Lure Selection

I have been fishing all my life, but have seriously gotten into the mental aspect of the sport. I have since attempted to learn all I can.

I fish mainly soft plastics, Texas or Carolina rig.

I have a difficult time deciding on which lure to use in different situations. I know that everyone will resort back to fishing what they have confidence in, but I feel like there is more to it than that (somewhat at least).

So, when do you fish a tube, ribbon-tail worm, straight worm, lizard, creature bait?

No expert here but I usually throw tubes in colder water. Late pre spawn through post spawn I like lizards/brush hogs. In the summer I like forked or curly tail worms in stained water/cloudy days. Clearer water/sunny days I'll stick with a straight tail. That's just a rule of thumb, then after I don't catch anything I'm tearing through my bag looking for anything that I'll think they'll bite. :) Hope that helps.

I dont get to fish much anymore-it is driving me insane. But when I did the lake I fished was pressured fairly heavy-jet skiers, joyriders and fellow fisherman-I downsized lures and tried o stay toward natural color patterens. My favorite bait was a zoom finese worm carolina rigged with about a 18" leader. Another was a senco rigged the same way. As for the rest I think its a crap shoot. Some will want a lizard, some a worm. and some a tude. It will drive you crazy if you let it. Good luck and good fishin...

It may be just me, but my rule of thumb is if it's spawning time, I'm usually throwing a lizard or creature, pre-spawn, early spring is more productive for craws, and I typically will throw a tube on rocky banks and points, usually pickin up smallmouth. Worms work about anytime from spawning on, and have luck just about anywhere with them, whether working them off drops or in mud-bottom cuts. That's just my general preference, but compensate for whatever the bass are likin better. lol. Hope this helps a little.