Old Faithful 2025
Jigfishn10 reply :
Anyone have a lure or lures that you've had for years that you know, in a pinch, you can pull out of your well reserved spot in your tackle box and attach it to your line and catch a fish with it? My topwater year was really bad from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so after Labor Day I pulled out a Spit'n Image I had for 10-12 years and caught the most fish on topwaters in a 2 week span than I did the rest of the year combined.
I also have a buzzbait I've had since the mid 90's. Round rubber skirt, black over lime green, yellow head (don't ask the brand, I have no idea). I got a few buzzbait bass this year, but after Labor Day, same thing, in a 2 week period I had more buzzbait bass than the rest of the year.
Coincidence? Maybe, but my confidence is so high on those 2 lures that I can't go fishing with out them. Year in and year out, I know I can pull one of those 2 lures out and save an otherwise disappointing day.
Anyone have anything similar?
clayton86 reply :
Mines a blue fox inline spinner it will catch anything that's why I have a "panic" box full of them plus one I swear I will break down and cry if I loose it but it's a blue fox inline but has a 2" balsa minnow body on it. It has some battle scars but it's never been skunked knock on wood.
North Ga Hillbilly reply :
Ive got a three bladed buzz bait that I have had for years, long before I did any real bass fishing. Its gone through a couple of skirts, but keeps producing on those bad days. I never throw it off the bat because its so d**n ugly, but it works when im really needing a bite.
NGaHB
Hyrule Bass reply :
when nothing else seems to be working, i can almost always catch atleast one on a texas rigged berkley red shad shakey worm, it seems i typically only pull them out when im having a hard time catching anything...
J Francho reply :
One eyed Sammy in MS Shad, but all the scales are worn off, so it's mostly silver.
dhami013 reply :
My Pops gave me a tandem willow blades chart spinner. I named her Raleigh. When things get tough, Raleigh comes to play.
Lake Forest Bassin reply :
A few years ago my grandfather told me to look in his old tackle box to see if I wanted any of the lures he had, he don't fish that much any more.I found an old Bang-O-Lure and and old Devil's Horse and those have become some of the best lures I have I use them when nothing else is working the always catch some fish.
MuffinMan reply :
Rapala Original Floater with a god underbelly and black back
Wisconsin Heat. reply :
Trik worms and the rapala original floater, fish seem to almost magically appear when i fish that thing
slonezp reply :
For largemouth, I have an old chrome and black rattletrap that is beat to spit and for smallmouth, a Berkley Frenzy in gold and black with half the paint missing.
Raider Nation Fisher reply :
A six year old crank in a purpleish gray color with black tiger stripes. It looks similar in color to the tilapia colored h2o baits. Just has more purple in it. It has never failed me spring, summer, fall, or winter. I've gone swimming four times to get it back too.
BassThumb reply :
Mine would be a white 1/8 oz Strike King buzzbait with a sharpened hook. It's a great river/stream smallmouth lure, but it tends to catch dink largemouths. It will always catch something though.
RiverFisher13 reply :
On 10/1/2011 at 8:53 PM, slonezp said:For largemouth, I have an old chrome and black rattletrap that is beat to spit and for smallmouth, a Berkley Frenzy in gold and black with half the paint missing.
Change it to a shad pattern and amen to that one. Always gets me out of slumps.
Bass_Fanatic reply :
I've had a white/black back Bandit 200 crankbait for probably 10 years and it has saved me countless times.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 9/30/2011 at 8:47 PM, J Francho said:One eyed Sammy in MS Shad, but all the scales are worn off, so it's mostly silver.
That's how my Spit'N Image is. The scales are almost gone and the black back seems to be flaking off more and more. 
The other day I was fishing with a group of members here and I swung and missed on atleast 5 fish in the morning. I was starting to get discouraged, so out came old faithful. It only took 2 or 3 casts and my confidence was restored with a 1 - 1.5 lber. I went back to fishing the tube I was swinging and missing on and wound getting a nice 4.8 lbs LMB.
Primus reply :
If all else fails thread a 3" Yum Dinger or Senko on a 1/16 oz Gopher tackle mushroomhead and fish will bite as the bait descends into a slow death spiral. I typically use this on those clear sky/ clear water/ no wind summer days.
I also like a smallie beaver behind a 1/16 oz mushroomhead, this will glide more than the stickworm combo.
Last but not least is a Zoom Centipede rigged sideways on a 2/0 Owner offset hook tail weighted with a 1/16 oz lunker city nail weight inserted inside.
tentimesover reply :
Double willow blade spinner bate chart/white with white split tail trailer. It that doesn't work then black Senko fished weightless.
deaknh03 reply :
A zoom lizard, in any of the pumpkin colors, with a small to medium sized split shot about 8" above it, dragged across the bottom. Never fails for a fish. It's a sort of modified/cheapo carolina rig.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 10/4/2011 at 11:51 PM, deaknh03 said:A zoom lizard, in any of the pumpkin colors, with a small to medium sized split shot about 8" above it, dragged across the bottom. Never fails for a fish. It's a sort of modified/cheapo carolina rig.
It's actually called a split shot rig that Cali anglers used for years in their clear waters. I used to use it in NH lakes, great for lakes like New Found where you see bottom in like 20 FOW...They usually have the split shot up about 4' (feet).
AND BTW, why are you using lead up in NH, you law breaker you...LOL
Nick reply :
Now, if I divulged it, it wouldn't be a secret weapon.
Gatorbassman reply :
I have just one. It is a 1/4oz Strike King Diamond Shad that I got on sale at BPS for $2 bucks about 10 years ago. That one bait has caught countless bass, striper and hybrids. It no longer has paint on it but it still catches like it always has. I would go diving for that lure if I ever lost it.
avid reply :
I have had a few baits over the years that have outfished others, even of the same make and color. My favorite though was a yellow and black Heddon dying flutter. This is a prop bait similar to a devils horse.
There was something about that lure that drove fish crazy. they would chase it and bust at it two three times till they grabbed it.
I lost it years ago and have bought several others, but none have been nearly as good. I twisted the props, and reshaped them every which way, but nothing worked. That bait was in a class by itself.
I miss it to this day.
whitwolf reply :
A Zoom 4" dead ringer. Color really doesn't matter but Watermelon/red and black have produced many a fish when it seemed nothing else was working.
This year I tried It a number of times on a megastrike shakeyhead and I can only say I had very good success.
deep reply :
A little 3/16 oz booyah baby boo jig with a rage craw or baby craw always works for me when times are tough...
SirSnookalot reply :
I don't really favor one over another for actually catching fish, but I have been favoring a mirrorlure poppa dog . Without doubt it's the most durable lure I have ever used, have caught well over 100 jacks, bluefish and ladyfish in a few days and the lure is none the worse for wear, hooks remain perfect too. I have been using the same poppa dog for bass too,
Jigfishn10 reply :
It sounds like you've had a lot of fun with that poppa dog, SirSnook, that's a lot of fish and a great fighting fish.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 10/15/2011 at 10:28 PM, Jigfishn10 said:It sounds like you've had a lot of fun with that poppa dog, SirSnook, that's a lot of fish and a great fighting fish.
Believe me it's a rarity, only a few times during the fall mullet run is the action fast and furious like that. Most of the year if we 1-4 in an outing it's a success. You can pop the dog, walk the dog and do both at the same time, but with fast action like we have had just reel it in slowly, no need to work it. Today was quiet, caught 1 snook on it, nothing else was around.
NCLifetimer reply :
Split shot with a small hook(3 or so) and either a green or brown ribbon tail worm(7.5" or so, not the mega ones). not the biggest fish, but it has caught numbers for me when nothing else would
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