Best deep water bait

Going to start forcing myself out of my comfort zone and fishing off shore drop offs and deep points. Planing on C-rigging and maybe football head jigs. What soft plastics do y'all like for deep C-rigs? Any other techniques I should try?

I like a Brush Hog but then so does everyone else. I learned that from James Briggs TRigging it, and just adapted to Carolina Rig as it's easier on points. Switched from baby to full hog this spring with good results and bigger fish.

For me, a plain old 6' worm behind the C-rig is my confidence setup.

Whatever plastics you flip with will work. Just use your highest confidence one until you gain confidence in the rig. Deep cranking is another technique you should learn

I use baby brush hogs, ol’ monster worms, trick worms, lizards and flukes. That’s about it. I usually dip the tips too with dip n glow.

You should take the Carolina rig, give it to your buddy, and then throw a 6xd.

When I pull up to an offshore spot, I like to start out with a deep diver for a quick fan cast and then move to a C-Rig, but if the wind is low, I will most likely throw a big shakey head or a drop shot.

a big plug followed by a big fb jib

You should try a giant shakey with a worm such as a strike king bull worm or an xcite Maximus worm. These will cut down on your numbers of bites but when you do catch one it’s gonna be a bigger fish. The best colors for this are reds such as tomato

Wow you fish big

I like trick worms, french fry style plastics and a small 4' swimbait on my c-rigs. A big worm and a baby creature bait, too.

Deep Diving Crankbaits that will dive at least 20 feet on a long cast. Staying in contact with bottom is key. 10-12# line.

3/4 oz. - 1 1/8oz. football jigs with rage craw trailer.

A nose weighted swimbait like a Storm Wildeye in 4" or 5". Throw as far as you can, let it hit bottom, five fast cranks and kill it. Repeat.

3/4 oz. CC spoon fished vertically.

5"-7" flutter spoon.

1/2 oz. swim jig for suspended schools.

Stroking a Preacher jig, flutter spoon, slow rolling a 1 oz spinnerbait, slowrolling a swimbait

10" power worms
Magnum Super Flukes
Big Bear floating worms

Baby Brush hogs and M Pack Shad on C-Rig

Bubble Fry, a Fluke or a 10" Power Worm. But first I have the 6XD out

Whatever you do, do not be like me. I go to deep water, cast once, don't catch anything, then go back shallow...

Thanks for all the advice so far. Another question, what is the better tactic, sitting in deeper water throwing shallow or sitting in shallow throwing deep?

Flutter spoon

You'll hang up alot worse trying to got deep to shallow.

Deep throwing shallow. Shallow being no less than 15'. Most of my deep structure fishing happens between 18 and 35 ft. I'd say most of the fish I catch come from 20-24'.

My biggest problem fishing deep is not confidence in the baits. I have confidence, its the worrying about the TM in high wind. I will hit a deep spot and either catch a few fish but get tired of fighting the wind or not catch fish and get tired of fighting the wind. If its a light to no breeze no big deal but I rarely get those days. This is the reason why I want an ultrex. Plain and simple. Park it and fish and not worry about the TM.

Shakey Head 1/4 oz with 10” Zoom June Bug , 20lb flouro , 12 - 17 ft near deeper water .

8" Hag's Tornado

Huddleston Deluxe 68 ROF 12 (Rate of fall 12: Sinks 12 feet in 10 seconds) Butch Brown-rigged. You can just dead stick it on the bottom since you immediately won't have confidence in this bait (it's out of most people's comfort zones). While deadsticking feel free to attack the deep strucure with a flutter spoon or whatever you have the most confidence in.

Those Hudd baits are deadly. Secure your rod or it'll go overboard. Most people don't have confidence in the big baits because they don't know how to fish them, and usually bites are far and few between. But the bites are mostly from BIG girls when they do happen. Bigger baits like the Hudd can be fished extremely slowly. Here's a good vid of a Butch Brown rigged Huddleston. This guy is a giant bass legend.

Ok ok ok!!! I hate this kind of thread!

I’ve read through this and still can’t narrow anything down!



So tell me, since I think dang near everything has been mentioned, what kind of bait will NOT work?

this is true....and also how I normally ledge fish, BUT, it is easier for novice ledge fishing folks to maintain bottom contact from deep to shallow. The natural tendency is to pull the weight from the bottom during a retrieve. The idea is to maintain the contact as much as possible. When fishing from the top down on a ledge, slow (very slow) gets more bites. When fishing ledges with cranks, the best way is shallow to deep or along the ledge kissing the bottom as much as possible.

My deep baits of choice are 90% Zoom lizard and 10% jig.

buzz bait.

Keep it simple. Crig with baby brush hog, football jig, 6xd, ol monster worm. Long casts and fish slowww

Yep

Ha Steez! I remember once someone saying they backlashed a buzz bait and when it was finally picked out a bass hit it as soon as it moved!

But I do admit you have a good point with the top waters.

Football jig, t-rigged ole monster or c-rigged senko. I don't lose as many fish with the c-rigged original senko as other baits, when they bite they don't let go. Guess it depends on the lake too, I watched lake travis tournament last week and they were catching them in deep water on top water because water was so clear.

So I see some folks mentioning the flutter jig.

What size weights are y'all using in 20-30 feet of water ?.

3/4 oz ???

6in flutter spoon. I think weight is 1 1/4. Fish the same spoon 10ft all the way to 35ft and you can really fire up a school when you find em.

Flutter Spoon

You’re missing out if you’re not using one. Lots of you tube videos about it. Just remember when bringing the fish to the boat to keep the rod tip low and keep a steady retrieve, always keep reeling even if they start to take drag or break the surface of the water. They come loose a lot when using a spoon, you will loose a few that will break your heart!

When using a spoon do you find the fish on the electronics and then vertical jig the bait or is there more technique to it. Spoons are foreign to me.

Everyone is telling you what they have learned that works for them, if you really want to learn something....
Take a lesson !

Look around, ask around, read the postings on here and decide on a Guide who is a deep water Guru..
trial and error only costs you money and is aggravating, and teaches you very little.
There are some great Guides that fish/guide on Lake Fork (for example.)
Once you find one talk to them about what you want to learn, you can spend the day learning techniques, locations,
when and where to fish, seasonal baits, etc..etc..and then you have a place to start learning.

Save up, and enjoy a good fishing lesson. It works. PM me and I tell you who I like.

Not necessarily on the electronics. You cast a flutter spoon, you need to watch videos on the technique, too much to explain.

Spoons have been my bread and butter for about 2yrs now. 7/8oz War Eagle slab can be fished vertical in what I call "a power drop shot presentation" to fish you see or it can be fan casted and hopped back. Also a 6" Joe Spaits flutter spoon has been a steady for me lately. If they are being picky I'll break out a C-rig with a fluke or BBH.

Winner!!