New Baits / Techniques to try this year

I was curious of what new baits or techniques others are interested in trying or improving on this upcoming season. For me it’s going to be the year of the JIG. I’ve been telling myself for the last few years that I really need to improve my jig fishing ( Jig and pig, Swim jigs, Jig worm, Ect ) it seems like every time I try to fish a jig I just can not have enough success to gain confidence in them. After fishing one for awhile I end up picking up some other bait and start catching fish right away and end up not picking the jig back up. I think I need to just rig up 5 or 6 rods with nothing else but jigs and leave all the other tackle at home and head to a lake. That may be the only way I can force myself to fish one long enough to develop enough confidence in one to use it more often. I’m interested in what techniques or baits others are interested in working on this season. Thanks in advance for all of your responses.

Lead core may be something I look into more this year.
DT

I started using swim and football jigs two years ago with great success…before that it was Tubes, Senkos and Hard baits. I am going to try more shakey heads and drop shotting this year.

Sorry, Didn’t pay attention to what forum this is in. Walleye gods forgive me…I didn’t intend to post in a bass forum.
DT

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Sorry, Didn’t pay attention to what forum this is in. Walleye gods forgive me…I didn’t intend to post in a bass forum.
DT

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You are more than welcome to cross over to the good side!!!!

Filled a plano 3700 up with new swim baits, and 3 of them with new deep diving cranks. Wonder if I’ll actually tie one on…

I’m thinking Jigs, shakey head, and drop-shot. All are presentations that I have never used, or never caught fish on. So many guys catch fish on bass jigs, but I maybe just havent used them enough to catch fish on them, I always end up dragging in a lot of weeds and junk on them. What does everyone prefer for shakey head jigs? I have some strike king ones, which are basically just a normal jig head with a longer hook from what I can see. Was thinking about trying the ones with the post, or screw on type.

Kind of funny how some of us will reach for the worm, but are hesitant to pick up a jig. It’s pretty much the same idea – lift, drop/reel and watch your line. For me a jig feels a little odd with the little more resistance it has. I want to try them late in the season when the frogs are migrating to hibernate, but I’d really like to use them early in the spring, when the migration is reversed. Unfortunately the season opens a little late for that in MN.

I want to throw more shallow cranks and lipless cranks on the river this year where a guy would normally throw a spinnerbait

Definately more on the finesse side of things.. Shakey Head, Drop shotting, and C-Rigging.. Football jigs were definately a hot commodity last year in my box.. Always got a rod with one on!

This year I’m coming back full circle to good old Texas rigged worms. The last couple years it’s been mostly swimjigs, Senkos (wacky style), and surface baits, but this year I have an urge to get the T-rigs going again.

Drop-shotting for this guy.

continue to learn more about cranking deep cranks, medium, shallow…

and get ‘really good’ with my electronics at identifying prospective cranking spots…(starting to get an image of what I’m looking for in my mind…and that’s dangerousa)

Not a new technique but i really like the look of the new Rapala Flat Rap when I saw it this winter. I’ve been using it for both LM and SM this spring and I’m impressed. It’s a floater but almost suspends in cold water. This 18″ smalliesjumped all over it Your going to need a couple of these in your box.

John

Nice fish, John!

I’m going to try to do a little more power fishing this season, more cranks in particular.

I also picked up some Everts Mini Ringers yesterday. I had such good luck with the Ringworms for smallies that I wants to give these mini ringers a try this spring.

I won a whole bunch of stuff from Strike King Lure Company in a Facebook Fantasy Fishing Contest. I got 3 Sexy Swimmers so I want to try those. I got a bunch of Rage Tail stuff, but to be honest I don’t know if much of those have a chance of hitting the water.