My favorite year-round bait to throw in all conditions

Every angler has what they consider to be their “confidence bait.” It’s the one you reach for after all else seems to fail in your arsenal. There are so many different techniques to target fish such as hard baits, soft baits, jigs, etc. and so many different people telling you what you should be using. One bait that I have the utmost confidence in any situation would be a weighted wacky-rig. Without a doubt, this bait has produced more fish in almost every condition from spring all the way until late fall. Don’t get me wrong, I have quite the arsenal of crankbaits in my tackle bag, and everything has its own application, but fish cannot resist the temptation and presentation of a stick bait falling in front of them. It’s all about tempting a fish enough to bite. During fall in the Midwest, this is the time to downsize your baits and slow down your presentation. Water temps drop, fish become less active and spread out, and the forage continues. Don’t put your plastics away for the fall. Keep throwing them.

There are a lot of quality plastics out there and some are better than others. Fishing is expensive and money doesn’t grow on trees. My favorite stick bait would be the YUM Dinger for any color and size. I get they’re not the Yamamoto, Z-Man, or any other expensive brand, but do the fish care? Nope. YUM Dingers are the ‘vanilla’ of stick baits because they’re affordable, available, and you get exactly what you’d expect. Are they super durable? Heck no. BUT… with 70 colors and multiple sizes, you’re bound to find one that you want to try.

I have three colors that I use most often depending on water clarity: Watermelon Red Flake, Bream, and Black-Blue Laminate. Watermelon Red Flake is a dominant choice for good water clarity and the bass will attack it all year if the water doesn’t murk up over the hotter months of the season. The red flake stands out perfectly and the green watermelon is almost a darker, translucent green that reflects light through very well. It stands out better than a solid-colored green pumpkin, and I have had more strikes with this color than any other. Bream is another color that has a greenish-blue hue to it that is supposed to mimic the colors of a bluegill. It’s more solid in color and I will throw this in water that has some stain, but not enough where you can’t see your bait a foot under the surface. It’s a great color to throw in brush or anywhere that bait fish tend to school. It has some metallic tones which make it perfect for light reflection and with a two-tone scheme, it makes it more life-like in the water and presents better for a bass to want to strike. Black-Blue Laminate is one of my favorites for super stained water. There are silver flakes throughout and the black and blue make a super good combination if you’re also fishing for more depth. The blue stands out to make just enough of a subtle difference where bass are going to be weary that something is moving in their territory. 

If you’re fishing in the fall, it’s best to start downsizing your baits to produce more bites, especially in the northern states. When it comes to stick baits, I like to use the 4-inch size and smaller. It’s just big enough to allow a good presentation, but small enough (compared to 5″-10″) to have any bass that wants to strike regardless of size. There is some speculation that larger baits work well in the fall as well, because big fish want to feed on larger prey before winter hits and the forage slows way down. I have come to find out that it is a quantity vs. quality situation. If I’m fishing, I want to catch fish, regardless of size. If I was targeting larger bass, my chances would go way down considering where I fish, there are large bass, but the average size (1-2 lbs) is more abundant. Take your own chances when selecting the size!

My favorite way to rig this is with a 2/0 Reaction Tackle Wacky Neko Hooks. They are super sharp, have a great barb to keep fish on, and are my exclusive hook of choice. You can use a fluorocarbon leader or a straight nylon mainline, it all depends on preference. I like to use a fluorocarbon-coated mono myself. You get the benefits of fluorocarbon without the price tag. Reaction also makes a fantastic line for any of your needs. I have used them for years without fail. My favorite nail weight to use is the Dobyns nail weights. They come in a variety of sizes, but I prefer the 1/16 oz size simply because the bait falls at a good speed. Not too fast, not too slow, which allows the bass to hit it while it falls. Dobyns nail weights have a signature football shape head on the weight which allows you to feel subtle bites once it hits the bottom. It also allows you to feel the bottom once you’re there or any changes in structure. I have used these for the first time this season and I wish I knew about them a long time ago, trust me! What a game changer.

There are so many baits out there to choose from and sometimes it can be hard to choose what to toss. I have had so many recommendations from other anglers on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to different bodies of water. towards the end of my outing, this is my confidence bait when the bite can get tough. In order to find your confidence bait, just find something you are comfortable using that you have had relatively good success with. It doesn’t have to be a certain kind of bait, it’s what you think will produce the bites. At the end of the day, you do what you think is best!

What is your favorite stick bait? Do you have any recommendations on certain ways to rig baits? What line do you prefer to use for finesse? Leave us a comment! We want to know what works for you. As always, tight lines, and never take a day on the water for granted.