Slug-Go

I used to use them for bass.  Black back, gray bottom.  No weight.  Fished them real slow.  The bigger bass used to take them on the bottom.

I like them and will use them with or without lead(only a shot or two to slowly get them down) then twitch them slowly along the bottom. Only use them up to six inches. Have even used the smaller version(I believe they are about four inches) for smallmouth in the Yough River. 
 

Thanks for the replies. What else do you like to use for lures?  plastic,rubber or metal. I'd like to have a few of each to start. What about Yamamotto, Bomber,Yozuri, Kastmaster,Little Cleos? Spinner Baits? These are the things I see people buying for fresh aroud here but we are talking an entirely different animal.This isnt pond fishing... is it? I want to be able to target EVERYTHING and can set up some planos acordingly.

I still need some suggestions for a reasonable combo to get me started. I know a do all rod does not exist but i want a little versitility.

what do you like to use, spinning or baitcaster?  what fish do you want to target - everything?  how much do you want to spend?

the stradic is a good reel and in the 4000 series is large.  but large can be used to your advantage for some species.  for mast fishing in PA a 200/2000 series reel is optimal.  but i would recommend you buy 2 rods for that reel and an extra spool then buy another outfit for most of the other fishing.  for a reel that big i would use it to fish heavy line in cover or use it to troll (if you fish from a boat that is).  for the heavy cover fishing i'm thinking of, use soft plastics for bass in weeds and wood.  i would gett a 7' MH fast action rod to do this and use 15 - 17 lb test mono or 30 lb braid.  this would be heavy enough to haul bass out of weed espectially if you're wading the weed beds because they will definately get down into the weeds and you'll pull more weeds than fish. if you don't fish weeds i'd go with a medium power rod. so a rod like the fenwick hmg or the fenwick eagle would work well they are on sale at cabela's.  the bass pro shop extrem XPS rods also would be a good choice for price and value.  then there is the cortland ctr looks like a nice rod to do the job at a good price  http://www.cortlandline.com/catalog/ctr-rods.html .
 
the other rod i would get to match the reel, spare spool with 6lb test, would be a 9' or 10.4'noodle rod to fish for steelies and any other fish you would use bait for.  cortland makes a nice rod for this at a good pricehttp://www.fishusa.com/tackleshop/catalog_product.asp?ProductFamilyID=%7BDE41A86B%2D7AC2%2D44B4%2D8ADC%2DE5B96A710536%7D&i=4F726F36CB9D4990807B3BE1FD56B42E&fx=1
 
the other combo would me a medium-lite power medium or fast action rod with a 200/2000 sized reel for most of PA fishing for smallies and walleye.  but that is at another time and thread.

  A Storm swimbait was the best by far lure for me this year. Now for size/style I aint gonna tell.

I had occasion once while fishing a clear lake for smallies to observe their reactions to sluggos.  We were fishing and not catching, yet we could observe bass that weren't interested.  I put on a white sluggo without any weight and tossed it out there, giving it a twitch every now & then.  You could immediately detect the interest by the bass.  However, they would not strike at it until it sunk down to their level (about 12 feet) and it took a long time for it to sink down.  I found that as soon as I added weight to get it down faster, the fishes interest waned.  Only way to get it to work was to be patient and fish it slow.  Once it got down to the fishes level, a twitch or two usually did the trick.  I also found that I really had to let them take it once they hit it as they didn't grab it by the "head" where the hook was.  A quick hook set resulted in fish off.  I think the fish figured it was a dying baitfish and the added weight affected its "natural" look.