Lizard baits

[wvhunt]

I was fishing plastic lizards several years ago on a lake that I'd seen a ton of lizards in.  I never caught a fish, but kept pulling in other lizards wrapped around my plastic lizard.  I'm not sure it they were trying to mate with or fight my lizard.

[rgasr63]

Lizards are in my stack all year long. They catch fish and usually it is the larger ones. Yum's Carolina pumpkin chartreuse and a white Zoom lizard work for the pre spawn on thru the early fall for me.

[Columbia Craw]

I learned many years ago that there will more often or not be a preference by bass as to a shorter wide profile or a longer narrower profile.   I rig both types, beaver/craw style and brush hog style and let the fish tell me what they want.  If it’s longer/slender I’ll narrow it further and a lizard on a light sinker can be really good. It seems the style planes down rather than  drops full vertical.  Lastly, a twin tail green pumpkin lizard has been my best Carolina rig bait for smallmouth for ever.   

[GRiver]

I tried and tried using them when I was smallie fishing in Nc. I have never caught a fish on a lizard ever. I have several packs of zoom, I have moved them off the boat and in a tote in the shop. I haven’t even tried them here in Fl, but after reading this , I might give them another try. I have never seen one here in the St. John’s river 

[Bird]

I only throw 6" Zoom lizard in cotton candy chartreuse.

They work well in clear water TR and drop shot in the spring.

Think I have one on a shaky head as well.

[BrianMDTX]

So I fished with a lizard the past two days and caught 11 bass, so not bad. But I did not have them on a Texas rig. 
 

I was going to Texas rig a lizard, but the night before I had just tied on a new 1/0 circle octopus hook on my wacky rig rod, and it was sitting right there with an empty hook, so I decided to just hook the lizard in the head from bottom to top and try it weightless. I’ll say this- it has a ton of action with little movement. I caught all 11 on the same bait and it’s still fishable. That’s hard to beat. 
 

I’ll be doing so more experimenting during this spring. I’ll Texas rig one for sure. But that simple hook-in-head rig worked pretty well. 

[FishTank]

25+ years ago I was privileged to fish with a retired professional angler.  Good guy but not much for variety. Anytime we would go out, he would fish a 6in green pumpkin Zoom Lizard about 95٪ of the time. He would take me to school on this bait. 

 

For me personally,  I caught my PB (10lb 2oz) on 6in black and blue Zoom Lizard. I don't fish them as often as I use to.  I tend to catch better numbers on a creature bait or something like the OSP DoLive Beaver.  The strikes on a lizard are viscous though. 

[Darth-Baiter]

dang.. i am going big game bass hunting for bass tomorrow.  a 8" lizard is a good idea.    side by side, i dont feel they are that much bigger than a 6".  i hope i still have a few left. 

[MIbassyaker]

I fish texas-rigged zoom lizards every year spring through fall.  With so many people using newer creature designs, I feel like the humble lizard has fallen by the wayside and bass in many places don't see them much anymore. 

[Darth-Baiter]

in Mexico. the 8" lizard was king just a month ago.   

[BrianMDTX]

Have you ever tried rigging it like  I did? I was surprised how many bass attacked it, and that the bait was still usable (barely beaten up at all). 

[Darth-Baiter]

my post didnt survive the review process.  what lizard @BrianMDTX?

[Pat Brown]

I think if you can find em: 9-10-11" lizards etc can be VERY effective in the spring time.

 

Usually hand pours and small makers are who make them.  Well worth the investment I have found over the off the shelf offerings.

 

Zoom 6" lizards work like a charm though.

 

One of my favorite things to do with a lizard is bite the head and front two arms off and rig just the torso and back legs and tail to a pegged t rig weight.

 

I don't know who invented it - but Richard Gene is who I learned that one from!  It works great!

[BrianMDTX]

48 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I think if you can find em: 9-10-11" lizards etc can be VERY effective in the spring time.

 

Usually hand pours and small makers are who make them.  Well worth the investment I have found over the off the shelf offerings.

 

Zoom 6" lizards work like a charm though.

 

One of my favorite things to do with a lizard is bite the head and front two arms off and rig just the torso and back legs and tail to a pegged t rig weight.

 

I don't know who invented it - but Richard Gene is who I learned that one from!  It works great!

Worth a try! They seem like a versatile bait. 

[Darth-Baiter]

I just failed miserably trying to find last minute 8” lizards.   For tomorrow:(

[BrianMDTX]

I was going to say plenty of places online have them…then I saw “tomorrow”.  That may be tough! 

[Pumpkin Lizard]

Try a Zoom Magnum Lizard in Pumpkin with the chartreuse tail.