Post your best bait

Pretty simple just post a photo of your best bait, that is getting the best action, the fish that are biting on it, the time that you use it (dawn, noon, dusk, night, etc...), the depth it normally runs well, and the price.

My morning and late afternoon bass lure with a shallow drop that treads 4-5" off the bottom at any speed, the best suspending action I have ever seen, $9 for the rapala black and orange feather tail X-rap! Look for big top water hits if you keep the rod up and a quick speed with occasional every 10 second suspension.


My mid day deep water bass lure, deep
Drops 15+ into holes and suspends to a slow float when still, has two noisy beads for bass attention and glimmers in the low light with a clear body! $7 the Rapala X-rap clear spoon nose rattler!



Both of my bass favorites have had tons of hard hits and the treble hooks really snag good while keeping the realistic action!

Bomber 3-6ft need to put new treble hooks on it. I throw it on a 200yd rockbed at a local lake.

Top producer last year -

Salmo Hornet in Gold/Chart Perch


Top producing cranks so far this year -

Reef Runner Minirip in Nightvision


Berkley FS in blue tiger


That said, hand tied harnesses are starting to produce better, and the crank bite is off right now. Colors and action can vary by the hour some days... and that's the reason why I swear I'm always picking up a new crank when I swing past the tackle shop. #-o

My best so far this year (and sorry..no pics) would be either a Wiggle Wart in a brown color or most any shakey head set up.

Each lake I fish has been totally different too.

Looks like someone else has the same go to bait as I do. Im on my 3rd set of trebles and the paint shows allot of battle damage. Edit, I just noticed the Arkansas connection.

This bite is just starting. You won't get as many bites as other baits, but they will be good ones! The bait is roughly 6 inches long and about 1.5oz I think. I throw it on 30# flouro with a 7'6" heavy and Shimano Cardiff. I throw a slow sink model and usually fish it on top.

Rippen Lips said:

Looks like someone else has the same go to bait as I do. Im on my 3rd set of trebles and the paint shows allot of battle damage. Edit, I just noticed the Arkansas connection.

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Haha! Thats pretty funny!

Love this thread maybe I will learn something. I have been throwing spinners and not getting much 2 little small mouths so far.

Gramps50 said:

Love this thread maybe I will learn something. I have been throwing spinners and not getting much 2 little small mouths so far.

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Hey Gramps, was it you that started the thread about learning how to use artificial bait?

Oh, this was for bass? Eh - disregard the last two on my post and go with the Hornet, but change it out to "Violet Energy" which is a custom color up here. That one has been smoking smallies all year.

theyyounggun said:

Gramps50 said:

Love this thread maybe I will learn something. I have been throwing spinners and not getting much 2 little small mouths so far.

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Hey Gramps, was it you that started the thread about learning how to use artificial bait?

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Yes

Shallow Shad Rap

On the Susquehanna I have been consistent on smallies with Case Plastics hellgramite in black on a drop shot rig.

One of my best ever top waters here in Texas was a Cordell Boy Howdy. I removed both spinners front and back, and added some very small solder wrapped around the tail. I had it in my kitchen sink so I could make the proper adjustments. You want the bait to still about 1/3 out of the water at an angle, so when you pop it, it darts and dives very erratically. Pop it two or three times and let it sit, most of the time they will hit it when it comes back up to rest. Be patient, and don't work too fast. Try it, it worked for me for years. The color I used was a clear body with a faded baby blue color on the front to the nose.

Fish mainly clear deep cold lakes.

Deadly around here