Starting 5 Lures on Bass Opener

[RK]

Hard to predict this far out, especially with the crazy warm spring so far, but...if I had to guess...

Largemouths

1. North Star Swim Jig in a double top secret custom color that you'd probably really like - if I let anyone see it...

2. watermelon/red Beaver on a Texas rig

3. 6" straight tailed worm on a Texas rig

4. deep diving Crankbait (if it's post spawn)

5. Jig and pig

Smallmouths

1. 4" smoke grub

2. Suspending jerkbait

3. tube

4. walk the dog topwater

5. jigworm

[RuddyDuck]

1. Spinnerbait - char. or White

2. T-rigged plastic worm/Lizard - 6-7"

3. Square billed crank bait

4. Senko type worm

5. Lipless crankbait.

[JP Z]

Largemouths

1. North Star Swim Jig in a double top secret custom color that you'd probably really like - if I let anyone see it...

Super cool stuff that you don't even know about! Sorry that's just what that reminds me of...so how bout an email to a certain person???

[delmuts]

Our opening( first time out!) day lures. Wheely started with a crankbait that waked just below the surface.( no hits) I started with a swim bait.( one hit) He then switched to a fluke,(caught one, and misssed two more)then to a senko texas rigged with out a weight.( caught one missed several)I switched to a senko rigged wacky style. The mayhem began! He changed over shortly after i did. In three hours we caught and released over thirty fish. Biggest was a 4 lber.

[RK]

Super cool stuff that you don't even know about! Sorry that's just what that reminds me of...so how bout an email to a certain person???

It's really not that earth shaking - I'm just being snarky. I'm having Chris tie me up a bluegill color. Will see how it turns out, but it'll have to be good to be better than his Olive Minnow and Smokey Bluegill are already.

RK

[Fever]

Tough to say as the season seems to be a few weeks / a month ahead of schedule. I'll probably have 10-12 set ups rigged but I'd assume my top 5 will be; In no specific order

1. White Spinnerbait - booyah

2. Shallow crank - kvd strikeking 1.5

3. green pumpkin red flake skirted jig with trailer

4. Senko style stick bait for skipping under cover /docks

5. deeper crank / lipless crank

tough to make a top 5 when for many it could be a top 15...

topwater

drop shot

Deep crank

T-rigged

tubes

etc etc etc.... only about 70ish days to go.

[Stick in Mud]

I fish a lake that's fairly deep and very clear, and the only bait I am consistently succesful with is a senko. I've tried jigs, swim jigs, swimbaits, t-rigged worms, spinnerbaits, flukes, cranks, etc. and nothing else works nearly as well. SOMETIMES a swimbait will work, but nowhere near as well.

I can't say I'm by any means an expert bass fisherman....but I'll throw some variety of some of these lures through the spot the first time, then I come back and whack 'em on the senko. Am I missing something? Would the lake itself have something to do with the very limited range of lures that work well? This is very confusing to me...I dont' know how many casts I've made on this lake using a rattlebait or a spinnerbait or a swimbait, and I catch 1/20 of the fish on either of these lures as I'll catch on a senko.

[mww24]

1. white/chartreusse spinnerbait

2.senko

3.rattlin rap

4.some sort of topwater.

5.creature bait rigged to flip

[LoonState]

#1. SABER TAIL BURLY BUG BLACK...

#2. SABER TAIL BURLY BUG BROWN..

#3. ONE OF THE ABOVE!

#4. Senko

#5. Senko wacky rigged.

[river rat316]

I fish a lake that's fairly deep and very clear, and the only bait I am consistently succesful with is a senko. I've tried jigs, swim jigs, swimbaits, t-rigged worms, spinnerbaits, flukes, cranks, etc. and nothing else works nearly as well. SOMETIMES a swimbait will work, but nowhere near as well.

I can't say I'm by any means an expert bass fisherman....but I'll throw some variety of some of these lures through the spot the first time, then I come back and whack 'em on the senko. Am I missing something? Would the lake itself have something to do with the very limited range of lures that work well? This is very confusing to me...I dont' know how many casts I've made on this lake using a rattlebait or a spinnerbait or a swimbait, and I catch 1/20 of the fish on either of these lures as I'll catch on a senko.

Senko's are about the numbers, while baits like jigs are about the size. One thing I would try in a super clear lake though are light finesse jigs, like 1/8oz or lighter, the smaller profile and slower fall might get them to commit when the fish are shallow around opener, otherwise when the fish are deep fish a heavy jig, like 3/4oz or heavier, the faster fall can and will draw reaction strikes

[corncob]

1. suspending jerk minnow

2. white/chartruese willow leaf spinner bait

3. wacky rigged senko

4. 3-4 inch plastic swim bait

5. small jig craw trailor

All fished slow to moderate speed unless water temps are above 55 degrees.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

Bass may be breeding early with the warmer weather.

I may try the following:

1. Black Dog Fake Fish for bedding bass if they are still bedding.

2. Strike Kings Shadalicious for roaming bass.

3. Senko worms for staging bass.

4. Jigs

5. Stanley Ribbit Frogs and Ragetail toad

[RK]

Hiya -

Carmike - River Rat has some very astute observations... One of the things I'd add is to think about one of the main differences between what's working (a Senko) and what you've tried that hasn't worked like rattle baits and spinnerbaits. A senko is a vertical bait they hit on the drop, while the other baits you haven't had as much success with are horizontal baits.

You can get some of the same advantages you get from a horizontal bait (speed, triggering ability, ability to cover water quickly) with a vertical bait if you do something as simple as increase the drop speed. So instead of a weightless or lightly-weighted Senko, fish a heavy jig that falls faster. I think you'll also find it triggers fish better than a slow falling bait especially if the bite is a little off, and you can cover far more water with it. In clear water especially, I start with a fast drop speed and slow down if I have to, because the faster the bait drops the faster I can fish it and the more efficiently I can cover water.

If they really do want a slow fall though, or if they're hitting high in the water column meaning they're holding up high, something like a finesse jig or a lighter full size jig with a bulkier trailer can slow it down somewhat but still be fished fairly efficiently.

Hope this helps -

Rob Kimm

[Stick in Mud]

Thanks for the advice, guys...this is something that's been bugging me for a while. For what it's worth, I usually fish the lake at either sunrise or sunset, so I am usually just working my way along fishing the edges of lily pads, reeds, etc. I fish the senko weightless, and it usually only falls for three seconds or so--soemtimes less--before they hit it.

I think I'll give the smaller jigs a try.

[NickMcD63]

Thanks for the advice, guys...this is something that's been bugging me for a while. For what it's worth, I usually fish the lake at either sunrise or sunset, so I am usually just working my way along fishing the edges of lily pads, reeds, etc. I fish the senko weightless, and it usually only falls for three seconds or so--soemtimes less--before they hit it.

I think I'll give the smaller jigs a try.

That was great advice by RR, and I believe you will see results with a smaller size IF you fish it slower and with some confidence (goes along way in fishing).

[basssmasher*]

funny you mention a chatterbait, as I have never caught a fish in one.. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a gimmick bait like the banjo minnow was .. lol

[Aaron Carrell]

funny you mention a chatterbait, as I have never caught a fish in one.. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a gimmick bait like the banjo minnow was .. lol

We had 7 largemouth hit the boat today, 5 of which came on chatterbaits... Just sayin. :-p

[mww24]

you on the river again today aaron? dirty shallow water?

[basssmasher*]

Aaron, not to pick on ya or anything, but WHY were you throwing chatterbaits anyway? Not too many sunnies/crappies will hit them

[RK]

Aaron, not to pick on ya or anything, but WHY were you throwing chatterbaits anyway? Not too many sunnies/crappies will hit them

Teejay - Pool 2 on the Mississippi is open year round to catch and release angling. Guessing he was on the river.

[basssmasher*]

Fair enough, inquiry minds wanna know is all .. lol

besides chatterbaits don't work for me anyway

[mww24]

I'm assuming he was on the river like RK said teejay. I had the same question last week. Rumriverrat was out and i asked him. I think he was fishing with aaron on pool 2 of the miss. Much better to ask than not.

[basssmasher*]

That was my bad, sorry.. I automatically thought negatively because I'm going to school for L.E. and want to one day be a DNR officer, hence why I questioned it.

[river rat316]

Chatterbaits are a great early season bait, after that not so much for me any way.

[RK]

Have caught fish on chatterbaits and had some ok days on them, but...my god are they pike magnets. Don't use them as much as I maybe could for just that reason.