Cheap vs expensive lures

[Corey Yarish]

Do expensive lures catch more fish. All my life l thought a lure is just a lure. Do expensive lures have a better action and put out more vibration that is appealing to the fish? if so any suggestions. Thanks. 

[Michigander]

Often, more expensive lures will have better performance, better components, be more durable (not always true), and will more reliably function as intended.

 

As with most things in fishing, quality gear improves your time on the water.

[Boomstick]

I would say it's really a case by case basis. There are cheap lures that work well, and expensive lures that aren't half as effective at catching bass as some much cheaper lures. Most of the time lures in the middle of the spectrum are your best value lures but there's times where the pricier lures can be worth their money - for example the KVD 1.5 is a solid all around squarebill but when the bass are really hammering them, you can't beat the Megabass S-Crank or maybe the Booyah Flex 2. Then if you're shore fishing and getting caught up left and right, maybe it makes more sense to use something cheap since you know you're going to lose a few.

 

Another example is the $1 spinnerbaits at Walmart. A lot of people catch fish on them, but they don't hold up for very long. I'm not sure they work as good as say a Nichols, War Eagle, Strike King or River2Sea model would (among others) but they are helped by the fact they generally have a poor quality wire that puts off extra vibrations, but that also is usually what breaks first.

 

 

[roadwarrior]

On 11/22/2020 at 10:06 AM, Michigander said:

Often, more expensive lures will have better performance, better components, be more durable (not always true), and will more reliably function as intended.

 

As with most things in fishing, quality gear improves your time on the water.

 

Definitely more reliable.  A case in point is the Megabass Ito Vision 110.

I still carry Smithwick Rogues (Perfect 10) and several Lucky Craft Pointers.

Over time we all tend to gravitate to certain favorites.

[Teal]

No and yes.   This is is topic that comes up a few times a year and the easy answer is no.  But there are some lures that I dialed in and have very specific actions, hooks, and colors that are flat out fish catchers.  I.e. megabass and lucky craft hardbaits.  And by the same token, there are some more affordable lures that offer great results and are truly gems.  The Old Luck E Strike jerk baits were dynamite. And could be found for 7.99.  Rapala and Spro makes a great product and most of the time costs alot less than the JDM lures.  I could get by with them.  Then there are old faithfuls like the rogues and bomber lures that are fairly cheap and still catch fish.  Its alot to figure out.  Soft plastic lures is a bit of a different animal to me, it's still hard to beat anything made by zoom, yum, and strike King and Rage (also strike king) there's alot of soft plastic out there that are more expensive and some that are flat out cheap, you have to find what works best for you in the way you present the lure.  

 

However, with a little time on the water.  You can easily sort it out.  Like most anglers, I began fishing the less expensive lures and found what I like.  In some cases I found some high cost lures that seem to get bit more on certain techniques and the way I fish them, but I've also noticed that there are some cheaper classics that I keep coming back to.  

 

For example, I've tried at least 7 or 8 frogs, and I honestly just went back to buying the Pad Crasher.  Its one of the cheaper ones, cost has nothing to do with it, it just performs better IMO than it's more expensive counterparts..

 

Lures dont have to be expensive, there are several cheaper versions that will catch fish.  But sometimes you just wana drive a Cadillac, i.e, the Vision 110, a Bling Spinner bait versus a SK, jackal TN 70 vs Sk red eye shad (which is an awesome bait)  

 

Certain baits like swimbaits and A RIGS, tho I would pay a bit more and get a quality lure that would last.  

 

So my answer is yes and no.  At the end of the day, you have to be one the fish, and you have to present it to them in way as to get a strike.  they dont care whether that jig is 2.75 at walmart or 6.00 dirty jig with custom paint.

 

 

[Mobasser]

Some examples of cheaper baits that work well are plastic grubs, Lucky Strike plastic worms, generic craw and tube baits etc. With hard baits, your paying more for better paint jobs, hardware and good hooks. But, you don't always need the most expensive baits to catch bass. Many times it's more about where your fishing that makes the difference.

[ww2farmer]

From my real world hands on testing....all I can tell you is "it depends"

 

I fish with $2.99 to $9 a bag soft plastics, and $3 to $15 hard baits. 

 

I'll give you a few examples that...mind you...In my OPINION....but it's an opinion based on results and use, where a less expensive option is a better choice, or where a more expensive option is the way to go. Sometimes my decision to go with certain baits is budget based, sometimes it's performance based, and sometimes it's application based. 

 

We'll start with the probably the #1 comparison in this....the GYCB Senko, vs every other stick bait.

 

I have been fishing Senkos, along side Yum dingers for 15+ years. One does NOT catch any more or less fish than the other. Dingers are lighter and need weight added to get that "wiggle" going. Senkos do not. I don't fish Dingers very much any more, for a few reasons. #1 Simplicity...carrying 2 brands of stick baits around is kinda dumb. #2, if I want to fish weightless, Dingers stink for that...the Senko, while more expensive and less durable, is more versatile. #3 Quality control. I used to fairly often, get a bag of Dingers that were bent/kinked/miss-shaped, color inconsistencies  and oddly a seemingly stiffer and terrible feeling consistency of plastic. Senkos are generally always straight, always the same color, always the same plastic formula.

 

Another popular "is it worth the cost" debate is the Jackhammer vs other bladed jigs. The Jackhammer is hands down worth it. From materials/components, performance, overall thought that went into design of the bait, etc....it's fantastic. Does it catch more fish. I don't know. But I do know when I tie one on, I'm not second guessing anything. If there's a bladed jig bite going on, I WILL get them on a jackhammer.

 

A cheaper options that I think is better:

 

As Teal said, the Booyah Pad crasher. It's a great frog. Spros have nothing on it. And the pad crashers actually do a few things better than a Spro. #1 is skip, and #2 is the body,which...IMHO .. is the perfect blend of material to offer good durability, while still being soft enough to have a high hook up%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sphynx]

Put me in the "one size does not fit all" camp on this, I have some expensive baits, whopper ploppers, Vision 110's, Lobina Rico's, to name a few, these baits are great, they do exactly what I want them to do, but then there's things like the Rebel Pop R, the Cotton Cordell Super Spot, Walmart $1 spinnerbaits and buzzbaits and all kinds of cheap soft plastics that get the job done just as well. I believe this is a case of I like to buy what I know catches fish, and price is a secondary consideration for me, that said, if I can get away with buying a less expensive version of something, or can get away using it instead of an expensive one (particularly in high risk of loss situations) I usually do, I'd much rather throw a Rapala Ripstop or Strike King KVD jerkbait into unknown waters than a Vision 110 for example, but if that doesn't work I have no objection to throwing whatever ends up getting bit

[Michigander]

2 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

 

Definitely more reliable.  A case in point is the Megabass Ito Vision 110.

 

Yes, I have some budget bin jerk baits that don't even work right. Compare that to my Vision 110s which work perfectly. This is a case where premium is a money well spent but budget is a waste of money.

[Boomstick]

18 minutes ago, Teal said:

For example, I've tried at least 7 or 8 frogs, and I honestly just went back to buying the Pad Crasher.  Its one of the cheaper ones, cost has nothing to do with it, it just performs better IMO than it's more expensive counterparts..

 

I'm a LiveTarget frog guy myself but the Pad Crasher is a pretty good example of a good value lure, and they actually hold up a little better.

13 minutes ago, ww2farmer said:

We'll start with the probably the #1 comparison in this....the GYCB Senko, vs every other stick bait.

Senkos are about the most expensive stick bait option, but they're all around the best. The only one that I've had that catches fish as good (or maybe better) is the SK KVD Ochos, but I'm lucky if they last more than a fish where I can usually get at least 3 on a Senko, which isn't the most duable stick bait either.

[Sphynx]

15 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Yes, I have some budget bin jerk baits that don't even work right. Compare that to my Vision 110s which work perfectly. This is a case where premium is a money well spent but budget is a waste of money.

Jerkbaits are one category of bait where I truly feel that buying the right tool for the job makes a huge difference, trying to save a buck is going to cost you big time, I consider that there are exactly 2 kinds of jerkbaits, those which work correctly, and those that don't, unfortunately a lot of the ones in the first camp are the expensive ones, just the way it is with some baits though.

[lynxcat]

Jackhammer and jerkbaits are the only ones I pay a noticeable premium on. I think jigs are not worth the elevated price for some brands, for example. 
 

I don’t fish Senkos much any more because they are so common at ponds. If I do, then I’m Neko rigging them and I don’t think Gary’s are any better there. 
 

In soft plastics, I find myself trying to fish Zman plastics as often as possible. The durability makes fishing them so much more pleasant. 

[BlakeMolone]

1 hour ago, Teal said:

No and yes.   This is is topic that comes up a few times a year and the easy answer is no.  But there are some lures that I dialed in and have very specific actions, hooks, and colors that are flat out fish catchers.  I.e. megabass and lucky craft hardbaits.  And by the same token, there are some more affordable lures that offer great results and are truly gems.  The Old Luck E Strike jerk baits were dynamite. And could be found for 7.99.  Rapala and Spro makes a great product and most of the time costs alot less than the JDM lures.  I could get by with them.  Then there are old faithfuls like the rogues and bomber lures that are fairly cheap and still catch fish.  Its alot to figure out.  Soft plastic lures is a bit of a different animal to me, it's still hard to beat anything made by zoom, yum, and strike King and Rage (also strike king) there's alot of soft plastic out there that are more expensive and some that are flat out cheap, you have to find what works best for you in the way you present the lure.  

 

However, with a little time on the water.  You can easily sort it out.  Like most anglers, I began fishing the less expensive lures and found what I like.  In some cases I found some high cost lures that seem to get bit more on certain techniques and the way I fish them, but I've also noticed that there are some cheaper classics that I keep coming back to.  

 

For example, I've tried at least 7 or 8 frogs, and I honestly just went back to buying the Pad Crasher.  Its one of the cheaper ones, cost has nothing to do with it, it just performs better IMO than it's more expensive counterparts..

 

Lures dont have to be expensive, there are several cheaper versions that will catch fish.  But sometimes you just wana drive a Cadillac, i.e, the Vision 110, a Bling Spinner bait versus a SK, jackal TN 70 vs Sk red eye shad (which is an awesome bait)  

 

Certain baits like swimbaits and A RIGS, tho I would pay a bit more and get a quality lure that would last.  

 

So my answer is yes and no.  At the end of the day, you have to be one the fish, and you have to present it to them in way as to get a strike.  they dont care whether that jig is 2.75 at walmart or 6.00 dirty jig with custom paint.

 

 

Do you know how to tell the difference between the new and old rick clun lucky strike jerkbaits. I have two I picked up at a garage sale and I believe they are the older models but not sure

[Happybeerbuzz]

Yes expensive lures catch more fish, particularly to the extent that money can buy confidence. 
 

However, for me personally, I am getting to where my own vanity is moving away from the mainstream.  For example I have enough Vision 110s and LC pointers that I am more interested in catching them on Yo-Zuri Sashimis and H2O Ultimate Jerk Shads.  Truth be told, part of the reason I use the Jerk Shad is to tease my friends because Academy does not deliver to CA any longer, and they can not get them.  

[Teal]

18 minutes ago, BlakeMolone said:

Do you know how to tell the difference between the new and old rick clun lucky strike jerkbaits. I have two I picked up at a garage sale and I believe they are the older models but not sure

If I'm not mistaken, someone made a thread on that very topic

[Cgolf]

My number 1 crank the Bandit 100 is the best squareish bill I have ever thrown. Fish just keep eating that thing. My top 3 plastics Yum crawbug, tube, and Kalins 5” grub are very thrifty baits. 
 

I won’t get a Vision jerkbait, but my two best are the shadow rap, cheaper bait, and the Provoke, a moderate priced jerk. My most expensive jerk the ReRange catches fish just not as well as the other two. Also a lot of people swear by the old husky jerks which are really cheap. I have them, just haven’t thrown them since I learned how to properly fish a jerk. 
 

I think there are a lot of cheaper baits that are rockstars, you just have to be willing to wade through a lot of junk. This is one time it pays to stick with known brands. 

[Luke Barnes]

I think to a degree yes, but to a certain point. My example is I use a few of the Berkley Choppo as opposed to a whopper plopper. Its cheaper, but not "cheap". Its not Ozark Trail but its not $16 a lure either. Same with lipless. I dont normally use the Red Eye Shad, although I got two on sale recently, but I don't use Ozark Trail. I like the H2O Express ones. Middle of the road. That or Cotton Cordell. Its not a Bill Lewis but its not a cheap china knock off. So to a degree cheaper can be as good, but too cheap and it really is cheap junk. 

[tander]

1 hour ago, cgolf said:

My number 1 crank the Bandit 100 is the best squareish bill I have ever thrown. Fish just keep eating that thing.

Same here. I caught more on a Bandit than any other crankbait made. It is also the cheapest,

[sdsc357]

My friend, who works at the local mom and pop outdoor supply store, always say that "expensive nice looking lures are meant to catch the angler."

[plawren53202]

Add me to the category of people who have, use and catch fish on baits in all price ranges. For me all I care about is what puts fish in the boat, and also value. On one hand, there are plenty of baits I have great results on that are very cheap. Yum and Zoom plastics; Booyah frogs; Cotton Cordell lipless baits; Pop-Rs; etc. All of these are great baits and have caught many fish for me. For instance the Yum Dinger has probably caught me more fish this year than any other lure. I use them not necessarily because they are cheap, but because they work well. Being cheap is a bonus (albeit one I very much appreciate). Thus these have great value for me because they are cheap but they also work, whereas something that is cheap but doesn't work is not a value.

 

Others I would consider middle of the road. Red Eye Shads are a good example. I pay a few bucks more for them than, say, the Ozark Trails lipless baits, because I want the far wider range of great paint jobs; and they consistently perform like I expect them too. I also factor in the chance of losing a bait, for instance I seem to snag a fair number of lipless baits so I'd be less likely to invest in a "top of the line" one. Spinnerbaits and buzzbaits are similar. I have found that sometimes the Walmart bargain box ones don't run strait, don't climb to the surface quickly enough (buzzbaits), or fall apart, etc. So I see value in spending a little more than the bargain box, but at the same time, someone would really have to demonstrate the value in a more expensive spinnerbait than War Eagle/Strike King/Nichols/etc.

 

And I have a few really expensive baits as well. I have a small box full of Whopper Ploppers because they work. I started really working on jerkbaits this year. Sure, I can catch fish with a Strike King, but I've found the value in a Vision 110 or 110 Jr. because they dart and stop on a dime unlike any other I've tried. That would mean little, of course, if I hadn't caught fish on them; but I think I've caught fish every time I've thrown one.

 

Unfortunately, the only way I know to perform this analysis is to work through it yourself. Certainly reviews, forum posts and other sources for other peoples' opinions can help, but ultimately you have to try them for yourself and make your own cost/value determination. I'd recommend getting a basic supply of cheaper baits, like Ozark Trails, or maybe the middle of the road ones like Strike King. Then as you find types of baits you particularly like or use a lot, you can start to experiment with more expensive stuff and see if there is "value" there for you. I didn't run out and buy Vision 110s right out of the gate. I tried one after using a few cheaper jerkbaits. I instantly recognized the benefit (for me) and thus the value. Wish I had a shorter/easier answer, but at the same time, this process is enjoyable and is part of the fishing journey.

[Columbia Craw]

Shasta will quench my thirst but there’s something about a Classic Coke.

[MickD]

Are Rapala DT's cheap or expensive?  Depends not on them but on you.  And your definition of cheap and expensive.  Regardless of which group one puts them in, they work.

[Michigander]

The upgraded hooks and split rings on my surface lures are usually worth more than the lures themselves. LoL

[soflabasser]

I have caught hundreds of lunker bass on lures that cost less than $20.  Just because a lure is expensive it does not mean it is good or it will catch you a fish worth the lure's price.

[roadwarrior]

30 minutes ago, soflabasser said:

I have caught hundreds of lunker bass on lures that cost less than $20.  Just because a lure is expensive it does not mean it is good or it will catch you a fish worth the lure's price.

Hmm...

Guess it's a matter of perspective, but I suspect something around $10 distinguishes what most

guys consider "expensive".