Relatively new/amatuer fisherman wanting to know what your "go to" lure is? Im trying to build up my tackle box and would like to know what you use the most. Thanks Everyone!

Let me get it in before everyone else.... Rooster tails, rooster tails and then you might want to add in some rooster tails.

Also, my go to plastic bait is Zoom baby brush hogs in pumpkin and avacado.

it is all about rooster tails all sizes and colors. Humdingers work good also.chug bug for the top water too.


Jerome

Blakemore Roadrunners - 1/16 or 1/8 oz. White or chartreuse. Curly tail. I have caught every species of fish on them - Bass, crappie, northern pike, buffalo, channel cats, sandbass, rainbow trout... I like them more than rooster tails myself.

I AGREE WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE ROOSTER TAILS, BUT ALSO LIKE RATTLE TRAPS AND POPR'S FOR TOPWATER ACTION.

I agree too with Rooster Tail / Road Runner.

Road Runner is better for jigging or snag prone areas.

Rooster Tail great for trolling, enticing strikes, covering a lot of water.

Little George will cast a mile, good to fish where shad gather.

In an area thick with shad, change the curly tail grub to a 2 inch shad body with your rooster tail. This is also good in winter when you are fishing slooowww.

Hit Academy when they have their 50 percent off sale. Will fill your box quicker.

A variation I like with the rattle traps is to tie on a 2 inch swimming shad (storm variety) a few feet up from it. They hit the small shad enough I won't fish a lipless crankbait w/o one.

Chrome Rattle Trap

Char. or white spinner bait

Rooster tails

Little George

Ive been knockin bass out with a green spinner bait!

welcome, earlyriser! you're going to love this forum; it has tons of useful info!

i'd recommend you focus on 4-6 types of lures & master them (i think most lures are more attractive to anglers than fish <LOL> all of the lures folks have mentioned so far are about all you need)

OK...my 'go to' lures are:
1) 'bang tail' -- it's like the 'rooster tail,' but has a different 'feel' on the retrieve

2) black/blue spinner with willow blades

3) natural lures (e.g., lizards, crawdads, frogs, shad, senkos, etc.)


here's a cool tips & trick: when your plastic lures wear out (e.g., torn worms, lizards), use a lighter or match to melt the plastic back together (reduce, reuse, recycle, save $$)

i hope this helps!

4" grape/red firetail worm rigged texas with 1/16 oz weight fished in the weeds on light tackle

4" Zoom fluke hooked in nose with #2 ofset worm hook. Fish it like a banjo minnow

2" grub on 1/16 oz joig head.

Zara puppy

These 4 lures allow me to fish top to bottom.

Trout: super duper, roostertail.

Sandbass: roostertail, vibrax, little fishie, rapala

bass: senko, charteuse spinner, roostertail

catfish: chicken liver

Chartreuse/White spinnerbait with Willow/Colordao combination blades.

WAR

Daymn, I guess I am going to have to try roostertails!!

academy has been having the 50% sale lately.

A LOT of the TIKI WAVE products are very cheap!

A GREAT line of baits I just came across is Alluring Baits

I was killing the bass on the 5" Trick Sticks in Methiolate color and I ALWAYS use a spinnerbait trailer from them!


PLEASE tell them Coach Lancaster sent you if you order.

Here would be the ultimate if I had some $$$ to spend:

Rods: Don't skimp. A custom rod is no more expensive than a good one in the stores. I recommend Texas Sidewinder Rods and Cross Timbers Custom Rods

Reels: I use Shimano - just a preference, but I do stay on a budget. Baitcasters are Callisto and that is around $40. Spinning reels are Sahara and they are around $50.

Baits:
Plastics - Alluring Baits
Spinnerbaits - Heavy Cover
Inline Spinners - Humdinger Lures
Spoons - Fish-n-Eagle Lures
Jigs - Jigum Jigs

A good bass tackle box will have some spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, worms and soft plastics, topwaters like pop-r's, and jigs.