Looking for some new baits

[budman]

Going to be taking a fall float/camp trip on the Buffalo River in a few weeks and was looking for something different to throw. I usually take a fly rod and a spinning rod. On the spinning rod I usually throw ned rigs, different craws, some tube jigs and an occasional crank bait. I have been watching some youtube videos on the river and have seen several people throwing a whopper plopper  and also the rage swimmer. Has anyone used them and if so what color and size?

[rps]

I have fished a WP on a lake and not the rage swimmer. Why don't you try a WTD bait? You don't need to spend lots of money, and one blowup will make your trip.

 

[Gavin]

The Ned really shines in the fall when minnows bunch up near wood. Flukes are good if you have to contend with floating leaves, plopper & WTD can work but they are leaf magnets.

[Al Agnew]

12 hours ago, Gavin said:

The Ned really shines in the fall when minnows bunch up near wood. Flukes are good if you have to contend with floating weeds, plopper & WTD can work but the are leaf magnets.

Yup, great answer!  Autumn leaves and the often extremely clear, low water really limits the lures you can use in the fall.  It's not a good time to be experimenting with different lures.  But a lot depends upon the weather conditions and water temperature.  Windy days are the worst, because they put great masses of leaves on the water.  You can try spinnerbaits if the leaves aren't TOO bad.  They may or may not work.  On the fly rod, a popper or slider with a weedguard on the hook can work well if the water temps are still above 60 degrees.  The Flukes, rigged weightless on a lighter hook with hook point under the skin of the lure, are very versatile and won't be affected much by leaves.  I like to throw them atop masses of leaves washed up against obstacles and drag them off the matt of leaves, then let them sink and be carried under the leaf mass by the current.  But basically, until the leaf fall is about done, any lure with treble hooks is going to be frustrating to fish.