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

[farmpond1]

I've caught lots of bass on stick baits but always texas rigged (pegged).  I've yet to catch a bass on a wacky rig worm.

[Blue Streak]

Always interesting to read the answers to this question. Seems like what does not work for some does magic for others. I am the same way, I have baits that are supposed to be outstanding and they just don't work for me. But on the other hand I have some that are said to be awful that I would not be without. I am sure it is all about confidence.

[Goose52]

Always interesting to read the answers to this question. Seems like what does not work for some does magic for others. I am the same way, I have baits that are supposed to be outstanding and they just don't work for me. But on the other hand I have some that are said to be awful that I would not be without. I am sure it is all about confidence.

I think that's a major point. And as Raul and others said above, many of us have baits that we just haven't fished very much (or at all). They may very well work, but we just don't have the confidence in them, and we have our confidence baits that we know usually work. With some folks having limited time on the water, many just don't want to experiment and try/learn new baits.

For me, I am retired and fish every day...and it still seems like I don't have a chance to try all the baits that I have. I have had luck with many of the baits that others have mentioned above - jitterbugs, tiny torpedos, buzzbaits, baby bass patterns, etc. BUT, I haven't given jigs a chance and probably don't have the skill to use them well. With the colder water temps in my lakes, I've been fishing jigs a little bit the past few weeks, and have had a few taps, but no fish... :-?

[guitarkid]

lipless cranks and buzzbaits.

  -gk

[roadwarrior]

Like Raul and others, I like collecting lures, but I don't actually

fish many of them. A couple of lures I have fished fit the theme

of this thread. Specifically, a LC LV500 Chartreuse Shad and Spro

BBZ. The LV500 is a favorite of mine, but this particular lure just

doesn't get bit...I gave it away. I have fished the BBZ more than

ten hours in a variety of situations without every getting a single

strike!

In terms of "lure classes", spinnerbaits are probably my worst

performers.My collection is large and includes lures from current

and past sponsors. Part of the issue is simply not fishing them

enough, but for me, there always seems to be a better alternative.

:

[tholmes]

lipless cranks and buzzbaits.

-gk

Just goes to show you

Those are two of my most productive lures.

Tom

[Big-O]

Always interesting to read the answers to this question. Seems like what does not work for some does magic for others. I am the same way, I have baits that are supposed to be outstanding and they just don't work for me. But on the other hand I have some that are said to be awful that I would not be without. I am sure it is all about confidence.

Nice comment Streak, 'Bout sums it up for me as well  Years ago, after locating the fish I would do my best to force feed them an offering... Now, I let them tell me what they want most and it seems they Eat much better 

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[skeetercraig]

well lets see swimbait , tubes, jigs, and many other odd stuff ok on the other hand give me 2 baits i will take a texas rig worm and a spinnerbait thats all i need , probably why i dont catch anything on other stuff cause i cant put a spinner bait or a worm down

[Jigfishn10]

I have not caught a fish on a buzzbait for 3 years now. I must have lost my mojo because it was the most productive topwater lure I used prior to that. Thankfully dog walkers have cured my urge for topwater fishing. HA!

My buzzbait mojo is on my Christmas list for Santa. I miss the buzzbait bite.

[bilgerat]

Crankbaits. I can count on one hand how many fish I've caught on them. Most of my waters have algae and other slimy forms of vegetation that fouls them instantly.

Now lipless cranks are another story. Some of my best fish this season came on an XCalibur One Knocker.

Jigs used to baffle me, but I'm getting better. I find using 1/8 oz. Strike King Bitsy Bugs easier to work through the scum than 1/4 oz. and larger.

[slonezp]

Hard jerkbaits and buzzbaits don't seem to work for me. The issue becomes the lack of time using and mastering these baits. Flukes and suspending cranks I do well on but can't catch one on a hard jerkbait. As far as buzzbaits I can never get them to run right and would much rather use a jitterbug or a frog for topwater.

[KYntucky Warmouth]

Last year I would have said jigs and ragetail baits but I have done very well on jigs with baby craw trailers this year.  I will have to say spinnerbaits and hard swimbaits.  I've caught exactly one spinnerbait fish and none on hard swimbaits.  I have had several follows on the Mattlures hard gill and woody but no takers.  Other baits like the magic swimmer, spro bbz shad, and TT baits haven't produced the slightest bite.

[SDoolittle]

Propeller style topwaters like the Smithwick Devil's Horse.

[islandbass]

Wow, glad to see I am not alone. What I list here have been 100% non-productive, as in never even a fart near the hook.  It doesn't mean that I've signed off on these lures nor have I given up. It just means that I have yet to find the time and condition for them to produce:

1) Spinnerbait - Any brand, size, or color

2) Buzzbait - Any brand, size, or color

3) Rattle Trap - Any size or color - However, Rattlin' Raps work for me... Go figure.

4) Lucky Craft Sammy - Zero, Zip, Nada - However, I absolutely love how easy it is to work this bait. I hope there is a smaller sized sammy about the size of a Rapala Skitter walk. It seems the bass in my waters prefer this size for walk the dog lures.  I bet a Sammy in that size would also work.

[Raul]

Does this mean I can stop feeling guilty about never getting most of my baits wet?

In this game he who dies with the most stuff wins ! 

So, ask not what you can do for the BaitMonkey but what the BaitMonkey can do for you.  ;D

For the newbies: better hurry up guyz ! you still have a long way to go before even you can get close to us professional tackle hoarders. 

[Primus]

I haven't caught anything on the 4" Spro BBZ, but the 6" BBZ has been productive and I've just ordered a couple of more to add to the arsenal.

[Jigfishn10]

I haven't caught anything on the 4" Spro BBZ, but the 6" BBZ has been productive and I've just ordered a couple of more to add to the arsenal.

Only a couple?

[=Matt 5.0=]

Fat Ika. Tried and tried and tried. Gave all of them away.

Every Rage Tail product that I've tried has left me fishless.

*EDIT

Also, Sabile Magic Swimmer hard AND soft...  :-[

[Jeff H]

Bought a Dancin' eel (Bill Dance was promoting) many years ago.  Never caught one fish on the darn thing and gave up on it after 2 seasons of trying it.  Looks like it should catch fish but it's the biggest joke I've ever bought. Even the d**n "gators" won't hit this thing.

[philsoreel]

These just won't catch fish for me...

1-Paycheck Baits-The One...not from lack of use. I threw that thing into monster schools all summer.

2-LC LV500

3-Mann's Waker Elite

[SirSnookalot]

Short answer......... No.........Have caught LMB on anything I have ever tried, that being said I do not try a lot of different products. 

As far as some other species, there are  artificial baits they do not work for me, most of those fish require live or cut bait.

[webertime]

Storm Wildeye swimbaits

Sebile Magic Swimmer Hard, although I think I just need more time with them to figure them out.

Everything else seems to just fade in and out for me. Years ago Torpedos, Spooks and Spinnerbaits were my #1 (2 and 3) baits.  Those have been replaced by Rage Shads, Flukes and Ika's. 

[Micro]

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.

[B-Dozer]

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.

Definatly not the norm for any of those lures! Might be cause you don't give them enough time? What have you been substituting for them?

[Goose52]

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.

Wow - a 5 pounder on topwater - that must have been a rush.

For everyone that has had problems with buzzbaits, you might try downsizing the bait. We don't have a lot of real big bass in our lakes here and I never had any luck with the larger spinnerbaits. I went with a 1/8oz (book weight - actual weight is 1/3oz) Strike King "Mini-ProBuzz" bait and nabbed 31 fish (largest 3 pounds) on them this season and that was just in the late summer and fall. I'll be fishing them more often next season. YMMV...