Your top 3 baits of 2022

[Jerkbait22]

Season is pretty much over in the northeast. Other folks might still be fishing but the year is just about over regardless. I thought it would be a good time to look back on the year and post your top 3 swimbaits of 2022. Whether that’s based on strictly numbers, size, a bait that caught your PB, I’ll leave it up to the poster. I’ll start:

1. Toxic Baits Whipper Snapper 

I was locked in with this bait from post spawn to early fall. It was hard not to throw it with the results it produced and throw it I did. I don’t log my catches under 5lbs but I would estimate over 50 fish on this bait in 2022. It also caught my new PB in early July at 6lbs 12oz. I also had another fish over 5 on it (same day I caught my PB) and many over 3.

2. BGC 7” Shad Glide 

This was my second best bait in terms of numbers. Where this bait was lacking was size. I only caught one fish over 3lbs, but I also didn’t start fishing it until mid summer so I’m curious to see if my average size goes up fishing in the pre and post spawn. I’d estimate over 25 fish on this bait, and I did have one fall morning where I had 7 fish on it by 9am. It’s responsible for my first smallmouth on a swimbait which went just over 3lbs. Early fall I put down this bait and started throwing the next bait on the list more, which leads me to #3. 

3. DRT Klash 9

I threw this bait sparingly in the summer and never got any followers when I was catching fish and getting followers on other glides. Thanks to @CAS encouraging me to stick with it, I set out one day with the intent to lock it in and see what happens. Nothing for most of the day, until some weather moved in and I stuck a 4lber fishing it in glide mode up shallow over a weedbed. That turned out to be my biggest on a glide this season although I’ve had some followers that were over 5 on other baits. After gaining some confidence I started fishing it more and was able to upsize with most fish on it going over 3lbs. The big thing I noticed is I rarely ever get followers, it seems to cause a pure reaction strike and they either eat it or they don’t.

That will do it for me, looking forward to seeing others feedback and maybe adding some baits to the list I’d like to acquire and fish in 2023. 

[Swimbait freak]

My top three are river to sea S waiver 200 second UFO 6 inch wake third Bullshad 8 inch but was more of a learning year I learned a lot of new techniques in Swimbait fishing hopefully get to go out more next year

Edited December 18, 2022 by Swimbait freak

[Jonnybass64]

Toxic wnc was probably number one 

wade hoggs number two before I broke the bill on it 

k9 number three 

honorable mention to the mini and full size truchas 

[Mossyback Angler]

Top 3 baits for 2022 for me personally this seasons really involved nothing super special by comparison these days, but I’ll list them and why they rank in the top 3. 
 

- Huddleston 68 Weedless, ROF 5, Silver Green: The Hudd makes my top 3 for catching my 2022 season best largemouth at 5lb-14oz. That catch also had the potential of winning the April SUB tournament. Unfortunately, I did not follow the rules and did not have a picture of the fish on a measuring board. So it had to be disqualified. It hurt even more when the winning fish was a few ounces smaller. Lesson learned the hardway. None the less still have a great memory of that catch. 

 

- Next up is actually the same bait but two different sizes: Spro Rat 40 & 50 sizes. these two rats won me a few special baits to add to my arsenal: the 40 size won my entry into the Bad News Bass East Coast Rats Only Tournament, which I was able to win a Lanciotti Psycho Gill from MGC Fishing. The 50 size rat, was put to use to win me a Gatordog Customs 3pc crankdown during @Jim137a Bassfishing Poker Run. The 50 rat kept producing all season long for me, almost to the point I felt guilty using it. Next season with them being released back into the market, I’m sure it won’t be long before they will not be as effective. 

 

 

- My final bait for 2022 was actually the Gatordog Custom 3pc Crankdown Gill. While I’m still fishing here in the northeast, to me, this catch closed out my 22’ season with a quality Fall bass. The temperature that morning was in the 30’s and I was questioning why I was even out there fishing. That is until I was reminded why I / we fish in all sorts of weather and conditions. It’s amazing what a green fish will make an angler do for a chance to catch them. 

If you gotten this far, I want to thank you for your time in reading my short stories on my top 3  baits for 2022. Hopefully, 2023 will be an epic year for each of us in the SU community, with big baits and big bass.

[BayAreaAngler]

Klash 9, Double H MIR, and Joker. 
joker caught me my biggest of the year at just under 6. MIR and K9 both caught me nice fish throughout the year. K9 even got me a spottie, largie, and smallie out the same body of water 

[Jim137a]

43 minutes ago, Mossyback Angler said:

Top 3 baits for 2022 for me personally this seasons really involved nothing super special by comparison these days, but I’ll list them and why they rank in the top 3. 
 

- Huddleston 68 Weedless, ROF 5, Silver Green: The Hudd makes my top 3 for catching my 2022 season best largemouth at 5lb-14oz. That catch also had the potential of winning the April SUB tournament. Unfortunately, I did not follow the rules and did not have a picture of the fish on a measuring board. So it had to be disqualified. It hurt even more when the winning fish was a few ounces smaller. Lesson learned the hardway. None the less still have a great memory of that catch. 

 

- Next up is actually the same bait but two different sizes: Spro Rat 40 & 50 sizes. these two rats won me a few special baits to add to my arsenal: the 40 size won my entry into the Bad News Bass East Coast Rats Only Tournament, which I was able to win a Lanciotti Psycho Gill from MGC Fishing. The 50 size rat, was put to use to win me a Gatordog Customs 3pc crankdown during @Jim137a Bassfishing Poker Run. The 50 rat kept producing all season long for me, almost to the point I felt guilty using it. Next season with them being released back into the market, I’m sure it won’t be long before they will not be as effective. 

 

 

- My final bait for 2022 was actually the Gatordog Custom 3pc Crankdown Gill. While I’m still fishing here in the northeast, to me, this catch closed out my 22’ season with a quality Fall bass. The temperature that morning was in the 30’s and I was questioning why I was even out there fishing. That is until I was reminded why I / we fish in all sorts of weather and conditions. It’s amazing what a green fish will make an angler do for a chance to catch them. 

If you gotten this far, I want to thank you for your time in reading my short stories on my top 3  baits for 2022. Hopefully, 2023 will be an epic year for each of us in the SU community, with big baits and big bass.

The Poker game was def fun and in spring I’m going to give you a shot to defend your Crown. 

[B_larkin3]

I Wing 135, Hoog 9.5, and I slide 185 

[brootalititties]

1. The Bucca bulltrout that caught me my pb of the year

2. Bucca 6” bull gill. This is the bait that built my confidence in lipless swimmers and just gets bit

3. legrady deep fritter. Started experimenting with really deep cranking baits a lot this summer and the legrady is by far my favorite so far and seemed to get bit almost every outing.

[Mossyback Angler]

14 minutes ago, Jim137a said:

The Poker game was def fun and in spring I’m going to give you a shot to defend your Crown. 

I’m definitely looking forward to it. Was a great format for sure. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Mossyback Angler

[Jim137a]

Tough question I have about 49 favorite baits but if I had to narrow it down to 3 here’s the list

 

#1 the wake bait that fellow member @Jinxd12 makes - incredibly subtle swim that got bit for weeks on end in the summer. It put up some beautiful NJ bass for in the waking version including my NJ PB at 6# even. The cranking version got me a dandy down in the Carolina’s. This bait gets #1 based on the amount of quality fish it caught me and trust me its really affordable.

#2 is a pure glide bait that landed me a few stud bass as well as a few tiger muskies and muskies here in NJ. 

#3 is based solely on the “ Fun Factor “ and the fact that its kind of big for what most guys in NJ would think is an acceptable sized swimbait - the only other person I know throwing it and catching with it in norther NJ is @NJSwimbatslinger the DRT Ghost is the absolutely the funnest and mot versatile big bait I’ve thrown and been able to catch on. 

[CG_Fishes]

Top 3 is tough for me in a year that I branched out so much and tried to dial in big water bass and multispecies. 

1. DRT Tiny Klash low float: I won this bait in a giveaway over a year ago and with my reel at the time being complete garbage for working glides it sat in my box. Brought it out early this summer on a river float and was amazed at the amount of control I had over it in current. I smashed smallies and pike on it that day and continued to do so throughout the season on the rest of my river trips. Truly the most fun bait I have ever fished, the fish can't resist the tight walking action.

2. Megabass Magdraft 6": A consistent producer for me since I first grabbed it. I learned to apply the bait to a number of applications this year, including largemouth, smallmouth, walleye, pickerel and a little taste of tiger musky. I won money with the bait in my first tournament in years. If I had to pick up one bait to guarantee a bite it would be this one. Starting to play with some modifications that are showing serious promise as well.

3. BDB Lunker Punker G2 6": My entire career I have despised walking baits. I could never get bit on em. That all changed one night while fishing the punker. Though my hookup ratio was atrocious at first, hooking maybe 1:5 fish, I figured it out along the way and have improved that ratio greatly. I'm now extremely confident in picking this bait up when conditions are right knowing that it is going to produce the right caliber of fish with incredible strikes.

 

Honorable Mentions:

   • Jerry Rago Thunderhawk Cha Cha Glide

   • Megabass Magslowl 7"

   • Megabass Magdraft 8" 

   •BDB Shellcracker G2

 

 •Jackall Mikey

   • Weedless Hudd Shad 

These baits all made rotation consistently and never left the box. Looking forward to another season learning more and hopefully meeting some of the goals I set years ago

[Jim137a]

Darn it I forgot to mention my absolute fav glide so im going to cheat and add this one - hope @Jerkbait22 for gives me. I just don’t want to go back and edit my original post. 

The Hoog 9.5” trout just got me some big bites - awesome swim and realistic paint. 

[Spencer_518]

1. Flag 255 caught me my biggest fish of the year which was only 4.5

2. Toxic Wadd3 has been catching a lot of fish for me the last couple years

3. Bullshad 8inch glide caught me a few fish this year but nothing of any size besides one almost 4lbs. I plan on fishing the 8 and 9inch a ton next year. 
 

man’s I guess and honorable mention for the Whipper Snapper too because I got on a short good bite with that bait. Another bait I want to spend more time with and try to get my hands on the deep diver version. 
 

it was a disappointing year for me with swimbaits and honestly has been a struggle ever since I started throwing them. I never experienced that “once I started throwing swimbaits I’m catching bigger fish.” It just hasn’t happened for me but I love everything about big baits that I can’t really put them down. 

[SVT THUNDER]

Pretty much a terrible year for me fighting the never ending eelgrass takeover of the Big G. Plenty of dinks but only about 3 over the 4lb mark which is pathetic even fishing from the banks here. It was also a bad year for me chunking glides and wakes which are my go to baits. But simply going on  numbers by baits are listed below. 
 

#1 STC 6-8” swimbaits rigged weedless on Owner Beasts. 
#2 UFO crankdown

#3 is a tough toss up between the HPH Gizzard and the BGC glide. 
 

Needless to say I got smoked in every online tournament I entered this year. I really miss the days of being able to put my Triton in the water and fishing the juice. But my body had other plans years ago and I’m just glad I can still chase bass…even if I’m just beating the banks. 

[Loudsplashbassn_]

1.Toxic mink been through a handful but got in on the blem drop he did in January and fished it . Started in February thinking it would be to cold for a wake fish but the last cast of the evening chnaged that thought fast also was my first 5 and a pb on a swim so it was great and the mink produced all the way to spawn . 

2. Sherpa gill 3pc took a few months to finally get bit on it but when I did the first fish was a 5 . Shortly after became a numbers bait 

3. Lastly the BGC wnc won the bait In a guess the weight contest he did in spring. Shortly after won a slot for a $25 paint from Peyton so sent the blank in for a Golden shiner paint . Baits been a fish magnet since and still producing for me currently