TOP BAITS of the MONTH ( January 2025 Edition )

[@RipNPaws]

New to your channel and I love the baits list but your info on how to rig and how to fish each one was the best I’ve seen. Already saved this video to watch again - so much info!!!

[@sleeper33]

Thank you for these great videos, i recently landed a nice winter bass using a loop knot tied 1/4 oz VMC jig with gizzard shad Freeloader while carefully shaking my spinning rod as you have previously demonstrated. I genuinely enjoy learning new techniques through your effective and laid back teaching style, again, thank you Jacob!

[@PaxandNoahFishing]

Slowing down with crank baits all right during super cold winter. But, speed cranking deep near rock/structure is unbeatable you just burn it really fast then just stop and then do it again tactical Bassin makes some vids on it but it is straight gas and those other baits are amazing as well thank you for taking the time to educate us!

[@hunternixonfishing2500]

Burn, burn, burn, burn, pause!

[@1stJohn215]

In reference to your question about Weiss being down in the winter. It is historically down 4-5 feet from January to the middle of February. It is very shallow and is extremely dangerous during that time of year due to all the stumps. It is the first power company dam on the Coosa river and for that reason is very susceptible to flooding in the spring. As you may remember Weiss is a great crappie lake due its flat and stumpy terrain. Thanks again for doing these type shows. Everyone is a classic!

[@Budget_bassin]

I had a feeling you’d pick Weiss. I grew up on that lake and it’s a true hidden gem. If you have not, you need to fish it. You’ll thank me.

[@gregkrukemeier2003]

I love slow rollin' cranks in cold water below 50 degrees. The bite is so soft all you really feel is them opening their mouth and shutting most of the time. I'm a big believer is scent as well. Bait Fuel and Bait Pop have become my go-to. Bait Fuel does not last long but some days it is the difference of toads biting or not.

[@RobertAFarleyJr-jb9mk]

Will be headed to Dale for a month for mostly floater Bob for Smallies and some of the other baits u mentioned at end of month.

[@garyplowman5838]

Great content Jake love the baits thank you sir 👍🏻

[@claytonhamm6081]

Jacob the scent does work in my opinion bc I don't even have sonar but I think the fish commit to the bait and I don't have short sticks or bumps. They just chomp it. I threw a buzz bait for 30-45 mins one morning and then put the chartruses on and first cast caught a 3.5lber. At end of laydown.

[@Ofeliag714]

Winter fishing really be weird, I caught a striped bass on top water last Friday on lake mead and the next day on a spinner bait. I was literally shocked because the last two months I was getting skunked weekly

[@NelsonWalters-p4f]

Very informative video, I went to pickwick earlier this week and didn’t have any luck. Gonna have to put some of these lures to use next time. If you could break down pickwick next month that would be awesome.

[@raymondtorrez529]

Just ordered your 2.0 rods I can't wait. Good stuff

[@WheelerFishing]

@@raymondtorrez529 heck yeah! Let me know what you think

[@dgroves85]

Btw you can use punch stoppers with slip bobbers as well.

[@alecbarrett3607]

the float n fly is one of those winter baits that if you know you're around fish but you can't get em to eat anything else they will eat it.

[@jsean13]

Good choice on the 2.0 rods man, they look amazing

[@WheelerFishing]

@@jsean13 thank you! 👊🏼

[@BattleattheBank]

@@jsean13 is there a spinning rod in the lineup you’d recommend for jerk baits or small cranks. Love throwing a DT6 on spinning gear. What rod you recommend? Thanks boys!

[@rmarc11]

What brand underspin is that

[@SaxonBassFishing]

What under spin hook is that?

[@deanleslie2725]

Thanks for the tips my friend!!!

[@dgroves85]

If you could only choose one size shad rap what size would it be? SR5, SR6, SR7 etc? Disregard. You get to it in the video. See you got that CoolBaits underspin 👌🏼. That was always my goto finesse underspin. I used to knock em dead on it. Haven’t fished it in awhile. But this clues me into somewhere I should try it.

[@mitchfarmer9509]

You might laugh and not even believe it, but I’ve been told by people in the know on Hartwell and Lanier that you can fish the Underspins slow as possible just barely dragging it on bottom where the blade isn’t even spinning. Lol

[@Tdcfish]

Nice list would like to see a lake like blewes creek in nc where gets heated by power plant and is a spotted bass lake

[@Tallnerdyguy]

Quick question, you are deadset on your rods with handle material? Consider cork?

[@thomasariss9601]

I have a question for you Justin when it comes to BLT the nets I know that they're if they had an option with a rattler cuz you can get these like glass tubes or plastic tubes that has small individual ball bearings because I fish a lot of shallow water and it's Rivers with that being said I was wondering if that has an option with a rattler

[@dennisederer3594]

Awaiting delivery of my new 6’10” JW 2.0 rod to replace a broken MicroMagic.

[@dustinwalker8152]

Abu did a good job with the Zenon spinning reels. I still love and will continue to buy Shimano and Daiwa, but the Zenon doesn't suck.

[@WheelerFishing]

I really like the Zenon casting reel! Right now it’s the favorite reel I own but I want to see how long it holds up

[@dustinwalker8152]

@@WheelerFishing Have you tried Bates reels yet? I've put the Goat and Hundo through hell for about a year now, so far so good. The goat reminds me of what a higher end version of the Curado 200/Scorpion 200 would feel like and the Hundo is a lot like the Zenon X. Just out of curiosity, as far as you having a reel sponsor, wouldn't it be easier on you (in terms of doing shows, promos and stuff, kind of like the Berkely guys did with Abu or Strike King guys with Lews) going with 13 Fishing since they were purchased by Rapala? Given what you've accomplished and your presence on social media/youtube, it seems like sponsors would be lining up at the door to have you on their staff. But it is cool to see someone at your level openly trying other brands, just like you did/are doing with electronics. While I love really high end, especially JDM gear, it is awesome and funny to see you beat everyone with $100 Duckett rod. That proof that it isn't the arrow, it's Indian.

[@adampye6266]

Looking at up upgrading my mapping for my Lowrance Elite FS9. What’s the best mapping chip to purchase.. Navionics or CMAP and which version?

[@ToddA-d8m]

Matt, do you use a snap on a spook or and walking top water baits?

[@chriscurtis8577]

Happy New 2025🎇🎆🎊🎣🎣🎣🤟🏻👊🏻

[@TheBiggestWillis]

Does MLF allow the use of adding extra scent like that Bait Pop? I know a bunch of soft plastics are already scented so I wouldn’t think it’d be a problem.

[@WheelerFishing]

@@TheBiggestWillis yep it’s not against the rules.

[@CoosaRiver]

I expect to see them being used in your next 2 tournaments.

[@NickTolefson]

Jacob, when you see a single fish sucked tight on the bottom on scope, (let’s say 8-15ft 1-3ft vis.), do you try to pull that fish up to eat or throw a bottom bait to it? I’m working on reading fish behavior and am curious on your thoughts

[@Bdhgzz115buty]

Duck feather fly on the bobber is the bomb for the small jaws.

[@WheelerFishing]

@@Bdhgzz115buty you know your stuff!

[@Jessie-kh1yn]

Have you tried the Okuma spinning reels ? Smooth as butter.

[@WheelerFishing]

I’ve used them in the past but haven’t tried the new ones. What’s the gear ratio?

[@Jessie-kh1yn]

@ I use them for crappie, not sure , I think they come in different ratios.

[@LucasBassFishing]

Are you going to switch to the revolve braid, or stay with Nano?

[@WheelerFishing]

80% of my spinning reels are Revolve the rest have some left over nano. Revolve is solid

[@cameronbrantley1269]

Is that floating fly allowed in the pros?

[@cameronbrantley1269]

I can tell you giving the juice yet keeping a little bit of your own tweaks tho haha😏 😂thanks bro

[@davemccann3730]

The blade bait looks like a Hidden Sonic!😮

[@BrandonHeaton-ye5hq]

Did you mean heddon sonar?

[@davemccann3730]

Yes I meant heddon. I used them back in the 1980s I like the 3 hole line tie!!

[@Fishboy68]

Looks like it to me as well

[@ShangCallahan]

Weiss Lake is my home lake!!! Let’s Go!

[@FaithNFishin]

Don’t sleep on Kistler reels!

[@michaelking6519]

AGREE THAT BAIT WILL CATCH THEM IN COLD WATER YOU CAN ALSI JIG THEM STRIGHT UP & DOWN BELIW DAMS & CATCH SEVERAL SPECIES INCLUDUNG SMALLMOUTH

[@erk678]

Slim 6

[@shawngilbert8998]

I don't understand how the title of your video is top baits of the month but then the first lure you talk about you said you haven't caught a fish on in 10 years😂

[@WheelerFishing]

That specific model I haven’t thrown for almost a decade but a blade bait I throw all the time in the winter

[@TheCoreyglls]

blade bait is a blade runner i believe

[@joepworther2284]

H N Y Jacob !

[@Gitz-Zum]

What's up wheeler

[@WheelerFishing]

@@Gitz-Zum hey! Happy new year!

[@blind_eye_fishing]

A bucktail jig head or feathered jig head is not a fly 😂. Flys and those lures are two different lures and style of lures.

[@deanleslie2725]

Hey make a video and see how many people watch it.. you’d have zero viewers show this man some respect

[@blind_eye_fishing]

@deanleslie2725 haha and you think me not getting views matters to me 😂. What a funny little guy you are. Btw it's called giving actual truthful information over what some guy called it and then repeating it.

[@mistertwister1816]

@blind_eye_fishing it’s been called a float and fly for decades now. Folks in eastern Tennessee and southward in the Tennessee River Valley aren’t going to change that for you. May I ask where are you live currently?

[@blind_eye_fishing]

@mistertwister1816 born and raised southern and never heard a hair jig aka bucktail called a fly because that's two different lures and not the same for the technique lol. We do the same for striper with a popping cork above a bucktail jig. Never been called that unless you was using a sinking fly lol smh. Bucktail aka hair jig is not a fly. I've tied both over the last 30 years lol.

[@mistertwister1816]

@Blind_Eye_Fishing. Not here to argue six or 1/2 dozen with you, but it’s been called a float and fly on Dale Hollow Lake longer than you’ve been tying. The technique came to the forefront in bass tournaments in that region back in the 80’s. Locals dominated with it and tried to keep it tight-lipped. Anyone, even you, can now Google Dale Hollow winter bass fishing and see that half of the videos discuss float and fly. Every tackle shop in eastern Tennessee sells float and fly rods, floats, and flies. You can go in and ask for a small hair jig, but they’ll hand you a locally tied fly while knowing you’re from out of town, lol. But everyone reading this thread already knows that. We’re smart enough to know it’s a jig at the same time, too. When you’re looking at the cards of homemade jigs labeled “Flies”, consider buying some Tennessee bourbon. Soon after you might loosen up and start calling them flies, too.

[@Tallnerdyguy]

Like the content but please focus. Top baits then spots on a lake/river? Starting with a lure you hadn't used in decades? This could be 3 different videos

[@WheelerFishing]

@@Tallnerdyguy sorry about that 😂

[@BattleattheBank]

Are you serious? Thank you Jacob well done and Happy New Year. Appreciate you making the time. I focused on the content not the focus or the order of information. Do you, plenty of us love it.

[@WheelerFishing]

@@BattleattheBank thank you!

[@mattyschell1973]

Hard Disagree for Tallnerdguy (or whatever the username is). Youre getting literally *free* advice from arguably the best tournament angler today. He (along with guys from other channels) dont have to do this. Just go along for the ride and enjoy it. ....man, I swear some people just absolutely have to try to pee in everyone else's cheerios

[@jorrdanlease3106]

​@WheelerFishing hey Jacob love the new line of crush city plastics you guys done a real nice job on them, the mayor is my favorite so far..but hey quick question with the freeloader do you think you can talk rapala into making a 3.5 version of the freeloader? That'd be awesome! I just got a pack of the mooch minnows and can't wait to try them out in the spring! I live in ohio and it's to snowy & cold to fish and I'm goin stir crazy lol man I miss fishing right now...and hey wish you the best of luck in the 2025 fishin season!