hard baits vs soft baits

[beeflover]

Most of the FLW and BASS tourneys so far this year are dominated by hard baits and reaction type baits. The exception was probably the St John's River Tourney. Chatterbaits have won a couple, DT6's were huge for Howell at the classic. Lots of lipless crankbaits, wiggle warts, jerkbaits, squarebills etc.

I've got some of these baits but don't catch a lot of fish with them compared to softbaits so I don't fish them more than maybe 20% of my time and then its usually a topwater like a popper or a spook. Is a kermit frog a hard bait or a soft bait? I like those! If nothins bitin might as well throw those cause their so much fun.

Anybody else have different experience or advise I'd like to hear your opinions. Like a good squarebill or shallow water cranks or anybody tried this new Rapalla the scatter rap I believe. Wake baits?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Im thinking its just that time of year when these baits are effective at catching bass. As the year rolls on I think slower presentations such as jigs and plastics will again be what the winners are using. early season Im throwing hard bodied jerkbaits, lipless baits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, cranks, etc. As the year moves into summer the only hard baits I use much are deep diving cranks. Then in the fall I start mixing reaction baits back in pretty heavily.

[th64]

I agree but it is funny because they used to say the opposite-cold water cold blooded fish=slow fish=slow presentation and warm water was time for fast.

At that time they said butter was bad and margarine was good.

[moviking]

My self I like to throw jerk baits (clown), in the spring. I usually switch to a jig with a trailer or a KVD squarbill 1.5 in the summer. The problem with the hard baits the northers like them to

[bemidjibasser]

I like to throw flat sided cranks that I make myself early in the year along with the usual horizontal lures. I mix in jigs and plastics if I find a concentration of fish and want to work them with a precision tactic.

[beeflover]

Im thinking its just that time of year when these baits are effective at catching bass. As the year rolls on I think slower presentations such as jigs and plastics will again be what the winners are using. early season Im throwing hard bodied jerkbaits, lipless baits, spinnerbaits, swim jigs, cranks, etc. As the year moves into summer the only hard baits I use much are deep diving cranks. Then in the fall I start mixing reaction baits back in pretty heavily.

Good point these tourneys are all prespawn still. I think its interesting that Beaver Lake water temps seem to be behind what Table Rock was last week.

[RuddyDuck]

I've started to use Squarebills alot the last few years. I may use them any time of year, but the best times for me is thru June and then again starting in Sept. I use a few different kinds, but my two favorites are the KVD 2.5 and the Xcalibur Xcs200. I have the best luck with them in about 5-9ft of water fishing around and over weeds and weed clumps.

I have also started to use the Rapala DT1 Fat that is considered a wake bait. You can either work it like a topwater or run it just below the surface depending on what the fish want.

I still use alot of plastics too, but some days these baits can work good.

[MN BassFisher]

Favorite lipless is the Strike King Red Eye Shad.

Favorite wake-bait is the Mann's Baby 1-minus.

Favorite Squarebill is the Strike King KVD 1.5's and 2.5's.

Favorite deep crank is the Strike King 6XD or the Rapala DT Series (14, 16, 20).