I don't know about you, but I love the Gaines Maverick (6"). It casts like a bullet and fishes a little bit like a bomber/redfin (sort of in between the 2). One thing is the plug has a little too much wobble for my preference, so I toss the stock 2/0 hooks I big-up the the hooks with a combination of 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 VMCs-depending on the situation The only problem is, it hasn't been a real solid producer for me. :bc: I'm sure I need to just fish it more.

Just curious how many of you have a plug that casts well, looks good, swims good, but just hasn't produced to your expectations.

Let's here it !

I have 4 trays full of plugs that I bring with me and hardley ever use.I probably have 4 or 5 go to plugs.But I keep buying and buying.

yep.... just spent $17.00 on a gibbs pencil popper, which casts excellent and walks the dog great, but instead the fish have been only bitin a $5.00 plastic

You catch a decent fish on a lure, so you fish it more and it eventually catch again on it because its better than the others or you throw it so much ? I think some plugs get a bum deal, just by not getting as much playing time . Playing time, not just by you, but also the number of people fishing them .

i just started using loaded redfins this year. far superior to anything else i have in my plug bag. they've caught more fish for me this year than bombers or anyother plug for that matter.

I don't know about you, but I love the Gaines Maverick (6"). It casts like a bullet and fishes a little bit like a bomber/redfin (sort of in between the 2). One thing is the plug has a little too much wobble for my preference, so I toss the stock 2/0 hooks I big-up the the hooks with a combination of 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 VMCs-depending on the situation The only problem is, it hasn't been a real solid producer for me. :bc: I'm sure I need to just fish it more.

Just curious how many of you have a plug that casts well, looks good, swims good, but just hasn't produced to your expectations.

Let's here it !

You catch a decent fish on a lure, so you fish it more and it eventually catch again on it because its better than the others or you throw it so much ? I think some plugs get a bum deal, just by not getting as much playing time . Playing time, not just by you, but also the number of people fishing them .

well said ed. my favs produce more fish because greater playing time. i fish my jointed eel, 8"pa swimmer, and needles more than 75% of the time in the dark- and they catch most of my fish.

i just started using loaded redfins this year. far superior to anything else i have in my plug bag. they've caught more fish for me this year than bombers or anyother plug for that matter.

I fished loaded red fins a season and didn't do well at all on them .. Cast great ,,maybe I killed them to much, although measured carefully. I caught a 30 lb. on a blurple 17a bomber and my confidence sored ,though I never caught another fish on it again. Could just be $h&t luck . right place at the right time kinda thing .

i just started using loaded redfins this year. far superior to anything else i have in my plug bag. they've caught more fish for me this year than bombers or anyother plug for that matter.


That is old school. Try a X-Rap. For me they outfish redfins, cast 10X better and have far better action then a loaded plug, come with vmc and are thru wired.

Loaded redfins rock. Best fish so far on one is a touch over 44# - it held up well. Here alot of talk about unloaded ones being great on calm nights, I gotta put some time in with them. It took me a while to get confidence in the loaded redfins, because I was a bomber guy, but a trip to BI last fall changed that. Now they're my 1st or 2nd plug out of the bag when conditions are right.

sandman, do the x-raps come with 4x VMC or 2x? Also, don't they swim down a few feet. The loaded redfin only goes down about a foot. I may have to give an xrap a try though - heard a few people talk favorably about them.

I hear what your saying I have a few confidence plugs one is a redfin(not loaded)that plug will catch me fish when nothing else will.Then I have a beachmaster A40 that swims awsome I love throwing that plug It has never caught me a lot of fish but I still know it is a great plug smaller fish will ignore it so it will catch less.Some plugs need a certian retrive to get the magic out of them.

Some plugs need a certian retrive to get the magic out of them.

good point ,, and that requires time in the water to discover that .

Al gags Squidzee.. I have had it for 2 years now and nada, the only thing I seem to catch with it is the skirt which slides down the hook on every cast. Maybe it's just me though?

That is old school. Try a X-Rap. For me they outfish redfins, cast 10X better and have far better action then a loaded plug, come with vmc and are thru wired.

i was talking with a friend about how redfins were not thru wired. that concerned me, but he managed to land some large (40# class) on them. x-rap sounds good. i am curious about depth they swim like clogston29 was saying.

That is old school. Try a X-Rap. For me they outfish redfins, cast 10X better and have far better action then a loaded plug, come with vmc and are thru wired.

i guess i'm old school like mark martin. :bl:

Al gags Squidzee.. I have had it for 2 years now and nada, the only thing I seem to catch with it is the skirt which slides down the hook on every cast. Maybe it's just me though?


:hihi: - I had a lot of confidence in the Squidzee at first and that confidence wained as I started off with few fish and caught fewer and fewer fish on it - switch back to something else and whaddya know, there were fish again :hee:

Re: Xrap. They are suspending slash bait, and yes they will go down a little if retrieved fast or worked in a swift current. Sometimes that is what I am looking for as most big bass are closer to the bottom and the bottom is relatively clean. Other times you just have to have more of a surface presentation esp if you are working bolder fields. If I am looking for more of a surface bait I will fish the Megabait JB150. This floats more and will only dive about a foot or so, it does have a ball in it, and many (myself included) don't really care for a bait that makes a noise but given the huge number of fish I know caught on this damn thing including several 40's I have become a strong believer. I have seen it out fish wood some nights big time. Now this is not to say that a redfin, bomber or other minnow type bait would not have done well too, and both of them have caught a worthy amount of fish to make them standards in anyone's bag, and they are probably the cheapest plugs out there.... but I can say that these newer baits will out cast and have better action then a loaded redfin or bomber out of the box without tinkering with them.

I agree that most fishermen tend to gravitate to what has recently worked well for you and the lure develops a momentum...but sometimes they seem to stop working. All I know is that I don't fish the redfin nearly as much as I did in 1981. As for the squideez, I have never caught a damn thing on that lure even though it looks very cool. Who knows why some lures stop working? I think it has to do with the type of local bait fish population but what the heck do I know?

One thing for sure....the Bucktail seems to always work and has for longer then I have been alive. IMO it is an amazing lure. If you can fish it, it will produce.

All this said...I still like fishing wooden swimming plugs the best, I just love the feel of them.

I was having this conversation about the Mr. Wiggly this very day. I have not done anything with it, even when there were a few fish around. But it swims so seductively I keep trying it.

I hate the wiggly, almost swims too good to be true, casts like a wet rag.

Hi my friend. I swear by darters. I've caught a ton of bass on them over the years. This year, I have not been using them as much, but have still been getting a fair share of bass.
I still tie one on, first plug for the night, but I soon remove it and put on a metal lipped swimmer. Just a different trend for me.:tooth:

Just curious how many of you have a plug that casts well, looks good, swims good, but just hasn't produced to your expectations.

Let's here it !

Yozuri Crystal Minnow in silver/black looks great,
great action and casts great but never catches for me. :doh:
However, the Mega Bait, same size and color always produces.

My friend while he does catch on the Mega, catches more on the Yozuri. :huh:

Imho, with similar bait around,it has more to do with the confidence you have in the plug,
the rate of retrieve and the action you learn to impart from using it enough,
that makes the difference.

t curious how many of you have a plug that casts well, looks good, swims good, but just hasn't produced to your expectations.

Let's here it !

Sounds like ALL my plugs Frank.

For me - Habs white needle, stubby or 2oz. I did well a few years ago with them however I dont think I landed a fish on them in 2 years. Its still one of my go to plugs.

Sounds like ALL my plugs Frank.

I was just getting ready to post the same thought.....

I like to throw a Bernzy Surf Howdy as it can do alot of things- but for me it is not catching anything great- but it is a nice plug.

i only fish lures i have confidence in. if i dont, whether they are not producting now or catches are less on that lure, they dont go into my lure bag. i'm trying to fish out of a single row aquaskinz bag as much as possible so i'm only fishing lures that are producting for me or i have had good luck with in recently.

I fish eels 99% of the time but I'll keep buying and buying new plugs...