I grew up fishing Mobile Bay and the Gulf coast. I have always enjoyed all the aspects of saltwater fishing, but I've had a bad taste in my mouth from bass fishing for some time now that I'm still trying to wash out.

Backstory:
My grandfather gave me my only real introduction to Bass fishing, and it was terrible. My father likely lost interest in bass fishing for the same reasons I'll soon list, which is likely why whenever went growing up. The only thing my grandad would ever take me to do is fish. While, a great thing to do with a grandson, I don't think he was aware of the hatred (instead of passion) his style of fishing would instill in me. Let me explain.

Papaw's style of fishing included going to the same few spots, fishing the same two lures (texas rigged culprit red shad and 1 or 2 various crankbaits), staying out way to long, catching no fish, and being stuck in the back of the boat getting ate up by yellow flies and mosquitos. Learning to catch bass included the watch and learn, and the "you aren't holding your mouth right" method. Both of which drove a very curious youngster crazy. Therefore, every time id visit my grandparents, it was like punishment.

Fast forward, and my interest slowly grew as some friends and I would pond hop trying various baits and tackle. I enjoyed how complex and specific the combinations could be to be successful for catching bass. Fast forward to present day and I am interested in getting into bass fishing. Being boatless has not dissuaded me from trying to pick up more tactics. I figure there is no harm in learning how before putting money into a boat. I have talked to various people about lures, colors, etc. but I can never remember what to get. I have a few things but I’d like to expand. Trying to determine when and where to fishis a task. I would also like to get a few color recommendations for various lures and plastics.

It would be nice to get inputs on the following:
Hook Size, Lure size, Lure color, weight, time of year, area, water type, method etc.
For example: 2.0 hook, texas rigged 4" Blakc/blue Crawfish with a 1/8 oz bullet weight, fished in spring in clear/muddy water, fished slow (just an example, not necessarily accurate). I would also be interested in brands of lures/plastics, but I realize that is a bit excessive. I know that this is asking a lot, but I figure someone out there does not mind taking some time to share knowledge and experience (similar to the "introduction to inshore saltwater fishing” post).

For starters:
Finesse Jig -
Texas Rig - Ribbon tail worm
Texas Rig - Senko
Texas Rig - Craw
Texas Rig - Brush hog
Texas Rig - Shad/Swimbait
Carolina Rig - ???
Wacky Rig -
Crank bait - lip/lipless –
Rattle Trap
Spinner Bait (2 colors) -
Frog (2 colors)
Top Water - ???

Go get you some 3/16 oz and 3/8 oz bullet weights, some 3/0 worm hooks, some berkley biggame 15lb test line, some junebug, and green pumpkin lizards and med/hev action rod, chart/white Colorado/willow blade and whiteColorado/willow blade spinnerbait, a chatter bait, and a couple crankbaits in the shad pattern to cover from 6-12' and the same in a chart sided crankbait. go join a bass club and learn. don't make it to difficult. I carry way more tackle than i will use. 90% of the time the above mentioned stuff is what i throw.

Man there are books worth of thoughts but to start, but one important idea that I've seen work for true newbies is to pick a small handful of baits (like 2-4, tops) and start throwing those and learn them and gain some confidence. I have a friend who started bass fishing several years ago with ZERO fishing background whatsoever (he literally came to me and said "Hey man, I want to start bass fishing; teach me how.") and he picked up a small plastic minnow bait and fished it almost exclusively for the first year and that's what he learned on and got really good at catching fish with. Then he branched out to other baits and got good at those and is now an all around exceptional fisherman. My first bass on an artificial bait was so small that the mouth barely fit over the buzzbait hook, but I was amazed that it would hit it and thought throwing a buzzbait was a hoot so I taught myself to bass fish throwing a brown buzzbait (yes, really...that's the only color that I had in my Dad's old tackle box) 90% of the time for the first few years. Fishing with confidence sounds kind of silly but is a huge component to actually catching fish.

Of the baits you listed above, my far and away favorite is the senko. Now I'm no super talented professional tournament winning basser, but I'd wager that a texas or wacky rigged senko in watermelon or black or green pumpkin or a similar color WILL catch bass just about anywhere that they swim, and I'd be confident picking one up to throw just about anywhere in the state.

Now I'll shut up and let the more qualified guys chime in. Good luck on your quest.

If youre just fishing ponds right now, get you a banana yellow or junebug colored zoom trick worm. Texas rig it on a 2/0 or 3/0 worm hook, without a weight and just walk the bank and throw it at any visible cover you see. Let it sink for a second or two (12-24") and twitch your rod tip with a little 4" snap of the wrist and work the bait back to you twitching it like that. If one boils on it and misses it, twitch it hard and then just let it sink. Watch your line and 7/10 times you'll see it start moving off. You'll get bit throwing these around fish, I promise.

If you've got a pond with some pads, grass, or other cover, Get a bag of Zoom Horny Toads. Green Pumpkin is a good color virtually anywhere. Rig it texas style with a 4/0 owner worm hook and fish it on 17 or 20lb line. Throw it anywhere and just twitch it back at a steady pace (just quick enough to keep it on top and the legs churning). When they blow up on it, hesitate for about a second or so or until you feel them then hammer it home.

Both of these are some of the easiest fishing you'll do and both are super effective for both numbers and good quality fish too. Make it fun to start with. Once you're used to setting the hook and your confidence is up, start trying other baits.

GCR - I told you there'd be other smarter guys than me to come along and chime in.

Listen to what Abolt says on the trick worm. Solid advice.

What part of North AL are you from? I live near Guntersville and would be willing to meet with you and teach you what I can if you are interested. PM me. I have had good luck with most of the folks I have met on here. I am headed on a 3.5 day fishing trip with Sharpshooter69 later today through Sunday and Ive hunted and fished with Rocket62.

Decatur/Huntsville. Yea that'd be cool. PM coming your way.

My father-in-law crappie fishes the same exact way your grandpaw Bass fished. If he EVER had any luck in a particular spot, he’d go back to that same spot and sit for hours, not catching a thing. Got so bad that when we (the wife’s family) would go to the lake for the weekend, I would take my own boat and go my own direction while he and some other unsuspecting family member would get stuck on the same old dried up spots.

Hell my wifes grandad will want to go sit at the "crappie hole" 3 doors down at the lake for 2 hours and not get a bite in 100 degree summer heat. I told him hes gona have to learn to run and gun bass fishing if he wants to go in the boat with me! lol

Glad to hear We're not alone haha

Get a couple packs of zoom ultravibe speed craw 2/0 gamakatsu worm hooks and a pack of 3/16th oz worm weights there is literally nothing you can't do with that setup

I see the root of your problem, bass fishing actually just sucks. There are many species in the rivers other than bass that actually fight, don’t get transported 10 miles from their home to be weighed twice a week, are more abundant, grow to larger sizes, don’t have 300 lures a day reeled in front of their face, and may actually appeal to a saltwater fisherman. Have you tried stripers, hybrids, white bass, crappie, or catfish?

Thanks for the advise fellas. I had a gift card to Bass Pro burning a hole in my pocket so I picked up a variety of the plastics and tackle listed. I've always had luck with the free floating senko/trick worm so I'll keep both as go to's; however, I've never used the craws, frogs, or lizards so I am very interested in trying those out. I did go ahead and pick up at least one of each of the following as well: white/char Spinner bait, shad crank bait, blk/blu chadder bait, white buzz bait (since I tend to lose those most expensive lures first).
Needless to say I have plenty to keep me fishing for a good while I learn how to use each lure.

Senko's and trick worms do not float. they sink very slowly. when you twitch a trick worm it will return to the surface. Senkos sink due to the amount of salt in them. Don't overlook rigging wacky style.

What I meant by free floating was fishing them without weights (not that they were buoyant)... and I have yet to try wacky rig