best all around bass lure.

[Throwafrog]

Throw a frog

[Bird]

For coverage---spinnerbait.

For sitting---plastic worm.

[LargeMarge]

5" stick worm

 

Use it on a TX rig, Carolina rig, as a jerkbait, or on a shakeyhead. Cut it in half for a cost effective ned rig. Neko or mojo rig it. Trim it down to use it as a finesse worm. Use it with an underspin as a swimbait. Perfect for wacky rigging with and without weight depending on your preference. Throw it weightless on top of weeds and move it fast as a topwater. 

 

I'd argue that you can use a ribbontail for most of the same functions, so as a more general answer the plastic worm really seems the most versatile.

 

Not to mention that you can use one as a jig or spinnerbait trailer...

[scaleface]

  A plastic Lizard may be more versatile than a worm . It can be rigged weightless and buzzed across the top .