Different Results With Same Lure

[senile1]

I was reading the Rage Tail Challenge thread started by RW in the Fishing Tackle section and I noticed that many people swear by Rage Tail Craws (that group includes me) while other's can't catch anything on them. It always intrigues me why one lure works for one person while another person can't buy a bite with it. I suspect it relates to the subtle differences in the way each of us works a particular bait and one person's set of movements works better with one lure over another. That would seem to explain why one angler kills with the Rage Craw while another kills with a Paca Craw for example. This can apply to plastic craws as in the referenced thread, crankbaits, lipless cranks, spinnerbaits, worms, and any other bait you can think of. It seems that everybody has one particular lure in a class of lures that works best for them. I suppose it could also relate to the possibility that a particular lure is more appealing to bass in a particular geographical area.

So what are your thoughts on this? Why is it that two anglers can have such different results from the same lure?

[J Francho]

I have a harder time believing the nevers than the swearers. You can pretty much catch a bass on anything, given the right conditions. And in the right conditions, you'd have to try real hard not to get bit.

[deep]

I have a harder time believing the nevers than the swearers.

I never caught a darn thing on Rapala lipless cranks, and I swear that's the truth!

[NoBassPro]

I think some of it just boils down to confidence in a particular bait. I know if I'm trying something new it usually means that my tried and true techniques failed. Also, once I try a different bait or technique and it doesn't work it probably isn't going to see the water much after that either.

[J Francho]

I never caught a darn thing on Rapala lipless cranks, and I swear that's the truth!

If your not throwing them where there are active fish, then no, you'll never get bit. I have a half dozen rattlin' rapalas that are probably responsible for 500 fish or more, and not just bass. I clearly recall a day when I caught brown trout as frequently as bass with them.

In some cases, I also think it's a rigging issue. When swim senkos first appeared, I rigged them weightless on a light wire hook - same way I'd rig a regular senko. Never got a bite, and couldn't really see why the tail was any better. Until I used a weighted hook, or jighead. By then, I was on to different baits though, and I still never caught on a swim senko - though I'm positive I could now. I just have no desire to.

[Ratherbfishing]

Which lure you use is only part of the equation. There is also the matter of how you use it, when you use it, and where you use it. Additionally, it's how often you use it. I have certain lures which get a lot of use because they're what I have and also they're what I have confidence in-even though I'm sure there are other lures which could, potentially, outperform them. It doesn't take that many attempts to persuade (or disuade) me of a lures affectiveness.

[.ghoti.]

My "jinx" bait is a rattle trap, or any other version. For me, those baits are dink magnets. I can't catch a decent sized fish on one to save my arse. I quit carrying them around. I gave "em all away, and won't be buying any more anytime soon.

[J Francho]

Traps can be a dink magnet - but generally you find larger fish after you've fished through the smaller ones. My take is with the higher speed retrieve you catch the smaller, more aggressive fish at first. After a a few, you begin to ignite the fish or activate feeding responses in the larger fish. I caught this one after the three of us caught at least 30 fish on a single main lake point:

[5bass]

I go through spells with a trap style bait. It's almost a yearly cycle. Two years ago I caught a pile of fish on a XR50 and it seemed like I never had to put it down. Then this past season it just wasnt working anywhere, no matter where I was. I bet I didnt catch 10% of the fish on it last year that I did 2 years ago. The Rage Craw and Baby Craw are killers and are the only craw baits I use anymore whether its texas rigged, shakyhead or as a jig trailer. My catch rates went up for whatever reason once I started using them. My fishing partner can't get bit on a Rage product to save his life. We talked about it and didnt come to a solid conclusion on whats happening or why.

[redboat]

I think most baits have a way to fish them that works and if you don't use that particular method or "trick" you won't catch anything. Case in point: I fished crankbaits and spinners for many years and never caught a thing before I figured out the three basic "must know" crankbait tricks; now they're my most dependable baits. Same with spinners, although I don't throw them as often.

[J Francho]

My uncle and I had a day where he got so bore of catching smallies, he fish an unbaited hook. Yep, he got bit, LMAO. What was funny, they'd even get competitive over the unbaited hook. Two or three would follow the hooked fish. That day was awesome. We probably caught over 200 fish.

[ww2farmer]

I have "never" caught anything on Rage Craws.............because I have "never" used them. Why? Because they are just a bait, there is nothing magic about them. I have Paca Craws that do the same thing. When my supply of Paca Craws is gone, which should be sometim next year, I will use Rage Craws , and I predict I will have the same results with them that I had with the Paca Craws, which is.....catch plenty of fish if I do my part. The only difference is I won't be tripping over my own lips to get on here and post how magical they are. I am glad they are a sponser, this place needs sponsers.

[senile1]

I have "never" caught anything on Rage Craws.............because I have "never" used them. Why? Because they are just a bait, there is nothing magic about them. I have Paca Craws that do the same thing. When my supply of Paca Craws is gone, which should be sometim next year, I will use Rage Craws , and I predict I will have the same results with them that I had with the Paca Craws, which is.....catch plenty of fish if I do my part. The only difference is I won't be tripping over my own lips to get on here and post how magical they are. I am glad they are a sponser, this place needs sponsers.

I agree with you about there being no magic to any lure. The point of this thread wasn't to rave about Rage Tail craws. In the Rage Tail thread that I referenced there are those who said they didn't catch much of anything on Rage Craws but they did on other Craws. That was just an example thread that made me think about this. We could be talking about any class of lures but what is it that makes one work for one person and not another. It could be a Stanley spinnerbait opposed to War Eagle, or a Strike King Crankbait versus Rapala. I knew the membership here would provide some interesting answers to this quesiton. .

[ww2farmer]

Your right, insert any brand/bait vs. any brand/bait. The OP mentioned Rage craws...so thats what I tlaked about.

[senile1]

Your right, insert any brand/bait vs. any brand/bait. The OP mentioned Rage craws...so thats what I tlaked about.

lol, I'm the OP . . . just used them as an example.

[Raul]

Buzzbaits, I can´t catch even a danged cold with buzzbaits , I can count with my fingers the fish I´ve caught with buzzbaits ..... in friggin´ 3 decades of bass fishing ! but I´m stubborn as a mule ..... now it´s personal.

[slonezp]

Buzzbaits, I can´t catch even a danged cold with buzzbaits , I can count with my fingers the fish I´ve caught with buzzbaits ..... in friggin´ 3 decades of bass fishing ! but I´m stubborn as a mule ..... now it´s personal.

Do what I do. Don't fish buzzbaits. Put on a jig and all your problems will go away.

[Bluebasser86]

I never caught a darn thing on Rapala lipless cranks, and I swear that's the truth!

Me neither and I love lipless baits. I've even thrown them for white bass and have never caught a single fish on one that I can remember. I know others that catch all kinds of fish on them though. I just don't fish them anymore, problem solved.

[ww2farmer]

lol, I'm the OP . . . just used them as an example.

Haha.....whoosh....to much cold meds today lol.

[J Francho]

Add in the mind numbing single digit temps we've had...makes us all a little confused.

[Skeet22]

confidence period.. How much technology can you really put into a plastic crawfish or any plastic bait for that matter?? I doubt the fish discriminate between speed craws,paca craws,rage craws etc..

For me its about, value,durability and productivity and there are plenty brands that fit the bill.. Pick one and develop confidence in it. When I first started Bass Fishing I got caught up in thinking I had to try every brand bait on the market looking for that magic bait. Since then I have stuck with 1 or 2 brands I have confidence in and it has helped my fishing a lot..

I am sure the Rage stuff works just fine but its not Magic and not the only bait out there. They come in hard shells to protect them and smell great which is cool but not worth the extra money IMO. Fish do not seem to mind the little dents in my zoom plastics and they catch fish just fine.

I am more impressed with the HAVOC line. Durable, catch fish and priced very fairly..Have not fished them enough to develop confidence in them yet though which is the most important factor.

[ww2farmer]

Add in the mind numbing single digit temps we've had...makes us all a little confused.

Actually it has not been cold enough, we don't have any safe ice down here yet.....getting a little restless.

[J Francho]

We keep getting alternating cold fronts, with days of warm, southern air. Back up from single digits to high 20s again.

[Vinny Chase]

It comes down to if you are fishing the right bait at the right time, location, rate of fall, and pattern that the fish want on that paticular day.

To be honest, has anyone caught them on a rage craw, picked up a paca and they have turned off? I like the action on the rage craws a little better, but if I catch 5 fish on one spot with the rage craw I believe I would have caught those same fish with a paca.

Plus, there are a few paca colors that are one of a kind.

[J Francho]

There's another example. Paca Craw vs. Rage Craws. About the ONLY similarity is that they go on a hook and have two appendages. They are completely different baits beyond that. So, to make a comparison that they are interchangeable is sort of like saying a DD22 worked better than a Rattle Trap, so I never use Rattle Traps.