Hottest lures and colors on the river

Ya know, when buying lures, I’ve always went on my own or through the advice of just a few friends. I read in magazines all the time that one should talk to local bait shop owners when heading out to a new lake. It’s funny, I’ve never really done that much around here on my home waters! So, what would you say if someone asked, “Hey, Joe Blow, what are the hottest lures and colors on the river for bass?”

I’d have to say craw and shad colored crankbaits for smallmouth, white soft jerkbaits, shad colored Pop-Rs, shad colored shallow cranks, and blk/blu jigs.

As for crankbaits, don’t forget charteuse craw type patterns, especially in the summer. As for jigs, my motto is: any color will do as long as it is black and blue!!

Earlier this spring, I made a list for a “rookie” fisherman of tackle box “must have’s”. This list included things for panfishing through bass, walleye, and pike, even though his main interest was panfish and bass. Hit Galyans during lunch and for around $70.00, he bought up the entire list! I didn’t expect that, but he did it! So far, he says he’s having his best season yet………………..now if I can only remember what I put on that list!

I know he bought these items for sure: #11 black/silver floating Rapala, black/chartreuse, white, and bumble bee Rooster Tails, white spinner bait (3/8oz.), and a Mepps Killer combo with some powerbait grub tails (I don’t remember the colors he chose, I’ve done well with many). He doesn’t like handling live bait and he hasn’t tried “wormin”, but the lures listed have all produced monster crappies to his season’s best 19 1/2″ largemouth. I use too many lures personally to pick any REAL favorites. SOOOOO many things DO work! :O)

For largemouths, it would be a Carolina rig with a 6″, dark purple, straight paddle-tail worm. It’s probably just a confidence thing, but I can outfish everything in my box with this rig.

For smallmouths, it would be a yellow or green 1/4 ounce jig with a 2″ white twister. Most of the rivers I fish for smallies are pretty small, and I can cast that jig right on the mark, saving me from having to wade right into the fish to unfoul a $6 crankbait.