Live Target Baitball Spinner Vs. A-Rig

[Luke Barnes]

I have never used an A Rig or umbrella rig, whatever you want to call them. Ive been very interested in picking up a Yumbrella Flash Mob Jr and using 1/8 oz swim jig heads and various soft plastics. I'm intimidated by them I wont lie. 5 wires and hooks and willows everywhere. I would throw it on a 7'2 H/F with 60lb braid. The flash mob jr itself is alot lighter than I thought, but add in hooks and lures I figure its best on the heavy. 

 

With that, I saw those all in one Baitball spinners by live target and curious if anyone has used them and if they are a good substitute for an actual Alabama rig. Cheaper but if you want different colors you have to buy their packs of different colored swimbaits. I just worry about chucking $25 worth of gear on the end of the line and losing it. 

[Bluebasser86]

If you're thinking about trying a LiveTarget bait, do yourself a favor and just don't.

 

I'm sure some of them work, but they've fooled me way too many times with their innovative designs and super realistic paint jobs. I bet I've bought more of their baits than their baits have caught me fish. I've heard good things about their frogs/mouse, but no desire to try one at this point. Kind of a "fool me once (or several times)", kind of thing I guess.

[Russ E]

I tried the baitball quite a few times. Like most live target baits it looks like a fish catcher. It now sits in my box of shame , because it has caught nothing. Unfortunately it is not the only live target bait in that box.

[Teal]

I gave up on live target after I tried their frogs 10 years ago.  I think as a company they are pretty innovative, you see them doing things that are different and ourside the box, however I think their overall execution of their products just fails.  I'm sure other companies have taken a few ideas from them over the years and just made a better product.

 

I would get 2 A RIGS.  One with flash and one with out and just focus on finding the fish, then you can really fine tune how you best fish it.  A rig has become a staple for me certain times of the year, but I have one tied on, or nearby year round.  

[evo2s197]

That particular bait is JUNK haven't tried any of their other stuff, but if it doesn't work at Clearlake in the spring, summer and fall, it's not gonna work anywhere.

 

Save your money.

[Fishes in trees]

I bought one of those bait ball spinnerbaits (in the smaller size) a couple of years ago & this year I bought one of the larger ones.   On a positive note, I don't need any different gear to throw it with, my regular spinner bait rod & Curado DC throw it fine and I get good to outstanding distance.  Feel at a distance is good - I'm pretty certain that had I gotten bit, I would have recognized the strike.

Which brings me to the downside, in that it seems that the fish in the two different lakes that I fished this season didn't like this bait and wouldn't bite it.  Never got bit.  Overall this wasn't a great year for spinnerbaits for me, how ever I did get bit from time to time on other spinner baits that I tried.

 

I'm pretty sure that at some point it will make a nice addition to any spinner bait display that I want to create.  Getting off subject for a moment, I've noticed that many old collectible lures, primarily cranks, weren't real good fish catchers.  I suspect that they became old  collectable because they lasted a long time and they were interesting to look at.   I also suspect that good fish catching baits sooner or later got lost, which is why they aren't collectable, i.e. they are all gone.

 

Back to the subject, if you want a collectable spinner bait that is interesting buy one - heck buy several, be sure and purchase the extra dummy baits if you want to change up the color some.   I wouldn't count on it catching any fish though.

 

If you want to throw an A-rig - throw an A-rig.  They have a history of working, primarily in certain defined circumstances.   I wouldn't bother with a mini A-rig.

[Smells like fish]

Of all the lures I have I am almost certain I do not own a single live target brand. I have saw Blue mention maybe years ago that live target lures did not produce. Just a night or two ago I saw a couple of their lipless at $14 each and they were breathtaking beautiful but I put it back. Has anyone had any good days on their lipless lures? The high detail finishes are tempting.

[Luke Barnes]

Ok good enough for me. I trust you guys so I'll pass it up. I like I already have plenty of swimbait heads and soft plastics to outfit an A Rig and its quick and easy to change colors. 

 

I'm going to make an A Rig post, so this can be a live target haters post haha. 

[CountryboyinDC]

Koppers makes a good frog, but I kind of feel the way everyone else has said, most of their stuff catch us more than it catches fish.  

[Coonedawg]

I've had it a fair amount of success of some of their older crankbaits and lipless baits, especially in clearer water. I concur about the baitball baits though, very limited success with them. Although the baitball pop-r style bait they have is really good when fish are schooling on tiny shad. 

[Dorado]

I’ll be the dissident on this topic, but I personally love the baitball series squarebills. Top three most productive hardbaits in my arsenal. I’m absolutely content if anglers refuse to use it - more fish for me ?  In all seriousness, it’s one of the few hardbaits that I’ve thrown in highly pressured urban ponds where bass chase it all the way to my feet sometimes when fishing from the banks 

 

I realize this is specifically about the ball bait spinner, but I’m a fan of LiveTarget, so I think it’s definitely worth an investment. Just offering another perspective