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Springtime means stocking the tackle
box with jigs, spinners, twisters, spoons, crank baits and more; usually more
lures than I’ll ever need. However, if it came down to it, there is a handful of
them I couldn’t go without. For whatever species I was pursuing, I would forsake
all other jigs, rigs and plastics to have a supply of what follows in my tackle
box.
Case Plastics Sinking Salty Shad is a minnow-profiled bait that has the
look of forage that big bass crave, with the subtle undulation of a stick bait
that even the most negative post-frontal bass can’t resist. Rigged weightless on
a 3/0 or 4/0 hook, these slow-falling salt-impregnated lures are perfect when
angling for pre-spawn fish, and for summer bass in cover. I’ve found bubblegum,
pearl and watermelon to be excellent colors.
The X-Rap is the latest model of the Rapala family to take the water by
storm. Its erratic action when cranked and jerked and variety of sizes - and now
specializations - make it a required part of any sportsman’s tackle box. Try the
new X-Rap Shad or Subwalk for even more versatility. For small mouth bass, pike
and walleye, this lure is beyond effective.
When summer is in full swing and bass are tucked tight under docks and trees,
nothing gets them out like a creature bait. Though there are many effective
baits that represent frogs, salamanders, and crayfish, my go-to is the four-inch
Wooly Hawg Craw by Yum baits. Rigged with a 2/0 wide-gap VMC worm hook and a
small bullet sinker, these scented plastics are great for flipping into thick
cover and under docks where big largemouth and small mouth bass lurk. Top colors
are tequila sunrise, green and pumpkin.
Was there ever any doubt that the classic, potent, and downright
versatile jig-and-grub combo would be tops? From tiny one-inch twisters to
monster five-inch grubs, there is a curly-tailed lure for every species. I have
landed crappie, pike, walleye, bass, bluegill and more on this lure combo that
covers the top of my tackle box. With thousands of color options and sizes,
these lures can match the hatch or shock the fish into biting. Favorites for the
river are pink jigs with white/black dot pattern grubs for walleyes, and orange
or black jigs with yellow/black dot tails for small mouth bass.
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