Surface lure for bass

[crablante]

Guys (and girls)...

My new years resolution is to catch a bass on a lure, and there's a spot I want to try: it's shallow (1-3m), some seaweed and very rocky. I have no idea if this spot has bass but historically it has had bass (my uncle would catch them using homemade lures made from goat hair!). Anyway I'm thinking...surface lure(?) so need some advice on how to pick one. For example: would I need a handful of lures because depending on the weather or if Jupiter and Saturn are aligned, certain lures will fish better than others, etc. ATM I've done ZERO research aside from watching a few bass lure fishing videos.

Cheers!

 

[nearly70ty]

if it's just the one lure your getting go for Patchinko 100 or 125 in 500g deadly right across the country

 

[crablante]

if it's just the one lure your getting go for Patchinko 100 or 125 in 500g deadly right across the country

Awesome! I'll go for one of them then

Question: what about the 500G makes it so attractive?

P.S. I thought 500g meant 1/2 kilo of lure

 

[Trampster]

So many choices at different price ranges, types, weights & colours.
If you're fishing rocky ground, you might be better with a soft plastic rigged weedless (hook point at the top).
You've also got the option of a Redgill Eel or similar lure behind a Bombarda float.

I rarely target Bass, but have had quite a few schoolies on a Savage Gear Panic Prey topwater hard plastic 28gm which I quite like. Different weights & colours were available. Jims online in Cornwall have got some on offer, but only in Olive colour by the look of it - I think I've got the Sardine one which came from Jims.

Savage Gear Panic Prey V2s 135mm 28g Floating Olive Flash

Inside Lazer paperLong distanceNoisy rattleSuper hook up rateTrable hook #2Ultra Sharp Savage Gear TreblesWide gliding splashing action

www.jimsonline.co.uk

Edit: Patchinko are good but similar to Panic Prey (and others) - only issue is they are 4x the price of the Panic Prey so a lot to lose if you get snagged.

 

[Beach]

Awesome! I'll go for one of them then

Question: what about the 500G makes it so attractive?

P.S. I thought 500g meant 1/2 kilo of lure

Have fun casting with a 10 to 30grm 9ft spinning rod

 

[Beach]

if it's just the one lure your getting go for Patchinko 100 or 125 in 500g deadly right across the country

You will be able to knock them out with 500g

 

[Topwater]

500g is a colour code. Anything white would be my starting point and as Trampster says there's no need to buy the expensive 'originals'. I've caught a lot of big bass on the SG Panic Prey, Hunthouse, Noeby etc etc. Look up 'walking the dog' with surface lures on YouTube

 

[crablante]

If you're fishing rocky ground, you might be better with a soft plastic rigged weedless (hook point at the top).
You've also got the option of a Redgill Eel or similar lure behind a Bombarda float.

OK will check out soft plastic too, never heard of this float - will look into it!

Edit: Patchinko are good but similar to Panic Prey (and others) - only issue is they are 4x the price of the Panic Prey so a lot to lose if you get snagged.

Yeah it does seem like a lot of money for some plastic and a couple of hooks. ATM I'm happy to ignore price and focus on getting the "right" gear. Which reminds me...I'll need a rod too

I should clarify I don't have to worry about surface seaweed, everything is anchored for the seabed. The main issue is that's is really rocky, I really can't have the "bait" going down because it'll get snagged hence thinking a surface lure is the way to go BUT never given this kind of fishing a go so genuinely have no idea. Well...I do have ideas but zero experience

Look up 'walking the dog' with surface lures on YouTube

Thanks! I'll have a look

 

[Dutchman]

OK will check out soft plastic too, never heard of this float - will look into it!


Yeah it does seem like a lot of money for some plastic and a couple of hooks. ATM I'm happy to ignore price and focus on getting the "right" gear. Which reminds me...I'll need a rod too

I should clarify I don't have to worry about surface seaweed, everything is anchored for the seabed. The main issue is that's is really rocky, I really can't have the "bait" going down because it'll get snagged hence thinking a surface lure is the way to go BUT never given this kind of fishing a go so genuinely have no idea. Well...I do have ideas but zero experience


Thanks! I'll have a look

Remember that if rocky if you catch a fish, the fish may go down and your line could touch these rocks and snap all

 

[Trampster]

OK will check out soft plastic too, never heard of this float - will look into it!


Yeah it does seem like a lot of money for some plastic and a couple of hooks. ATM I'm happy to ignore price and focus on getting the "right" gear. Which reminds me...I'll need a rod too

I should clarify I don't have to worry about surface seaweed, everything is anchored for the seabed. The main issue is that's is really rocky, I really can't have the "bait" going down because it'll get snagged hence thinking a surface lure is the way to go BUT never given this kind of fishing a go so genuinely have no idea. Well...I do have ideas but zero experience


Thanks! I'll have a look

If you are fishing surface lures, you should be OK with treble hooks, but if fishing with any lure that goes deeper (EG Surf Seeker or similar), consider changing them for inline singles. Lures with two trebles - you might be better removing the front one and fitting a rear inline single point upwards.

 

[Trampster]

OK will check out soft plastic too, never heard of this float - will look into it!

Here you go! Rob in Cornwall used to put some excellent videos up, but he got more into shooting than fishing and hasn't uploaded for a couple of years now. Some of his older stuff is well worth a watch.

And:

 

[Kine262]

eBay do some pretty decent Patchinko copies for about a tenth of the price. Just check the hooks really well and change them if you’re not completely sure. Even with new hooks though they still work out much cheaper.

 

[Kine262]

They might not give exactly the same action but still work well

 

[Goatfish]

Ok, I’m just me but I read all the hype about the Patchinko, pre Covid and spent over £50 on a pair thinking it would be worth the huge outlay as I would surely bag up each session.
The white one I have tried at least a dozen times…..never even a sniff. The Mackeral pattern one remains unused in its box, if I could be assed I would sell it on.
Most of my Bass come off the surface as it’s what I enjoy doing and they have all been caught on lures well under £10. Biggest percentage have fallen to a Noeby popper in cotton candy pattern which they no longer produce.
It seems any popper making a good splash will do the business, whatever colour.
A lot of my lures come from ‘Predilures’…..

 

[richtic]

Ok, I’m just me but I read all the hype about the Patchinko, pre Covid and spent over £50 on a pair thinking it would be worth the huge outlay as I would surely bag up each session.
The white one I have tried at least a dozen times…..never even a sniff. The Mackeral pattern one remains unused, if I could be assed I would sell it on.
Most of my Bass come off the surface as it’s what I enjoy doing and they have all been caught on lures well under £10. Biggest percentage have fallen to a Noeby popper in cotton candy pattern which they no longer produce.
It seems any popper making a good splash will do the business, whatever colour.
A lot of my lures come from ‘Predilures’…..

Ive used Predilures for most of my copies, never noticed any difference, they catch and thats all that counts

 

[Goatfish]

Ive used Predilures for most of my copies, never noticed any difference, they catch and thats all that counts

Absolutely, and plenty of change in our pockets!

 

[Kevin3110]

Must admit I’m a sucker for the original Patchinko in either the 100, 125 or the 140 size. That said you will catch on cheaper imitations, personally I just prefer using what I’m confident in using and catching on. I really only use three colours in the patch and the chances of loosing a surface lure are slim to none in my experience, I’d be looking at the Nacre, Yellow and 500G. Great lures worked in the right conditions.
That’s a prime Welsh silver that took a liking to the 140 in yellow.

 

[Goatfish]

Must admit I’m a sucker for the original Patchinko in either the 100, 125 or the 140 size. That said you will catch on cheaper imitations, personally I just prefer using what I’m confident in using and catching on. I really only use three colours in the patch and the chances of loosing a surface lure are slim to none in my experience, I’d be looking at the Nacre, Yellow and 500G. Great lures worked in the right conditions. View attachment 77392
That’s a prime Welsh silver that took a liking to the 140 in yellow.

I cannot argue that the Patchinkos are no good as I’ve seen loads of pics like your Kevin……it’s just I cannot catch on the damn thing! Could well be I’m just not using it right……I have tried.
It seems that I have much more confidence in a flat faced popper that makes a splash when I twitch the lure.
When summer comes around again I will have yet another go with the Patch’ as I really do want it to work having spent all that money.

 

[crablante]

If you are fishing surface lures, you should be OK with treble hooks, but if fishing with any lure that goes deeper (EG Surf Seeker or similar), consider changing them for inline singles. Lures with two trebles - you might be better removing the front one and fitting a rear inline single point upwards.

What do you mean by deeper? Either way yes, a pair of trebles seems a tad extreme, and they might be a pain to unhook(?)

Here you go! Rob in Cornwall used to put some excellent videos up, but he got more into shooting than fishing and hasn't uploaded for a couple of years now. Some of his older stuff is well worth a watch.

Thanks! Very interesting...ok so another way to fish, I may end up getting this, hard, soft etc basically a selection of options to see what fishes. I plan to hit my spot in September so have plenty of time to learn. BTW turns out I already came across Rob a few years ago when watching his most popular video: collecting razor clams

A lot of my lures come from ‘Predilures’…..

Just had a look...it's a shop! They do copies?

That’s a prime Welsh silver that took a liking to the 140 in yellow.

Beautiful

eBay do some pretty decent Patchinko copies for about a tenth of the price. Just check the hooks really well and change them if you’re not completely sure. Even with new hooks though they still work out much cheaper.

No worries - I have plenty of time to look, research and learn before September! I am curious though...what about the Patchinko makes it so expensive? Is it the Versace of lures?

 

[Goatfish]

What do you mean by deeper? Either way yes, a pair of trebles seems a tad extreme, and they might be a pain to unhook(?)


Thanks! Very interesting...ok so another way to fish, I may end up getting this, hard, soft etc basically a selection of options to see what fishes. I plan to hit my spot in September so have plenty of time to learn. BTW turns out I already came across Rob a few years ago when watching his most popular video: collecting razor clams


Just had a look...it's a shop! They do copies?


Beautiful


No worries - I have plenty of time to look, research and learn before September! I am curious though...what about the Patchinko makes it so expensive? Is it the Versace of lures?

A lot of Predilures stuff is copies…hence the low prices. I don’t think it’s a proper shop, the lures rarely arrive in proper boxes.
What I would say…..again it’s my preference….after starting lure fishing several years ago with lures adorned with treble hooks I found I wasn’t enjoying things because of the damage done to the fish by the trebles and the long length of time it often took to unhook. The first thing I do now is swop the trebles for inline singles. Unhooking is normally done in a jiffy and rarely damage done to the fish so my enjoyment level of the sessions has gone up significantly.