By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
Time is ticking down. The pattern that worked yesterday isn’t working today. It’s crunch time. There’s an hour left until the weigh-in starts. Your nerves are starting to fray. What do you reach for when you absolutely need to generate bites?
We’ve been asking pro anglers from the various leagues that same question as a way to find out what their ultimate confidence baits are regardless of the situation, along with the reasoning behind their choices. As one might expect, the answers have run the gamut, from big-line, big-weight flipping to light-line finesse and from topwater to slow-dragging baits.
Russ Lane is a noted offshore fisherman who loves to crank and wind a swimbait. When it comes to a confidence bait, though, he’s all about efficiency and versatility. When the Alabama pro needs to start putting fish in the boat, he turns to a soft-plastic stick worm. Just add a 1/4-oz. weight and a 4/0 hook and he’s got himself a fairly productive confidence rig.
After checking out the latest installment in the series, head over to our Feedback page and let us know what your go-to bait is and how you rig it.
> Angler: Russ Lane
> Confidence bait: Texas-rigged Big Bite Baits Trick Stick
> Gear used: 7’2” medium-heavy Denali Rods Kovert casting rod, unnamed casting reel (6.3:1 ratio), 14-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line, 1/4-oz. Hawgtech tungsten worm weight, 4/0 Gamakatsu straight shank offset worm hook.
> Origin: “It’s just a shape that’s not overly intrusive. It’s a versatile shape that can be fished around any cover and in any depth for fish that aren’t in a feeding mood.”
> Why he trusts it: “It’s just a confidence thing. When you’re out there grinding for big fish, which you have to do nowadays to be competitive, if you have that ace in the your pocket you’re that much more dangerous because you know you have confidence.”
> One more thing: “I fish it around anything – shallow stumps or I’ll add a heavier weight and flip heavy cover w it.”
