My favorite is whatever they are tearing up at the time!
I guess my actual "favorite" to use are plastics, especially TX rigged plastics. I throw jigs this time of year but by next month I'll be almost exclusively throwing creature baits (Brush Hogs & Baby Brush Hogs mainly). I fish Pickwick & KY Lake mostly so once they fish are back out on the ledges for the summer and especially at night, I'll begin throwing BIG plastic worms like Zoom Ol' Monsters and Manns 12" Jelly Worms.
I enjoy spinnerbaits (A staple on the TN River this time of year), I chunk Rattle Traps and One Knockers alot this time of year (Fished KY Lake twice this week and had good luck on the One Knockers) and of course I use a plethora of crankbaits from 1ft to 25ft depending on time of year and depth of fish. The few times I winter fish I enjoy fishing the "Float n Fly" and my FAVORITE winter bait, the Silver Buddy!
About the only thing I haven't fully "come to love" are the various finesse tactics like dropshotting and such. When it's that slow I'd rather just not even bother going. Since I quit tournament fishing I no longer just HAVE to produce, regardless of the conditions. Instead I pick the better times to go on MY terms and desires!
