# What's your favorite artificial lure?



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

If you only had one artificial lure to use and needed to put fish on the table, what would it be? 

For me it would be the rapala (or similar) crawdad crankbait. In late summer I do a lot of belly boating down a river nearby me and this particular lure will catch a stringer full for me. In one fishing trip I can have on my stringer a combination of sunfish, crappie, catfish, sandbass, and various varieties of other bass families.

It's like a no fail lure for me. In fact when I go fishing, I may take 4 or 5 of these crawdads with me and nothing else. Usually if I give a kid that has a birthday in the summer a gift, I'll give him one of these crawdads in hopes he'll get hooked on fishing.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

For me it is the Flat Fish in a light gray with a white bottom (hook side).










 Al


----------



## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

For an all around lure I would be hard pressed to choose between a red Rooster Tail or a black and chartreuse Spin Dandy. I have found very few fish I can't catch with one or the other.


----------



## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I was just thinking about this. If I could only have one type of lure it would be Mepps spinners in assorted sizes.


----------



## Tobster (Feb 24, 2009)

Texas rigged plastic worm. Favorite colors, dark purple with a fire tail or motor oil. I fish mostly marsh and bayous, the depths are shallow, rarely deeper than 12 feet with a lot of underwater structure. I keep my rod tip pointed up and bounce the lure along the bottom, a very light tapping lets me know when a fish takes the bait. My favorite method to set the hook is to lower the rod tip and create a little slack in the line, then set the hook by whipping the rod back up. 

A weedless and inexpensive lure. If you can get a feel for slowly working it along the bottom and through structure and identify the subtle tap when a fish takes it, you will put a lot of fish in the freezer.


----------



## JJohnson (Jun 7, 2012)

If I could only use one for all types of fish I would go with a curly-tail grub. Ive caught trout,bass,perch,and bluegill with them.


But if I got to choose one for just trout I would go with a rooster tail, for just bass I would go with a senko and for Panfish I would choose a 1 1/2'' curly-tail grub.


----------



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

As I've posted in other posts I'd have to say a gold Phoebe bout 1 1/4 inches long. Most my fishing is in "trout" waters and with natural baits, that and not being a "fly" fisherman, that Phoebe is what I use mostly, have not found anything that works any better in the waters I fish.


----------



## DavidUnderwood (Jul 5, 2007)

It must vary according to where you are.
I'd pick a medium sized white Roostertail.
Fresh water and salt water, they are pretty 
reliable.


----------



## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I am a fly fisherman, so it is simple. The one that's on the end of MY line. After all, that's the only fly that stands a chance of catching a fish for ME, and what good is a fly that only catches fish for other people? 

I tie a little pheasant tail that works well here....James


----------



## lonelytree (Feb 28, 2008)

Right now it is a 6" or 9" Storm WildEye Shad in green. I can troll, cast or jig them through the ice.


----------



## Nathan (Jun 8, 2006)

I have really good luck with rebels crankbaits{crawdad} in running water,4.00 at walmart


----------



## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

If the life of myself and my family depended on it the only lure I would 100% rely on to put food on the table would be a 1/16 oz leadhead jig painted black with a small black twister tail. I've not only caught just about every species of freshwater fish on it, I've also caught lots of them. It is not perfect but in the long run a solid producer.


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Nathan said:


> I have really good luck with rebels crankbaits{crawdad} in running water,4.00 at walmart


Yes, that's the one I've been using mostly. I mean the fish just tear it up here on the river I fish most often in the summer time. If I can find a isolated spot that other fishermen haven't fished out, I'll fill a stringer plum full of a combination of just about everything. This is one man that wont starve with that crankbait.


----------



## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

lonelytree said:


> Right now it is a 6" or 9" Storm WildEye Shad in green. I can troll, cast or jig them through the ice.


That looks nice. I may have to find some of these. Oh and I like floating or shallow diving Rapalas. Those and an assortment of Mepps spinners and I can get anything but catfish here in MN.


----------



## Badger (Jun 11, 2010)

Hand tied hair jig 1/16th oz or smaller. But you knew that already


----------



## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

Purple, white or green Beetle spin or a Mepps minnow.


----------



## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

For saltwater Gulp bloodworms and sandworms. For freshwater Charlie Brewer's Crappie sliders for trout in our snag filled streams and lakes. For fly fishin, wooly buggers, muddler, green caddis nymph.


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Badger said:


> Hand tied hair jig 1/16th oz or smaller. But you knew that already


Yep, and I'm still haven't gotten to try them out since you gave me some. But I'll be out your way soon and be ready to fill my stringer.


----------



## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

A Texas rig Zoom black trick worm. I keep one pole rigged specifically with this worm. Cast it into some weeds or below a log around the lake edge and almost assured a few bass on each trip.


----------



## Dale Alan (Sep 26, 2012)

I like a Rapala minnow,floater .


----------



## CrunchyDad (Feb 17, 2013)

I love river fishing!!!


----------



## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

CrunchyDad said:


> I love river fishing!!!


I just bought one yesterday that was shaped very similar to this. Except mine was Chartrues green with a black back. I also picked up a couple more crawdads since they were on sale. I should have plenty of them stocked up for this coming summer.


----------



## CrunchyDad (Feb 17, 2013)

Oldcountryboy said:


> I just bought one yesterday that was shaped very similar to this. Except mine was Chartrues green with a black back. I also picked up a couple more crawdads since they were on sale. I should have plenty of them stocked up for this coming summer.


Southern MO Bass like the brown/gold and black better. Bass season closes in 2 days for rivers. I have to wait until May...:bored:


----------



## BACOG (May 17, 2012)

Probably a Kast Master with a Rapala running a real close second.


----------

