High End vs. Budget Lures 2025
Ohio Yakker reply :
This topic could have been discussed before but I did some searching and couldn't find it.
Do you guys think that the high end, expensive lures are worth it? I'm not so sure that they are. I feel like sometimes the pretty paint jobs and details are better at hooking the fisherman than they are the actual fish. I have bought my fair share of top of the line lures, and in my experiences I have had no better success. I think that some of this could be due to my confidence with the lower end lures, because that is what I have used most of my life, and have caught tons of fish on, so I am more confident in throwing them.
Let me know your thoughts please.
Scarborough817 reply :
there are certain types of lures where i feel it is worth it. jerkbaits and swimbaits are where you are likely going to be spending more money a good jerkbait suspends where as a budget one actually requires a fair amount of tuning to suspend properly. swimbaits are expensive for a reason they're large baits they take a long time to produce and some are hand made, the swimbait market is more of a you get what you pay for thing
Fishin' Fool reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 9:59 PM, Ohio Yakker said:This topic could have been discussed before but I did some searching and couldn't find it.
Do you guys think that the high end, expensive lures are worth it? I'm not so sure that they are. I feel like sometimes the pretty paint jobs and details are better at hooking the fisherman than they are the actual fish. I have bought my fair share of top of the line lures, and in my experiences I have had no better success. I think that some of this could be due to my confidence with the lower end lures, because that is what I have used most of my life, and have caught tons of fish on, so I am more confident in throwing them.
Let me know your thoughts please.
You're right about one thing it's all about confidence while out on the water. Lures are marketed to catch fisherman not fish. Saying that if the latest and greatest is xyz and you only have limited time to enjoy your recreation then chances are you will have 3 (if not 20) xyz lures with you 
Choporoz reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 9:59 PM, Ohio Yakker said:T. I have bought my fair share of top of the line lures, and in my experiences I have had no better success.
Let me know your thoughts please.
Examples?
I ask because the range of lures for bass is SO wide and SO deep that it might help to narrow the discussion.
I will pay $7+ for a bag of Senkos all day every day before I'd buy two packs of Stick-O's. I know that isn't true for nearly everyone. I will pay for a premium for an LC jerkbait, but I won't hesitate to throw a Zoom Fluke either. You're correct that confidence has a lot to do with whether or not we give a lure/bait a proper try.
Ohio Yakker reply :
One example would be crankbaits. I fish mostly Strike King and Storm wiggle warts, which are typically $4-$6, but I have bought a few more expensive cranks like Livetarget bait balls and Livingston's. I have not noticed a difference in the number or size of fish I catch when comparing them.
I don't have a lot of experience with swimbaits. I only own one and have only used it for a little bit. it was under $10, but I might try some more expensive ones since you guys are saying that there is quite a difference with them.
Munkin reply :
Some are worth it while others are not? Like someone mentioned for jerkbaits the way LC performs it is worth the cost. I can tell you that I own just about every expensive deep diving crank (Jackall, MB, LC, etc.) and none of them work half as good as a SK 5 series. Spend what you can afford and look for value not cost as it does not equate to fish catching ability.
Allen
j bab reply :
Something is only "worth" how much you're willing to pay for it.
So if you don't think they're worth it, if you get the same results with a $15 crankbait that you do with a $6, then there's your answer: it's not worth it to you.
Choporoz reply :
OY, there's probably someone out there catching fish with ebay-no-name-overseas-vendor cranks that cost a half buck and consider you and your Strike Kings some sort of elitist 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Lot-30-pcs-Kinds-of-Fishing-Lures-Crankbaits-Hooks-Minnow-Baits-Tackle-/191094960648?hash=item2c7e25b208:g:VDYAAOSw8d9UyJ~E
j bab reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 11:04 PM, Choporoz said:OY, there's probably someone out there catching fish with ebay-no-name-overseas-vendor cranks that cost a half buck and consider you and your Strike Kings some sort of elitist
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Lot-30-pcs-Kinds-of-Fishing-Lures-Crankbaits-Hooks-Minnow-Baits-Tackle-/191094960648?hash=item2c7e25b208:g:VDYAAOSw8d9UyJ~E
Those suck, I've tried ebay lures before 
Munkin reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 11:04 PM, Choporoz said:OY, there's probably someone out there catching fish with ebay-no-name-overseas-vendor cranks that cost a half buck and consider you and your Strike Kings some sort of elitist
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-Lot-30-pcs-Kinds-of-Fishing-Lures-Crankbaits-Hooks-Minnow-Baits-Tackle-/191094960648?hash=item2c7e25b208:g:VDYAAOSw8d9UyJ~E
While I cannot see what type of lures are in the link from past experience those cranks usually suck. It is not worth my time and frustration to buy a $2 crank that I spend all day tuning.
Allen
redbirdsfan44 reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 10:41 PM, Ohio Yakker said:One example would be crankbaits. I fish mostly Strike King and Storm wiggle warts, which are typically $4-$6, but I have bought a few more expensive cranks like Livetarget bait balls and Livingston's. I have not noticed a difference in the number or size of fish I catch when comparing them.
I don't have a lot of experience with swimbaits. I only own one and have only used it for a little bit. it was under $10, but I might try some more expensive ones since you guys are saying that there is quite a difference with them.
SK and Warts are great cranks. I doubt you find any angler that doesn't have a few in their arsenal. There are plenty of companies that make cranks in the $4-$8 range that are great lures. You don't have to go spend the extra money on big fancy swimbaits if that's not your game. Every angler has one rod, one reel, and one bait they can take out and flat out catch fish with. If you are looking to get into swimbaits there are plenty of options out there like a R2S s waver, or Savage gear line through swimbaits that don't cost a ton but again its not for everyone.
SDoolittle reply :
The big difference I've seen in the high-end Japanese stuff versus the more inexpensive baits is consistency. How many times have you bought a crankbait that just would not run straight no matter how much you try to tune it? How many baits have you bought that you immediately had to change the hooks? The higher-end stuff is generally good to go straight out of the box, and every one of them will run exactly the same.
With that said, I have caught more fish, and I have far more confidence in my Bandits and Strike King crankbaits, but usually not until after I do some significant tweeking.
doyle8218 reply :
There is a huge amount of hype in fishing. I thinks its up the to buyer to decide if items are worth it to them.
avidone1 reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 11:39 PM, doyle8218 said:There is a huge amount of hype in fishing. I thinks its up the to buyer to decide if items are worth it to them.
I fully agree.
I also agree with the confidence factor and that's where we can get 'hooked' by pricey baits and those endorsed by the pros.
I for one am partial to anything endorsed by KVD> After he came out with the sexy shad colored crankbaits from strike king and I did really well on them, I became a believer. I also have done well with lucky craft products although the "live" series has been disappointing.
I have some megabuck, I mean megabass lures, and do not find these baits to be any better than cheaper lures, hence I have no confidence in them. the notion that a bass is going to study a bait and decide to eat it because it has individual scales painted on it to my mind is a lot of hooey. Bass are dumb animals with a rice grain sized brain. If it moves it must be alive. I am a lure junky fer shure, but I truly believe the key to catching bass is FIRST......find them.........second ........ present to their activity level or structure/cover characteristics. And so on.
I believe that color should be make the bait visible in the existing conditions, and be kinda sorta natural.
Ohio Yakker reply :
Another factor that keeps me away from the expensive lures is that I fish in lakes with just as many pike as there are bass, so there is always a chance that one of those razor sharp teeth will cut the line and take my $20 lure with it.
Thanks everyone for the input.
smalljaw67 reply :
I stay away from the really cheap stuff but the less expensive brand name baits normally perform well. Jerkbaits and swimbaits are the two that you will find are worth paying extra either for detail or performance or both. Shallow cranks, my favorites are Mann's. the Baby 1 Minus, the Baby X and the Waker but that is discontinued, those 3 have all been the only shallow cranks that have caught me both numbers of fish and big fish. Last season each one was responsible for both a 5lb smallmouth and 10+ fish in a single day, my Sebile Cranksters are nice and they have proven to produce but I still can't get a big fish on one and when they came out they were expensive but not they are pretty cheap since they were discontinued.
Raul reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 11:27 PM, S. Doolittle said:The big difference I've seen in the high-end Japanese stuff versus the more inexpensive baits is consistency. How many times have you bought a crankbait that just would not run straight no matter how much you try to tune it? How many baits have you bought that you immediately had to change the hooks? The higher-end stuff is generally good to go straight out of the box, and every one of them will run exactly the same.
With that said, I have caught more fish, and I have far more confidence in my Bandits and Strike King crankbaits, but usually not until after I do some significant tweeking.
^^^^^^^ Pretty much sums it the whole thing, consistency in action and hardware.
everythingthatswims reply :
I have a bag of 5" Yum Dingers that I've had for almost a year. A bag of GYCB senkos will be gone within a month.
My LC Pointer that I've had for 3 months has caught more bass than the KVD jerkbait that has been sitting in the same spot in the box for a year.
Plain and simple, sometimes you gotta pay to play. Usually in fishing, you get what you pay for.
roadwarrior reply :
Design, engineering, components, craftmanship, packaging and consistency are some bullet points.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Husky jerks work fine for me they are about $6 jointed raps with a suspend dot works for me also with them i can tune it to my hearts desire all for 5$ when and if they stop working then just maybe ill buy a$15jerkbait but as long as fishbrains dont start evolving im good i suppose.
Evan K reply :
I'd say it depends on the bait a lot. Pretty much my only high end baits are topwaters and jerkbaits. Anything else I'm too afraid I'd lose at this point. I will say that no cheap topwater has performed or caught as many fish as my Megabass Pop Max.
I'll pay for LC pointers but most of my other baits are either bought on sale or less expensive (Rapalas, Normans, etc.)
GoCougs14 reply :
One thing Ive noticed is that no one on here who buys expensive enthusiast grade tackle will tell you that you have to get them. Most that buy them simply enjoy the craftsmanship.
the reel ess reply :
On 4/26/2016 at 10:23 PM, Fishin' Fool said:You're right about one thing it's all about confidence while out on the water. Lures are marketed to catch fisherman not fish. Saying that if the latest and greatest is xyz and you only have limited time to enjoy your recreation then chances are you will have 3 (if not 20) xyz lures with you
If they don't catch fish, they won't remain on the market for very long.
In most cases I'd say yes. But everyone has his own pain threshold. I try not to spend more than $10 on a bait but I've broken that rule when I just HAD to have something. The bulk of my fish are caught on some soft plastic that costs less than $4.50/bag. In the case of the Trick worm that's a bag of 20.
0119 reply :
I have spent crazy money on high dollar hardbaits. I appreciated the looks of JDM lures. But I did not find them to catch more or bigger fish than Rogues or Heddon's. I also didn't find them to hold up to toothy fish at all, be it finish wise or body integrity. I gave up on the higher dollar lures until I caught the bug for baits made by small regional cottage industry guys. I will pay more for baits by Sam Griffin, Ghost Baits or Daniels Old Florida Deceiver's. But they have given me confidence by catching bigger fish and especially with the exceptional customer service that you get going right to the maker.
Senko lover reply :
Basically, I'm going to be fishing good quality middle-end stuff like Strike King 9 times out of 10. Love their products to death. If I want something pricey, I buy it used.
Master Bait'r reply :
Your honor, I'd like to plea the 5th.
cgolf reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 3:26 AM, the reel ess said:If they don't catch fish, they won't remain on the market for very long.
In most cases I'd say yes. But everyone has his own pain threshold. I try not to spend more than $10 on a bait but I've broken that rule when I just HAD to have something. The bulk of my fish are caught on some soft plastic that costs less than $4.50/bag. In the case of the Trick worm that's a bag of 20.
I guess this is why I have so many Bandits and Normans. Those baits have been around as long as I have been Bass fishing and they continue to produce year in and year out for me. No reason to buy a 15 buck squarebill when a 5 buck one is a winner.
the reel ess reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 8:55 AM, cgolf said:I guess this is why I have so many Bandits and Normans. Those baits have been around as long as I have been Bass fishing and they continue to produce year in and year out for me. No reason to buy a 15 buck squarebill when a 5 buck one is a winner.
I use those too. My favorite squarebill is the Bandit FlatMaxx.
cgolf reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 8:57 AM, the reel ess said:I use those too. My favorite squarebill is the Bandit FlatMaxx.
Tried that bait for the first time last year when we had lows in the upper 30's in early July and cleaned up with it, was very impressed with it. First year I ever wore a winter coat fishing in July, the weather was atrocious. Some SK baits are really good too, but not all work for me. I would say 90% of my cranks are Rapala (including all that they bought), Bandit, SK, and Norman.
I may just not be good enough yet to tell the difference between an LC and say a Bandit lol
Munkin reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 9:17 AM, cgolf said:
I may just not be good enough yet to tell the difference between an LC and say a Bandit lol
Those are my top two crankbaits hands down! The LC 1.5 overtook the Bandit 100 in general but the Bandit still rules on the river.
My top 10 cranks (and yes I own most of them) in about the order they work best for me:
1. LC 1.5 Silent
2. Bandit 100 or 200 (depends on depth)
3. Manns Baby 1-
4. Rebel Deep Wee-R
5. LC BDS 1.2
6. SK 5 series (silent)
7. TD shallow crank with titanium bill (forget the actual name but it is discontinued unfortunately)
8. SK 1.5 (I may not give this enough credit and TOW as I have a lot of the RC baits to throw)
9. TD Scouter Crank
10. Jackall Zero Footer
Honorable mention: Bagely Sunfish, Excaliber fat free shad
Allen
cgolf reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 9:50 AM, Munkin said:Those are my top two crankbaits hands down! The LC 1.5 overtook the Bandit 100 in general but the Bandit still rules on the river.
My top 10 cranks (and yes I own most of them) in about the order they work best for me:
1. LC 1.5 Silent
2. Bandit 100 or 200 (depends on depth)
3. Manns Baby 1-
4. Rebel Deep Wee-R
5. LC BDS 1.2
6. SK 5 series (silent)
7. TD shallow crank with titanium bill (forget the actual name but it is discontinued unfortunately)
8. SK 1.5 (I may not give this enough credit and TOW as I have a lot of the RC baits to throw)
9. TD Scouter Crank
10. Jackall Zero Footer
Honorable mention: Bagely Sunfish, Excaliber fat free shad
Allen
I agree on Bandits on the river, it is a magic bait. I have been trying some upper mid priced SBs on the lakes and haven't seen great results yet, but will keep trying.
I am sure you have tried them, but the old Xcalibur 200 SB just pushes a ton of water for such a small bait, great for #'s of active fish.
Totally off topic but I think I remember you from the old RS forum.
Munkin reply :
On 4/27/2016 at 9:56 AM, cgolf said:
Totally off topic but I think I remember you from the old RS forum.
I don't get on RS much anymore for some reason?
Allen
Bluebasser86 reply :
Don't get into swimbaits if you think a Livingston crankbait is expensive.
I have dozens of swimbaits, none of them are expensive in the swimbait world. Most I've spent on one was around $80 for a Deps Bullshooter Jr. It doesn't bother me because I'm using heavy gear and heavy line. I've been fishing them for several years now and of all the baits I've owned, I've lost 3, 2 68 Hudds to snags, and a Shine Glide to a fish and a bad knot.
I enjoy fishing them, but I'm more frugal with plastics and cranks that I'm much more likely to lose. Jerkbaits and topwater I have no problem dropping a little more on. I like using them so it's worth it to me.
The thing that always kills me, is the guy that will complain about buying a $20 crankbait or jerkbait that could last for years, even a lifetime (I still own the first LC pointer I bought when I was 16, almost 14 years ago), but then they'll spend hundreds a year on Senkos, Keitechs, or Jackall that they know they're going to use/lose and not bat an eye about it.
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