For me, it's a chatterbait. I can't catch anything on them. I've given up on them, at least for now.                                                           Whats a bait that you've tried, that just hasn't worked out for you?

If we are keeping it to things we've actually fished, I haven't caught a bass on a jerkbait.  Pike? Sure... Monster crappie?  You bet.... Bass?  Never

 

Plenty that I've never tried though?  Dropshot, etc...

I don't think there is a specific lure or presentation that I've never caught at least one bass on to be honest.

 

For a couple years though, I struggled to catch fish on a jerk bait.  I actually considered selling them.  I stuck with it though and one day it produced a number of good brown bass.  Now I have one tied on when I'm smallmouth fishing every single time, and I also use it occasionally for largies.

 

Currently, I would say that topwaters are my nemesis.  The whopper plopper is such an over hyped lure.

 

6 minutes ago, ajschn06 said:

Plenty that I've never tried though?  Dropshot, etc...

 

I've tried it too.  Can't stand it.  Its like watching paint dry.  Not disputing its effectiveness because its obvious that it works, but its just not up my alley.

A spy bait.  Not sure that I have any confidence in it.

I don't believe I've caught a fish on a whopper plopper. I've thrown one a fair amount but I'm not impressed. A buzz bait is far more effective for me.

Mentioned this one just recently ~ Glide baits.

Now I know they catch fish, and some big ones.

But for whatever reason, not for me.

I just don't get it. 

Not only did I throw these wacky baits all ALL over my favorite big fish haunts last year, I've been hurling these things all over northern Michigan for going on 3 seasons !

Well, not anymore, my current glide bait inventory is ZERO.

I sold them all and have NO plans to change that. 

Free at last !

A-Jay

I'm going to have to go lure specific here . Bagleys use to make a striped bass sized shad crankbait . It looked just like a shad . I have caught numerous bass with large shad in their gullets   , so naturally thought this would be a good big bass bait . Nada . I threw that bait until the lip fell off and didnt catch a single fish .

Unfortunately I haven’t caught a single fish with most of my lures! Lots of fancy crank baits and jerkbaits, only one or two of them seem to work. And I usually lose those……..

then I pick up a bag of soft plastics and fish chew them up 

Flukes and lipless crankbaits. I’m going to give the lipless another try this spring, but I’ve never done well on the fluke. They just don’t do it for me

i've never caught a fish on a buzzbait! plenty of fish on whopper plopper though ?

Gonna have to back up @A-Jay on the glide bait, I have three or four of them with teeth marks on them but I never seem to get a hook up with them.  Both S-wavers and Gantrels of different size. Going to lean into my jigs,T-rigs, and jackhammers this year, might look towards top water a little more as well.

1-Frog

2-Chatterbait

3-Buzzbait

 

I know thats a long list 

A REALLY deep diving crankbait.  I'm talking about one that can hit the bottom in 25+ feet of water.  I've fished several that can get down there but I can get bit on them.  I've spent many hours trying.

Swimsenko.

I really had to think about this one because every bait will catch a fish no matter how gimmicky. Even the few low productivity baits I own like the Musky Jitterbug and larger Whopper Plopper I've at least caught one bass on - lol. Then it dawned on me. The ONE bait I can't ever remember catching a single fish on - even getting a single bite on - that I threw enough to give more than a fair shot was the LuckyCraft LVR/LV50 lipless rattlebait. I bought two, red craw and green craw. They looked great. I've caught a ton of fish on their cranks and jerks, so I thought these would be solid.

 

NOPE. NOT-A-SINGLE-FISH. 

 

Gave the red one away. Think I still have the green one for some unknown reason 

Chatterbait and I have really given them a chance.

 

Allen

Never caught a single largemouth bass on a Chatterbait.

A buzzbait. Not that I've thrown one much but just hasn't worked for me, for any kind of fish.

 

And I have yet to catch a smallmouth on a chatterbait, but have caught largemouth. 

Chatterbait, but that is changing this year. 

 

I see that I'm not alone here.. I would have never thought so. 

1 minute ago, Team9nine said:

I really had to think about this one because every bait will catch a fish no matter how gimmicky. Even the few low productivity baits I own like the Musky Jitterbug and larger Whopper Plopper I've at least caught one bass on - lol. Then it dawned on me. The ONE bait I can't ever remember catching a single fish on - even getting a single bite on - that I threw enough to give more than a fair shot was the LuckyCraft LVR/LV50 lipless rattlebait. I bought two, red craw and green craw. They looked great. I've caught a ton of fish on their cranks and jerks, so I thought these would be solid.

 

NOPE. NOT-A-SINGLE-FISH. 

 

Gave the red one away. Think I still have the green one for some unknown reason 

 

Ah man, my FAVORITE lipless ever! Don't give up, these things can produce.

2 hours ago, FishTank said:

A spy bait.  Not sure that I have any confidence in it.

 

Me too. Probably because i've never owned one or thrown one! Haha

I'm starting to see a consistent here with chatterbait. I figured I was the only guy out there not killin it with chatterbaits. Good to know I'm not alone

29 minutes ago, EWREX said:

i've never caught a fish on a buzzbait! plenty of fish on whopper plopper though ?

 

While I have caught fish on a buzzbait, it is somewhat of a thorn in my side. The Whopper Plopper though... lights out! 

1 minute ago, Mobasser said:

I'm starting to see a consistent here with chatterbait. I figured I was the only guy out there not killin it with chatterbaits. Good to know I'm not alone

 

I've definitely caught a few fish with them, but I not going to be raving about them anytime soon like so many do. 

6 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I'm starting to see a consistent here with chatterbait. I figured I was the only guy out there not killin it with chatterbaits. Good to know I'm not alone

I've literally given them a fair shake.

Over submerged cover, countdown on points, bumping stumps, ledges, flats, rocks, grass.......nut'n.

I don't understand how one could throw a chatterbait and NOT catch a fish.

 

They darn near rip my arm off every time I throw one. 

Plenty of things I haven't caught a bass on, but I think I've caught a bass on everything I've tried. To be fair I don't ever fish something bizarre or brand new. I keep it fairly typical and safe.