Most Under-rated Fishing Lures

Is there a lure that you feel that is under-rated or ignored? You pull it out of your tackle-box, and others smirk at your choice, and choose to use something a bit more expensive or trendy.

the Beetle Spin and Mann's Little George always seem to produce results for me. They are inexpensive and nothing to look at, but they tend to always produce results; be it bass, bream, crappie, or trout.

I was fishing with a group of friends and pulled out a home-made beetle spin. An acquaintance looked over and laughed, then showed me what he was using ... something that (I think) was Japanese lure that looked like a fancy Rapala (I liked it, don't get me wrong, but it was out of my price range). After a couple casts, I hooked a nice 4lb bass. Later, I also hooked a bream that was barely larger than the beetle spin, but we won't talk about that...

So, what is your ugly old stand-by?

In-line spinner.

Old faithful.......the white Mister Twister grub.

the roadrunner

Bare metal slab - no paint or fancy decoration.

metal blade baits,centipede,speed craw,small crankbaits(very small)

Phish stix (not made anymore) by phantom

ring worms, plastic worms, inline spinners, road runners, rooster tails, lucky 13

Zara spook

inline spinners for me too

My go to lure that usually catches a fish or two is the Kastmaster. Don't know whether to call it a slab or a spoon. When I was hauling hot shot freight I had licenses in 4 midwestern states and fished every chance I got. The first lure I would try was a 1/2 ounce Kastmaster. You can throw it a country mile and cover a bunch of water just walking along the bank and chunking it. I have caught large and small mouth, crappie, blue gill, even channel cat on it.

+1

Road runners
Beetle spins
H&H spinnerbaits
Mepp's inline spinners

I agree also with the 3" white curly tail grub. Every try it rigged weightless and weedless? It's hard to throw it very far, but it is KILLER.

H&H SPINNER

Welcome to the TFF and I agree with you 100% for the white grub...

Any in-line spinner. Don't know why they arent more popular around here. You can catch just about anything on em. They don't hang up too much and they come in more sizes, colors and styles to count.

Another vote for the roadrunner(brown crawfish color) and also a 4 inch black slider worm on spider jig head.

Little Fishie (by Creme, I think) is another good one, one of the best sandbass lures for the spawn, but that thing is deadly for bass too! Found that out the hard way. Took a friend fishing one day, and handed him my ultra light rod (as punishment for not bringing his own equipment)rigged up w/a little fishie, And what you know if he not only caught a few more fish than me, but hooked a 8-10lbs'r that we got to the boat. However my friend, got a little excited and forgot that there was only 6lbs test on pole (and we didn't have a net).... It was a great lesson. To this day , anytime Im fishing clear water especially, I will have one ready to go!

I gotta agree, the black and yellow skirted with yellow head single blade is the deadliest small pond bait ever made in my humble opinion.

jitterbug and hula popper

tiny torpedo

1 oz. Acme Kastmaster. Chrome + Chartruse

Freshwater drum
White bass
LMB
Northern pike
Walleye

Stamped hunk of brass with a hook. Can't beat it.

Rebel craw.

sassy shad type swim baits, 2" or 3" inch.

1) ROADRUNNER
2) CLEAR TORPEDO
3) HOT SPOT

spence scout in tiger....old school one with the latex tail

Beetle spin and Roadrunner

lucky thirteen. caught a 4#er the other day on one now its my favorite topwater

Cheap ole' white crappie jigs...Bought several 25 packs for 25 cents at the Bargain Center at Cabella's last week
They also had 2 bins full of various Gary Yamamoto curly-tail grubs and various swim baits, all for 25 cents also...

Mann's jelly worm in purple. I can't even find them anymore!

#2 Mepps spinner silver blade and white tail

1 - White Sonic Rooster Tail
2 - Silver/Black Rapala (Straight Stick Floater)
3 - Yellow/Black H&H Spinner
4 - T rig Lizard
5 - Lucky 13
6 - Hula Popper
7 - Little George

+2
And the Ghost ( hollow, soft plastic , weedless Spook )

split shot rigged soft plastics

I haven't used it in a long time, but the #3 Mepps gold blade in line spinner. I've caught bass up to 4 pounds on them!

The Black Heddon Chugger that I caught a 7 on at Fork.
I'll quit before I buy a 16 or 20 dollar lure because
it's the latest thing.

beetle spin

how can we forget the $ 1.00 spinner baits
that lay down on the bottom shelf at Wal-Mart

Inline spinners, and tail spinners of various kinds. I love 'em.

3/16 th ounce jig head w/ white grub. Great for lethargic bass.
manns beatle spin,
road runners,
Black jitterbugs @ night.

I agree. I grew up fishing that bait in bastrop 35 years ago.

I also liked the snagless sally

Bomber 1A shallow runner in shad color. I've had this one a long time and the fish have literally eaten the paint off of it.



Kastmaster 1/4 oz or 1/2 oz silver spoon / white bucktail also

the royal purple worm wih a white tale.

When I was a kid, this was the hot color at every worm bar. Out of the hundreds of plastics I have in the garage and boat, I always carry the old school purple and white.

My favorite go to bait when nothing else is working is a chrome/blue back 1/4 oz Rattletrap!! This is my favorite crank bait of all times! My most favorite other bait is a Bassbuster Beetle spin with yellow & black spots on a curly tail plastic!! it is a rare occasion for me to go fishing & spend the hours chunking & winding, I usually fish for catfish.

Roadrunner.....

The beetle spin gets no love sometimes because it is so simple. I have caught everything from bream, bass, specks and redfish on it.

I'd have to say that my Little George gets put on a shelf as well. Also I never use the jointed shad by Rapala. I don't know why, maybe I like solid bodies better.

Pico Perch. About 25 years ago, when I was fishing with bass clubs, I took a trip to Alaska. Before I left, I threw some lures in my suitcase, among them, a few Pico Perch lures. While there, I did some bank fishing in the Cheno (spelling?) River. Using a Pico Perch, I caught 9 salmon ranging from 6 to 10 pounds each.

the slim halograph jiggin spoon, various manufacturers, the
first ones I had were made by little river. Most people
think of them for sandbass only.
a lake palestine grand slam is a hybrid or sandbass,
crappie, lmb, catfish and drum in the same day. extra
credit if all caught on the same lure. I've done it
twice with the above mentioned lure.

I have had a blast with one of these around gulf rigs
using bass tackle, better put on a little wire leader
or the toothy critters will steal every one in your box.

Mo

+3
and the tiny torpedo

jitter bug

bassdreamer:
On this site
< http://www.sovereignsuperbaits.co.uk/Lures/Soft_Baits/Worms/worms.html#JellyWorms >

The Bomber cannot be beat. But I cannot find my favorite color anymore, chartreuse. I guess I need to find some spray paints.

Strike king Rocket Shad

1.Little George in silver
2.Sassy Shad in white w/ chartreuse jighead
3.Road Runner in chartruese

H and H spinner...LOL

the old Mister Twister Black with Red tail worm .Think they wrer called firetails

1- Paddle fry made by gitzit
2- White rooster tail
3- Little fishie
4- Mepps inline # 3
5- Pink jig head and white grub (for sandbass)
6- Little george

Jitter Bug.

a small white spinner bait with a white mister twister twin tail as a trailer

The old Jawtec Wacky Worm. Caught many a 7#+ bass on them. Won big bass in alot of tournaments with them.

FYI: Pico is back in business. They are manufacturing the lures in Central Texas. www.PicoLures.com

tiny torpedo many of us used them like buzz baits before buzz baits were invented

The old fashioned curly tail grub. Most productive lure (and under appreciated) in history IMHO!

H&H

Heddon Chugger still gets it done. I have a few left. Tiny Torpedo is great and so is the H&H. I'll never forget my dad showing me the trick how to put that split hook on correctly so it points up.

Beetle Spin
H&H
Tiny Torp
Hula Popper

Another vote for the H&H...

You win the weekly prize for best use of the search feature - managed to find a 5 year old thread and bring it back!

Boy Howdy

Anyone remember the Shyster???

Storm rattling thin fin in fire fire tiger
Zoom trick worm in natural blue
1/4 oz triple wing buzz bait in white

Jitterbug
Hula Popper
Jointed Rapala

+1

Renagade black w/fire tail. Caught more fish on this then anything and as of now I don't even own any since all the new stuff has us convinced to buy new and forgot about what we started on

Banjo Minnow

Before I bought my first boat and was fishing mainly in golf course ponds and stock tanks my favorite lure to throw was a Hula-Popper in yellow and black.

Arbogast Jitterbu

Caught my first bass on a white black dot shyster loved those and they were cheap. Also h&h spinners,cotton cordell near nuthinS were a great schooling bait for bass and sandies.Another I should mention is the arboghast mudbug my favorite.


JD

the 1st post said it all
Beetle Spin & Little George

both solid producers

This! It's still an awesome color! In the right colored water.

BPS laser blade

Banjo Minnow,and Bill Dance battery powered jigs!

Bang o Lure
fire tiger with prop

Rooster tail

shyster , mepps minnow

TNT

How about plain old navy blue plastic worm.I caught my 1st 5 pounder and an 8lb 2 oz off that lure and countless others.
For the price,there is no better lure except maybe a navy-chartreus worm.

Chewing gum on small hook. Bluegill love it

Shyster, Super Duper, Red and white Bomber, kastmaster, rooster tail, Sonic, Roadrunner, Maribu Crappie jig, Purple pokit phenom worm, Jitterbug, Hula Popper, Countdown Rapala and floating Rapala, Roadrunner is still one of the best. My little town didn't have a tackle shop, so I got most of that stuff at Western Auto. Still have most of it too.

The biggest sack I've every caught was on Roadrunners I estimated 22 lbs for my best 5 on my home lake

I was taught how to fish on that bait you are correct sir it is made by Creme. i didnt know anyone knew about these i use the bigger ones on my A-rig, Awesome bait that is super looked over

shiney hiney

Great thread, Guys! keep it coming! did anyone say Hawaiian Wiggler yet?

hellbenders

road runners, atomic teasers, and peglegs here

3" Sassy Shad-any color. Forage for many species in fresh and salt water. Dynamite when rigged in tandem.

Curly tail grubs are excellent too.

I vote for the Tiny Torpedo too. I've caught some good fish on it.

All great choices

H&H.

Chartreuse twin mr twister tail on jig with a little trailer spoon between the tails.

Coachdog hellbender

Arbogast Jitterbug
Zara Spook Jr.

I love both of these, tho I like a full size spook.

Daredevil spoon (red with white stripe) is a great falling lure, or you can fish it just above the grass.

I've always liked the Terminator in-line spinners (prefer them to Panther Martin/Vibrax/Rooster tail)

Terminator in-line spinner

Any fishing lure can be made more effective if you control speed, depth and location by using BulletBobbers. They are castable min planer boards that flip direction when given a little pop. They keep your lure in the water and where you want it longer for less casting and more fishing.



The best way to rig them is slip rigged.


This link has "in depth" info on slip rigging. http://www.bulletbobber.com/sliprig.html