I know these baits are effective, but I really struggle to catch fish with a fluke.

I never caught anything but stripers accidentally with them until I started fishing ponds. It's like if I'm fishing a lake, there are better options. It seems fish need to be active for the fluke. Schooling near the surface on shad is ideal. At least in the pond you can know they're there and target them directly if you see signs of activity. It still isn't even one of my top lures. But I'll pull it out sometimes when the bite slows on reaction baits.

The Rapala Scatter raps. I know they catch fish I just don't believe there is a real efficient way to fish them. When I am cranking I am usually targeting a certain depth range. With the Scatter rap it seems like there is not consistent means to get your bait into that range and for it to stay there. Sometimes it dives left, sometimes it dives right, and sometimes it dives down, there is just no telling.

 

Um...isn't that erratic movement purposefully designed INTO the scatter rap?  Just sayin'.

Another for buzz baits

Um...isn't that erratic movement purposefully designed INTO the scatter rap?  Just sayin'.

It is. I think it's a good searching lure for active fish. My buddy catches some on it. I don't have one so I usually use the X Rap with similar results. I went in Cabela's to get a Rapala floater #13, which they didn't have, and the kid working there tried to force a Scatter Rap into my cart.

Everything I know about buzzbaits:

 

I have only caught fish in very low light conditions on them, using the color black/blue. All other colors usually result in short strikes or no strikes. I guess you could say I am disappointed in all but one of my buzzbaits. It works so well, I keep replacement skirts for it. It does work better when you can cast it next to dock pilings or laydowns. Something you can bump it against during the retrieve. There's a trend lately of replacing skirts with plastic swimbaits, grubs, worms, toads or flukes.

Sebile magic swimmer for me.

Since starting to bass fish about 1 1/2 years ago, I have knocked off many lures/techniques off the wide variety out there. If I get something, I fish it until, (1) I have fished it so many times that I can conclude the bass in my waters don't like it, or (2) I catch a fish on it.

 

It took me a year to catch a bass on a Spook. I know they're great lures, so I kept chucking them and eventually got bit.

 

My latest puzzle is a frog....I don't have a lot of heavy cover in my ponds, but I really feel like I should have pegged one by now. I'll keep throwing it until I do...........

Rage Shad and Shellcracker.

No matter how or where, I just can't get bit on those things.

Whaaaaa the rage shad is where it is at o.o

Mike

I was immediately attracted to the shape of the "Strike King Structure Bug", but it turned out to be a disappointment.
More important to me than shape is reliable 'tail action' at very slow forward speeds.

The structure bug failed in that area, which I replaced with the 'Zoom Z-Craw',

which has a larger profile and far more reliable action.

 

Roger

 

Scatterraps.

Since starting to bass fish about 1 1/2 years ago, I have knocked off many lures/techniques off the wide variety out there. If I get something, I fish it until, (1) I have fished it so many times that I can conclude the bass in my waters don't like it, or (2) I catch a fish on it.

 

It took me a year to catch a bass on a Spook. I know they're great lures, so I kept chucking them and eventually got bit.

 

My latest puzzle is a frog....I don't have a lot of heavy cover in my ponds, but I really feel like I should have pegged one by now. I'll keep throwing it until I do...........

Obviously you want to catch some on the frog. I can dig that. But I've caught a good bit more in open water with a Chug Bug or a Chug'n Spook in frog pattern. I mean, pros tell you you need to walk the frog if you're going to do well in open water. These two hardbaits are already proven open water baits. I've caught very few bass on the frog when it wasn't at least near some cover or the water's edge.

" A Lure You Were Disappointed In After Using It"

 

I'll admit to having a few baits that fall into this category.

 

But I bet it pales in comparison to the number of baits in my box that are routinely

disappointed in ME. 

 

 

 

A-Jay

" A Lure You Were Disappointed In After Using It"

 

I'll admit to having a few baits that fall into this category.

 

But I bet it pales in comparison to the number of baits in my box that are routinely

disappointed in ME. 

 

 

 

A-Jay

 

LOL....aint that the truth....good thing my lures can't talk back to me....I can just imagine what mine would say when it gets back to the boat:

 

"WTH are you doing???  You sent me 3 yards to the right of that OBVIOUS stump that had a beast camping alongside....and then pulled me WAY too fast TWO FEET off the bottom and missed three humps and two culverts....why are we even out here if you don't want to catch the dang fish!!!!!"

I never caught anything but stripers accidentally with them until I started fishing ponds. It's like if I'm fishing a lake, there are better options. It seems fish need to be active for the fluke. Schooling near the surface on shad is ideal. At least in the pond you can know they're there and target them directly if you see signs of activity. It still isn't even one of my top lures. But I'll pull it out sometimes when the bite slows on reaction baits.

 

I fish a river and last year I picked a couple days where I wasn't fishing anything except a fluke.  Within 2 hours on both days and no bites I had something else tied on and was catching fish.  I have a buddy who fishes the same river and his number 1 confidence bait is a fluke.  I've fished with him in his boat, same fluke tied on, fishing (I thought) with the same presentation and he gets bit and I don't.

 

I no longer have flukes in my tackle bag.  They catch just as many fish (for me) sitting in my bait drawer at home. ha-ha

I fish a river and last year I picked a couple days where I wasn't fishing anything except a fluke.  Within 2 hours on both days and no bites I had something else tied on and was catching fish.  I have a buddy who fishes the same river and his number 1 confidence bait is a fluke.  I've fished with him in his boat, same fluke tied on, fishing (I thought) with the same presentation and he gets bit and I don't.

 

I no longer have flukes in my tackle bag.  They catch just as many fish (for me) sitting in my bait drawer at home. ha-ha

There are baits and techniques I don't like too. I'm not even going to try dropshot. Rather than using a jig/craw, I use a large T-rigged craw. I have jigs, I just don't have luck with them like I do the T-rig.

I know these baits are effective, but I really struggle to catch fish with a fluke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just take them out and reel them in slowly. I like to jerk and retrieve but we use them for my bro's gf because she doesn't know how to fish well. She just likes to reel in straight. Well, with a weightless fluke on she catches ton of fish that way.

LOL....aint that the truth....good thing my lures can't talk back to me....I can just imagine what mine would say when it gets back to the boat:

 

"WTH are you doing???  You sent me 3 yards to the right of that OBVIOUS stump that had a beast camping alongside....and then pulled me WAY too fast TWO FEET off the bottom and missed three humps and two culverts....why are we even out here if you don't want to catch the dang fish!!!!!"

Mine would probably say "Why are you reeling so FAST?"

Just take them out and reel them in slowly. I like to jerk and retrieve but we use them for my bro's gf because she doesn't know how to fish well. She just likes to reel in straight. Well, with a weightless fluke on she catches ton of fish that way.

 

Thanks tcbass. My gf and my son's gf usually get t-rigged stickbaits for the same reason. They don't know how to fish well and it's not uncommon for them to outfish us!

Um...isn't that erratic movement purposefully designed INTO the scatter rap?  Just sayin'.

I think we understand that. Its more on level of: Can this bait be productive? Thats what cranking is all about. When I have a bait tied on that might or might not reach the bottom on every cast when fishing 3-5 foot of water stacked up against, say a KVD 1.5 or DT4/DT6 that is going to reach on every cast I will choose the ladder. I think everyone knows that deflection while cranking leads to like 80%-90% of strikes and the Scatter Rap has proven that its probably not going to stay on the bottom once/if it gets there regardless of how shallow it is. This is all a nice way of saying I think its a bad bait and was duped by the heavy marketing. 

Just take them out and reel them in slowly. I like to jerk and retrieve but we use them for my bro's gf because she doesn't know how to fish well. She just likes to reel in straight. Well, with a weightless fluke on she catches ton of fish that way.

My best friend fishes that way with the Trick Worm and catches fish. He saw me slay them one day twitching them like a jerk bait. I tied him one on and he just throws it out and reels slowly. Probably catches some that I wouldn't because I don't fish them that slowly.

Since starting to bass fish about 1 1/2 years ago, I have knocked off many lures/techniques off the wide variety out there. If I get something, I fish it until, (1) I have fished it so many times that I can conclude the bass in my waters don't like it, or (2) I catch a fish on it.

 

It took me a year to catch a bass on a Spook. I know they're great lures, so I kept chucking them and eventually got bit.

 

My latest puzzle is a frog....I don't have a lot of heavy cover in my ponds, but I really feel like I should have pegged one by now. I'll keep throwing it until I do...........

This what I like probably more than anything about bass fishing learning new techniques and becoming confident in them. I have been bass fishing for 8 years and still do what you are doing. Only I want to share a little secret with you...All of those techniques that you have dismissed as unproductive in your waters...Your fish are not special, if they are proven techniques they will catch on your lakes. Its all about knowing the time and place which is something you don't know until you know. Also, its hard to get good at it if you are not catching. So I cannot blame your thought process it was the same I had. You will figure them out eventually and let me tell you your first frog fish will be worth the wait especially if you are throwing it in the real nasty stuff.

Rage Shad and Shellcracker.

No matter how or where, I just can't get bit on those things.

Whaaaaa the rage shad is where it is at o.o

Mike

It's just not where I'm at I guess...

Mike

Flukes and rattle traps for me.

Maybe it's the color and presentation with any bait.

I hang in there and still try it. I've seen baits catch nothing then just turn on go figure. I rotate my baits too so everyone gets pool time.

River2Sea Dahlberg frog has dissed me.  I have no problems with other brands. Must be the diving action.