How Do You Like Bass Pro Shops Lures?

[dtruesdell24]

I am going to fill up my tackle box before spring comes. I just got the Bass Pro Shops Spring Angler catalog, and all the Bass Pro lures are cheaper. Do you guys like their lures as much as other big names brands, particularly the crainkbaits? The crankbaits are in some cases $3-$4 less and the soft plastics are a few dollars less per pack. Do their lures have the same action and get the same results.

[Dr. Watson]

I've never heard anything bad about BPS branded lures, but then again I haven't fished with them either. Their cranks are decent, have a few buddies that use them; but their soft plastics seem dull and cheaply poured to me. I usually stick to Yamamoto, Strike King, Culprit, Reaction Innovations, Netbait, Berkley, and Xcite when it comes to soft plastics.

 

Edit: I forgot Lake Fork lures too

[flyfisher]

I have used the bass pro cranks before and they are ok.  They usually need some tuning, the finish wears off more quickly and the hooks are total crap, as in i had three different models have them break off when reeling in a fish but other than that, they are ok.  For the price they are good but just keep in mind they are not going to be as good as some of the other higher priced baits.  Personally i would go up a little in price to the SK cranks but my personal preference is for rapala cranks.

[WIGuide]

They aren't the top of the line by any means, but they aren't bad. They're a pretty good value. Ones to avoid though would be the really cheap ones.

[geo g]

BPS plastics are just as good as anyone's.  BPS's senko type baits are cheaper, quantities are twice as much, and they catch loads of fish.  Will not pay yamoto prices for the same results.

[Fishes in trees]

I'm not a big fan of the BPS cranks, tuning issues more than anything else.  I fish square bills more than all the other cranks put together.  It is hard to get a Timber Tiger out of tune.  I did like the BPS Balsa Boogie when I needed to get a little deeper than my DC8 would go  (even though its made out of plastic, its a copy of a balsa bait), but it is discontinued now, at least it isn't in the 2014 Master Catalog.

[smallies24/7]

Their XPS rattle shad is my favorite Lipless crank over Xcaliburs, red eye shads, and rat l traps.

[Toeshots]

Haven't tried their cranks or plastics but I did buy one of their bass jigs and I hated it. The weedguard was really stiff and when I tried to fan it out, the strands would become weakened and snap off. The skirt also had almost no action when I put it in the water.

[roadwarrior]

Rather than filling up a tackle box, why not just buy a few basics and grow your collection.

I suspect I am pretty typical when it comes to collecting "stuff" verses fishing the lures. I

would guess I probably use less than 5% and a lot of the 95% has never been wet!

 

Start at the top and work the water column down. Just start with your favorite color.

If you want to stick with BPS, they have their version of just about everything I am

going to suggest in this thread.

 

Top: Pop-R, Zara Spook and Puppy, Sammy, Jitter Bug, Original Floating Rapala and Dare Devil

 

Jerkbaits: Smithwick Rogue and Rapala X-Rap XR06

 

1'-5' Bomber Square A, LC 2.5, Bandit 200, Wiggle Wart and Red Eye Shad

 

5'-10'  Rapala Shad Rap SR06 or 07, Silver Buddy and the Red Eye Shad fits here, too

 

10+  Fat Free Shad and DD22

 

Other lures I like: Berkley Hollow Belly or Shadalicious, spinnerbaits (white, chartreuse and white & chartreuse)

 

That will get you started, save some money and I'll bet you fish them all!

 

 

 

[MCS]

BPS Spinnerbaits are pretty good for around $5 bucks, the sure do beat many others at that price.

[dtruesdell24]

Rather than filling up a tackle box, why not just buy a few basics and grow your collection.

I suspect I am pretty typical when it comes to collecting "stuff" verses fishing the lures. I

would guess I probably use less than 5% and a lot of the 95% has never been wet!

 

Start at the top and work the water column down. Just start with your favorite color.

If you want to stick with BPS, they have their version of just about everything I am

going to suggest in this thread.

 

Top: Pop-R, Zara Spook and Puppy, Sammy, Jitter Bug, Original Floating Rapala and Dare Devil

 

Jerkbaits: Smithwick Rogue and Rapala X-Rap XR06

 

1'-5' Bomber Square A, LC 2.5, Bandit 200, Wiggle Wart and Red Eye Shad

 

5'-10'  Rapala Shad Rap SR06 or 07, Silver Buddy and the Red Eye Shad fits here, too

 

10+  Fat Free Shad and DD22

 

Other lures I like: Berkley Hollow Belly or Shadalicious, spinnerbaits (white, chartreuse and white & chartreuse)

 

That will get you started, save some money and I'll bet you fish them all!

 

 

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't make my original post clear and i think you may have misunderstood me a little. When I said fill it up, I meant just add some missing pieces as opposed to filling an empty tackle box. I have the Pop-R, 3 rapala floating minnows(which i use mainly for trout fishing), a jitterbug and a daredevil. No lure really stays untouched for me. To fill it up, I need about 6-8 crainkbaits (a few shallow diving, a few medium diving, and a few rat-l traps) and probably a similar amount of soft plastic bags.

[*Hootie]

BPS Spinnerbaits are pretty good for around $5 bucks, the sure do beat many others at that price.

In spinnerbaits, I have War eagle, Strikeking, Booyah, yet BPS Lazer Eye spinnerbaits are my best producers.

Hootie

[Felix77]

Not impressed with their line of baits in general.  I tend to avoid the marginal price difference and buy something which is of better quality.

[roadwarrior]

Okay, I understand. Here are some other things I consider "must have".

 

MegaStrike Cavitron and Mega Tube Craw

Rage Tail Toad, Menace, Shellcracker, Eeliminator, Baby Craw and Craw, Lizard, Thumper and Cut-R

GYCB Senko and Fat Ika

YUM Houdini Shad

[tomustang]

Their hardbaits are where it's at, the XPS cranks are hard to beat with good hooks, nice finishes, and good color options. The jerkabits are proving to be the same since we've been using them more recently.

[Dyerbassman]

Berkley soft plastics have always worked well for me, and they won't break the bank. The Havoc Pit Boss has caught me many bass!

By the way, BPS has some of their cranks as their Catch of the Week right now online. You may want to jump on it if you decide to go that route!

[Jay Ell Gee]

I throw the new BPS "nitro" squarebill as well as the shadallac. The nitro squarebill is pretty serious quality for the money.

[K_Mac]

I am big fan of many Bass Pro branded products. I have also tried many that have not measured up. When it comes to inexpensive crankbaits I much prefer Bandit or Strike King. When it comes to finesse plastics, creatures and worms, Zoom is usually my choice. For craws and chunks, Net bait Pacas are my go-to. For beaver baits I often use BPS River Bugs in both sizes. They are a cheaper alternative to RI baits that work nearly as well as the original. I have used many pounds of Stick-os over the years and find them a great alternative to the more expensive name brands.

 

I do think RW list is a good one. If money was not an issue I would stick to quality name brands for most of my fishing needs. Necessity has caused me to explore other alternatives. I know when I try a BPS branded item that it may not work as well the product it is patterned after. For the difference in price I am often willing to take the chance. Buy a few items and give them a try is my recommendation. Enjoy the process! Good luck.

[AK-Jax86]

I like the BPS Boss Shad swim baits a lot. That's basically the only BPS item I use other than that I opt for the "name brands"

[Teal]

I'm not crazy about alot of their hard lures. I've tried a few of the square bills and top water walkers and I was not at all impresses. Now some of their soft plastics on the other hand, have done well for me. Their Stick O and their take on horny toad is pretty dang good. Their finess worms are ok too!

Nothing against BPS, I just enjoyb the trusted quality of some of the lure manufacturers that make it their business to nothing but produce hard lures. Lucky Craft, Rapala, Smithwick, Spro, Norman, Bandit, and Strike king are kinda what I stick to. And some of those brands aren't perfect either...it is what it is...

[dtruesdell24]

Okay, I understand. Here are some other things I consider "must have".

 

MegaStrike Cavitron and Mega Tube Craw

Rage Tail Toad, Menace, Shellcracker, Eeliminator, Baby Craw and Craw, Lizard, Thumper and Cut-R

GYCB Senko and Fat Ika

YUM Houdini Shad

Thanks. My tackle are lures that I know work. I just have different colors and sizes of those lures.

[Tylertut]

I am a huge fan of their XPS Rattle Shad. The shape is a good one and I have done very well with smallmouth on them in the past. The inline spinners they have for just under $2 aren't bad either. The only complaint I have though is that hooks on the Rattle Shad are not very good and I have had many break on me. So I would suggest replacing them out of the box or carrying some extra trebles on you, just incase.

[iabass8]

I've never tried them, but I've always read a lot of good things about the BPS stickbait/senko baits.

[ww2farmer]

I know some people who swear by the BPS tender tubes, in some smallmouth circles around here ,it's almost a cult like following........personally I don't like them. They are poorly made, and not really all that cheap, a 10 pack is $4.49. Several other brands are made better and cost less, like the original Gitzit. I also tried the BPS version of the Jackall Flick shake worms, they were cheaper than the Jackall's, but IDK how they managed to make them LESS DURABLE than the Jackall worms, but they did. They were so fragile they would FALL OFF the hook almost every cast. I am not complain about bait durability guy, but that was rediculous. I have fished there senko knockoffs, and IMHO, they are one of the WORST knock offs, stiff and life-less.. I like their lazer eye spinner baits and buzzbaits.........good bang for the buck, never used their hardbaits.

[Trek]

 I got tired of not finding exactly what I was looking for. They always had something close. And then you would order it and it look different then in the pictures or the size was wrong. And the cost ! At the beginning of the season I would order 20 bags of jig trailers. One missed hook set and a claw would be missing. So about ten years ago I started making my own baits. Jigs, spinner baits, buzz baits, chatter baits, shaky heads and even injection plastics. For about the last three years if I catch a fish on it then I made it. Now I fish with a much better product and the exact color and style I want. And no more out of stock later in the season. I just make another one.