Walleye and Bass

[jl3140]

I just started hand pouring a few weeks ago and now I'm looking at getting an injector and injection mold, but i would like the bait to catch both walleye and bass. What does everyone recommend?

[susquehannasean]

Dude, the variables are too many, you have to narrow it down.  Where are you fishing, lake, river, stream?  What do you use now?  I don't jig fish much in the summer but in cooler water I can catch both on curl tails or small craws.  A lil more info will help greatly.

[ghostbaits]

3.5" swim shad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim

[jl3140]

I fish in lakes and a few smaller rivers. As for the water clarity, I can see down about 3 feet. Right now I've been catching bass on senko style lures, but I'm hoping to try a few different lures tonight. I've been catching a few walleye on night crawlers.

[Jason]

You should get a lot of responses to this. What State are you in? What size baits do you normally fish?

[jl3140]

I'm in South Dakota. I normally fish 4" baits or smaller.

[Justin9j]

3.5" swim shad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

X2. 

[jl3140]

I have a 3.5" swim shad from a sample pack i got, so how should i rig it up and fish it?

[Justin9j]

I put it on a swim jig with a nice skirt. 

Or a belly weighted hook. 
I have a buddy that will put it on a 5/16 shaky head some days. And does well. 

[andrewlamberson]

I live in Minnesota...and do lots of bass and walleye fishing (a lot of times...at the same time!)...and no doubt...the 3.5" Swim shad on a swim jig with skirt....or w/o the skirt.

Rig the swim shad side-ward (side up) and use the same rig in the slop for bass. The wide profile of the bait on the weeds helps keep the jig from falling through the mat. Try it.... you be amazed how they blast it!

I like to use 1/4oz swim jigs for my "all around" swim jig. Heavier if your fishing deep or in heavy current.Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it)...Northern Pike LOVE swim jigs too! Most of the time you can go without a wire leader....but be prepared to donate some to Mr. Pike.

If you want to catch LOTS of walleye...The 3" CCM Glider bounced on the bottom is a walleye killer. Does are darn good job on largemouth and smallmouth too!

By far ... my favorite swim jigs are yankem jigs...made by one of CToms neighbors in Rochester, MN.
 
The FatHead is my favorite because it's designed to slide across the top of the weeds when you are slop fishing...and does a great job of being a plain ole' swim jig. As soon as the jig gets to the edge of the weeds...let it drop. BAM! The bass (and Pike) will also blast it through the weeds and Lilly pads.   

http://www.yankemjigs.com/AboutUs.html

Andy

[Muskygary]

Andy, What colors do you use? Ive always been told anything with chartruse in the color pattern. I noticed CTom has luck on transperent colors, and everybody likes watermelon/red. Reason I ask here in Indiana we don't have many walleye lakes and everything I have caught has always been on livebait.

[andrewlamberson]

Watermelon/red flake ....and every once in awhile....when I'm feeling adventurous ....red flake/watermelon!

I also use white/silver flake and silver smoke/gunmetal flake. Black is also good in off color water or to look like leeches.

I have never been big on chartreuse ...except for smallmouth wacky worms (electric snot)

[toadfrogbaits]

X2 swim shad , belly hook , watermelon red flake . 3.5 fry works with a jig head in the same color .

[ctom]

Ive always been told anything with chartruse in the color pattern. I noticed CTom has luck on transperent colors, and everybody likes watermelon/red. Reason I ask here in Indiana we don't have many walleye lakes and everything I have caught has always been on livebait.

Most of my walleye fishing is done between late October and early March and happens below the dams along the Mississippi River not far upstream from where Andy resides. The colder the water, the better the walleye/sauger bite gets. I see a lot of chartreuse being thrown for walleyes during that timeframe but I prefer more subtle colors of plastic, and yes most are very transparent. If chartreuse has a place on one of the plastics I use it will be just a tail.

I am a miserable bass angler. I fish bass while the crappies are on spawning beds and use top-water baits for them. As Andy has mentioned, pike seem to find favor in anything thrown to bass so I seldom target pike by themselves....I see enough of them when I bass fish.

Color and technique really becomes a personal preference thing. I tend to be seasonal with all of my fishing except crappies and panfish. I am not crazy about using live bait and with walleyes really turning on to plastic in colder water, that is when I target them most. South Dakota should have similar up-swings with colder water and walleye attitude towards plastics. Some people have good luck with walleyes and plastics thru the summer, but my focus is always in cold water.