglected to mention- I use the lake fork weedless wacky hook & weight system and it works really well. I have had ONE on that rig for probably 6 weeks haha... I don't use it super often but I do like it.
But the z man plastic is finicky when it comes to storage. If you leave it with other plastics they turn to mush.
Huck_NorrisOh they've got the action but you have to use a weighted wacky rig which I neglected to mention- I use the lake fork weedless wacky hook & weight system and it works really well. I have had ONE on that rig for probably 6 weeks haha... I don't use it super often but I do like it.
But the z man plastic is finicky when it comes to storage. If you leave it with other plastics they turn to mush.
Ok so they are just a little lighter. Ive had dingers last up to 10 fish before, but i find the smallest zip ties i can, put it around the worm then put the hook between that zip tie and worm So the hook never goes through the worm and it doesnt tear it. It usually just slides up the lineto safety.
.Hugo.Ok so they are just a little lighter. Ive had dingers last up to 10 fish before, but i find the smallest zip ties i can, put it around the worm then put the hook between that zip tie and worm So the hook never goes through the worm and it doesnt tear it. It usually just slides up the lineto safety.
Shrink wrap tubing for electrical wires works awesome too!
I have a confession though- I have a mental block when it comes to regular senkos. They're the first bait to get thrown all over the bank by lowlives, everyone around here seems to throw them and I see them everywhere so I go way out of my way to never ever waste one. Also fish's guts get impacted and blocked by plastics that blow up so I really like Z Man's insane durability even if it's not at all necessary. Call it a compulsive sipping of haterade or whatever but I kind of hate them haha... It's weird and really hard to explain but I can't buy the regular senkos or dingers. I just can't. No offense to anybody who does it's just a mental block and irrational dislike I have and can't shake.
Huck_NorrisShrink wrap tubing for electrical wires works awesome too!
I have a confession though- I have a mental block when it comes to regular senkos. They're the first bait to get thrown all over the bank by lowlives, everyone around here seems to throw them and I see them everywhere so I go way out of my way to never ever waste one. Also fish's guts get impacted and blocked by plastics that blow up so I really like Z Man's insane durability even if it's not at all necessary. Call it a compulsive sipping of haterade or whatever but I kind of hate them haha... It's weird and really hard to explain but I can't buy the regular senkos or dingers. I just can't. No offense to anybody who does it's just a mental block and irrational dislike I have and can't shake.
Ill never buy senkos simply because of durability and price except if im on a certain lake, because no one else makes the rootbeer color like the senkos and for some reason that color just works there. Dingers i also only buy in 1 color, bream, which i havent found in another stick bait yet. Otherwize its all strike king ochos and zeros for me. Something about that coffee scent just works. And the zeros have strike kings version of elaztech, but sink a little faster
RsimpsonWhat should i get for high vegetation areas?
If you only have a setup with clear line, don't do a hollow frog- those are braid only- you'll
Never set the hook with monofilament line.
I'd go with a Strike King Rage Tail Shad T-rigged. Those things are fkn awesome for that kind of stuff. That or a Lunker City Salad Spoon. Both are like mono-friendly frogs of sorts.
I got all these today. I looked for the pit bosses but they were out of stock. What will i probably have the most success on? Also should i texas rig the worms and frogs?
Ive gone out like 3 days in a row now and i only seem to be able to get some nites but nothing major. Most of the people catching the bass are using live sunfish so i might give that and a few lures a try. The area im fishing has low amounts of features and the few that are there are hard to access without a boat i should be getting a kayak soon but i would like to catch some now haha. I tried using though worms too but i think I'm not fishing them right any tips on the correct way to use them? Sorry for the kinda long pointless paragraph
RsimpsonFinally caught one today that was about 1 foot long. I kept getting hard bites and saw some jumping in a small pocket and first cast it destroyed it!
