# How much is to much?



## Luns (Feb 10, 2010)

Not sure if this thread has been started or not even so i was wondering what do you guys feel is the limit on how much you would spend on a lure. Im real big into swimbaits. I have all kinds from custom painted, to handmade, to custom molded swimbaits. These baits are pricey and i was wondering if anyone else spent the extra money on lures like these? If so where is your price point?


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

I have a handful of baits that cost over $12. I have only caught one Bass on one of them. That fish I seen boil in a school of shad and I picked that lure on purpose to throw knowing that fish would hit anything. I do regularly use baits in the $7 to $10 range, which is getting more and more common. For years I used lure that are still in the $4 to $5 range and caught lots of 
Bass. This I know for sure: Lures are made to catch fishermen! Fish don't care what you paid!


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## smallieguy (Apr 7, 2004)

Once upon a time I thought lucky crafts were to much. Now I own dozens
of them. $10 spinnerbaits, are you kidding me? Now I'd be getting a deal
at $10. A few times I've dropped $25 on a custom paint job or hard to find
old time favorite but as leeabu said, "fish don't care what you paid!".


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## Luns (Feb 10, 2010)

My thing is i am a firm believer in presentation. It may just be in my head but i feel if i get the baits that not only look exactly like a fish but swim like a fish im putting myself ahead of the game. For example and you guys may think im crazy but i love Matt Lures. These things look exactly like a fish, i have a couple hardbass and a couple ultimate bluegil and regular bluegil. I really love the ultimate bluegil because not only does it look exactly like a bluegil, its nose heavy. You through that bait on a nest and with the nose down it looks just like a bluegil eating on a nest.


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## smallieguy (Apr 7, 2004)

I agree completely with your ideas on presentation. Fishermen have for years been looking for "lifelike' lures and now we have them.But like most guys
money starts to become an issue at some point. There is a limit to what
most will spend. Swimbaits are next on my list, last on my list as well.
Mostly because of $.


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## Luns (Feb 10, 2010)

Ya i agree money is an issue obviously in these times, thats why i was curious to see what people would spend for the right lure or if people would purposely set aside funds to get the lure that cost $50-$60


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## bassmaniac (May 10, 2004)

I don't fish enough water with the visibility needed to require custom paint jobs or high end swim baits. Even then, my Strike King cranks and War Eagle spinner baits do the trick for me.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

Even though the lure looks visually identical to the origional to us, that does not mean it looks, smells, feels identical to the Bass. Even so this may help if the fish is not in a neutral mode. If the fish is actively feeding or guarding a nest, you can throw almost anything. This I have learned after 60 years of buying the latest thing and what looks good to me. There are two rules you should follow: Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Don't buy lures just before ice out.


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## jwardy21 (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm glad someone brought this up. I was wondering the same thing. I personally have never spent more than $12 dollars on a lure. Partly because if we don't buy them they will be forced to bring the prices down. So I refuse to buy Lucky Craft lures. I'm certain I can catch fish with other lures. The price you pay for those lures (and I know other companies are just as expensive...I'm not just picking on luck craft) bass should jump in your boat. I personally like strike king and rapala lures I know the prices have gone up in recent years but I think they make a good product and a price tag that's not too steep. For example you can buy three strike king spinners for about 15 bucks. I won't be afraid to the throw the bait where the fish are and not afraid to lose it either. If I paid that for one I would be afraid to throw it anywhere but in open water. Let's face it you might catch a few in open water but your gonna catch a lot more banging any lure off and around structure! Just my opinion... 

I've never bought any swim baits from strike king either!


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## Erterbass (Jul 4, 2005)

Luns said:


> My thing is i am a firm believer in presentation...For example and you guys may think im crazy but i love Matt Lures...


I've been using the Matt Lures' Baby Bass for several years - and there is no doubt that they have helped me catch bigger bass during tough times than standard presentations. And the great thing? They are about the easiest lures to present - cast and wind back nice & steady. Course, ya have to throw them where the bass are but that's the case with any lure.

I have my share of Lucky Crafts too - and they do catch fish. Once I got over the worry of throwing them into heavy cover (and once I got a crankbait retriever) I found how versatile and effective they really are.

My tackleboxes aren't filled with expensive lures (most are Rapala's, Strike King and Bandit) but there are a decent number of Sebile, Matt Lures and LC's to round things out.

Leeabu, I love your advice:_ 'Don't buy lures just before ice out..'_ Classic! 

Bob


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## Luns (Feb 10, 2010)

leeabu said:


> Even though the lure looks visually identical to the origional to us, that does not mean it looks, smells, feels identical to the Bass. Even so this may help if the fish is not in a neutral mode. If the fish is actively feeding or guarding a nest, you can throw almost anything. This I have learned after 60 years of buying the latest thing and what looks good to me. There are two rules you should follow: Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Don't buy lures just before ice out.


I can agree to your last statement, this post isnt about buying lures before ice out, im more interested in knowing if we as fisherman are willing to spend the extra money for a lure. Common sense tells you the lure will not be the exact same as a fish but if you can duplicate a lure as close to a fish as you can i think that will give you an edge.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

i spend what i believe a bait is worth to me. i fish the ohio river for smallies and wouldn't hesitate to buy a custom painted pointer for $30-$50 if i felt it could pay itself off. however, i can't inagine i would buy a $15 spinnerbait to start bumping through stumps and grass when it's a bait that's moving so fast most bites will be a reaction bite. i just don't believe a detailed finish helps out that much it that situation. as for my swimbaits, i don't even want to talk about some of the prices i've paid for those! about 3 years ago the only place you could buy a paddle tail was ebay, and those guys stuck it to you.


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## norseangler (Jan 8, 2009)

In about 40 years of bass fishing, i don't think I've ever spent more than $10 on a lure. Some of those high-dollar lures look good, but I'm not convinced they are three times better than a Bandit or Bomber crankbait, or twice as much as a Rapala. In fact, as far as jerkbaits go, I prefer a Husky Jerk or XRap over any of the big ticket jerkbaits. I own one Pointer - I picked it off a bush at Pleasant Hill - and it's nice, but not worth more than a Husky Jerk. I remember when Lazy Ike came out with the "Natural Ike," one of the first lures intended to duplicate the appearance of a fish, they sure looked good, but didn't catch much and disappeared quickly.


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## Luns (Feb 10, 2010)

I kind of feel like these more expensive lures do not obviously pay more attention to detail but are larger. With this said i think that you sacrifice quantity for quality. I dont catch the numbers i do with say a jig or a rapala but i do catch the bigger fish.


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

And as I stated, yes I agree it will give you an edge if you are targeting non acitve fish. However I prefer to target active fish and do not believe the extra money is any advantage in that situation. Therefor I as a Bass angler am not willing to spend the extra money because the type of fishing I do does not seem to warrant it. If you think it makes a difference in the type of fishing you as a Bass angler do, then by all means buy the expensive baits.


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## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

leeabu said:


> Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Don't buy lures just before ice out.


That's funny to me because I thought of that exact same line tonight when I was having a few drinks after a tough day of walleye fishing.


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## sploosh56 (Dec 31, 2008)

I'm slowly becoming a fan of swim baits in clear water


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

It took me a while but i used to buy all kinds of lures that i thought looked good. Especially crankbaits. Now i tend to buy just the ones i use the most and as hard as it is leave the ones on the shelf that catch my eye. As for colors, i used to buy every color they had, now i buy just the ones i catch the most fish on. Sometimes i still cannot hold back and have to buy something i read about but overall i stick with what works for me. I have so many soft plastics that i have collected over the years that it is sick. I try to force my self to used some of the one ones i havn't used in years just because i have them. Truth is they all catch fish but as fishermen we get confidence in certain lures and tend to stick with them. It don't take long to blow 100 bucks anymore when buying fishing tackle and sad part is it all fits in a little plastic bag.


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## Tokugawa (Apr 29, 2008)

First of all, buying junk lures is not the way to go. I can't tell you how many Strike King spinner baits I have without skirts on them. The rubber bands melt and the skirts fall off. Hand tied spinnerbaits are better for a few bucks. I've also bought cheap cranks that didn't run straight. I know you can tweak the eye to make it run straight, but I do not want to fool with that. I want it to work out of the box.

I buy Lucky Crafts and love them. Sure, I catch fish on Strike Kings, Bombers and Bandits. I also catch a lot of fish on the LCs when they won't hit anything else.

Presentation does matter. However, you can present the wrong bait the right way all day long and never get bit.

Matt Lures makes good stuff.

It comes down to this - if you can't afford it, then don't buy it...or at least don't pay retail.


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## smalliediehard (Oct 28, 2005)

i have over $1000 cranks in various lucky craft models and they outfish any other crank i use.i love em! mostly because they have great paintjobs and the cranks always run true


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## thelatrobe33 (May 19, 2008)

I think it's all about what you feel comfortable with. I personally use some LC and Megabass lures because I love the way they look and run. I also have a rather small boat and a lure retriever, so I rarely lose one. In fact, I think I found nearly as many baits as I lost last year. Losing a $20 lure is quite painful, but not getting the bite from that 6 lber is painful too...

All that being said, I think anything over $20 is too much for a lure. I don't really see the need to use $50 swimbaits for Ohio bass. It's justified in CA or FL, but not for the smaller bass up here. I will however use up to 5" swimbaits here, but none of mine exceed my $20 limit.


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