# lures you can't catch a fish on no matter how hard you try



## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

I've got one.

Johnson Silver Minnow. I've got them in 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 and 3/4 oz. I really want to catch a fish with one but can't. I think the main problem with them is that the main face tends to face the bottom more than other spoons. It needs to face the sides more so that fish have better odds of seeing it. On one of mine (the 1/4 oz) the weedgard is pretty stiff and I wonder if it might prentent hookage.

I've got a couple double bladed 3/8 and 1/2 oz spinnerbaits which I don't fish much bc they look so big in the water. I need to get over it fish them and catch a fish with them. Then fish them more often and catch more fish.

I'm also afraid of buzzbaits for some reason. FISH CAN SWIM FASTER THAN YOU CAN REEL. FISH CAN SWIM FASTER THAN YOU CAN REEL. I should know this as I've caught more than a couple fish while reeling in other lures as fast as I could for one reason or another (thought they had weeds snagged, needed to help nephew remove fish, etc).

How about you?


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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

fish the buzzbaits slower! my bait i can't catch fish on is a quad blade spinnerbaits and a balsa B


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

I only have 1/8 oz buzzbaits and to get them to buzz the surface it seems like I'm reeling pretty fast. Maybe I'll get a 1/4 oz one if you can get it to buzz the surface slower. Do you always have them buzzing the surface? Or do you sometimes go subsurface?


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## Fish4Fun (Apr 6, 2004)

man i love buzzbaits. I am usually on the surface but have caught fish sub surface. For example after a cast when you just getting the lure started or when your reeling and have to stop for a second to do something. I have large and small both work great. As for large spinnerbaits they work for sure in the right conditions.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

what are the best conditions for fishing a 1/2 oz double bladed spinnerbait (like a terminator with a 4.25 willow top blade of which I have one). Its ideal for largemouth I take it. Less ideal for smallies and muskies,etc. Though its probably good for bigger smallies.


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

Fish4Fun said:


> As for large spinnerbaits they work for sure in the right conditions.


right conditions is true to an extent.... ive taken my booyah mini shad which has 3 gold willows on it and threw it on a slightly over cast day with the water being a sheet of glass and clear as crystal and caught fish and then turned it around and thrown it on a bright sunny day in stained water and caught fish.... you just need something in the environment to help break up the profile of the bait to help fool the fish into thinking its baitfish... whether it be wind ripples on the surface or cloud cover or turbid water...... if you throw a spinnerbait on a cloudless, windless day in clear water.... those fish are gonna realize what it is and wont eat it..... ya always need something to break that light up

spinnerbait + cold front = woohoo.... well for me it does sometimes.... then again i am a spinnerbait junkie 

also... this may sound dumb as heck to some people.... but i like to spray a little bit of shad fish attractant on my spinnerbaits.....every little bit helps i guess


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

crawdiddy said:


> what are the best conditions for fishing a 1/2 oz double bladed spinnerbait (like a terminator with a 4.25 willow top blade of which I have one). Its ideal for largemouth I take it. Less ideal for smallies and muskies,etc. Though its probably good for bigger smallies.


smallies love spinners... the majority of the smallies ive caught have come on spinnerbaits..... ive also had pike strike them...spinners are good for a little bit of everything.... ive caught blugill on strike king Micro-kings and perch and crappie on inline spinners


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## ncraft150 (Apr 5, 2004)

It's not so much a lure for me but a rig. The Carolina Rig.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I have used them on inland lakes and rivers, in the USA as well as Canada for over 60 years and would select it as one of my hard core "Go To" lures.  
Have caught Bass, Pike, Walleye, Musky, and Panfish with a Johnson Spoon tipped with pork rind as well as plastic. You have to retrieve it fast enough to get it to wobble properly or also impart a jigging motion to your retrieve.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

probably lots of them since i've been away from bassin' for so long 


> I have used them on inland lakes and rivers, in the USA as well as Canada for over 60 years and would select it as one of my hard core "Go To" lures.
> Have caught Bass, Pike, Walleye, Musky, and Panfish with a Johnson Spoon tipped with pork rind as well as plastic. You have to retrieve it fast enough to get it to wobble properly or also impart a jigging motion to your retrieve.


 great bait when used as described.haven't used one for years,but it was also one of my favorite "go to" lures(long ago,lol) that always caught bass.


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## heyjay (Mar 22, 2005)

ncraft150 said:


> It's not so much a lure for me but a rig. The Carolina Rig.



Amen . It just doesn't feel "right" to me and I can't ever get comfortable fishing it .


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## steelhead1 (May 14, 2004)

heyjay said:


> Amen . It just doesn't feel "right" to me and I can't ever get comfortable fishing it .



I used to feel this way as well. Since switching to Fireline I love this rig now! Of course you have to run some fluro off the Fireline


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

ncraft150 said:


> It's not so much a lure for me but a rig. The Carolina Rig.


I hated this rig for a long time, then after using it with live bait, ive tryed it with lizards and craws. It works really well.
The same with the drop shot rig, I hated that for a long time, and got used to it now I love it. 
The lure I cant the fish I am trying to catch on it is a rattle trap. The sad thing is I use it all the time. Ive caught a few fish on it, even crappie, and some bass, but only when I want to catch other species.....


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## steelhead1 (May 14, 2004)

liquidsoap said:


> The lure I cant the fish I am trying to catch on it is a rattle trap. The sad thing is I use it all the time. Ive caught a few fish on it, even crappie, and some bass, but only when I want to catch other species.....


The 1/4oz chrome/blue trap has been my go to for years


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## fishintiger (Apr 26, 2004)

Anything that is in my tackle box that is not a hook or jighead tipped with a minnow. I have a hard time catching fish on anything other than that. I have caught a few more this year on jigs and tails. But then again I have fished jigs and tails more this year than in years past.


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

I too have trouble catching fish on a Rattle trap or any other lipless crank for that matter. I have managed to catch a few small ones on a 1/4 oz RT, but not much else. 

lg_mouth


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## GO FISH (Aug 13, 2004)

The two that come to mind for me are a Manns Hard Worm topwater bait,the other was a Manns soft crank bait looked like a tadpole but I don't remember the name. It always looked good in the water ,but never caught anything.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

I will try the Johnson's Silver Minnow tipped with soft plastic(I'm gonna cut the twin tail off a hula grub and try that for starters since its symmetrical). Lately I've been all about catching fish on lures I've never caught fish on before. I am now determined to catch one on the silver minnow. Today I caught 2 largemouth on a Rapala Husky 13 (a fat version of the floater 13: it is no longer made) that I've had for about 23 years and never caught a fish on. I was going for musky with it though. Thanks for the tips.


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## steelhead1 (May 14, 2004)

lg_mouth said:


> I too have trouble catching fish on a Rattle trap or any other lipless crank for that matter. I have managed to catch a few small ones on a 1/4 oz RT, but not much else.
> 
> lg_mouth


The trick is to use a high speed reel...You really have to smoke the RT's.
You just can't fish them to fast.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

I will try smoking the rattletraps! lol. I'll try that today I think as I think conditions are good for them (river fairly high and muddy). I don't fish them much but I've caught one fish on the small 1/8 original rattle trap (a rock bass I think) and a couple white bass while trolling a 1/4 oz (generic one). Day of the white bass could have caught them on anything though. At least I have figured out how to fish them and not get as many snags as I did last season (just fish faster and jerk them up more often. I try to keep them just above the bottom). Its a lure I could see myself reallly liking as they cast like a bullet and you can cover a lot of area with them.


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## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

i cant catch anything on a jitterbug or a spoon


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

try a 1/4 oz (or thereabouts depending on what you are fishing for, etc) kastmaster spoon. it is one of my most productive lures. covers a lot of water. While I haven't fished it from the bank, I would think it is better fished from a boat.


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

The three baits I have yet to catch a fish on:

1: Buzzbait(caught fish on jitterbugs and tournament frogs)
2: any suspending jerk baits(caught fish on soft jerk baits, like slug-o's)
3: rattletrap(i've caught fish on rattlin' raps)


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

BottomBouncer said:


> 1: Buzzbait(caught fish on jitterbugs and tournament frogs)
> 2: any suspending jerk baits(caught fish on soft jerk baits, like slug-o's


Man what is with everyone and buzzbaits, I do well on buzz baits...
The suspending jerk bait is one of my favorite lures.....
Rattletraps still aint catching fish on it!


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## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

Zara Spook. I can "walk the dog" just as good as the Pro's, and I've never caught a fish on one! I can't catch fish on Senco type baits either.


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## Fishing-Miller23 (Jul 16, 2005)

Senkos are awesome! I caught 8 bass yesterday on them with 2 different sizes and colors.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

I fell for the gimmick bait once and that was the Flying lures. I never caught a single fish on those dang things!

I catch all kinds of fish on:

rattletraps
suspending jerkbaits
buzzbaits


Never fished with zara spook(even though I love surface baits), drop shot rigs or senkos, but I might try them some day.

CG


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## lg_mouth (Jun 7, 2004)

I wasn't into the suspending jerkbaits either until I tried the new X-Rap from Rapala. I caught some pretty good bass the other evening on one. It casts well and suspends like a dream.

lg_mouth


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## ocdfishguy (Dec 7, 2004)

3/8 OZ buzzbaits. I have 2... one black,one white. I am going to catch something on them even if it kills me..lol. I think I may be reeling to fast. I guess it is like every thing else, if I work at it long enough I will figure it out.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

I thought of one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the gimmick bait, the helicopter Lure. That lure is so blimey retarded!


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## jason81 (Sep 16, 2005)

I havent caught anything on my crankbaits yet... don't know what i'm doing wrong. everything else I toss in the fish tear apart.


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## young-gun21 (Mar 14, 2006)

I'm with Jason81...I can troll crankbaits for Muskies & Walleye's all day. But when it comes to catching bass in deep water...I'll be chucking a spinnerbait, or something plastic! It's probably more of a confidence thing...so I definately want to spend some dedicated time once I get into a boat.


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## Fishing-Miller23 (Jul 16, 2005)

lg_mouth said:


> I wasn't into the suspending jerkbaits either until I tried the new X-Rap from Rapala. I caught some pretty good bass the other evening on one. It casts well and suspends like a dream.
> 
> lg_mouth


Do you use the bigger size or the smaller size? I have one of the bigger ones. Haven't caught anything on it though.


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

CHATTERBAIT.... I HAVENT CAUGHT SQUAT ON IT..... mainly because its a $6 piece of junk... but im still gonna give it a chance every time i go out


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

hadn't done too well on rattletrap type lures. but I didnt fish them much either. Today I was playing my "can't change lures until I catch a fish on this one which I've never caught a fish on before" game and I threw on my small rattlin rapala in red crawdad color. After about 3 minutes wham. About a 3 foot huge carp on my ultralite. By far my PB. I'm amazed I was able to get it in the canoe(after 8-10 minutes). I was using 6 lb el cheapo line (Shakespeare omniflex) and the line is all stretched out. I just spooled up today and I'm gonna respool to be safe. Then I caught 6 (including two about 26") catfish (and a nice smallie that jumped and spit my lure) on a #8 shallow shad rap which I just bought. I am slowly gaining confidence in BIGGER baits!


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## cummins_man (May 16, 2006)

Chatterbait - Nothing yet.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

people are still paying 10+ dollars for chatterbaits on ebay. suckers....


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## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

Caught my PB on Rat'l Trap, lost what may have been my PB on Rapala Rat'ln Rap! 
I agree, they cast like a bullet, which is what got the lure to where the wipers were hangin' in the seam of water.
Nothing else in my tackle bag would cast that far.
Haven't caught anything on twin willow ??? spinner BIG spinner bait, (Strike King)but I think it's my application. I have trolled it, I think too fast for how deep I needed it to be. I think the blades keep it up high at speed.
Haven't caught a thing on plastic worms in last couple of years, used to be the only thing I could catch LM bass on. Cranks, spinners and jigs opened up to me a whole new world of fishing here in Ohio, and the trusty worm has gone to the wayside!
LMJeff


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## vkutsch (Oct 28, 2005)

My 'worst' bait is one of the most basic- a fat bodied crank. Stick baits and jerks, love them. But I don't think I've ever caught anything on a crankbait. Jitterbugs, too.


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## PapaBullhead (Jun 4, 2006)

For me its a Johnson Silver Spoon. I know a lot of folks swear by it, but everytime I've ever used it, I felt like I was wasting my time. I don't think I ever even got a strike on one. How come none of us can throw the old pieces of junk away?


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## TheSonicMarauder (Mar 9, 2006)

PapaBullhead said:


> For me its a Johnson Silver Spoon. I know a lot of folks swear by it, but everytime I've ever used it, I felt like I was wasting my time. I don't think I ever even got a strike on one. How come none of us can throw the old pieces of junk away?



cause theres other people out there that can use yer junk 100 times better then you can lol... when selling yer junk.... markup is yer friend lol


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

vkutsch said:


> My 'worst' bait is one of the most basic- a fat bodied crank. Stick baits and jerks, love them. But I don't think I've ever caught anything on a crankbait. Jitterbugs, too.


Jitterbugs are great in the evening this time of year. I love to fish them in a pond or slow stream bend when the water is like glass. You can catch them one after the other. I have fished them at night when you had to listen for the "whoosh" to set the hook.....Better duck if you don't get a hookset!

I bought four different colors of chatterbaits and have yet to catch a thing on them. I also don't seem to catch as much on spinnerbaits as I should, given the amount of time I have fished them.


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## crawdiddy (Apr 10, 2006)

Here's another one. Heddon Bayou Boogee. I think this is the original "rattle trap type lure". Well lately I've been catching fish on rattle trap type lures but can't on the bayou boogee. Anyone have successs with this lure? Do you fish it like a rattle trap or (slightly) differently? I would really like to catch something with this lure that's been around since 1947.


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## jignut (Feb 14, 2005)

Until I went on a Canadian fly in trip.
Just got back last week and decided before I left to throw in a couple of boxes of baits that were on my shelf of losers. I tried nearly every one with success. The pike up there will bite anything even Johnson silver minnows. 2 pike over 40 inches were landed last week on them using a 3 inch pork bass strip trailer. I landed a 32" pike on a Heddon Budweiser beer can plug someone gave me as a gag gift years ago.
From now on I will make a trip to Odd Lots and buy the ugliest plug I can find to try in Canada.


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## tech187 (Sep 25, 2004)

Everybody swears by them, but they just never produce much for me. I catch most of my pan fish on jigs tipped with minnows/worms or curly tails. I must be doing something wrong.


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## crappielooker (Apr 5, 2004)

i have never caught a fish, or even had a look at by any fish while using this lure.. i tried just about every color and sizes without a single bite.. 
it skunked me everytime out.. good thing is, the lure still looks brand new..


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

crappielooker said:


> i have never caught a fish, or even had a look at by any fish while using this lure.. i tried just about every color and sizes without a single bite..
> it skunked me everytime out.. good thing is, the lure still looks brand new..


That is absolutley my favorite smallmouth lure.  
I do well on crappie and smallmouths with roadrunners too.

Here we go, never caught a fish on a bomber. No matter how many times I tryed it, never caught a fish.

Got another one, a Spook. Walking the dog does nothing for me.


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