Favorite gimmick lure 2025

Man?orAstroman? reply :

The lure that really built me up, only to send my world crashing down was the Helicopter Lure.

Sam reply :

Lemon Senkos.

They work great but the other guys will think you have lost your mind.

TournyFish001 reply :

I hate gimmicks all around

Tokyo Tony reply :

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The lure that really built me up, only to send my world crashing down was the Helicopter Lure.

That lure didn't work out.

Granted I was just a toddler when I was duped by the infomercial, but I will NEVER forget the line twist that lure caused. Not only did it not catch fish, but it actually ruined my day of fishing. Roland, how do you live with yourself!!!???

_______________________________

** Moderator Note **

What's up with the language? It's not necessary, so this post has been edited.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator

Tokyo Tony reply :

Have any of you caught fish on the flying lure? That was actually a pretty neat idea for a lure, although I never bought them. My buddy used them for a while, but I'm not sure if he actually caught anything on them...

Man?orAstroman? reply :

Quote

Quote
The lure that really built me up, only to send my world crashing down was the Helicopter Lure.

That lure didn;t work out.

Granted I was just a toddler when I was duped by the infomercial, but I will NEVER forget the line twist that lure caused. Not only did it not catch fish, but it actually ruined my day of fishing. Roland, how do you live with yourself!!!???

I was about nine when they came out. I saved my allowance for 4 weeks to purchase them. I remember how excited I was when my dad called and placed the order over the phone with his credit card.

First trip out I saw a monster bass that just watched it pass right in front of him without even showing interest. Put a tequila shad worm on and caught him first cast. I continued to use the lure through out the day with zero bites. I was devastated. I mean, these lures came with a video! A VIDEO! How can the not work?! :'(

burleytog reply :

Define 'gimmick'

Man?orAstroman? reply :

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Define 'gimmick'

In the sense I am using it:

A trick or device used to attract business. This trick or device may be sensationalized to the point of promoting something that does not work at all.

flyhatch reply :

My mom got me the MOTO LURE set for Christmas

Its about time to give them a go.

my thinking is.....There gonna catch fish

ill keep you posted,

http://www.chuckwoolery.com/motolures.php

Avalonjohn44 reply :

The Helicopter Lure... :-[

I vow to put a flaming bag of doggy droppings on Roland's porch one day...

guitarkid reply :

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My mom got me the MOTO LURE set for Christmas
Its about time to give them a go.

my thinking is.....There gonna catch fish

ill keep you posted,

http://www.chuckwoolery.com/motolures.php

That is definately pretty funny. I think it would be better if they talked too.

-searoach

grimlin reply :

I had a few too many one day...ordered the Hydro lure.When it came i thought to myself.."what was i thinking!"

Redlinerobert reply :

In one way or another, aren't they all gimicks?

I mean, look at a spinner bait, it looks like nothing in real nature, a Senko, originally modeled after a pencil, or a buzzbait. The list goes on and on.....

Popeye reply :

The Vibra-Bat!!! When I was a kid way back in the mid 60's the Vibra-Bat was touted as the greatest lure of all time. It was supposed to catch fish via the ultrasonic vibrations that it supposedly put out in the water. I HAD to have one. I was so excited when I got my first one. It was the large version in yellow. I went with my Dad to a river to fish off a concrete bridge and on the first cast of my "wonder lure", my line tangled and the metal lure smacked the side of the bridge and broke into 2 pieces. I was so upset that I didn't fish at all that day.

Well, that is a fond memory now and I have a collection of Vibra-Bats in all colors and both sizes. The only other "gimmick lure" I can remember having to have is the original Vivif, which was a French made soft rubber minnow lure with a tail that wagged back and forth over a 2 pronged downward bent hook. That lure actually was pretty cool and now Panther Martin makes a similar swimbait lure called the Vivif.

Guess I'm really dating myself with those:o)

Popeye reply :

Here's a pic of the Vivif:

TheBeast reply :

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Roland, how do you live with yourself!!!???

Quite comfortably cashing big ole checks.

As for me the Banjo Minnow.

surfer reply :

I bought a 4 blade spinner bait as a gag just so I could look funny to my friends. Surprised I when I out fished my buds the two times I have used it.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_51782?cmCat=CROSSSELL&cmid=PP_P2_2

calandra reply :

I think we have all falling for some gimmick lure at one point or another, but there was one that actually kicked some bass butt that seemed to disappear as fast as it came out. The company was Mega Bait, No not the Mega Bait Company of today, at least I don[ch8217]t think there related.

This company made plastic craws with real parts of crawfish in them along with claws that you inserted round plastic rattles in. Man did they ever catch fish. No clue what happened to that company or where the Mega Bait company of today fits into the picture, but man do I miss those craws.

Crestliner2008 reply :

It never ceases to amaze me what a bass will hit. How about that Budweizer Beer Can lure? Betcha it caught some bass! Everything is a gimmick or trick to do one thing: trick a bass into hitting. And we are the most gullible of all! ;D

SnowBass23 reply :

For me the word gimmick is summed up pretty well by ManorAstroman:

Quote
In the sense I am using it:
A trick or device used to attract business. This trick or device may be sensationalized to the point of promoting something that does not work at all.

I agree just about all lures are designed to catch fishermen, with a secondary emphasis to catch fish! And I love the 3x or 4x willow-bladed spinner baits.

Anyway, my favorite gimmick is the banjo minnow. At least it was until the point I joined this website, and about 2 times a week someone asks "How about the Banjo Minnow?" and the typical battle ensues.

Overall, I define gimmick baits as those that are advertised in cheesy-over-the-top infomercials with some guy repeating the mantra of how simple and phenomenal the product is.. along those lines...Roland's wonderful 'Rocket Pole'. My buddy got one for Christmas and we can't stop laughing at that one, the Insta-Fisherman travel rod is pretty funny also. Perhaps, I think the biggest sin in gimmicks and advertising is when you open a magazine like Bassin' which is full of adverts anyway. But there are several companies now that have their adverts look like a newspaper clipping touting how said item should be banned from tournaments because it gives such an unfair advantage.

Anytime I'm told that lights, a moving tail, a 'super-life-like body' or anything else elicits a GENETIC RESPONSE from the fish I turn and walk in the other direction.

Tokyo Tony reply :

Quote

_______________________________

** Moderator Note **

What's up with the language? It's not necessary, so this post has been edited.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

Global Moderator

:-[ Sorry, I thought it was legal as long as I used asterisks and other symbols...I was drunk with rage at the memory of such severe line twist.

Evan Pease reply :

Anyone see those Simpson lures they had in bass pro a few years ago? I always wanted one but never got brave enough to waste money on one. I dont know if the chatterbait is considered a gimmick or not considering its a staple in a good amount of peoples' fishing arsenal. I know I like them.

shocker1310 reply :

I love the instant fisherman commercial, freakin hilarious!!! Theres a guy fishing in a hard hat, hahaha!!!

LETS - GO - FISH! haha, awesometown.

weknowhowtolive reply :

Not a lure, but there was a commercial for awhile for a tiny telescoping fishing pole that looked like a pen. I thought it was hilarious.

Movarus reply :

Banjo Minnows here.

I was younger and naive. It looked so real and worked so great on the commercials. I could barely get it to work right and the only thing I ever caught was a few Northern Pikes.

I guess it wasn't too much of a gimmick as I caught something, but I definitely bought it for the bass potential... plus Northern Pikes seemed to pick up just about anything anyways.

Zel... reply :

TERMINATOR SPINNERBAITS

In 1997 Terminator spinnerbaits were introduced to the public, and sold in kit form via an infomercial. They were invented by a dentist from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

riverfisher reply :

My wife hit me off with the True Motion Lure for Christmas a few years back. I have to say that I lauphed hard and almost tossed them away without my wife knowing ofcourse. BUT they did make there way onto my boat and id set one up everyonce and a while. I have to say that northern pike especially liked them. Oh yeah and ofcourse the Banjo I still use them when im creek fishing for SMB.

http://www.lanceradvanced.com/Design/Mirrors/DTY/Sports/TML.html

FishTank reply :

For me it had to be the Heddon beer can lures. I had several of them and thought I will never catch a single fish on these things but once in a while I would. It was just plain fun....

FishingBuds reply :

Not a lure but, what about the rocket fishing pole 8-) huh, huh

now it comes out with an adjustable flight luancher 8-) oh, yea lol.

weknowhowtolive reply :

Cant forget the ads for that RC boat with an 18 inch leader on it or whatever. I can just see some big bass hitting that and dragging the thing under.

The Rooster reply :

I remember when the banjo minnow was being shown on TV late at night. A buddy of mine bought one when Wal-Mart had them on clearance for $10, and they ended up in my tacklebox after he didn't like them. I threw the hooks and that stupid spring thing away and just kept the bodies to fish like a fluke. They didn't work as well and I never caught a single fish on them. Unlike the fluke which slays the bass.

Had a buddy who went on and on about the helicopter lure. Then he bought the kit. I was not with him the day he took them fishing, but it's been over 10 years since I've heard him mention them and I NEVER found out how good they were or weren't that day. Probably didn't want to tell me. :

Then we saw the flying lure on TV, same buddy talked about how good that one looked. I don't know if he ever got that one though.

The one lure I'd say I fell for was the Renegade Crippled Shad. It was a Wal-Mart brand lure (Renegade brand licensed by Wal-Mart). I'd say it's classification would be a topwater. It didn't have a lip like a crankbait does. It was an ugly looking lure that had a curved metallic body roughly shaped like a fish, with dimples all over it like a golf ball has, yellow 3-D eyes that looked like a marble cut in half and glued onto the surface, and it floated on it's side, and had a feather dressed treble hook in the rear like any other hard bait, but the front treble hook was attached to the lure body's side instead of the belly. The lure was bent in the middle to mimmick a dying fish floating on the surface with its head just beneath the surface. Like a ( that is. When you pulled on the line the lure would dive below the surface very lazily sort of using the head like a lip on a crankbait, and then float up again as soon as you let off. Otherwise I didn't find any other way to work it besides just letting it sit motionless in the water.

It stayed in my tackle box for a few years, tried it a couple times, didn't like the way it worked at all, and never caught a fish on it at all either. I don't know what I ever did with it, likely gave it away. Paid about $4 for it so no big loss.

The_Natural reply :

It is without a shadow of a doubt the whiz-bang version 5.7. This bad boy does it all! You can fish it as a topwater, as a crankbait, as a spinnerbait, as a jig...the possibilities are endless! I'll let you in on this bad boy for $29.95 + shipping and handling...just shoot me a PM.

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Favorite gimmick lure 2025

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