With the Christmas Exchange complete & after having a couple sponsors send me tackle to evaluate I got a question.

How do y'all know when new lures are going to be productive?

When the bite is on?

When the bite is tough?

I would think both. Sometimes the bite is"off" because we haven't picked the lure that will trigger a bite in the first place.

 There have been those days where the bite is so good, I switched up to a few different types of baits only to find that one was not the ticket for that day, It's a little bit of both. The trick is not to come to a rushed conclusion, things are not always what they seem to be.

Ex. If you are on a good jig bite, and all of the takers have been on the bottom of a rock pile in 18 ft of water and you change up to a crank bait that dives 12 ft, and the bite "stops" the real issue is not the bait but are you getting the bait down to the takers?

 I am sure you know all of this and More Catt, just what i would consider when testing a bait I have not used

If you can catch 2 fish in a day on a lure, its prductive

thats my rule.

I have a lot of lures that can't even get one

With the Christmas Exchange complete & after having a couple sponsors send me tackle to evaluate I got a question.

How do y'all know when new lures are going to be productive?

When the bite is on?

When the bite is tough?

you dont know.

With the Christmas Exchange complete & after having a couple sponsors send me tackle to evaluate I got a question.

How do y'all know when new lures are going to be productive?

When the bite is on?

When the bite is tough?

I think the only way to evaluate a new lure is when

the bite is on and the "new" lure is in the same class.

Otherwise, "How do it know?"

8-)

I also think its both. Its hard to get confidence in a new bait. And when the bite is on it helps get that confidence in that bait.So you wont think twice to throw it when there shut down a bit.And if you get bit then, you know you got a winner IMO. Another way to tell is let Burley use it, if he catches anything over the 8" mark, you should be able to catch 100 over the 20" mark

I think it all has to do with presentation, I think a good fisherman can pick up any bait and catch fish with it, if it is a presentable bait for the area. I don't think most people can pick up a 12" swimbait and know exactly how to throw it. It comes with becoming comfortable with that bait. It isn't going to feel good untill your used to it but any bait can become your new money bait.

I know theres been times where I try fishing a new bait and don't get anything and then it goes back into the box. But I know the more I start throwing it I get more comfortable with how to use it.

I do also believe in having your money baits because you get comfortable throwing that bait and you know exactly how to present that bait to be the most natural for the fish.

Cheers from North Idaho... too nasty to be out fishing right now so home you southerners are enjoying the waters!

The bite is never off, just the fisherman.

The bite is never off, just the fisherman.

Oh, c'mon...The bite stops sometimes, big time!

8-)

The bite is never off, just the fisherman.

Yelp you can catch bream any time

I evaluate a new lure by using it when the fish are on or in a biting mood to see if it triggers strikes.  If it does I use it on a day when the bite is slow or off to see if it works under these conditions as well.  If it does, it gets a special place in my tackle box as it is rare to find one that works in both situations.

I evaluate a new lure by using it when the fish are on or in a biting mood to see if it triggers strikes. If it does I use it on a day when the bite is slow or off to see if it works under these conditions as well. If it does, it gets a special place in my tackle box as it is rare to find one that works in both situations.

There seems to be more to a new bait than this.For instance, on prodding from Roadwarrior I decided totry A Fat Ika  type bait( I use *, by ***) they worked like he said they would. One day I ran out of Fat Alberts, that I was using on a Jig Head, and the only plastic I had that closely resembled that bait was a *, Turned out it works better than a Fat Albert. So there is a lot more than just using a bait the way it is intended to use and there are ways all of us use baits that are not out of the box presentations.

I would think both ... if your looking to test lures wouldnt you want it to work in all contitions?

But if the bass are aggressive & hitting most anything have I truly evaluated the new bait?

But if the bass are inactive & not hitting any thing have I truly evaluated the new bait?

Kinda makes ya scratch your head huh  

But if the bass are inactive & not hitting any thing have I truly evaluated the new bait?

Thats where a great bait will shine.  Like a jig.   8-)

Try the new bait and give it a good testing in whatever conditions available. Then hand it another fisherman on the boat and have them test it.

If they hate it you have an answer.

Capt Mike

But if the bass are aggressive & hitting most anything have I truly evaluated the new bait?

But if the bass are inactive & not hitting any thing have I truly evaluated the new bait?

Kinda makes ya scratch your head huh

I would like to tell you to scratch something else, but it is a family site

Test new lures in proven areas. (not necissarily active or in-active fish).

 Last three times out, you used a DT6 down a certain stretch of bank and caught a few fish each pass.

 Next time out, try your new lure IF it resembles the DT6 you've been using.  IF no fish...tie your DT6 back on and run the bank again.

I guess....when trying new lures, you need to be where the fish are. Don't use new lures to try to find fish.  Use old confidence lures to do that. Then, once found....see if any of the new lures work better.  

Test new lures in proven areas. (not necissarily active or in-active fish).

Last three times out, you used a DT6 down a certain stretch of bank and caught a few fish each pass.

Next time out, try your new lure IF it resembles the DT6 you've been using.  IF no fish...tie your DT6 back on and run the bank again.

I guess....when trying new lures, you need to be where the fish are. Don't use new lures to try to find fish. Use old confidence lures to do that. Then, once found....see if any of the new lures work better.

Would that be the bait or the timing?  

One thing is for sure: you shouldn't try new lures for the first time when the bite is tough. That's a great way to lose confidence in a potentially great bait, and I think it's a major reason a lot of people have a couple go-to baits from which they never veer.

When I'm trying a brand-new bait I know nothing about, I try to use it when the bite is on just to get it through my brain that the thing is capable of tricking a fish. Once I have confidence in it, then I'll experiment with it on tougher days. But generally, when the bite is tough, I'll stick to my couple confidence baits (jig, senko, chatterbait/spinnerbait).