When Nothing is Working, What Do You Throw?

[MK49]

I fished this morning. It wasn't a good condition, full moon (fish feeding all night long), very windy..... I normally throw topwater baits for at least 1 or 2hrs in the morning. But, it was really windy, so I gave it up in 10min, and started doing other things like crankbait, lipless crankbait, scrounger, chatterbait, Fat Ika.... I didn't get a bite for 1hr. So, I went back to topwater walking bait, which is what I use, when I don't get a bite, even in winter time or in the middle of hot sunny day. It's just a confidence thing. Again, it was way too windy for topwater, but the walking bait caught two bass in 10min (and nothing for the next few hours, so I went home), which to be honest, I didn't expect.

What do you use, when nothing gets a bite?

[Finnz922]

My late father in law threw a Gene Larew Mega Ring Tube (discontinued) and always managed to salvage a day.

My preference will always be a Spro Bronzeye Frog, first, when the wind isn't too bad or a Missle Baits D-Bomb.

[CGrinder]

Topwater for me as well, Duo Pencil or a Gunfish. Lately I've also been pulling out a silent LC 1.5 in Ghost Baby Bluegill when things aren't going to plan.

[hoohoorjoo]

2.75" paddletail on a 1/8 jighead(I currently use the rage tail version). I've salvaged countless days with that little bait. Bass, pickerel, big bream,
crappie, white bass, yellow perch and even catfish have all fallen for it.

[Hogsticker2]

Similar to Tim, 3" paddle tail on 3/16 or 1/8, depending on conditions. If I find a few, I'll use a Flick Shake as well.

[MK49]

Interesting. I've never really used anything less than 4", mostly because, tiny baits with little weights are hard to cast with baitcasters (I don't use spinning tackles). Maybe, I'm missing something.

[MK49]

Here's another walking bait story. I was fishing in Mexico, and I didn't get a bite after 9:30AM. It was hot (probably, over 100 degree, and clear sky). Around 10:30, I was like "fxxk it", I'll throw the chrome Heddon Original Zara Spook." My Mexican guide, who drove the boat for me, fished with me 16 or 17 times, so he's my friend. He knew I was a topwater guy. but he didn't think I was going to catch any fish in the super hot sunny day. I got 6 bites, and caught 4 bass in the next 30min.

After the lunch break, my guide told me this. The fishing was kinda tough for everybody in that morning. My guide told other guides that I caught 4 bass between 10:30 and 11AM. Those guys asked him how I caught them. It's actually good to know that most guides tried to please customers, when the fishing was tough, so they tried to find some solutions. My guide told them the good old Zera Spook. My guide told me that the guys didn't really believe it. To me, when it's hot and sunny, and nothing else works, I just go back to the basic, and start throwing bigger (3/4oz to 1oz) walking baits. It's that simple (from my experience), but for other people/guides, they just didn't think that's going to work. I thought it was funny and interesting.

BTW, these were the baits I used the most in Mexico. See how they were really used a lot.

[Drakestar]

Interesting. I've never really used anything less than 4", mostly because, tiny baits with little weights are hard to cast with baitcasters (I don't use spinning tackles). Maybe, I'm missing something.

I think you should! I saw the thread title and thought “hmm, I don’t think I have a go-to hard bait when things are tough, it’s all plastics”. 2.8 Keitech, Ned rig, small tube, dropshot… Just get a BFS rod and reel

That said, my go-to hard bait when nothing is working is probably a Vision 110 Jr or Flash Pointer 100. Gotta work then slow like it’s winter to get a reaction bite.

[Hulkster]

I have had many dog days where I can't catch anything, tie on a Mepps Black Fury Dressed spinner in red and black usually #5 size, cast it over top of of submerged weeds or along weedlines and BAM fish will smash it.

not always bass but pike too etc.

[Hogsticker2]

Interesting. I've never really used anything less than 4", mostly because, tiny baits with little weights are hard to cast with baitcasters (I don't use spinning tackles). Maybe, I'm missing something.

Power finesse search baits are great imo.

[Finnz922]

Apparently I didn't notice the Hardbaits section . I'm assuming you wanted to know hardbaits we use when nothing else is going.

I have always defaulted to Spro Little John in cell mate or rootbeer.

My father in law started using black cranks and could get bit when the bite was tough.

My late father in law threw a Gene Larew Mega Ring Tube (discontinued) and always managed to salvage a day.

My preference will always be a Spro Bronzeye Frog, first, when the wind isn't too bad or a Missle Baits D-Bomb.

[adam lancia]

When nothing's working, I throw everything back in the van and go home...

[hoohoorjoo]

2.75" paddletail on a 1/8 jighead(I currently use the rage tail version). I've salvaged countless days with that little bait. Bass, pickerel, big bream,
crappie, white bass, yellow perch and even catfish have all fallen for it.

Guess I didn't see it was in the hardbaits section, either.
For hardbaits, it is a Jackall Bling 55 or a #5 Shad Rap, shallow or deep version, depending on water depth and time of year.

[dragon1]

When it's that windy, you need to go big and obnoxious IMO...I would have been power cranking from top to bottom with heavy big bladed spinnerbaits.

For me, the first thing I need to do to get a bite on a tough day is locate the fish...sometimes from shore, you're just S.O.L...then I put on a tiny inline spinner and catch some panfish. Lol.

For hardbaits, on your particular day, I would have chosen a larger Swimbait that causes ruckus. Like you said, the bass had already fed throughout the evening, they need a reason to take a swipe at anything else and it needs to be a large prey item offering a lot of calories.

[bassfanatick]

Yamamoto 2" Senko wacky rig, when they stop biting everything else this little morsel will get them to commit.