Inexpensive baits that work

[Munkin]

So, I see on here all the time when people ask for bait recommendations and expensive baits like Megabass, etc, come up. Well based on a person's situation not everyone can buy a dozen Vision 110's. Wanted to start a thread about inexpensive baits that work but don't cost a mortgage payment to buy 4 of them. I ask that everyone adds to my list but don't just name a bait you caught some fish on last week? Please list tried and true baits that have performed for you for several seasons.

 

Crankbaits= Bandit baits from the footloose to the 300 just flat-out work and make my top 5 crankbait list no matter what the price. Manns baby1- no better sub 2' crankbait has ever been made and my PB crankbait fish of 6-1 was caught on this bait. SK 4 and 5 series deeper divers are the only bait I can consistently catch fish over 10' and I only use 4 different colors. Rebel Deep Wee-R, heard this way discontinued but I still see them at Wal-Mart so I don't know? What I do know is they are a silent fish catching machine, but you may want to change the stock hooks out?

 

Jerkbaits= I am just going to reference the ones that work for me? I say that because apparently, I am the only jerkbait fisherman in the US who can't catch a fish on the X-Rap. Smithwick Rogue- KVD won a Bassmasters Classic on this bait in like 2005? I have been using then since about 2001 and they just work, Rapala Husky Jerk- this one works great for me overall but does better in Lakes than it does the river.

 

Allen

[Glenn]

 

[WRB]

Crank baits;

Bomber 7A and long A.

Norman DD 14 & 22.

Bagley Balsa B square bill.

All between $4-$7 ea.

Tom

[QED]

Johnson Original Beetle Spin - 1/4 oz. - Black/Chartreuse with Silver Blade or Yellow/Black Stripes with Silver Blade.  $1.59.  It’s been catching bass (and many other fish) for over half a century.

 

Also, once you figure out your favorite plastic worm type, brand, size, and color, buying those in bulk is much cheaper than buying them in the usual smaller quantity packages.

[Bankbeater]

The Egg by BPS.  I was skeptical with this being a house brand, but after the first season I went out and bought some more of them.  You'll probably need to replace the hooks before use.

[PourMyOwn]

DD22

Bandit 200

Bomber Model A (all versions catch fish)

Anything that Rapala makes

 

Sadly, even these baits are creeping up in price, but what isn't?

 

 

 

[smalljaw67]

Bomber 4A, 6A, and 7A are all workhorse baits for me. Mann's Baby 1 minus, Mann's Baby X, and the best wake bait ever made that is discontinued is the Mann's Waker. All of these are $7 or less but there are some that are $1 or $2 more that I really like. The Bagley line has some really good ones like the Balsa Shad, the Sunny B, and of course the Balsa B2 square bill. I also have a ton more the work like the Bomber Square A, Flat A and Deep Flat A. You can tell that I really like the Bomber line, something about those cranks that just catch fish.

[Catt]

Mister Twister Phenom Curly Tail Worm 20pk

$2.99

 

One of the deadliest worms y'all don't throw!

[Derek1]

I’ve caught lots of fish on the yum soft plastics. There about as cheap as I e seen. 

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, smalljaw67 said:

You can tell that I really like the Bomber line, something about those cranks that just catch fish.

yep , big ones too .

[Jmontgomery87]

Zoom trick worms, finesse worms, and speed craws

Arkie bass jigs

Cotton Cordell Super Spot

SK KVD Finesse Spinnerbait

[Jmilburn76]

Id have to say any Yum plastics and Siebert jigs.

[gim]

5 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

The Egg by BPS.  I was skeptical with this being a house brand, but after the first season I went out and bought some more of them. 

I tried the BPS XPS Super Shallow Crank (which is similar to The Egg) once a few years ago because I was trying to find a reasonable, widely available replacement for the Storm Subwart.  This is the closest lure I have found to it and in the spring you can get them for $3.99 each.  In a wide variety of colors too.  4 bucks for a hard bait with decent trebles?  Its virtually impossible to find that nowadays.

[FishTank]

Norman DD 22, Strike XD'S, and Zoom Softplastic (especially the 6in Lizard).  The hooks on the XD's are horrible though.  I always change them. Another, believe it or not,  the Beetle Spin. I can catch whatever on these little things.  

 

 

 

[Mobasser]

Zoom Finesse Worm. Several colors. 20 per bag, and a good value for around four dollars

[Str8BraidPowa]

Zoom Zcraw Jr., Zcraw, ol monster, 6" & 8" lizard, flukes & super flukes.....any one seeing a pattern.

My go jig is a buckeye ballin out (98% of the time it has a Z-craw jr. on it), generally under $5 a piece.

Honestly this is 85% of my fishing, why do I spend hundreds of dollars on the other 15% ?‍♂️

[Catt]

Bass Assassin's Tapout Worm 7.5" 

$4.49 a dozen. 

 

Bigger than a Trick Worm so it cast easier unweighted. 

[Dirtyeggroll]

The Cabela's Mean Eye Jerkbaits work pretty good. Got the one pictured for $1.99 during a sale. Caught a 32lb bag with it that day and multiple 20+-lb bags since then.

[CrashVector]

Baby brush hog.

[roadwarrior]

33 minutes ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

The Cabela's Mean Eye Jerkbaits work pretty good. Got the one pictured for $1.99 during a sale. Caught a 32lb bag with it that day and multiple 20+-lb bags since then.

[LrgmouthShad]

Zoom anything, really

 

Siebert jigs

 

Scum frogs 

 

Nobody ask me for an inexpensive spinnerbait suggestion… I’ve got nothing. Maybe humdinger

 

 

[Bankc]

Most cheap baits seem to work pretty well for me.  BPS and Academy's house brands have always done me well.  I've even found several Ozark Trail (Walmart brand) crankbaits along the bank over the years, and I've caught quite a few fish off them.  Though, for whatever reason, I won't actually buy those.  But I do like saving those found lures for fishing areas where I know there's a good chance I'm going to lose my lure.  

 

I've also had a few higher-end lures that didn't run true or had other big problems with them.  And while I know the manufacturer would probably stand behind their product and give me a free replacement, the effort involved in that process isn't worth it to me.  

 

I bet I catch more fish off cheaper lures.  But I also throw cheaper lures in places that I wouldn't risk pricier lures, so it probably has more to do with the location than lure itself.  I firmly believe it's less about what you fish than it is about how you fish it. 

[Standard]

Berkely Choppos are a few bucks cheaper than Whopper Ploppers and they've held up great for me.  The Flicker Shads, not so much.  Have had a few break the bills off and they don't come with great hooks.

 

I like to stay under $10 for a hard lure.  Getting tougher to do that..

[Spankey]

I have a small handful of the more expensive baits you are referring to. My results have not been poor but they certainly have not turned my fishing around. I’m a bit old school and I’ll always reach to and have my older baits tied on.

 

I have an impressive collection of old school hardbaits I fish. Rapalas, Storm, Cotton’s, Bombers, Bandits and Rat-L-Traps. Majority of patterns have not been produced in years. 
 

Back in the real early 80’s while doing field service I met a guy who worked for Bandit Lures. He was a great connection. No Bandits were hanging from a peg board up here in my part of Penna. The 200 series he hooked me up with were killer on the river for smallies. They immediately caught fish. We kept contact for quite some time. He would contact me on special run colors and new standard basic patterns. I do not have one bandit (I have many) that has not caught at least one river Smallie. I bought some really bizarre patterns, colors that I’d never would consider fishing, only for them to put smallies in the boat. It’s just the confidence I have in some of my older baits. 

 

Over the last few years I’ve become real impressed with the results I’m having with Strike King Crankbaits I use at lake for largemouths. But I would not consider them to be expensive. Just another inexpensive bait that works. 
 

 

[Jrob78]

Academy H20 hard baits and the Booyah hard baits based on the old XCalibur baits are great values.