TackleTour

It's that time again to sort and restock some baits. I do this every so often to cut back things that don't work for me. Keeps my tackle bag smaller and my wallet bigger. That is until I find the next bait I want to try. But for now these are my top hard and soft baits...

Lake fork baby shad - ball and paddle tail on a 1/16 or 1/32 jig

Spro phat fly

Rapala x rap 6
Shad rap 5
Yo zuri pins minnow

When I feel like pushing it - 3" senko and 4" cut tails.

What's your top baits?

Without a doubt, 1/32 and 1/16 jigs with 2.8" I Shad. Whether with 7lb or 8lb flouro or ~20lb braid.

That is always changing for me ... baits I raved about 3-4 years ago now sit idle because I found something new, not because they stopped working for me.

That being said, here's a few that I'll likely have with me ...
1.5" Charlie Brewer Crappie Grub on a 1/16 jig head
Matzuo Nano Crank - Matzuo's version of the Yo Zuri Snap Bean. I was a big fan of the Snap Bean, but they could be fussy. I like the Matzuo a tad better. It's also available from Cabela's under the "Sweet Pea" name.

I usually have some new to me bait that may or may not earn a permanent spot in my arsenal but more often than not, I stick with my tried and true. I am however falling for the Rapala ultralight popper. I had a few LM crush it today.

Those slider grubs really didn't do it for me. I didn't give up on them but I couldn't buy a bite where ever I threw it.

One bait that has been on fire for me this year is the Johnson ThinFisher blade bait in 3/16 oz modified with in line single hooks (the size 14 factory trebles have a terrible hook up ratio). That's actually on the outer limit or perhaps a bit beyond a true UL bait weight wise, but man I was on a run with it earlier this summer. Everything was smashing it - bass, 'gills, pickerel, perch .... what a blast ! I can see this bait being in my lineup for quite some time to come, but I've said that before


I seem to have moved away from plastics in favor of hard baits over the last couple of seasons, the exception being the Ned Rig which has been a steady producer for me. A UL version of that is easily achieved with a ball head jig and half of a 3" stick bait. Stupid simple but can be a killer at times.

Jackall Panicra
Rapala UL series
Tungsten jig heads plus plastic (ice fishing tackle)

All the above are killer on panfish. Fun too when using BFS

Trout Magnet on a 1/64......1/32........1/16 ounce jig head with #8 hook.



Regards

ZipBaits Ridge35-56

lc wander
stream drive
crap pea

i have been doing really well on what i call the ultra finesse trd worm and super finesse trd worm, i take a zman finesse wormz and cut it in half, the bigger end is the super and the thin tail end the ultra! works out to about 2.25-2.5" baits, fish them on a 1/32, 1/24 or 1/16 jig (i pour them with a wire keeper, round head, size 2 hooks)

otherwise i like the size 6 xrap, small bomber square a's, lucky strike series 1 squarebills, and a 3" senko (many times bit down to a smaller size) on the same jigheads as the above "trd" worms

Rebel Teeny Wee Pop R, Rat-L Tiny Trap, 1/20 shroomz head + 2.5 to 2 inches of Hula Stick and Imakatsu Fujin Spider.

Does no one use Bobby garland baby shad? They make a straight and boot tail, love those on a 1/16 jighead.

I have been using the bobby garland itty bit swimr on the 1/48 oz head for bluegills, redear and crappie. It's been an excellent bait.

I usually have had small 1/8th and 1/16th spinnerbaits tied on my UL rig for the better part of a decade as I primarily fish for smallmouth bass in creeks and rivers and they really love trying hard to eat them

The two other lures that I've used the most are size 0 to 1 inline spinners and 1" to 3.5" tube jigs up to around 1/8th oz.

I would like to start tossing some of my hard baits again, both sub surface and topwater, and also pick up a variety of soft plastics and terminal tackle as I haven't bought much new stuff lately.

Crappie tubes are my go to for the most part unless I'm targetting really small stuff. A crappie tube on a 1/48oz jighead fished through shallow weeds can be absolutely lethal for crappie, otherwise I'm using a 1/16 or 1/8oz. I do like small swimbaits and spoons though especially when it's targetting perch that are hammering emerald shiners. And of course bigger stuff does hit the smaller stuff every once in a while.