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Suggestions for a good starter set for fresh water fishing

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  • Suggestions for a good starter set for fresh water fishing

    Total newb at using artificial lures. My fishing experience has been using worms and squid on the bay with my Dad (an not being very successful most of the time). I started looking on Amazon and before I knew it, I had $120 of lures in my cart. I thought I'd ask you guys if there is an all encompassing fresh water lure set that would get me started. If not a set, would would you suggest me start with? Hoping for decent quality lures (i.e. better than you'd give your teenager, but not pro level quality).

    Thanks,

    smithmal
    Last edited by smithmal; 09-13-2017, 04:21 PM.
    smithmal

    2017 Native Ultimate 12 (Lagoon Blue)
    Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus Paddle

    2016 Old Town Twin Heron Tandem (Mango)

    2012 Nova Craft Pal 16' in Royalex-Lite (Burgundy)

    1990 Radisson 12' (SportsPal)

  • #2
    Well you don't have to put 100's into it but a few packs of soft plastics a few crank baits and a few top waters and a spinner bait or 2 would be a good start.


    Yakman35
    Perception striker 11.5

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    • #3
      In the way of plastics I recommend some senkos some brush hogs or similar creature style bait and some worm styles that can double as a drop shot bait. Mix up your crank bait selection to some shallow and some deep runners and your spinner baits a mix of Colorado blades and Willow blades.


      Yakman35
      Perception striker 11.5

      Comment


      • #4
        That should get you on the water and fishing while you build your tackle arsenal. Also can't go wrong with a skirted jig


        Yakman35
        Perception striker 11.5

        Comment


        • #5
          Definetly some Senko type lures in green/pumpkin or black paired with 3/0 or 4/0 wide gap worm hooks, some jig heads with 4" curly tail grubs, a top water or two and you'll handle a heck of a lot of largemouth situations.
          Mike
          Pro Angler 14 "The Grand Wazoo"

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          • #6
            Well said. Forgot to include hook selections in my post. To give you some names for the plastics zoom baby brush hogs yum dingers(my favorite senko) trick worms flukes tube jigs for rivers just buy a small selection from local stores and see what works for you


            Yakman35
            Perception striker 11.5

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            • #7
              Walmart clearance rack a good place to start for cheap start up


              Yakman35
              Perception striker 11.5

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              • #8
                I have been fishing fresh water (way upper Potomac, Doah, South Branch) for 15 years.
                I typ have 4 rods, they are all $39.00 light/med Ugly sticks and $49.00 Pflueger President spinning reels.
                One has a soft frog, one has a mini buzz bait, one a senco worm, and the UL has a 1/8 Roadrunner and grub tail.

                Good, Solid, economical setups.

                Slack
                Captian of the plastic Navy
                1 - Mad River Canoes
                1- Tarpon 120
                1- Redfish 10
                1- Coosa HD
                2- Cuda 12
                1- Slayer Propel 10

                http://reoservicesofmaryland.com/

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                • #9
                  Thanks for all the suggestions guys. In terms of crank baits, do you have any suggestions? I was looking at the following but I have no knowledge on this:

                  Heddon Tiny Crazy Crawler Fishing Lures
                  Jackall Pompadour Jr Junior Topwater Lure
                  Rose Kuli Multi Jointed Life-like Swimbait Hard Fishing Lure Bass Bait
                  River2Sea Whopper Plopper 90 Larry Dahlberg Topwater Lure
                  Fishing Eyes Popper Crankbait Vibe Sinking Lure for Bass Trout Walleye Redfish
                  Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait XR10 Fishing Lure

                  In terms of soft frogs, would this one work or would this be better?

                  Thanks,

                  smithmal
                  smithmal

                  2017 Native Ultimate 12 (Lagoon Blue)
                  Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus Paddle

                  2016 Old Town Twin Heron Tandem (Mango)

                  2012 Nova Craft Pal 16' in Royalex-Lite (Burgundy)

                  1990 Radisson 12' (SportsPal)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I've never used any of the hard plastic lures you mentioned. However, I know from ample experience that certain tried and proven lures work consistently. You can have outstanding success with just these three:

                    Heddon Zara Puppy -- This is a 3 inch top water lure that allows you to "walk the dog". Its perfect when bass want a subtle top water bait that creates action on the surface with minimal water disturbance.

                    Rebel Pop R -- This a 1/4 oz. 2.5 inch traditional popper. It's good when bass prefer a significant disturbance of the surface of the water over the quieter approach of the Zara Puppy.

                    Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap -- This is a subsurface bait that is perhaps the most effective crank bait ever. It will catch anything that swims and it comes in enough sizes to do just that making it good for many species. I use 1/2 oz. versions for stripers, but on fresh water I carry "Mini" (2.5 inches) and "Tiny" (1.75 inches) traps which are 1/4 and 1/8 oz. respectively.

                    None of these are trendy baits, but again they have been successfully used by anglers for a very long time. They are also usually less expensive than newer baits.

                    I cannot address soft frogs. I've only used them with a guide on a snakehead trip and I have no clue what brand they were. However, I will say he switched me to a Rebel Pop R when we got to open water and bass became my target.

                    Anyway, I would suggest that you not succumb to the idea that you need a lot of different kinds of lures to catch fish. I strongly believe it's better to carry just a few kinds of lures but to learn how to use each of them effectively. You would not go wrong concentrating on the three I mentioned.
                    Mark
                    Pasadena, MD


                    Slate Hobie Revolution 13
                    Hidden Oak Native Ultimate 12
                    Lizard Lick Native Ultimate FX Pro

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                    • #11
                      As others have mentioned, Senko style plastics are great and can be rigged/fished in multiple ways to handle just about anything. Weightless on an offset worm hook for shallow and around cover, add a bullet sinker for deeper cover, use a jig head in open water for a diff presentation, wacky rigged, wacky rigged on a jig head for deeper water, drop shot rigs, etc.

                      The original floating rapala is another personal favorite and a proven fish catcher. Just cast and retrieve, retrieve with some pauses/twitches of the rod tip, or fish similar to a top water twitching the bait on the surface.

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                      • #12
                        Mark,

                        Thanks for your suggestions. Gonna try the following:

                        1. Senko worms with 3/0 hooks
                        2. Heddon Zara Puppy
                        3. Rebel Pop R
                        4. Rat-L-Trap
                        5. Z-man diezel minnowz with variety of jig heads
                        6. Zoom Bait Baby Brush Hog

                        In terms of installing the 3/0 hooks into the Senko baits, I'm going to use the process noted in this video (unless you guys think this is a bad idea). Though the video poster didn't discuss it, I'm assuming you attach the line to the hook before setting it into the Senko bait correct?

                        Finally, is there a knot that is the standard lure knot that most use when attaching the lures to a leader?

                        Thanks,

                        smithmal
                        smithmal

                        2017 Native Ultimate 12 (Lagoon Blue)
                        Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus Paddle

                        2016 Old Town Twin Heron Tandem (Mango)

                        2012 Nova Craft Pal 16' in Royalex-Lite (Burgundy)

                        1990 Radisson 12' (SportsPal)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Polomar knot is the simplest and strongest to tie


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                          1980 Something Old Town Canoe
                          2008 Native Ultimate 14.5
                          2015 Coosa HD
                          2016 Hobie Outback Limited Edition #56
                          2017 Pelican Trailblazer 1000 (38# of portaging freedom)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by willf650 View Post
                            Polomar knot is the simplest and strongest to tie


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                            Thanks... will,try and master that knot.

                            Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
                            smithmal

                            2017 Native Ultimate 12 (Lagoon Blue)
                            Bending Branches Angler Pro Plus Paddle

                            2016 Old Town Twin Heron Tandem (Mango)

                            2012 Nova Craft Pal 16' in Royalex-Lite (Burgundy)

                            1990 Radisson 12' (SportsPal)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I use two knots regularly.

                              One is Lefty's Loop.

                              There are several ways to tie it, but this link shows the precise way I do:

                              http://www.garyborger.com/2011/09/18...lip-loop-knot/

                              The advantage of a loop knot is that it gives your lure or fly a little more freedom of movement on the end of your line. Here's a jig fastened to my leader with Lefty's Loop:

                              A.jpg

                              Perhaps you can see from the photo how using a loop can provide more movement to the jig. The loop knot is a favored technique of many charter captains and fishing guides.

                              However, note that crank baits and poppers often have a split ring at the tying point. In that case I don't need a loop knot. I use a knot that cinches down tightly on the split ring because the ring itself performs the same function as a loop knot -- it allows the lure to move freely. Therefore, the second knot I use is an Improved Clinch Knot. You can find plenty of links showing how to tie that knot on-line by searching that term.

                              Here's a clinch knot tied to split ring on a popper:

                              IMG_0374 (2).jpg

                              As you can see, it's tight to the split ring unlike the loop knot. A Palomar Knot would also be tight to the split ring. But I have difficulty getting lures larger than hooks through the loop on the final step. That's why I use the Improved Clinch Knot although the Palomar may indeed be a stronger connection.

                              Whichever knots you use, learn to tie them well. Don't be sparse with your leader or tippet. If you cheat by being cheap with the length of line of you use, you will eventually cheat yourself with a lost fish. Use enough line to create a strong, tight knot. Also, moistening your mono or fluoro line with saliva as you pull the knot tight will create a stronger bond.
                              Attached Files
                              Mark
                              Pasadena, MD


                              Slate Hobie Revolution 13
                              Hidden Oak Native Ultimate 12
                              Lizard Lick Native Ultimate FX Pro

                              Comment

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