Luke Barnes Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 I like variety and having a choice in things but anymore it seems that there are so many lures, especially soft plastics, that the market is absolutely flooded. I've heard the saying, too many options can be a bad thing. I tend to agree because it can confuse people and make them indecisive. It seems like every single day a new lure company hits the market claiming to make the best lure with the best action. But how many variations of a plastic worm do we really need?? Ribbed paddletails tend to look so smart I can't tell the difference if they were out of the package. I went head over heels buying baits I thought would work better than what I had because of the marketing and hype around them. But the tried and true still catch just as many fish so I don't need to see a billion worms before deciding. What is your thoughts? 3 Quote
Susky River Rat Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 Having a few choices in the boat is great. Needing every brand size color is not needed. Fishing companies are here to make money. Trying to sell you as many different kinds is how they do it. Pro anglers are going to push whoever they are sponsored by. Between brand A and brand B i highly doubt is enough difference to the fish. I played this game in the musky world. A $12 flatstick will catch just as much as a $200 hand carved and painted bait. I stick to what puts fish in my boat. 2 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 I try 'new stuff' when the mood strikes me. Part of what I might 'try' is at least having some idea of how and where I plan to use it. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it does not. Good deals I keep, others I re-home. Examples of recent (past 5 years) really good keepers include A-Rigs, Vibrating jigs, silent jerkbaits and some surface baits. Duds for me include glide baits and few different swimbaits. But I'd never know about any of this if I wasn't willing to 'try'. A-Jay 7 Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 “Let us assume we have proper ‘tools’ such as rods, reels, lines, boat, motor, etc. However, we will not assume we have proper lures. Since lures play such an important part in most fishermen’s minds (and normally create the most confusion and concern), we will reduce them all down to a couple basic types which will give proper depth and speed control on the troll and on the cast. By doing this, our ‘needs’ become very few, most of which could be carried in a small paper bag.” Buck Perry Needless to say, I almost always travel “light” ? 12 Quote
CM-fisher Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 While I could probably limit myself to 10 or so lures and still catch fish, I like having variety simply because it's fun to catch fish in a different way sometimes. I started drop shotting last year. I probably could have got those fish with a wacky rig or shakey head, but it was fun to be successful with something new. There probably are too many options, I think though that no one should get overwhelmed by them. To state the obvious, you don't need every new and hyped product to catch fish. Have fun picking stuff out and catching some bass! Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 23 minutes ago, Team9nine said: “Let us assume we have proper ‘tools’ such as rods, reels, lines, boat, motor, etc. However, we will not assume we have proper lures. Since lures play such an important part in most fishermen’s minds (and normally create the most confusion and concern), we will reduce them all down to a couple basic types which will give proper depth and speed control on the troll and on the cast. By doing this, our ‘needs’ become very few, most of which could be carried in a small paper bag.” Buck Perry Needless to say, I almost always travel “light” ? I get it ~ But the time period lived while 'learning' the above, was totally different. And the actual spoonplug itself may be a prefect example of that. btw - and I think you know this but I ALWAYS look forward to & really enjoy reading your thoughts & responses on stuff like this. A-Jay 2 Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 I knew an angler had a lure, and Senko was its name-o S-E-N-K-O S-E-N-K-O S-E-N-K-O And Senko was its name-o! Well, yeah, I use more than 5” Senkos. But if I had to pick one soft plastic under pain of death to fish exclusively over all others, that’d be the one. 4 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 3 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said: I knew an angler had a lure, and Senko was its name-o S-E-N-K-O S-E-N-K-O S-E-N-K-O And Senko was its name-o! Well, yeah, I use more than 5” Senkos. But if I had to pick one soft plastic under pain of death to fish exclusively over all others, that’d be the one. 2 Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said: What is your thoughts? Yes, there are way to many choices, but it's up to everyone to decide what to buy or not buy or what to use or not use. Tackle companies are in the business of selling tackle. 1 Quote
Luke Barnes Posted January 28, 2023 Author Posted January 28, 2023 2 minutes ago, Deleted account said: Yes, there are way to many choices, but it's up to everyone to decide what to buy or not buy or what to use or not use. Tackle companies are in the business of selling tackle. I agree, they aren't out to help people catch fish, they are out to make money. That's why they are a business and not a charity. But I just can't see how these small companies can make it with 50,000 other companies out there making the same kind of product. For the new Comer that can be daunting knowing what to pick when there are just so many choices for the same things. Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 6 minutes ago, A-Jay said: I get it ~ But the time period lived while 'learning' the above, was totally different. And the actual spoonplug itself may be a prefect example of that. btw - and I think you know this but I ALWAYS look forward to & really enjoy reading your thoughts & responses on stuff like this. A-Jay Understand - just saying it doesn’t take a lot of baits to catch a lot of fish, even these days. Most guys own way more stuff than they need - “just in case” ? On the other hand, you can buy and own everything available, and should be able to catch fish on all of it if you’re into that kind of thing Hard to take it all with you, but I always see plenty of guys out on the water giving it their best effort ? 4 Quote
Super User Columbia Craw Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 When I see a new lure/bait, I generally have to know what scenario it would most likely be viable or even really good. An example is the Dark Sleeper. When it went on the pegs and I saw it in person, I knew exactly where and when it should show off. It did. They choked it. It is a little more iffy with some other lure types like drop shot baits. So many are replicated with very subtle differences but they are a disposable bait and you go through them so they eventually pay off. Hard baits are troublesome. I young guy I know went to a sportsman’s show years ago and asked a product rep to pick out a hand full of hard baits. Well that didn’t go well. But yes you can get caught up in buying nuanced colors that it becomes redundant. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Mike L Posted January 28, 2023 Global Moderator Posted January 28, 2023 If you do anything long enough you learn what you like, what you have confidence in and what you have the most success with. In regards to fishing, if I had unlimited funds and storage capacity I probably would try new things more often. Sometimes something new will catch my eye and try one just because, but invariably it seems I always go back to my comfort zone. Mike 4 Quote
ironbjorn Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 This is a big world and a lot people want a slice of the pie $$$$$ The flood stops when the buyers make it stop, so never My suggestion is to buy what you like and what works for you. I only buy Dobyns rods and Shimano and Abu reels. My lure selection is so particular that I never stray (years of experience learning what I like and what works for me). 2 Quote
Super User Catt Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 27 minutes ago, Mike L said: invariably it seems I always go back to my comfort zone. Give me a sack of worms, 3/0 straight shank round bend hooks, 1/8-1/4 oz weights & I'm good to go! 10 Quote
Susky River Rat Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, MN_Bassin24 said: I probably could have got those fish with a wacky rig or shakey head, but it was fun to be successful with something new. That is more rig related then I just need a different brand of worm. Which the posters intent was why do I need all these different plastic worms. I get what you are saying though. I like to challenge myself to get good at a different rig/techniques 1 Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said: I agree, they aren't out to help people catch fish, they are out to make money. That's why they are a business and not a charity. But I just can't see how these small companies can make it with 50,000 other companies out there making the same kind of product. For the new Comer that can be daunting knowing what to pick when there are just so many choices for the same things. As far as the small companies, it's not easy, but a few will make it, most won't, that has to do with a lot of things not directly related to fishing. As far as the newcomers, it's almost a process that they need to go through. Truth of the matter is that you can take any of a myriad of a type of lure, and they all would work, but you aren't gonna convince someone without much experience of that, and the fact that they are bombarded with much misinformation from folks who should know better doesn't help. Me, I can take a Walmart $1 spinnerbait, tweek it a bit, and have the same confidence that if I don't catch fish, it's not the lure's fault, but that only comes from a lot of experience. Quote
garroyo130 Posted January 28, 2023 Posted January 28, 2023 I don't have an issue with original choices. I do have an issue with the billions of chinese knock offs of everything that you have to sift through when looking for stuff on amazon. I mean really how many D lures does one need???? 1 Quote
Super User gim Posted January 28, 2023 Super User Posted January 28, 2023 I’ve gone to just buying one lure at a time. I try it before I buy any more to prove itself. If it’s not effective, I’m only out one new lure. 1 Quote
Super User Mobasser Posted January 29, 2023 Super User Posted January 29, 2023 The last few years I've paired down. I don't carry nearly as much as I used to, and I can still catch as many fish as I always have. 2 Quote
Super User GreenPig Posted January 29, 2023 Super User Posted January 29, 2023 Yeah. My boat's front deck is like a clown car for 3700's and bags of lures. I detest being out on the water and wishing I had baits that are sitting on a shelf at home. In my defense I don't own every color of any bait, I think. If new anglers pay close attention to what the guys on this forum consistently catch fish on and pick up a few of those baits in colors & sizes that match your local forage, success will likely follow. I fished years with 1 rod, 7.5" Purple Culprits, and a Chug Bug, when my mode of transportation was a bicycle and I caught fish. 2 Quote
LonnieP Posted January 29, 2023 Posted January 29, 2023 I very rarely try new lures. I keep it simple by just throwing what I have confidence in. 2 Quote
Fishin Dad Posted January 30, 2023 Posted January 30, 2023 I do believe that a person doesn’t know what they like until they try A LOT of different things in different situations with different people. That is how I got so many baits and tackle. Now that I know what I like, I do stock up when on sale. I still mess around trying different things and I do believe that using lures or colors that others aren’t might help catch pressured fish. There are a lot more fisherman out there now. There are also too many videos, shows, podcasts, and forums that sell things that actually do work for them. Not just companies trying to make money. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 1 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted January 30, 2023 Super User Posted January 30, 2023 For younger anglers or anyone getting started , there is so many options that it would be boggling . For experienced anglers, nah we have a good idea what to use , when and where . 3 Quote
Super User Koz Posted January 30, 2023 Super User Posted January 30, 2023 Lures catch more anglers than fish! But yes, it can be overwhelming, especially when you don't have confidence baits and techniques. If you fish only one lake or pond year round then you probably don't need a lot of baits. But of you're fishing a lot of lakes with different depths, cover, structure, and forage you will undoubtedly accumulate more baits and tackle. Quote
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