Do You Ever Retire A Lure?

[BooyahMan]

Have you ever had that one SPECIFIC lure that just produces for you day in and day out, and one day you just decide to retire it because you don't want to destroy or lose it? If you do, how long does it usually take until a lure has reached its "retirement" stage for you? 
 

[wytstang]

Only time I would consider retiring a lure is when it chatches me a (personal) record fish and the lure will get mounted with the fish.

[WRB]

Why retire a lure that catchs bass consistantly?

What you will learn is every good lure has it's "time" and you will retire the lure when it stops working. If you loose the lure you will be trying to find another. After a few decades you will have retired several old lures full of memories.

Tom

[SirSnookalot]

I don't retire lures, use them until they are no longer usable, I like them a little banged up it adds character.  I hang a 1/4 oz jig head on a hat that I caught my first tarpon on, haven't worn that hat in years, lol.

[Senko lover]

I think that's ridiculous. Even if I retired. I would them away. Lures are meant to catch fish, not be hoarded.

I guess the only time I would ever do that is if I caught a world record on it or won a Classic with it, and I doubt that will ever happen to me.

[whitwolf]

 After a few decades you will have retired several old lures full of memories.

Tom

 

 

+1

 

I retired a certain crankbait several years ago when It dawned on me that It was the bait that caught the first 7 largemouth I ever caught.

[Bankbeater]

I have gotten new baits and backed off on using the older baits, but never actually retired one before.

[Topwaterspook]

I retired a chrome and black 3/4 oz. rattletrap that I used on my first trip to Mexico. It is the very next thing to being destroyed. I have it mounted in a small frame. Each time I see it, It brings back great memories.

[scaleface]

Ive retired a couple that started leaking. I also have some bagleys  that the paint  chipped away and I quit using them .

[*Hank]

Maybe,if I catch a hog and there discontinued. But other wise I agree if it's catching fish catch some more with it-

Cuaght my Pb on a SK squarebill and it's retired........................... on a stump at the bottom of the lake.

[ColdSVT]

Only when i break them off lol

[Catt]

I have a couple dozen retired lures including a Huddleston prototype that has never been wet.

[Cgolf]

I have a few that have either caught memorable fish, like my first bass on a crankbait, or just caught numbers of fish without being lost, most don't make it past a handfull. That said I think I have six that are retired, don't want to keep a ton just the special ones.

[CRANKENSTIEN]

Why stop a good thing. Sooner or later, it will break or you will lose it. Seems like every year I lose a long time productive lure.  

[basshole8190]

I have a couple dozen retired lures including a Huddleston prototype that has never been wet.

Would be interested in seeing that hudd proto. Possible some type of craw or jig maybe?

[fisherrw]

I had a strike king 2.5 sexy shad that I caught over 100 bass on over the summer a couple of weeks ago I broke it off. Yea you could hardly tell what color it was any more but I was still heart broken....

[Catt]

Would be interested in seeing that hudd proto. Possible some type of craw or jig maybe?

I also have a first production run Mattlures male bluegill that'll never get wet.

I have a Bagley Small Fry Bream that was carved by Jim Bagley, won a tournament with it.

I have a Stanley Vibra Shaft made by Lonnie Stanley for me, won a tournament with it to.

I have River Runts, Skipjacks, & flies that were my dad's

So yea I retire lures that have earned it

[Big C]

I also have a first production run Mattlures male bluegill that'll never get wet.

I have a Bagley Small Fry Bream that was carved by Jim Bagley, won a tournament with it.

I have a Stanley Vibra Shaft made by Lonnie Stanley for me, won a tournament with it to.

I have River Runts, Skipjacks, & flies that were my dad's

So yea I retire lures that have earned it

 

There is a difference between one of a kind collector items and lures that are beat up and have a few memories.

I would rather have the prototype Hudd and hand carved Bagley, than a frog that caught my biggest fish.  (by the way pics of the Hudd?)

[primetime]

The only lures I retire are the one's that sit in my box and rarely get wet....I usually sell them off, and buy more of what I am doing well on...Some of my best lures that I tie on first are beat up and have all new rings, hooks, missing paint, patched up and I try to keep them going for as long as possible. Every once in a while a certain lure just has the perfect action or maybe you just believe in it, so it always produces. I have about a dozen lures that are alway's tied on or easily accessible, and about half dozen of the exact same lure as backups in case I lose it. I am not a color guy, I am starting to realize that my boxes of hardbaits are all chrome, gold, chart, or red/craw colors with a few flashy patterns. I used to buy every color and every size, now I carry less so I don't get urges to change lures to much, usually it is not color from my experience but more size or style.

 

I do have lures I am scared to use because they have memories and have been favorites for years, but the same lures go on first no matter what in each category, I only try new lures once I know we are on fish to see how I like them. Too many people give up on lures because they only use them when nothing is working, so if you only try a wake bait when nothing else is working, and you do not get anything after 3-4 trips, you may have a great lure but not giving it a fair shake. Preconceived notions are a killer, I love fishing with people who are new at Bass Fishing and are open to trying anything, I learn more from them usually than anyone else...I realize that I am too stubborn many times and that lures I hated are actually good.....Inline Spinners would be an example, I stopped using them after I found the spinnerbait when I was about 10, but now I have a box loaded with linline spinners from 1/32 ounce road runners and rooster tails, to big Hildebrandt snagless sally's, and the mepps black fury is one of my favorites with either yellow or orange dots in size 1 or 2. Spinners are awesome when fry are small and all over a lake. So are tiny floating minnows like the Pin's and 2" Rapala or rebel.

[flyingmonkie]

I accidentally retired the Smithwick Roque that had caught every one of my fish during a recent weekend camping trip.  I overlooked some wear on my line, and just as I let loose a Flutie-quality Hail Mary of a cast, SNAP!  I've never seen a lure fly soooo far.

 

I likened it to the Viking burial ritual where deceased warriors are sent out into the ocean on pyres.

 

Goodbye and God bless, dear Roque.

[WolfyBrandon]

Currently I have retired the Bladed California Swim Jig (Strike King Pure Poison + 4.8'' Keitech) that caught my personal best. (It hangs from the ceiling in my bedroom)

 

 

I have others rigged up that I'm currently using, but I find it nice preserving the actual bait that caught my best fish.

 

WolfyBrandon

[Catt]

There is a difference between one of a kind collector items and lures that are beat up and have a few memories.

I would rather have the prototype Hudd and hand carved Bagley, than a frog that caught my biggest fish. (by the way pics of the Hudd?)

Lures of that caliber are worth more in their original packaging, the package this lure is in is not the same package it would eventually be sold in and does not show the lure very well. I will not open the package just to do a photo shoot, now if you were at my house I might open the lock box it is in and give you a peek inside.

There is a photo of it somewhere in bassresource's archives!

[papajoe222]

None of my baits are old enough to retire yet, though I do have a couple that will be eligible for early retirement in a year or two.

[Catch 22]

. I have it mounted in a small frame. Each time I see it, It brings back great memories.

Memories, its about the memories. Ya`ll take pictures,right. Why? memories and bragging rights.

 

BTW,I usually don`t retire them voluntarily

 

I did have a bomber 7a light colored baby bass crank that was the Mike Tyson of lures yrs  ago. I would retire it had I not lost it to "something"

C22

[scaleface]

Ive retired lots of Lunker Lures because the blade wore down to nothing . I also had a couple of Blakemore C.C. spinnerbaits that I wore the blade out. LOL