What is your most versatile lure?

[Mark]

Mark- I caught the most brilliant colored Bull Dorado (dolphin- mahi-mahi) that had vivid shades of chartreuse off Virginia Beach trolling a Green Machine for tuna...so...

I stand corrected!

But I bet Pickerels and LM and SM Bass have never seen a Bull Dorado.

[ronaultmtd]

Baby ducks come to
Mind

[chex]

Baby ducks come to
Mind

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My most versatile lure is a 4" gulp mullet in chartreuse. Catches everything in the bay.

[Pat Smith]

Rapala Shad-Rap by far is my most versatile (baby bass color). I caught Stripers and blues in the bay with it.. went home to Minnesota and this thing outperformed everything else for both SM Bass, Walleyes (best eating fish ever), and even hooked a Northern on it. Then took it back to the bay (following year) and hooked up some Perch and sripers in the bay again.. seems no matter what water I toss this into, it comes up with fish.
I have found that the rattles in lures will scare some freshwater fish like Walleyes, they wouldn't touch any rattle trap I tossed in.. but I toss this in with no rattle and they ate it up.
http://www.basspro.com/Rapala-Shallo.../product/2850/

[Mark]

We've had an interesting variety of lures mentioned.

Once again, I think we've seen that your confidence in a lure has much to do with its success.

Thanks to all for the replies.

[DanMarino]

I would have to say a 1/4oz beetle spin with a curly tail grub.


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What outsidebrian said. Beetle spin type safety pin spinner with a green pumpkin curly tailed grub on it. I usually fish it on a 1/8 ounce jig, but will go heavier if needed.

Also caught a mess of fish of different species on a Lucky Craft Pointer 78.

[kevinfry]

Rapala Shad-Rap by far is my most versatile (baby bass color). I caught Stripers and blues in the bay with it.. went home to Minnesota and this thing outperformed everything else for both SM Bass, Walleyes (best eating fish ever), and even hooked a Northern on it. Then took it back to the bay (following year) and hooked up some Perch and sripers in the bay again.. seems no matter what water I toss this into, it comes up with fish.
I have found that the rattles in lures will scare some freshwater fish like Walleyes, they wouldn't touch any rattle trap I tossed in.. but I toss this in with no rattle and they ate it up.
http://www.basspro.com/Rapala-Shallo.../product/2850/

I have one in perch pattern that was like that.....it finally died on a big rock in the Juniata river....lip broke.

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[bignose]

When someone asks me a question like that, my first response is to ask what am I fishing for?
I fish in both fresh and salt water and fish for a large variety of species. Many of the lures mentioned above: i.e. the Shad Rap, and the Rat-L-Trap are great general purpose lures, under the right conditions.
Soft plastics work great, too.
I use these under the appropriate conditions.

Are you looking for such a thing as a universal lure?

For me, that would have to be one of the spinner jigs that I make.
These are 1/8 oz, based upon Do-it mold 3288. Thy are much like the Beetlespin jigs mentioned above

My jigs will have a tail that runs from 2 1/2 to 3 inches.
I vary the blade size from #1 thru #3 depending how dirty the water is and how deep I want them to run on retrieve.
I prefer gold blades and some chartreuse in the tail.

Why the spinner jig?

Well, because they catch a lot of different kinds of fish in both fresh and salt water, and under a large variety of conditions (The aforementioned Shad Raps, and Rat-L-Trap are not a great lures in very weedy water, for example).

I have caught Large and Smallmouth bass, Crappies, Yellow Breasted, Bluegill, Green, and Pumpkin Seed Sunfish, Walleyes, Catfish, Carp, Suckers, White and Yellow perch, hog-choker Flounder, small Striped Bass-up to 20", Pickerels, Bluefish, and one Snaggedline member has caught Sea Trout with them.

I can't think of any more versatile multi-species type of lure.

I wouldn't to fish them during Striper Trophy Season out on the Bay, but for a general purpose sort of lure, for the type of fishing that I prefer to do (light tackle geared towards fishing structure in shallow water), these fit the bill.

Now if you were to ask me what my favorite lures is....................I'd have to say a 1/8 oz. Pop-R in Tennessee Shad.

[Mark]

Stu,

Your spinner jig is great. I must admit that mine is a knock-off of yours except that I make two versions using two different Do-It molds. One is a light hook model -- 3389, Ultra Minnow. The other is a heavier hook model, 3041, Hot Lips.

Also, my spinner arm is not hard molded into the jighead but the concept is the same. Mostly I make them in 1/8 oz. but I have upsized the 3041 to 1/4 oz. to make longer casts when going after stripers in open water. However, I've caught plenty of stripers on the 1/8 oz. versions when fishing tight to structure for perch and pickerels. So thank you for the idea. I likely would not have combined the materials I do to make my spinner jigs had I not seen yours first.

Regarding flies, it's hard to beat a Clouser Minnow for versatility. Indeed I have caught more freshwater and tidal species on it than any other fly. On one particularly memorable morning in Tampa I caught 9 species on a pink over white Clouser. They included pinfish, lizardfish, sheepshead, gag grouper, speck, ladyfish, needlefish, and two kinds of catfish, including a gafftopsail catfish -- a slimy prehistoric-looking devil. It left a residue of scum dripping from the entire length of my leader. Fortunately, our guide Neil Taylor paddled over to me to deal with it. I never had to touch the fish, thank goodness. Neil unhooked it and removed the slime from leader with his fingers.

[AmberjackYakin]

This is a great subject topic, I would have to say a Rat-L-Trap is the most versatile lure in my tackle box and has worked for most fish species I've caught around the world.

[manlystanley]

for me, by far, I have had the best luck with 1/4 or 1/8 oz spoons. I use these guys:

--> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Usually, they are $4.99 for the package. I toss the gold lure. The silver and Blue/silver seem to work the best. I recently caught 14 inch rock fish on the 1/4 lure. Also, I change out the hooks for a better quality hook.

Best Regards,
Stan