New Guy to plastics

So here’s a little history on the fisherman known as Quimbus. I was a late bloomer & didn’t know anything else existed in the fishing world outside of a slip bobber & a nightcrawler until I was in my mid 20s’. One day I was shopping at fleet farm I purchased 30 spinner baits. Northland tackle variety to be exact. $1.99 each on sale. $130 dollars later on a 6.5 foot baitcaster with a Daiwa reel I felt outfitted. After several sessions of casting in the house, the yard, the driveway and anywhere else I could try…I was destined to go fishing for real ! Round lake in St. Paul was the destination. Connected next to Lake Phalen in St Paul. I caught 14 bass of all kinds of sizes in a 4 hour timeframe and I was hooked !!!! (Ok, maybe it was more like 6-8 bass but it’s been many years and stories get better with age). It’s 7 years later & I’ve enjoyed slip bobbers, spinner baits, various jigs but that’s about it.

I’m using 6.5 to 7.0 casting rods strung with braided line. I’m in love with the Power Pro Spectra 50lb test/12lb diameter cause the lake behind my house yielded huge Pike in ankle deep water last fall..(woo hoo ! The fight was on !!). I was using mostly topwater buzz baits which was great action & exciting to watch !

Here’s the scoop….
live bait-absolutely keeps the kids interested & nothing catches crappies for me like crappie minnows.
Different Spinnerbaits-awesome fun.
Top water buzzbaits-heartpounding action.
Plastics ? No clue !

So what’s the diff between Gulp vs another brand, vs Green Pumpkin 7″ worm vs Blue Fleck ? 4″ twin tails vs 3″ minnow grubs, white vs oil, etc, etc. The choices are huge at any given store so how does one know where to start ? What about hooks ? 3/0 vs 2/0, etc. I picked up a video last year about Carolina vs Texas rigging & I really didn’t learn much. I might as well have watched a commercial. So calling all experts, what’s your advice for the rook ?

Thanks,
Quimbus

Welcome Quimbus

Here’s the big question……. BASS or walleye??

I suppose that might help ? Bass ! Absolutely Bass.

Sorry Quimbus, Wrong answer! Ahh, Welcome anyways!!

My advice for a bass guy looking to try plastics for the first time would be to go with a 4″ tube in green pumpkin or black neon, rigged on a 1/4 ounce head, and go fishing. Work it slowly around docks and weed edges. Pitch it into fallen trees or up onto rock reefs or points and slowly crawl it back. This will work for both smallies and largies. After you have a feel for the tube then add in a stick worm like a senko or similar…. rigged weightless on a 2/0 – 3/0 worm hook. Fish these on lighter mono. Again, this is a deadly presentation around docks and pads for largies as well as smallies.

I would like to add ringworms and K-tails for smallies on the river,the last few years my wife and I have absolutly pounded the bass on them all summer long.Light h2o jig heads and the duller red colers seam best.Hop hop pause and shake, smack,fish on.The slab crappies always surprize me when they take that big ringworm all the way down. Stuart

I use a ton of BFT Ringworms and K Tails and Super Doos for walleye in the spring, but they really shine for me on the St.Croix for bass and walleye during the spring and summer. You can cover a ton of shoreline looking for active fish. If not having a boat is a problem, for a few bucks you can enter the Washington County Park on County Road 21 near Afton MN. The rocky shoreline bordering the park holds some of the best small mouth bass fishing on the River!
Give ‘er a whirl. But wait ’til the season opens!
Tuck

Welcome to IDA QUIMBUS!!!

i agree with James…tie on a tube, rig it Texas style and make sure you just skin hook it. Green is a good color, I use alot of different shades of green. Most important,,,have fun