Any must have baits for tournaments?

[Teri C.]

I am getting ready to organize my tackle for the year.



My most common used baits are:



Rat-L-Traps 1/4 & 1/2oz blue/silver, black/gold

Bandit 200 Rootbeer & chartruese

White and chartruese spinner baits

Single blade white buzz bait

Pop_R's

Powerbait 7" inch worms, pumpkin, watermelon, black w/blue fleck

Senkos, several colors

Rapala #5 & #7 silver/black cranks



Now I have alot more tackle, especially plastics but above are the most common things I fish with on my TN lakes.



Are there any must-haves I am missing?

 

[Buzz Bouvier]

Teri, I don't see any jerkbaits listed, do you ever fish flirt worms on a shakey head?



Buzz

 

[Teri C.]

I do have several jerkbaits, different lengths. Forgot about those. I also plan on getting some specific shakey head worms. Any brand suggestions? From what I read, the jig head should be 1/4 or 3/16th, no more.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Yamamoto Pro Style Senko color 297 or their Baby Bass color. THE shakeyhead baits for me. Don't ever leave home without a dropshot rig.

 

[Jim B]

Id add some Jigs and flipping baits for sure.

 

[Greg Meyer]

A couple of "flukes"in some shad or yellow bass color.... Pitch them uder docks and let them fall slowly....



Expand the Rattl-trap colors to include a gill and an orange and/or crawfish color... A floating rapala.... shad, black/silver; and a "gill" olor pattern (young of the year gilkls are a favored food for bass... In the back of the boat you will be fishing water that was just fished so go first for the subtle/finnesse... lay the floating rapala on the surface and just let it lay and twitch... t6hrow a jig at the base of a stump.deadfall If you see an opportunity to fish new water... then throw the trap



Work the bait opposite of the person in the front at least part of the time...



If you are fishing smallie water... throw green, pumpkin, colored tubes fished almost like a crankbait



There, pearls of bass wisdom from a walleye fisherman... It's worth what you paid for it!!!! LOL

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I sent you an e-mail



BF

 

[JIM SHINN]

Must have baits:



- shakey heads - 4 to 5 inch finesse baits

- sweet beavers or similar baits, baby brush hogs are very good and popular

- tubes

- various sized hooks and weights

- senkos - wacky style or t-rigged (4, 5, & 6 inches)

- jigs in various sizes 1/4 to 3/4 oz should cover it - go basic in colors = green pumpkin, back & blue, red shad with matching trailer

- topwaters - poppers, buzzbaits, Superspooks Jrs (compact but they have an internal knocker for more sound).



- down sized spinnerbaits in 1/4 oz - variety of blades color and size

once you get your limit - go bigger on your spinnerbaits for that kicker bass

 

[TrepMan]

Shakey heads - 1/8 oz for 1-10ft of water, largest as you said should be 1/4 oz. I'm partial to Zoom finnese and Zoom shakey head worms, but different things work in different lakes, and if you aren't sponsored by someone get the best for the least price that works for you.



Definetly the jerkbaits, I won't post the pick but Teri knows my biggest bass on the Rapala jerkbait!!! LOL



You gotta get Rich to get you a seperate Tales from the Trail section like we used to have for Gutz, I wannt read it lady!!



Trep - you are living my DREAM!!

 

[Teri C.]

I officially paid my money today so it's a go. Not sure it's worth a seperate section for my tales but thanks for thinking of me, Trep. I'll be sure to keep you informed. Figured I better live my dream now while I still have a job where I could afford to do something like this. It should be fun. I'll be draggin' out all my tackle this week to see what I need to add. Thanks for all the suggestions. I might have picked out the winning bait tonight!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

XRap cranks and jerks!

 

[Bill McElroy]

4-6"hard Jerkbaits,...4" tubes, 4" twin tailed hula grubs, 7.5" power worms, 3/16 oz bullet sinkers, 4/0 worm hooks, assorted round ball jig's and soft plastic trailers, assorted senko's, and soft plastic jerkbaits, a few spinnerbaits (w/trailer hooks), shallow and med. diving crnkbts, 3/16, 1/4oz jigs (Blk, Blu and Brn) w/plastic and pork frog trailers, a few topwater baits.....and good rain gear!! (also some good SPF 40 sunblock to keep that cute little nose of yours from getting burnt to a crisp!!)



A hand towel, some needle nose pliers, a hook sharpener and assorted terminal tackle. Also..most pro's are more than willing to lend you ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you'll need to catch fish.....they want you to have as much fun as possible so you'll remember them and talk favorably about them to other people. Just remember to not cast infront of them or hinder them in any way.....just go have a good time and watch what they're doing if she's catching fish and you're not....sometimes it's the little things like shaking a rod tip or working the bait slower or faster,..that makes all the difference. It wouldn't hurt to pack a few worm/jig rattles too...and some spray scent...(don't spill it on their carpet!!,,..LOL)



You'll have a GREAT time!! Be sure to say HI to Cindy, Emily, Kathy Magers (She has "Rosie" embroidered on her shirts) and Judy Wong...they're all friends of me and Mini!

(Tell'em we said to hook you up with the fish catchin' intel!!..)



Mac

 

[Mini]

Make sure you budget for local purchases. There will be a tournament (or all of them) that you dont have the "go to" bait and you will have to purchase. Also have a friend close to home that is willing to overnight you said baits because a tournament in town will wipe out a supply of the hot baits. I can remember about 10 years ago on Okeechobee, you couldnt find a Flappin Shad within 200 miles of Clewiston 5 days prior to the tournament start. I saw Chip Harrison buy $250 dollars worth right after Fritts and Clunn bought $500 ea.....this was 10 days before....



You dont have to clear out the rack yourself, but just budget $50 or so for the local hot bait, if you dont need it or you already have it, Carry the $50 over to the next tourney.

 

[Marty Klein]

one thing -- Plastic! :lol::lol::lol:



Teri: Don't re-invent yourself for this tournament. Go with your strengths.