Lizards worked then, and still do now !

Lizard Rigging Tips

When rigging lizards, hooks can make or break your day. I learned long ago that while great for compact, creature baits, EWG-style hooks are not the best choice for Texas-rigging lizards or big worms.
Instead, I use a 5/0 or 6/0 offset worm hook that provides great hook-up ratios and allows the baits to move fluidly, as designed.
Historically, my favorite lizard is the 6-inch PowerBait Power Lizard, although I'm starting to catch a lot of bass on the Havoc Boss Dog, too. But given that bass will often grab lizards and big worms in the middle – rather than inhaling the entire bait – the PowerBait formula really puts the odds in your favor. They simply hold on to the bait longer, giving you more time for a solid hookset.

Zoom or Berkley

In terms of color, my favorite is pumpkin with a chartreuse tail, which is based purely on nostalgia; it produced my first giant bass years ago and still works great today. But I also carry black/blue, black, green pumpkin and watermelon.

 On clear water Wallum Lake in Douglas State Forest the deadly color is Watermelon/Red for the resident smallmouth population which are now tipping 4 pounds. In terms of line,I fish 10- to 15-lb. Berkley Trilene X/L in clear waters; 15- to 17- lb. for stained conditions. And in waters with double-digit bass, I'll go even heavier. I like the sensitivity you get with XL on my Shimano 2500 open face reel, I guess I am what you call old school.The fact it sinks, and the near invisibility factor.
Another cool thing about fishing Trilene X/L with lizards or big worms is it decreases the amount of tungsten or lead weight you need to use. You get some sinking factor with the line itself. That means I'll often fish lizards or big worms weightless in shallow-water (1.5- to 2 feet) situations. Plus, the Berkley PowerBait Power Lizard is pretty bulky in the body. All this adds up to long casts and easy fishability.
  One of my secrets to fishing lizards is upping the speed. Rather than the typical "lift-drag" Texas rig retrieve, I'll use a twitch-twitch-reel-reel-shake and repeat. This gets the appendages really pushing water.

  This season pay attention to drastic temperature swings and fish them like cold fronts in reverse. Size up and try lizards for more and bigger bass, even during difficult situations on pressured waters.