The ones that don't work 

 

Deep diving crankbaits and ploppers are on the bottom shelf in the basement.  Bladed jigs still work, but they are not as effective as they used to be. Suspending jerkbaits work for me in larger bodies of water, but in smaller lakes and ponds it's a waste of time to fish with them.

16 hours ago, 928JLH said:

Whopper plopper, buzzbait and spoons. Underwhelming performance. 

Thank you for reminding me about the Whopper Plopper. It’s a flop.

Oh yeah - ned rigs.  I have lost 100% of the Ned rigs I have thrown and caught exactly one bullhead catfish that stuck me with his spike and then on the next cast I lost the Ned rig.

 

I don't throw Ned rigs 🤣

Agree with whopper ploppers, buzzbaits and ned rigs. Although I think ned rigs would do well there's too much grass around me and it just gets frustrating trying to use one, and I prefer a shakey head with either a hula stick or a smh worm as an alternative over the ewg weedless neds.

Whopper Plopper 

 

Don't even carry em anymore 

Ned Rigs. They work, I just hate fishing that slow. I always have some in the boat, but only get desperate enough to throw them once or twice a year. 

Jigs and deep divers, so much so that I gave all of my deep diving crankbaits and full size jigs to a buddy several years ago. I still have some finesse jigs  but rarely use them.

I fish a few small bodies of water in SE PA and NE PA. Five years ago the Whopper Plopper and the Ned Rig were deadly on these waters. Over the years, the plopper bite and to a lesser extent the Ned Rig bite dropped off.

 

I cannot remember getting one fish on a Plopper last year and very few on the Ned rig, but other baits worked fine. I have to wonder if fish can ID and avoid particular lures and can they pass their knowledge on to other fish considering that younger fish now inhabit the same water but still won't bite a Plopper? 

 

BTW i realized the Plopper issue popped up in the last few years so I deliberately fished the Plopper to prove or disprove fish behavior had changed regarding the Plopper and I believe it has but why? 

On 4/12/2025 at 4:34 PM, FishTank said:

Spinnerbaits.  I do use them but my lakes are burned out on them. I can throw a small crankbait and crush them but a spinnerbait is the quickest way to skunksville. 

Preach !!!!

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Preach !!!!

 

Zero today and yesterday on it but 4 on a swimbait and 3 on a jig.

 

bladed jig.............

Deep cranks, flukes, lizards, toads, cranks for about 9 months out of the season. 

On 4/12/2025 at 3:34 PM, FishTank said:

Spinnerbaits.  I do use them but my lakes are burned out on them. I can throw a small crankbait and crush them but a spinnerbait is the quickest way to skunksville. 

 

Interesting. My home lake is a mess of flooded timber and gets very "mossy" in the summer. Spinnerbaits are one of the few consistent producing lures in my arsenal. Even landed largest Nebraska bass ever on a bluegill colored spinnerbait.

 

 

 

 

14 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 caught exactly one bullhead catfish that stuck me with his spike 

I don't even touch the mud cats anymore.  Fishgrips, pliers, drop 'em back in.  Those things are nasty

Not nasty at all with cornmeal and veggie oil…,,

Dropshot. I refuse

Buzz Bait 

Spinnerbaits.

A Rig!!!!!   I’d rather watch professional bowling than fish one.  

It has to be a buzzbait for me.

 

I see people like Wheeler and Montgomery do well with them, but for me,... I've just never been successful with them.

On 4/14/2025 at 7:42 AM, Catt said:

Don't even carry em anymore 

I was looking through my gear and thinking the same…these are just taking up space.. mine have never seen a fish’s lips. 

On 4/12/2025 at 8:18 PM, VolFan said:

Lipless cranks. People love them. I have tried. I have failed in perpetuity.

Same here. Never caught nothing on one. Just weeds and algae! 😂

Tokyo Rigs…