Minimalist Lure Experiment

[Avalonjohn44]

I am conducting a lure experiment this spring/summer.

Last summer, I caught almost all of my fish on 10 different lures.

1 Terminator Spinnerbait Green/White Tandem Willow 1 Gold 1 Silver

2 Terminator Spinnerbait Green/White Tandem Colorado 1 Gold 1 Silver

3 Cavitron Buzzbait Green/White Red Prop

4 Booyah Buzzbait Black Red Prop

5 Sweet Beaver Roadkill

6 Zoom Ole Monster 10 Inch Worm Junebug

7 Bass Assassin Charm Assassin (similar to a trick worm)

8 Megabass Griffon Color: Crack Jungle

9 RC1.5 Blue Scale over Chartreuse

10 Bandit 100 Chartreuse back over White body

So far this year, I have only been fishing a few times, and these are the same baits that are working for me now, and I suspect over the summer.  

So the experiment is this:  I am going to put these 10 baits in their own small tackle box, and use only two rods, and try (TRY) to fish only these all season long.

I will compare my numbers to last year, and hopefully the data will finally open my eyes knock the damm bait monkey off my back...

[Raul]

I do the minimalist approach whenever I fish from the shore, a backpack, two 3600 boxes and two small boxes for hooks, sinkers n 'stuff, one rod, one reel and that 's all I need to spend an afternoon.

Have done it when fishing from the boat with about the same results I get when I carry all my boat stuff, so it only proves what I 've known for years: a few carefully selcted lures do the same damage or more to the fish than carrying a truckload of lures.

The only relief I get when carrying all my junk is that if I ever happen to need a very particular lure ( which seldomly sees action ) I know it 's going to be there if I need it, better having and not need than needing and not having.

[SirSnookalot]

I do this nearly every time I go out.  I put maybe 4 things in a lure box in my pocket, after each fish I catch I change.

Almost always it makes no difference on what I'm throwing or color for that matter, and I never use plastic worms of any kind.

[Marty]

I think that'll work out well. You've got representatives from four important lure categories: topwaters, crankbaits, soft plastics and spinnerbaits.

From my earliest days in fishing I'd ask myself a question after I caught a fish: "How many other lures would've caught that fish if they'd been in the same place at the same time?" My answer was "a lot", which, of course, couldn't be proved.

I'd avoid drawing too many conclusions based on this year's numbers vs. last year's because of the many variables.

[5bass]

My dad has been throwing the same 4 lures for the past 15 years. The 'ol man does pretty good too.

Black Culprit worm

white spinnerbait (as long as the skirt is all white, the blades, weight, etc dont matter)

Bomber crankbait (craw pattern)

black/brown jig

Forgot: He jigs a Hopkins spoon all winter, nothing else. He leaves the dock with one rod and a handful of Hopkins spoons.

I'm not quite sure why he even bought all those old Bagleys and Poes cranks (that are still in the original packs)....I've never seen him throw one, ever.

[Raul]

I'm not quite sure why he even bought all those old Bagleys and Poes cranks (that are still in the original packs)....I've never seen him throw one, ever.

The BaitMonkey was as powerful then as it is now ya know.  

[fathom]

have been keeping fishing logs 15 years now.

one of the things that jumps from them right out at you is just how few lures keep catching the most fish year end and year out...especially, if you follow seasonal patterns.

a great way to hone your lures down to the few, the proud and the effective.

[The_Natural]

My dad has been throwing the same 4 lures for the past 15 years. The 'ol man does pretty good too.

Black Culprit worm

white spinnerbait (as long as the skirt is all white, the blades, weight, etc dont matter)

Bomber crankbait (craw pattern)

black/brown jig

Forgot: He jigs a Hopkins spoon all winter, nothing else. He leaves the dock with one rod and a handful of Hopkins spoons.

I'm not quite sure why he even bought all those old Bagleys and Poes cranks (that are still in the original packs)....I've never seen him throw one, ever.

Good picks....he has most situations covered.