Shop Talk, First edition.

When I’m at the shop there’s always one question I inevitably hear during the day. The actual wording varies according to the angler, but the premise is the same:

“What can I use to catch a few fish?”

Now mind you, we’re not talking about guys who fish frequently, these are the more recreational anglers. They don’t want ten colors of twenty styles of plastics, they want to buy a couple of lures to try casting while out on the lake.

It occurred to me today that I find myself making the same suggestions over and over. So I thought I’d post a short list of baits anyone can use.

1.) Lipless crankbaits. This is the granddaddy of the universal fish catching hardbaits. While there are a host of good ways to work this bait, one of the best is the simple. Throw it out and reel it back in. I’ve caught everything that swims on them from panfish to catfish, bass to northerns and even musky. You can’t go wrong with one, and they’ve saved many a tough day when guiding. I like the rapala or the traditional rattle trap, but there’s lots of good models. Tip: Cast it towards the edges of clumps of weeds, trying to tick the edge of the clump.

2.) Spinnerbaits: Another cast and reel classic. Whether you’re talking about a traditional in-line spinner or the safety pin style commonly associated with bass fishing, you can’t really fish a spinnerbait wrong. (Although you can fish it “better”). Tip: Fish through and over the tops of weeds or other vegetation, reeling fast enough to have the spinner make a “wake” on top of the water.

3.) Twister tail grub on a jig head. The fish catching classic. It can be jigged vertical or cast and retrieved. It is literally impossible to fish a grub incorrectly and they catch everything. There’s a dizzying array of these available at any store you go to. Keep it simple a 3 or 4 inch, in white or black, on a 1/8th or 1/4 ounce round jighead. If you are feeling particularly adventurous try a green pumpkin or chartreuse body and a small clip on spinner.

4.) Rapala floating minnow. It would be impossible to calculate how many fish have been caught on rapala floating minnows. Did you know that when they first came on the market, the demand for them was so high that tackle stores wouldn’t sell them? They rented them out instead. Another effortless bait to fish, that can’t be fished incorrectly. Cast it out and reel it in. Move it in twitches. Let it sit on the surface for time periods. Fish it over submergent vegetation, around fallen trees or other fishy cover. How good do they work? The “original” floating rapala is still for sale just about anywhere that sells tackle. That should speak volumes about its effectiveness. Color: Keep it simple, my favorites are silver with a black or chartreuse band on the back. Size: You can’t wrong with a size 9 or 11, anywhere there’s open fresh water.

5.) Shallow running fat bodied crankbaits. These are dynamite multi-species baits. The best kinds are the ones with a short square “lip” on the front of the bait. Manns (1 minus), Norman (Baby N) and Bomber (5A) Cordell (Big-O) all make excellent baits. They’ll catch fish in lots of conditions and around lots over cover but I think one of the best uses for these baits is around rocky shorelines. Casting parallel to a rocky shore along the first drop off is always a solid bet. In one afternoon of doing this I caught a 7lb walleye, multiple largemouth bass, a white bass, two perch, four northerns and my biggest musky ever, and all off the same rocky point. Colors: Keep it simple, perch (natural green) or shad (white or silver), or my all-time favorite, dark brown and orange.


So there’s my top five easy to fish, easy to catch, casting baits. Honorable mention would also go to the rebel crawfish in the smaller sizes, a top-water popper, the fuzzygrub, and the buzzbait, all of which I will address in a future post.

Good Luck Out There
CT