Did you ever buy a lure/lures that just didn't catch anything???

[bilgerat]

The Jitterbug. But I hope my luck is changing. I've been fishing for almost 40 years and have owned jitterbugs for most of those. No matter where, when or how I fished them, I never caught a single, solitary thing, until this year. I finally caught my first jitterbug bass, and my largest of the year - a tad over 5 lbs.

I don't catch many fish on spinnerbaits. And I've never caught any bass on buzzbaits and have gotten rid of the few I owned.

I think part of it is that for the most part they're built like crap anymore. From horrible stock hooks to off center mounting of hangers and lips, it's a gamble that you'll get a decent one out of the pack. What a shame as it is one of the all time greats.

[DTack]

I remember I had the hardest time catching fish on a chatterbait, drove me crazy.  Catch em a little better now but still not as good as I feel like I should.

[B-Dozer]

I remember I had the hardest time catching fish on a chatterbait, drove me crazy. Catch em a little better now but still not as good as I feel like I should.

Try different retrieves. Sometimes burning them, then let them drop works, they will hit it on the drop. That's just one way to use them. Don't be afraid to experiment, just like any other lure you use.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

One of the new Wiggle Warts I bought is just terrible.  I just can't get it tuned to run anywhere near straight.  It's one of those cranks that I should just toss.  I've caught some fish on other identical lures, but that one specific bait just plain don't work.

[Dave P]

Rebel Pop-R, Dancin Eel, Mann's 15 and 20+ crankbaits, Just to name a few.

[B-Dozer]

Isn't it something people mention lures that work great for some in their waters? Gives me a good excuse for having so much stuff! 

[RyneB]

any bait i have ever bought from Storm has been garbage, especially the pre rigged swimbait type baits. They just lay on there side. Also,  the Jitterbug. My friend, and everyone else seems to kill them on the Jitterbug, but i have yet to catch a fish, and its not from lack of trying. I have lots of baits i dont catch fish on like the Spro BBZ, countless plastics, 10 inch worms, but its not because they are bad baits, its just that i dont use them often.

[Primus]

To anyone discouraged by the Storm swimbaits try the River to Sea Live Eye Bottom Walker, close to Storms price and a much better bait in my opinion. I caught some very nice fish on them this summer.

[Dave P]

I have caught the hell out of fish on those swim shad in the spring and fall dragging it on the bottom. Just goes to show one man's trash is another man's treasure!

[GrizzerGreen]

Anything "baby bass" pattern. Never caught a thing with 'em. And I agree on Hula Poppers. I've caught lots of bass on Jitterbugs, but Hula Poppers just don't produce for me. Those bright, bubble gum pink worms (fire-tail worms too) are another non-producer for me, probably because I have zero confidence in them and I quit on them too fast.

Tom

My Rapala baby bass lipless rattler is one of my top producing lures!

I even caught a 8in northern pike on it on accident haha!

[J. M. Richardson]

Any Popper Style baits (hulas, frenzy popper)...probably just not enough experimentation with these

Soft plastic swimbaits

lipless cranks - no success yet (always lose 'em) going to try the Xcalibur one knockers next year though

Used to have a lot of trouble with tubes until I found an awesome local guy who makes some sweet ones (now I catch a ton of fish on 'em).

[Bluebasser86]

BPS Tornado Spinnerbait, BPS Balsa Boogie. There was some crank that BPS was pushing that Rick Clunn was endorsing that was supposed to send out sonic waves or something like that. Heddon crazy crawler, double bladed buzzbaits, silver buddys, Lucky Craft Live Pointers. I'm sure there's plenty more but that's all I can think of. Not that a couple of these didn't catch some fish, they just always fell short of what I was hoping they would do for me.

[Primus]

Forgot about the LuckyCraft Live Pointer, very disapointing bait.

[Bankbeater]

Beetle spins. I just cannot catch anything on these baits at all. I probably have 10 or 12 in different sizes and colors.

[Red Bear]

-poppers

-jitterbugs

-jigs

-grubs

-a buzzbait fished top water, i have caught fish running them underwater like a spinnerbait though

[Goose52]

-poppers

-jitterbugs

-jigs

-grubs

-a buzzbait fished top water, i have caught fish running them underwater like a spinnerbait though

Try a 5" weightless and weedless on a 1/0 EWG. Fish them anytime you think the fish are in water 4-5 feet deep or less (or at least are at the top of the water column). Cast, let fall for a few seconds, and twitch/swim them back. Or bring them back as a topwater. Should work - I've caught 761 LMB so far this year using grubs.... :

[Quillback]

The Jitterbug. But I hope my luck is changing. I've been fishing for almost 40 years and have owned jitterbugs for most of those. No matter where, when or how I fished them, I never caught a single, solitary thing, until this year. I finally caught my first jitterbug bass, and my largest of the year - a tad over 5 lbs.

I don't catch many fish on spinnerbaits. And I've never caught any bass on buzzbaits and have gotten rid of the few I owned.

I think part of it is that for the most part they're built like crap anymore. From horrible stock hooks to off center mounting of hangers and lips, it's a gamble that you'll get a decent one out of the pack. What a shame as it is one of the all time greats.

They used to make Jitterbugs out of wood, those were the best, the ones they make now (plastic), I would go with the jointed version.  I used to fish them at night, during the summer, when I lived in Massachusetts, and I caught my PB on a jitterbug fished at night.  I always use black for night fishing.  I would fish them in the evening, nothing, but once it got dark - KABOOM!  There's no doubt when a bass hits them.  Flat calm nights are the best, early summer.  Smallmouth like them too.

[Quillback]

BTW, I should mention, the Mass. state record LM which is 16 lbs and change, which is freaky big for a Mass. Bass, was caught on a jitterbug, at night.  If I recall it was a musky sized jitterbug, I think they're about 8 inches long.

As for lures that don't work for me, I can't get a bite on Rapala DT 10's.  They sure look good, but nada for me.

[FL_Sharpshooter]

The Jitterbug. But I hope my luck is changing. I've been fishing for almost 40 years and have owned jitterbugs for most of those. No matter where, when or how I fished them, I never caught a single, solitary thing, until this year. I finally caught my first jitterbug bass, and my largest of the year - a tad over 5 lbs.

I don't catch many fish on spinnerbaits. And I've never caught any bass on buzzbaits and have gotten rid of the few I owned.

I think part of it is that for the most part they're built like crap anymore. From horrible stock hooks to off center mounting of hangers and lips, it's a gamble that you'll get a decent one out of the pack. What a shame as it is one of the all time greats.

They used to make Jitterbugs out of wood, those were the best, the ones they make now (plastic), I would go with the jointed version. I used to fish them at night, during the summer, when I lived in Massachusetts, and I caught my PB on a jitterbug fished at night. I always use black for night fishing. I would fish them in the evening, nothing, but once it got dark - KABOOM! There's no doubt when a bass hits them. Flat calm nights are the best, early summer. Smallmouth like them too.

x2 on the jitterbug, caught my PB largemouth this past summer as well at 8:30pm. I used an older yellow one, it was a 3/8 size I believe.

[brushhoggin]

Forgot about the LuckyCraft Live Pointer, very disapointing bait.

i presume you are being sarcastic. those can be very productive fished in the right time and place. try the MR series. 

[scrutch]

I have lots of them also. But my problem is that I'm dragging them through water.....with no fish in it.

My "lowest confidence" baits:

Rapala clackin' rap

Rage shad

10 inch worms

I really like fishing these baits, but I really think I just haven't used them in the proper circumstances. I look at them and I think they gotta be fish catchers. I think it's me, not the baits.

Big O... help!

[Bankbeater]

I was going through my box last night and I came across two more. In line spinner baits and grubs. I just can't seem to do any good with them.

[tholmes]

I did some tackle box rummaging as well and found one more to add to my list. Zara Spook. I've thrown that thing hundreds of times in conditions that should produce top-water strikes and....nothing.

Tom

[Goose52]

I did some tackle box rummaging as well and found one more to add to my list. Zara Spook. I've thrown that thing hundreds of times in conditions that should produce top-water strikes and....nothing.

Tom

I found a Zara Spook in great condition hanging on a tree limb a few weeks ago. I'll give it a go next spring - hope I can "walk-the-dog" and nab a few fish! I love value, and a bait that cost me $0, and catches a fish, is the ultimate value ... ;D 

[Jigfishn10]

I did some tackle box rummaging as well and found one more to add to my list. Zara Spook. I've thrown that thing hundreds of times in conditions that should produce top-water strikes and....nothing.

Tom

I found a Zara Spook in great condition hanging on a tree limb a few weeks ago. I'll give it a go next spring - hope I can "walk-the-dog" and nab a few fish! I love value, and a bait that cost me $0, and catches a fish, is the ultimate value ... ;D

You gonna love taking the Zara for a walk. For me, a Spook Jr is the ticket.

I gotta admit, in the 15 years I fished for bass, I can honestly say I I never used a Jitterbug. How sad is that.. ;D