What are your thoughts on $100+ swimbaits?

[BigBassCatcher]

Personally, I've never fished with a lure worth more than 20 bucks. I wouldn't even think of buying a lure if it crosses the $30 mark. I have combos that are cheaper than some swimbaits out there. Is there even any point to buying such an expensive lure?

 

I mean, bass don't really care if your lure is worth 10 dollars or 200 dollars. How much better will an action get on a 200 dollar swimbait than a regular 20 dollar swimbait? 

 

Not to mention, just the fear of losing that lure will drive me nuts, to the point of me never even using it when I'm out on the water. It's like buying a supercar just to park it in your garage. 

[MIbassyaker]

Bass may or may not care whether my lure is worth $10 or $200. Maybe they do!  I don't know.

 

But what I do know is that pike and musky make me care an awful lot whether my lure is worth $10 or $200.

[InFishingWeTrust]

If its hand made and you are paying for the craftsmanship of the lure maker I can understand the high price. Would I buy and fish one no I personally wouldnt. 

[BigBassCatcher]

6 minutes ago, InFishingWeTrust said:

If its hand made and you are paying for the craftsmanship of the lure maker I can understand the high price. Would I buy and fish one no I personally wouldnt. 

Yeah I understand why they are expensive, but is using them really practical? And it's not even the ones that are $400+, those are usually only fished by pro fishermen who are chasing world records and such, but I've seen some instances where a regular angler like you and me are using $100+ swimbaits and I just wonder what the thought process is behind that.

[Angry John]

Value and cost and performance are not all directly related in swimbaits.  There are some garage baits like a hinkle shad and trout, or phoney that I would say are worth the asking price and the value you getting is quality products that work.  Each bait is hand crafted and individual paint jobs are applied with great care.  Then you have the deps 250.  It is a nice bait it works but it's just mass manufacturered plastic.  These are premium baits there is zero question about if there good or not.  My money goes mostly to hand crafted baits, to support the sport, grow the Hobbie and give appreciation to their hard work.  The value is always in the eyes of the buyer.  The good guys like Matt servant design and test for years and improve their product over time.  I know where I stand but ask questions and gain knowledge before judgment.

8 minutes ago, BigBassCatcher said:

Yeah I understand why they are expensive, but is using them really practical? And it's not even the ones that are $400+, those are usually only fished by pro fishermen who are chasing world records and such, but I've seen some instances where a regular angler like you and me are using $100+ swimbaits and I just wonder what the thought process is behind that.

No and no.  There are kids less than 18 that are fishing mothers.  They got money and good for them.  Please don't make statements about baits that are just not true.  It's not for everyone, just like megabass products are not everyone''s cup of tea.  Get in where you fit in and don't assume.

[OCdockskipper]

Defining "average angler" as a person who makes under $200K per year, I would say they aren't practical for the average angler.  Along the same lines, a $5 crankbait isn't practical for a person in North Korea who makes $200 a year (or some other ridiculously low amount).

 

If you are worth hundreds of millions, a $500 bait is no different than a bag of TRD's for the rest of us.

[InFishingWeTrust]

36 minutes ago, BigBassCatcher said:

Yeah I understand why they are expensive, but is using them really practical? And it's not even the ones that are $400+, those are usually only fished by pro fishermen who are chasing world records and such, but I've seen some instances where a regular angler like you and me are using $100+ swimbaits and I just wonder what the thought process is behind that.

Is it practical to me no. I don't think anyone can convince me enough that its that much better bait than lets say a senko or a square bill. If I just only fished swimbaits and was a guy that threw nothing but then I would make it happen to own one but there is so many cheap baits that work and catch pigs. Cheap being below $30. We all chasing world records when it comes down to it to. We are always hunting for the biggest. 

[Angry John]

4 minutes ago, InFishingWeTrust said:

Is it practical to me no. I don't think anyone can convince me enough that its that much better bait than lets say a senko or a square bill. If I just only fished swimbaits and was a guy that threw nothing but then I would make it happen to own one but there is so many cheap baits that work and catch pigs. Cheap being below $30. We all chasing world records when it comes down to it to. We are always hunting for the biggest. 

Swim baits are just a different tool to acomplish the goal of catching fish.  No one way of catching them is better or worse than another.  I find it refreshing to have so many choices in how we chase our little green friends.  I like all ways of fishing.  This type of discussion comes up now and again and the flavor is the same.  Why 400 dollar rods.  Why 600 dollar reels.  No one can justify to another value and worth.  Fish what you want and don't fish what you don't want.

[WRB]

When look at the history of expensive hand made swimbaits in very limited numbers that were catching numbers of big bass a $100 each wasn't too expensive. It was and still is for some swimbaits a supply and demand market. Hand made swimbaits started in the west coast where big bass were being caught on swimbaits and the supply was extremely limited, more buyers than lures. 

What would you sell a lure that took you 10-15 hours each to make and paint and buyers begging for them?

Mass produced injection molded soft or hard plastic that are now on the market don't sell for $100 or more with a few exceptions that are limited in availability like Deps.

What is a bass of a lifetime worth?

Tom

[InFishingWeTrust]

1 minute ago, Angry John said:

Swim baits are just a different tool to acomplish the goal of catching fish.  No one way of catching them is better or worse than another.  I find it refreshing to have so many choices in how we chase our little green friends.  I like all ways of fishing.  This type of discussion comes up now and again and the flavor is the same.  Why 400 dollar rods.  Why 600 dollar reels.  No one can justify to another value and worth.  Fish what you want and don't fish what you don't want.

I agree

[BigBassCatcher]

1 hour ago, Angry John said:

No and no.  There are kids less than 18 that are fishing mothers.  They got money and good for them.  Please don't make statements about baits that are just not true.  It's not for everyone, just like megabass products are not everyone''s cup of tea.  Get in where you fit in and don't assume.

Well I was generalizing. Most kids less than 18 don't have the money to go out and buy a $400 dollar lure. There are definitely exceptions though.

Quote

I know where I stand but ask questions and gain knowledge before judgment.

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was judging. I just meant to ask you guys why you would buy such a bait, not that buying such a lure is a bad thing. 

 

1 hour ago, OCdockskipper said:

Defining "average angler" as a person who makes under $200K per year, I would say they aren't practical for the average angler.  Along the same lines, a $5 crankbait isn't practical for a person in North Korea who makes $200 a year (or some other ridiculously low amount).

 

If you are worth hundreds of millions, a $500 bait is no different than a bag of TRD's for the rest of us.

 Yeah by average angler I meant a person who just fishes for fun and isn't some multi-millionaire CEO. Just your regular fisherman you might meen at the local bass pro shops.

[BigBassCatcher]

37 minutes ago, WRB said:

When look at the history of expensive hand made swimbaits in very limited numbers that were catching numbers of big bass a $100 each wasn't too expensive. It was and still is for some swimbaits a supply and demand market. Hand made swimbaits started in the west coast where big bass were being caught on swimbaits and the supply was extremely limited, more buyers than lures. 

What would you sell a lure that took you 10-15 hours each to make and paint and buyers begging for them?

Mass produced injection molded soft or hard plastic that are now on the market don't sell for $100 or more with a few exceptions that are limited in availability like Deps.

What is a bass of a lifetime worth?

Tom

Yeah I see the reasoning behind why these swimbaits are exclusive. 

 

I would definitely pay $400 for the amount of work the guy who made it put into the lure, but would me paying $400 for that lure give me a significantly better chance of catching a trophy bass than if I paid $5 for a 10 inch senko?

41 minutes ago, Angry John said:

Swim baits are just a different tool to acomplish the goal of catching fish.  No one way of catching them is better or worse than another.  I find it refreshing to have so many choices in how we chase our little green friends.  I like all ways of fishing.  This type of discussion comes up now and again and the flavor is the same.  Why 400 dollar rods.  Why 600 dollar reels.  No one can justify to another value and worth.  Fish what you want and don't fish what you don't want.

I definitely agree with fishing with what you want.

 

I started this discussion because I personally didn't see the advantage of buying a higher priced swimbait over a lower priced one, but I was hoping to learn some reasons behind why a higher priced one might actually be beneficial to my fishing experience, so that I could possibly convince myself to buy one myself in the future. 

 

I know my first post kinda made it seem like I was bashing someone who would buy an expensive swimbait, but rather I was trying to find out the reasoning behind buying any expensive lures so I can possibly look into it in the future. 

 

Really, the only thing that has me hesitant of such a purchase is the prospects of losing it. With an expensive rod or reel, you won't lose it. It could break, but if you take good care of it then it shouldn't break. Whereas with a lure, it could get snagged and such and you lose it and it's out of your control. How would I get rid of that fear?

[WRB]

No lure can catch bass if it's not put close enough to a active bass willing to strike it.

I catch more big bass on my custom hair jigs then all other lures combined because I fish them more often then all my other lures combined.

The right lure at the right place and time, presented properly will catch bass....the question is how much would you pay for that right lure to catch a bass of a lifetime? You can't buy my hair jigs, you can buy a custom hand painted swimbait or a bag of Senko's, your choice.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I have some and enjoy fishing them. I also have some $25 swimbaits that I really enjoy fishing. They're really kind of a thing that you either understand the appeal or you don't. I enjoy targeting big fish with big baits, just something about it that appeals to me.

Another thing to consider other than the initial cost, is the cost per fish ratio of a bait. I have an MS Slammer that has caught a few hundred fish for sure. Initial cost was $50, so let's say I've caught 200 fish on it, each fish I've caught on it cost me $.25. Now let's say you're fishing your favorite color 5" GYCB senko that cost $.50 apiece and only last on average for 1 fish (we've all fished senkos and I think can probably agree that each fish you catch after the first one is a bonus fish), those fish cost you $.50 apiece. My Slammer is still going strong, and as long as I don't do anything silly with it, could last for hundreds more fish, while the senko fisherman has to keep going back to the store and buying more baits. 

So if you look at it that way, swimbaits aren't that expensive at all. Of course, there's also the chance you do like I did this winter and cast off an $80 glide that can't be recovered after catching about 20 fish on it, then those fish cost me $4 apiece. It's the risk I'm willing to take to try to get a bite from the biggest fish in the lake, or at the very least bigger than average sized fish. I'm positive that I catch fish on them that ignore all other offerings. 

No price tag on this one.

[puddlepuncher]

I would never buy a $400 dollar swimbait, not in a million years.

 

Then again if I knew for sure it caught double digit fish...put me down for a dozen.

[tkunk]

When you put things into perspective, $100 isn't that expensive for a lure, especially if you don't have to worry about losing it to toothy critters. I'd bet that many people on this forum spend more than $300/year on senkos, keitechs, and other short-lived soft plastics.

[N Florida Mike]

No thank you.

It seems the fisherman would be caught more than the fish.

[Mike L]

Last week I caught my new PB on a 7" ribbon tail worm. 

Would she have hit it if a 200.00 swim bait came by?

We'll never know. 

 

One thing I do know is no matter what you throw it better be in waters where they live. 

Do you need one?

Me and thousands of other anglers are proof you don't. But @Bluebasser86 and @WRB  make excellent points that need to be considered if you specifically go big girl hunting and what to lower your odds. 

 

Was my PB just pure dumb luck then that she hit a cheap ribbon tail? Probably 

Would an ever bigger one have hit a 200.00 swim bait if it came by? Maybe, maybe not.  

 

Just use what you have confidence in and fish where they live and the world will turn. 

 

 

 

Mike

[Deleted account]

I think that if someone makes/sells a product for a particular price and some folks are willing to buy it at that price, then it's all good. Personally, I wouldn't buy or use one, but that's just cause there are similar things just as effective to be had from other segments of fishing. If a $100 (or more expensive) lure produced better and had no substitute, I might indulge. 

[thinkingredneck]

Watch some of the you tube videos of guys using those baits.  That is a different world.  I understand the obsession  however, compared to the cost of powerpoles, a $50k boat,etc?  None of this really makes sense.  As Jimmy Buffet said, "do what you wanna do, do what you like..."

[Koz]

If I ever bought a $100+ swimbait I'd also buy matching swim fins, mask, and snorkel.

[Bluebasser86]

While not one of the expensive baits, this was still a pretty good sized bait, and the reason why I fish them. 

This one was on a Deps 175, which you could spend $100 on if you want to pay retail. I was catching fish at one of the hardest fished lakes around in sizes that even a really skilled fisherman might only see a handful of times a year, and I was catching multiple a day. That's one of the moments it really clicked for me.

 

[Angry John]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I have some and enjoy fishing them. I also have some $25 swimbaits that I really enjoy fishing. They're really kind of a thing that you either understand the appeal or you don't. I enjoy targeting big fish with big baits, just something about it that appeals to me.

Another thing to consider other than the initial cost, is the cost per fish ratio of a bait. I have an MS Slammer that has caught a few hundred fish for sure. Initial cost was $50, so let's say I've caught 200 fish on it, each fish I've caught on it cost me $.25. Now let's say you're fishing your favorite color 5" GYCB senko that cost $.50 apiece and only last on average for 1 fish (we've all fished senkos and I think can probably agree that each fish you catch after the first one is a bonus fish), those fish cost you $.50 apiece. My Slammer is still going strong, and as long as I don't do anything silly with it, could last for hundreds more fish, while the senko fisherman has to keep going back to the store and buying more baits. 

So if you look at it that way, swimbaits aren't that expensive at all. Of course, there's also the chance you do like I did this winter and cast off an $80 glide that can't be recovered after catching about 20 fish on it, then those fish cost me $4 apiece. It's the risk I'm willing to take to try to get a bite from the biggest fish in the lake, or at the very least bigger than average sized fish. I'm positive that I catch fish on them that ignore all other offerings. 

No price tag on this one.

That phoney is sweeeeet.

[Jaderose]

I have no thoughts about them.  I don't own any and have no need to.  If I was fishing water that were appropriate for that style of fishing I might think differently.  How another person spends his money is of no concern to me

[long island basser]

Not interested, thank you.