On 5/28/2025 at 10:57 PM, IcatchDinks said:

You're right. It wasn't a beetlespin. It was very similar, but with an underspin configuration, not the spinnerbait style. Guess IDK what it was. 

Likely it was a Roadrunner, a small horsehead jig with an underspin blade.

@casts_by_flyDon’t give up on them!!! I was in your boat for years without one ding dang bite since 2005. I signed off and wrote them off. I decided to give them another try within the past 2-3 years with a 1/8-3/16 bait t-rigged and something in my brain just switched on and I started catching them regularly now. 
 

One thing I think didn’t help was not realizing that the movement of my rod to impart action or life when “small” to me above the water were actually large moves under the water, and thus, moving them out of the strike zone too quickly.  I think being mindful of what I did to impart action in smaller bits seemed to really help increase my odds. Also, I noticed longer rods (as in 7’ +) moved the lure much more than I thought. 

 

I  will throw in the other creature, craws, and “bug” (sweet beavers, rage tails, pacas, etc.) in this category. Just caught a nice one this evening on a beaver type lure tonight. 
 

Even the Walmart Creme creatures kick butt. I do use scissors to cut the middle flaps length wise to add some action. All sizes too. Standard brush hog, small b-hog and even the baby b-hog. Good hunting!

 

To the Topic

 

Things I like but aren’t seemingly popular:

* using inline spinners, spoons

* using mono for most applications 

* using 2-piece rods. I have my true “bass” 1-piece rods, but the reality is the 2-pieces fit in my trunk unseen. The true rods though I love them do not get much action. 
 

Things I don’t like or care to try or just can’t seem to get around to it

* Super pricey lures, because I am a shore angler. I just lost my rapala glass husky jerk tonight because the wind blew my cast off my intended target and it got caught on an old piling. Had to break off. I was tempted to swim out to it to save it. 😂 If I had a means to recover them, it would no longer be an issue

* I appreciate the benefits of braid and what it offers, but it doesn’t meet my needs and therefore I don’t use it.  20-30# braid can be hard to break off from the shore and I don’t like the idea of the line remaining underwater will be there to potentially entangle animals or people. 

Update:

I forgot to include that the bladed jig has been zero, zip, nada for right now. 😭 I’ll giving another some time in the future. 

Edited May 31, 20251 yr by islandbass
Update

I don't particularly like fishing topwater. I do it if I think it's best for the application, but if I can get bit on crankbaits or flukes I use those. I've went a month at a time between fishing towater, and I fish 4 times a week or more.

 

Now that said, I have decided I am going to become a student of the zara spook. I really like the old school spit'n image, which is more like a sammy than a spook since it has a good belly. I usually work it slow and methodically.

 

The spook, I am intrigued by for some reason.

On 5/27/2025 at 1:30 PM, MN Fisher said:

Bad

- nope....not saying the name, I'd like to stay able to post and not start a fight.

That's weird, aren't we allowed to discuss favorite AND non favorite brands/techniques/anything fishing related? This is how we learn from each other, thinking and speaking freely - respectfully of course

On 5/27/2025 at 12:03 PM, FryDog62 said:

Daiwa SV reels. Actually a love/hate

 

On 5/27/2025 at 12:03 PM, FryDog62 said:

buzz kill in terms of casting distance

Maybe it's because I swapped the bearings to hybrid ceramic, but I put a 1/4oz underspin+3 inch plastic (so about 3/8 total ish) about 40 yards. Now i need to explore what this can do with a little weight to it

6 hours ago, Bazoo said:

I don't particularly like fishing topwater. I do it if I think it's best for the application, but if I can get bit on crankbaits or flukes I use those. I've went a month at a time between fishing towater, and I fish 4 times a week or more.

 

Now that said, I have decided I am going to become a student of the zara spook. I really like the old school spit'n image, which is more like a sammy than a spook since it has a good belly. I usually work it slow and methodically.

 

The spook, I am intrigued by for some reason.

Thats because of its history as one of the best walking hard baits ever made.

The full size Spook is my 1st or 2nd choice almost every time.

The only exception is in certain conditions that call for a spitting type one like the Sexy Dawg. 

I don’t use the Spook Jr as a lot of folks on here do as the original size just seems to catch a higher quality fish for me. 
 

Grab one and have some fun 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

 

I like but most don't

Yo zuri hybrid

 

Cheap AE lures, because many of them are manufactured in the same factory as big names, just without lining the pockets of CEOS with a 1000% mark up. 

 

The trilene knot for mono/fluoro

 

Uni knot for braid

 

Barely ever use a leader now

 

I don't like

 

Keitech paddletails

Manufactured rods

 

Drop shotting

Tackle Warehouse 

 

 

1 hour ago, Mike L said:

Thats because of its history as one of the best walking hard baits ever made.

The full size Spook is my 1st or 2nd choice almost every time.

The only exception is in certain conditions that call for a spitting type one like the Sexy Dawg. 

I don’t use the Spook Jr as a lot of folks on here do as the original size just seems to catch a higher quality fish for me. 
 

Grab one and have some fun 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

 

Yes, the history of it is a major part of the draw for me. Also, it's simple. It seems like simple things work, the ned rig and the senko are examples. I actually have a spook that I found a couple years back. I haven't had any luck with it, but I haven't fished it much.

On 5/27/2025 at 11:18 AM, Rockhopper said:

I don't really like fishing green pumpkin

I don't like buzzbaits or whopper ploppers. Also don't like treble hooks and swap them out on the select hard baits that I like enough to throw anyway w/out them...