If you are looking for a great way to catch more fish, then it is time to start using stick bait. Stick baits have been around since the 1930s and continue to be one of the most effective ways to catch fish worldwide. This blog post will teach you all about what stick bait fishing is, how they work, some tips for using them effectively and which ones are best at catching different species of fish!
First of all, let's get the elephant out of the room. A stick bait is a terminology for cylindrical-shaped baits whether they are hard or soft. You won't find a lure that is a "stickbait", but you will be hearing people call it that.
It could be a Rapala Minnow or a plastic worm (with no tail). These meet the requirements. It takes a lot of work to make a "stick" look tasty to eat. From colors, designs, shapes, buoyancy, texture, and flavor fishermen will do almost anything to make the fake look real.
This article will focus on all types of stick baits we know today including hard sticks such as grubs and soft ones such as worms. We'll take a look at how each one works best for different species (bass, walleye, crappie) in order to give you some ideas about what might work for your next outing.
What Is The Best Stick Bait?
What is the best stick bait? The answer to this question depends on many factors. It's really hard to say one company makes "the best" because it all really comes down to personal preference and what fish you are targeting.
I have had great success with both Rapala Minnows and Berkley PowerBait Worms in my time fishing, but I would be lying if I told you there wasn't some other lure that will work just as well for me next time around. One thing we can offer up here though is a list of different types of baits so hopefully at least one might strike your fancy:
What Is The Best Stick Bait For Bass?
The best stick bait for bass is whatever will give the most action on top of the water. This could be a minnow lure, or a small worm. It's important to keep in mind that different fish such as largemouth bass are attracted to different things; some like live baits while others prefer artificial lures with lots of flashiness.
I prefer to stick to minnow-type lures like the Rapala Minnow or the VMC Minnow. These are both great because they have a lot of action and flash that make them easy to see as well.
One example I've used before when fishing with other people is something called an "offset worm" where you tie a piece (or pieces) onto your line before casting it out; this adds more weight and helps keep your lure from going in a straight line.
Sorry that I can't answer your question completely because there isn't a single answer for every person in every situation.
What Is The Difference Between a Crankbait and a Jerkbait
One difference between a crankbait and a jerkbait is that the crankbait goes straight down while the jerk bait does not. This means that when you are fishing near cover, like underwater plants called eelgrass, or up against rocks in streams for instance, then using your jerkbait will give you better luck because it can get to those places where a more horizontal-diving lure would be less likely to reach (or even know about).
A second difference is how they move through water - meaning what their "action" is. Generally speaking, most people prefer some type of action in any kind of lure; this helps make them as attractive as possible! The speed at which these two lures move depends on your retrieve speed and the amount of weight you have on your line.
The drag-free jerkbait is often a little more flashy, but it can be harder to control because it has such a fast action that does not rely as much on moving water as crankbaits do. The jerkbait also moves in an arc (as opposed to straight down), which makes them good for luring bass or panfish away from cover.
The third difference between these two types of lure is how deep they go when diving under the surface; their maximum depth range varies by the manufacturer according to what kind of threat was being addressed with this particular lure design - so there's no one answer!
But if we're talking about generalities within fishing lures, crankbaits tend to have a lower maximum depth range - and they also sink more quickly once you stop reeling them in.
Stick baits can be used for many different kinds of fishing, even if that's not what the bait was designed for. Stick baits are often touted as great bass lures because their vibrating action is so convincing to fish!
How Do You Fish With A Senko Worm?
A Senko worm is an excellent bait for bass fishing because of its shape. Rather than having hooks, this type of lure will have little slits cut into it so that you can insert several small split shot weights. This helps keep the weight close in towards the body of the lure so that when there's current or wind blowing against it, they don't move around as much! The downside to using these types of lures is that if no one takes them from underneath where other people may have already fished.
There are other ways to fish with soft plastics or Senko worms. One of the best ways is to use a weight that's about 12 inches from the lure itself. This will help increase your chances of keeping these types of lures in one place and also make them much more visible so they're less likely to be ignored by any nearby bass!
Walleye Stickbait
You can use stickbaits for things other than bass. Walleye will readily take one since they love minnows. You will have to work it a bit different since you will have to fish a bit deeper and maybe do some trolling to make it happen.
I would use these lures if you are looking to try these stickbaits for walleye.
Plastic worms like the Yamamoto Senko Worm.
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Minnows can be found at any sporting goods store and you should be able to find them in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes.
Minnow skirts are also available which will help attract fish even more!
Do not use too big of bait though because walleye will eat smaller size minnows much quicker than they will bigger ones. Fishing with these lures is done using lighter gear so it's easy for them to catch up with your lure if you're going slower. The rod length doesn't matter as long as you have enough power behind your cast to get the bait out there far enough away from where they are locked up.
If you're fishing for walleye on a boat or jetty, the best technique is to use a larger bait that's heavy enough not to get caught by waves and strong winds so it can stay in place until they come over and eat it.
Using an anchoring device as weight or lead will also help keep your lure from getting blown away too soon which means you'll be able to catch more fish!
Crappie Stickbaits
I personally love using stickbaits for Crappie. I have caught most of my Crappie on minnow lures. However, I have caught some on white grubs, Rooster Tail spinners, and live bait.
The thing about Crappie is that they are one of the most challenging to catch because it's so difficult to understand their bite. They'll hit a bait one second, then not touch anything for hours after. I've used everything from white grubs and live bait on downriggers to Rooster Tails with no luck whatsoever, but as soon as I switch out my lure type or color, boom--I caught another fish! Sometimes even just changing colors can improve your odds of catching Crappies.
Garfish Stickbaits
Garfish aren't the usual sportfish that people tend to gravitate toward. However, there is a stickbait that will suit their needs as well. As you know from their teeth they like MEAT. So you will want to focus on minnow-style lures if you are fishing for them.
Tuna Stickbaits
Stickbaits for Tuna has been steadily gaining popularity. In the Tuna game, fishermen are only going after them for 1 of 2 reasons. They are commercial fishermen and need to catch fish to put food on the table. Otherwise, they are charter boat captains that need to make sure their clients have a great time on the water and take back something they can show off.
The best Tuna stickbait is going to be one that mimics a squid. The more realistic you can make your lures, the better chance of success you will have. Stickbaits for tuna should only be used during the day and are most successful when targeting these fish near structures or kelp beds where they seem to like hanging out in their natural habitat.
They have gotten more popular with bluefin tuna because they will readily chase and eat them. You will find a lot of boat captains jumping on the bandwagon and using these lures when they are fishing for tuna.
Topwater Stickbait
Focusing on the topwater stickbait, there are many types of designs available. One design that is becoming more and more popular because of its effectiveness in both still water or moving water is the all-purpose stick bait.
You will have ones that walk the dog and others that just move erratically. Both will work but take all their functionality from what you put through the rod tip. So you have to be comfortable doing more than just casting and reeling. However, you will get more satisfaction out of knowing you truly tricked the fish!