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I am just begining into the bass arena and wondering what is the best search bait you guys think/
With all the rain should raise the water levels so bass should be up in the shallows but dont know which is best to use to find them. Spinnerbait, crankbait, or worm?
just needin some info to start off with
Thanks
tom
need water temperature. but use what u are most confident or experienced with.
For this early part of the year ... hard to beat a spinner bait ..
JSC
:)
I'd use a spinnerbait in and around wood or weeds ... slow roll it, if the water temps are still cool -- bump cover if water temps are warming.
If you have steep rocky banks, with ledges ... try a jerkbait. I like the Rebel Minnow (3 hook size). I used to tangle with some big mommas, using this bait. Take a black back/silver sides/white belly .. and paint the black back with white paint, THEN paint over the white with Chartreuse ;)
Tie it on with a loop knot ... minimum of 12lb test line.
Cast to the bank, from a 45deg angle to a 90deg angle .. and jerk/jerk/jerk/pause -jerk/jerk/pause it all the way back to the boat. You should be able to see the chartreuse flash, now & again ... and the bait should basically be "walking the dog" underwater a foot or so. You may even be able to see the fish come up and take it, or just see a white flash and the bait disappears.
You may even want to remove the original hooks, and replace them with triple grips of the same size or slightly larger.
IF you happen to have spawning fish lying along these ledges .... another method that's been known to work, is to cast parallel to the bank and in line with the ledge being used .... then burn the Rebel Minnow back, right along the ledge.
The "best" search bait, is the one that gets down to where the fish are ... and that depends on water temps, time of year, where you are, the lake, and all the other conditions that one has to factor in.
If you're just beginning ... I'd start with a plastic worm, lizard, or craw. Get confident with those, then expand into crankbaits. Once you've got those two working for you, spinnerbaits - jigs - topwater - etc. will be alot easier to use.
... luck2ya ... cp :cool:
Thanks a bunch everyone, I appreciate the time and info.