Bassin' USA - Bass Fishing Forum Archives

The season is over or for many others just about over, I thought it would a good time to start a thread on what worked in 2005.
I found:
Black/Blue colors the best
4" Senkos produced better than larger ones
Super slow retrieves out produced any other all year long
The frog bite was dead
Dock bites were off from previous years
Smallies still love 3.5" tubes and 4" single tail grubs

The teach to old dog new tricks chapter:
Fish stayed shallow all year no matter how hot it was
If you hear thunder get off the lake you big dummy (ME)
Zoom speed craws awesome bait at any depth
Trust my instincts always with out exception

Bassin
Butch

I'd say the Norman Crank bait here in South Carolina seems to always put fish in the boat. Chartruse with a dark green stripe on the top.
No luck on the "Lucky Craft" lures, but they caught me ( over $14.00 per )

Dave

Learned how to drop shot. It is deadly! Vertical jigging spoons can boat fish in a hurry in the right conditions. It all keeps getting more addicting.

For me Giant Flipping tubes, Beaver's, return to the good ole Culprit worm and Swim Baits

Rapalas produce the most fish in oregon,

One thing that really worked great for me was using 1"-1.5" crappie tubes when the fish were on the beds..

You must give this one a try, I found this by crappie fishing and running across bedding fish. From that point forward I put away my bigger tubes and 3" senko's..

I use really good 8 pound test (spiderwire) and a Med Light 6'6 Spinning Rod and reel with a good drag system, plus what a great time taking on these fish with light tackle.. And for thoses of you that say it can't be done, I had one tournament last spring with over 20 pounds and guided two other guy's that did the same thing in their tournaments... So it really works..

Also the biggest issue I found is that you can't see the fish take the bait, it is too small, but when they turn their head down on the bait and then swim away set the hook and hang on!!!

Good Fishing

Crankbaits and Camo colored ring worms worked for me most of the year. I also adjusted to cover more water than I did in the past. Thats the big plus of the crankbait fishing. Catches fish Covers water. To great combos.

Team Supreme Hahn Ruckus Spinnerbait-very unusual bait wiilow/colo. blade combined. Sotrm Wiggle Warts hand painted gray-Bomber Fat 5A with red treble hook on belly. Zoom Baby Brush Hawg-Sapphire blue.

Well 2005 was my first tournament fishing year and the first year I'd bass fished in years. With that said I tried everything I could get my hands on, and learned so much. Actually placed in the top 5 in a couple of Federation tourmanents. Luck I guess. My personal bests were the Senko 4" laminate, dragging a single tail grub on a football jig head chartruse, Crazy Shad topwater chrome and black, Nichols buzzbaits, and a new lure called a Swarming Hornet. If you guys have not tried this lure u need to pick a couple up. Tacklewarehouse.com has them. It's basically a jig head (looks like a fish head) with a hook and a small spinner blade at the bottom. I'd rig it with a single tail grub for more action. I thought it might work after the smallies were hitting the grub I was dragging on the reel in. Boy was I right. This is a very versitle lure. Works any depth. I could never do good with a crankbait, and haven't needed one with this setup. Try one u won't be dissapointed!

Robert