Bassmaster Opens Pro, Chad Smith, goes over his top three must have baits for spring time fishing in Florida.
The first is a chatterbait/bladed jig. This bait helps cover a lot of water and is something Chad uses often when he is offshore. His preferred rod is a 7’4” MH Glass for extra give when the fish initially strikes. For reels he opts for a slower gear ratio to keep the bait lower in the water column where it stays in contact with grass during the retrieve.
Bait number two is a great searchbait up shallow. Any boot tailed bait that can be texas rigged on a big 5/0 hook will work. Chad opts to add a small bullet weight and peg to allow it to come through cover easily. Straight braid with a stout 7’6” H casting rod will allow you to pull fish out of the thickest cover. His reel choice is fast… He needs something that will pick up slack line quickly and get fish out of the cover in an instant.
The third and probably most well known bait is a Junebug colored Speed Worm. The key to this bait is its versatility, not just in the spring but all year long. Chad likes to texas rig this bait on a worm hook and will pick different sized bullet weights to match the depth he is fishing. For this setup he likes to use a braid to fluorocarbon leader. Fluoro for the stealth and braid to cut through the thick Florida vegetation. He uses a 7’3” MH Casting rod with a fast gear ratio reel.
Bait 1
ZMan Jack Hammer Chatterbait – https://omnia.fish/2uxMPQm
Z Man Razor Shadz 4.5″ – https://omnia.fish/2uFsEjl
7’4” MH Composite Casting Rod – https://omnia.fish/2UOFlTA
6.3:1 Daiwa Tatula 100 Casting Reel – https://omnia.fish/2uG24qm
Bait 2
Boot Tail Swimbait – https://omnia.fish/2SSeELp
5/0 Wide Gap Hook – https://omnia.fish/2SEQPpZ
Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’6” H Casting Rod – https://omnia.fish/39ycS8T
8.1:1 Daiwa Tatula 100 Casting Reel – https://omnia.fish/2OOrokQ
Bait 3
Junebug Zoom Speed Worm – https://omnia.fish/2uFt1dJ
Worm Hook – https://omnia.fish/39qnwy8
Bullet Weight – https://omnia.fish/2uEjALu
Weight Peg – https://omnia.fish/3buyyV4
Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’3” MH Casting Rod – https://omnia.fish/2uxgkSp
8.1:1 Daiwa Tatula SV Casting Reel – https://omnia.fish/2SjShiL
Line
Braid – https://omnia.fish/2vo6Tod
Fluorocarbon – https://omnia.fish/2ONyAha
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:23 Bait 1 – Chatterbait
1:07 Bait 2 – Boot Tail Swim Bait
2:18 Bait 3 – Texas Rigged Speed Worm
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What color is the swimbait, your using?
I lost my chatter bait today
Listened to everything you said until you said "snowbird"
What lb braid on the speed worm?
I was hoping you would demonstrate.
👍
When I fish here in Florida, the best bait is to catch a bluegill and hook it through the mouth through nostril
Hood whit thanks for teaching me the Texas rig
Thanks for the info! I always use a Texas rig worm or spinners. But I would like to try some other new baits. Good video!
You got it covered! Those are some of my favorites around here too. Nice video.
everything in florida eats shrimp
Crankbait, senko and whopper plopper. Those 3 have caught me the most fish and it isn't close. 🎣
Old boy told me along time ago, "you can use any color work you want as long as it's purple." Strangely, when trolling big plugs in the Gulf the gag groupers seem to hit the purple the most by far followed by gold/black.
Good info man, I need to commit some more time to speed worms
Junebug is my favorite color but prefer a lizard to a worm😁 Reaction Innovations swimbait, another solid choice😁havent mastered the chatter yet- I subscribed😁
What’s the best for the summer time? I fish in the morning and I just can’t seem to get those suckers to bite even if I run a lure right in front of them.
No one gonna talk about a 250 hp motor on that boat
You forgot a lure dude, orange faced Rebel Popr teeny. The lure years them up down here in Southwest Florida
You’re not bass fishing in south or central FL if you’re not using watermelon red fluke all year long
whens the stick bait