I will always try a, "new to me" bait when the fishing is really hot. That will tell me, "usually" if it's a good bait. I know there are exceptions. A couple of my fishing buddies will break out a new lure when they are not hitting anything. Not a fair test in my opinion. If you can't catch them on your "go to" bait, how can you dismiss a lure you've never used before.
Hootie