How Many Lures Do You Throw?

[KSanford33]

Like most fishermen, I have several tackle boxes full of lures, but I've noticed I really only throw maybe 5-6 lures ever; just the ones I have confidence in. I'm curious to see how many lures the rest of you throw. 

[Aaron_H]

Are we talking lure types (i.e. jerkbait, squarebill, worm) or specific lures (Rat-L-Trap, Vision 110, Zara Spook, etc.)?

[KSanford33]

Yep, anything you throw. Not one specific category.

[Choporoz]

Never less than 5 or 6 in one outing.  Possibly hundreds over the past 12 months

[gim]

There's some days where I literally only throw one lure the whole time.  I tossed it, started catching fish, and that success continued until it was time to go home.  It doesn't happen that way very often but I can think of at least 2 outings this past season when it did (I went fishing 32 times in 2021).

 

There are other days when I just cycle through lures almost endlessly and none of them seem to work very well.  LOL

[MN Fisher]

Just now, gimruis said:

There's some days where I literally only throw one lure the whole time.  I tossed it, started catching fish, and that success continued until it was time to go home.  It doesn't happen that way very often but I can think of at least 2 outings this past season when it did (I went fishing 32 times in 2021).

 

There are other days when I just cycle through lures almost endlessly and none of them seem to work very well.  LOL

Been there, done that. One outing this past year it was nothing but a chatterbait.

 

Another outing, I think I went through 1/4 of my lures...still got skunked.

[Fishin Dad]

This really depends on the bite, changing conditions, different areas of the lake, etc.  I rarely if ever use one bait.  I am always trying something, even if just a couple casts to see.   I would say I usually throw a Chatterbait, spinnerbait, Jig, T-rig, stick worm, and shakyhead almost every trip.  I most often add in crankbaits, lipless,  drop shot, frog, buzzbait next.  A lot of the fun for me is trying different baits to see if I like them, if they are productive, and just to challenge myself to catch a bass on something different.  Catching bass where I live is not very difficult 90% of the time, especially since I can go during the week.  I have some goals to catch bass on lures I don't really use.  I like those days.  

[Aaron_H]

31 minutes ago, KSanford33 said:

Yep, anything you throw. Not one specific category.

 

Well, I'm a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. system, but some techniques are harder for me to do that with than others. Over the last year I've been throwing:

 

BPS Stik-O 5" (green pumpkin, watermelon/red, junebug, white)

Bitter's Salty Sling 5" (Fire & Ice)

Baby Brush Hog (Watermelon/red, green pumpkin)

Strike King Ned Bug (watermelon/red)

Missle Baits Ned Bomb (Super bug)

 

Strike King Hack Attack jig (green pumpkin craw, black/blue)

Strike King Skipping Jig (watermelon/red)

Rage Craw (green pumpkin, watermelon/red, black/blue)

Rage Bug (green pumpkin, watermelon/red)

 

Chatterbait (green pumpkin, white/chart)

Zako (green pumpkin, white)

 

Strike King spinnerbait (white/chart)

 

Whopper Plopper 110 (loon)

Zara Super Spook Jr. (white/red, black/chart)

R2S Bully Wa II (Little Allen)

 

Rapala Husky Jerk (olive ghost)

Rapala RipStop (carbon)

Rapala Shadow Rap (olive ghost)

Rapala Shadow Rap Shad (Halloween)

 

Strike King Red-Eyed Shad (gold/black, bluegill, blue gizzard shad, chili craw)

Rapala Rattlin' Rapala (bluegill)

Berkley Warpig (gold/black)

Booyah One Knocker (copper shiner, flashy momma, Toledo gold)

Thunderhawk Sergeant rattling (gold/black, bluegill, bone)

Thunderhawk Sergeant silent (gold/black)

Yo-Zuri LiveBait Shallow Vibe (gold/black)

 

I think that's it. Having it typed up, it surprised me that I didn't throw any lizards or ribbontail worms over the past year. Both have been big producers for me in the past, should break them out this year for sure. Lipless cranks are the hardest category for me to simplify since sound profile is my top consideration for the technique.

[Deleted account]

On a given trip, ideally one, but usually a handful. Over the span of a season, maybe 20 or so. 

[ajschn06]

2 hours ago, KSanford33 said:

Like most fishermen, I have several tackle boxes full of lures, but I've noticed I really only throw maybe 5-6 lures ever; just the ones I have confidence in. I'm curious to see how many lures the rest of you throw. 

4- but I could survive with 2.

[the reel ess]

A bunch

[KSanford33]

5 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

4- but I could survive with 2.

This is what interests me. If you don't mind me asking, what are the two you could survive on?

[ajschn06]

6 minutes ago, KSanford33 said:

This is what interests me. If you don't mind me asking, what are the two you could survive on?

A chatterbait and a jig are the two that I’d reach for, but I’d just need something that I can swim at multiple depths in the water column and something that I can slow down and maintain bottom contact with.  As I say that, I realize I could get by with just one if I had to- and that would be the right all purpose jig.

 

The other two I threw last year were a frog and a small Swimbait.  I may try to throw some Texas rigged plastics this year a bit in place of a jig, but not sure yet.

[Bluebasser86]

On a good day, less than a half dozen. Great day, 1 or 2. Bad days, 2 or 3 dozen. 

[king fisher]

Not as many as I bring on a given day, not even close to what I own, and I keep buying more.

[Catt]

One at a time ?

[Jaderose]

Good day?  3.  Bad day?  Sky's the limit...lol

[padon]

ive made it a point over the last couple years to experiment with different things. especially when the fish arent biting my usual stuff.

[Fat Ika]

18 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

On a good day, less than a half dozen. Great day, 1 or 2. Bad days, 2 or 3 dozen. 

Agreed. The best days you're dialed in on a pattern quick and feel confident to commit with success. Others, you start out without success, slowly figure it out after a few different strategies. Then others, you struggle, get perplexed, over think it or switch presentations too much.......... and goosehead. 

[J._Bricker]

Wow @KSanford33, that is a very interesting question that is sorta difficult to answer for me. Pretty much depends on what time of the year or what stage of the spawn the bass are in.

 

Now for my next trip out in the next week or so I’ve got four different jerkbait rods, two crankbait rods, a spinnerbait rod, a swimbait and an A-rig tied on. A jig and a big ole senko will also be in the boat.

 

Granted, I just want to have catch ‘em on one rod all day.  It’s just the process of elimination to get to that one rod/technique that gives me the most trouble ?

[EWREX]

specifics come down to weather conditions and time of year BUT i'll always have these tied on from spring to late fall:

• 2.8"-4.3" keitech
• drop shot
• senko (weightless, neko, or wacky)
• ned rig or tube
• jerkbait
• bladed jig
• jig
• texas rig

[Jigfishn10]

The hope is 1

[Mike L]

For me it’s always the same all year 
Frog

Spook

UV Speed worm

T Rig

Punch bait

Paddle tail swim bait. 
 

Depending on conditions, usually in that order. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

One at a time ?

Slacker

[WRB]

To develop confidence in new lures use them when the bite is good. Last year sold hundreds of different lures and caught bass on all of them, that is why I kept them so long. I down to 3 mid diving lures, 2 jerk baits, 3 structure spoons, 2 wood Sammie’s, 6 home made tail spins, 50+ hair jigs, 6 pint jars of pork trailers, 12 bags of soft plastics.

1st time in 50 years I know every lure I have and use them all during a year. 

Tom