Plastic lizards 2024
Mobasser reply :
I used to like fishing plastic lizards. A Zoom 6" plastic lizard in brn pumpkin/ chart tail was one of my favorite soft plastics. I havnt used any in a few seasons. Going through some older bags of plastics I tucked away, I found 2 bags. 1 brn, 1brn/ pumpkin chart tail. I used them a lot years ago, and always liked them. As with other baits, I stopped using them and moved on to other things. They offer a different profile and look than most creature baits, craws, and plastic worms. Sometimes, going through older baits, you wonder why you ever stopped using them? Are you still using plastic lizards? What sizes or brands do you like? I'm putting them back in my box this season. Another thing that I remember was that most guys thought of them as a spring time bait- especially around spawning bass.I caught most of my lizard fish after this- in hot weather. Are you still fishing with them, or have they been replaced? A great bass lure for sure
MIbassyaker reply :
They always seem to work just as well as any other creature or worm, as far as I can tell. I like the zoom and the Mr. Twister super lizard. Good for pitching (vertical) and dragging (horizontal), to make use of the limb and tail action. I'm not convinced they are uniquely effective around the spawn, or that they are less effective than anything else the rest of the year.
heavyduty reply :
I was just thinking about them the other day myself. Always done well with them for smallies just letting them drift with the current. And like you, just moved on to throwing other things and forgot about them. I even have a box in the boat dedicated to lizards and will pull them out this year. 6" GP magic and moccasin blue produced well for me. I mostly tossed them during the summer months.
Catt reply :
Pre-spawn & spawn = Liz-zards ????
CroakHunter reply :
I havent used lizards much but have had a few really spectacular days with them. Love dropshotting a 6" lizard with chartruse tail
FishTank reply :
6in zoom lizard in black with blue flakes is my favorite. I have caught a ton fish with this bait.
MO_TightLines reply :
I fish the Lizard & Brush Hog’s together in the spawn.
When im fishing my local rivers I usually opt for a Zoom 4” Lizard for the Smallies.
If I’m hitting the bigger lakes, I generally start off with a 6” Brush Hog to see if I can get the big girls. If they aren’t hitting on that, then I downsize to the Baby Brush Hog.
Then, if they still aren’t wanting the commotion the Brush Hogs put off, I go to a 6” Z-Man Lizard, and finally if they don’t want that I’ll down size to the 4” Zoom.
So to answer your question; yes I still fish lizards. Usually in that progression.
Bluebasser86 reply :
They look so similar to the brush hog and baby brush hog that I rarely fish them anymore. I do still have some, and actually caught my PB on an 8" watermelon Zoom lizard.
RyneB reply :
I throw lizards year round. Mostly on C Rigs. But I will flip them on a t rig, a keel weighted hook, and even weightless on top of slop.
waymont reply :
Yes. I also use the 6" Zoom lizard. Texas rigged with a pegged bullet weight all spring and summer.
Along with the Zoom speed craw and small size Christie Critter, the 6" lizard are my three go to's.
1201vilbig reply :
This may sway your opinion of their use lol.
scbassin reply :
If the water temp is 50+ I have a Zoom lizard in the water.
J.Vincent reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 1:41 PM, 1201vilbig said:This may sway your opinion of their use lol.
Not exactly a real world scenario, as it was a stocked pond with domesticated largemouth...: ) But that is some of the best footage I've seen of feeding bass, especially in slow motion !
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 2:06 PM, J.Vincent said:Not exactly a real world scenario, as it was a stocked pond with domesticated largemouth...: ) But that is some of the best footage I've seen of feeding bass, especially in slow motion !
He has tons of great footage of bass feeding on his channel. I would have no self control if that was my pond.
Smalls reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 1:11 PM, Bluebasser86 said:They look so similar to the brush hog and baby brush hog that I rarely fish them anymore. I do still have some, and actually caught my PB on an 8" watermelon Zoom lizard.
Same. Between brush hogs, and curly tail grubs/worms that all have similar action, they just take up space in the tackle trays and add space to my wallet.
Might be kinda interesting to wacky rig one, though.
scaleface reply :
Worms , lizards and craws . Usually its just a guess as to which one i choose . My cousin and I won the largest tournament ever held on Mark Twain lake one September . Almost 500 boats . All our fish came on six inch Texas rigged lizard's off of a point in 18 to 20 foot of water . We used purple and electric grape Bass Pro Squirmin Lizards . We just felt lizards did a slightly better job at getting those important three lb tournament fish in the boat than worms .
flatcreek reply :
Lizards are always on the ready in my boat.4 in 6in & magnum all work well for me through out different times of the year.Zoom makes a 5 in I like to throw but they're hard to find in the stores.Texas or C- rig
Mobasser reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 1:41 PM, 1201vilbig said:This may sway your opinion of their use lol.
Good video.As others have said maybe not a true scenario. Wonder if they starved these bass, then dumped in the salamanders? Either way, looks like these fish are hungry, and would probably eat anything.
N Florida Mike reply :
For some reason, I have tended to use the zoom lizards mostly around beddin' time , and for long periods of time dont use them. I always have them in my box though. I use the zoom pumpkin 6 inchers with as little weight as possible. The more weight I use, the less fish I catch. Every time. Where I fish, they mainly want it horizontal and I catch a high % of them with it moving. Throwing it through and around eel grass edges is deadly in late spring, summer, and fall when the eel grass is emerged.
I catch better quality fish on them than baby brush hogs.
One struggle I have is that they dont cast as good as I like with the small weight I use. But if I add weight they just dont bite it as much, even if I try to keep it up on top. I can cast it just far enough to get bit so I guess thats all that matters.
And the bites on lizards are usually violent !
Catt reply :
BassWhole! reply :
Yup, I always have some with me. One of the only things I c-rig, and t-rig it all the time. I think lizards are victims of their own success. I am convinced that most of the time bass don't bite them because they think they are lizards, they bite them because of their profile and action, which in my mind is almost ideal. I'm also pretty sure that bass don't think a beaver is a beaver or that a senko is a Cohiba...
roadwarrior reply :
The only one for me:
fin reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 7:52 PM, Mobasser said:Good video.As others have said maybe not a true scenario. Wonder if they starved these bass, then dumped in the salamanders? Either way, looks like these fish are hungry, and would probably eat anything.
Those private farm ponds are a different world altogether. One of the ones I visited had one pond dedicated to only catfish. There was a hula hoop floating in the water at the end of the dock. The owners threw the Purina Fish Chow into that hoop and the hoop would keep the feed from floating away. All you had to do was step on that dock and the water inside that hoop started boiling. They would eat anything you threw in there. It was similar in the bass ponds - the fish rarely saw outsiders, just the owners coming down to feed them, so the fish weren't scared of humans like they are in public waters.
scaleface reply :
I'd pay twenty dollars to see the guy feeding the bass to wade out there with no pants on .
MN Fisher reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 10:29 PM, scaleface said:I'd pay twenty dollars to see the guy feeding the bass to wade out there with no pants on .
I'd give him twenty if he keeps his pants on.
Tennessee Boy reply :
My top 3 personal best all on a 6 inch Zoom Lizzard in the Spring. So yeah I like um.
Catt reply :
During late pre-spawn & on into the spawn I like nose down tail up!
I throw a 1/8 or 3/16 oz bullet weight pegged or a shaky head.
To the bass it's gives the impression of something feeding around their nest... instant ticked off!
Double Z lures float ????
J Francho reply :
January 15, 2019: @Catt admits to pegging, sometimes. Never forget!
????
The shaky head lizard is a good presentation. So is a drop shot, but on beds as described in my article:
https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html
Log Catcher reply :
I haven't thrown a lizard in 2 or 3 years. I never had the luck with them other people have. The baby brush hog has been much better for me. I still have some packs of lizards around here somewhere but I don't know if they will ever be used.
tander reply :
A 8" lizard in Junebug is the hot bait at Ross Barnett in the springtime.
fishwizzard reply :
I have replaced both 7” curly tail worms and bushhogs with 6” Zoom lizards. They are all about the same size and have close to enough action that I don’t feel the need to carry all three.
This spring I am going to try larger weightless lizards in place of Trickworms and fished in the same emerging pads. I want a little more weight to make casting a bit easier.
BareHook reply :
Lizards... AKA "Baby Alligators" fished weightless on top
Spankey reply :
I’m more into fishing lizards than picking up a creature type bait. Zoom in 4”, rarely a 6” version. Most of my plastics are on the finesse size. Light Texas rig or split shot them.
My most productive colors are Watermelon candy and watermelon blue flash. I use to use a black w/dots that was very productive but can’t find it anymore.
Columbia Craw reply :
The only lizards I have now are the 5 inch skinny YUM Zellemanders with the twin tails and they are saved for light Carolina rigging when the smallmouth bite is slooooow. Brush Hogs Cristy Critters and the RI Man Bear Pig get the nod these days.
Catt reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 11:16 PM, J Francho said:January 15, 2019: @Catt admits to pegging, sometimes. Never forget
That's two secrets revealed in one thread ????
Mobasser reply :
I think like any soft plastic, more versatile than we think. Texas rig, split shot, or shakey head. I've never used one weightless, or fishing over the top of weeds, but many fish them with success this way. Whatever it is, lizards work.
fishwizzard reply :
I will say my favorite way to rig a 6” Zoom Lizard is on a 1/16-3/0 Slider Pro head. It has a nice “medium” fall rate, the hook is fine enough to give good hooksets with ML rods but is thick enough to use a MH rod and 12lb line in lite cover. The long shank of the jighead gives great plastic life and I can swim, drag, or hop it depending on what I am trying to do. The total package weighs in around 5/16oz and one of my favorite presentations for scouting a new spot.
lo n slo reply :
we have been catching fish with lizards for years, not only in the Spring either. they’ll hit em March thru December, 1’ down to 25’. we prefer the 5” Zoom lizards in green pumpkin (dipped in chartreuse Spike It) and june bug, texas rigged with a 3/16 bullet and 3.0 offset worm hook. why use the 5”? spotted bass, but we’ve caught some hefty largemouth on em too. i’ll order up to 30 bags at time. smh
Mobasser reply :
Well because of this thread, I'll be fishing lizards this season. And along with some other recent threads, bringing back the Beetle Spin, and the Culprit 7.5 in worm. Am I going backwards here? Nope. Going fishing with some killer bass baits! They all worked before, and I'm sure they'll work again.
stratoliner92 reply :
Buddy I worked with only and I mean only fished lizards for soft plastics he didn't have anything else. Me on other hand went thru a plastic addiction for years and have enough different plastic's to fill a truck. I like Zoom 8" magnum lizzards for bedding fish and only time I use them is during spawn
scbassin reply :
It's hard to beat a Zoom Lizard.
fin reply :
On 1/17/2019 at 1:52 AM, Mobasser said:Well because of this thread, I'll be fishing lizards this season.
I was throwing a lizard yesterday because of this thread. I've always liked them, just never think about them much and was never 100% happy with my hook/weight combination, but I think I've come up with winner now.
RB 77 reply :
Always in the rotation. A classic plastic for sure.
Paul Roberts reply :
"Lizards" are one bait -despite their long-time popularity- that I don't own a single one of. I guess I just don't understand them. There are no lizards in the water, or even salamanders where I fish. I understand that imitation isn't at all necessary to get bass to bite. I just lump lizards in with "creature"-type baits: Bulky plastics that move water. That, apparently, is often enough to spell "food".
roadwarrior reply :
Give 'em a try, you might be surprised.
BassWhole! reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 5:08 AM, Paul Roberts said:"Lizards" are one bait -despite their long-time popularity- that I don't own a single one of. I guess I just don't understand them. There are no lizards in the water, or even salamanders where I fish. I understand that imitation isn't at all necessary to get bass to bite. I just lump lizards in with "creature"-type baits: Bulky plastics that move water. That, apparently, is often enough to spell "food".
That's because in your mind the bass is like "Oh look! a yummy lizard" and that's not what's going on. I'm pretty sure there are no spinnerbaits or A-rigs swimming around in your lake either...
Paul Roberts reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 5:27 AM, reason said:That's because in your mind the bass is like "Oh look! a yummy lizard" and that's not what's going on. I'm pretty sure there are no spinnerbaits or A-rigs swimming around in your lake either...
Yeah, that's... pretty much what I said.
But I don't agree at that spinnerbaits and A-Rigs are seen as "spinnerbaits and "A-Rigs" to bass. They can spell "baitfish" pretty well, at times.
BassWhole! reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 5:38 AM, Paul Roberts said:Yeah, that's... pretty much what I said.
But I don't agree at that spinnerbaits and A-Rigs are seen as "spinnerbaits and "A-Rigs" to bass. They can spell "baitfish" pretty well, at times.
I'm pretty sure you can put a lizard on a spinnerbait as a trailer or pull a school of them on an A-rig and catch fish. As a matter of fact I used them as cod teasers one time and they worked as well as the grubs normally used. Fish don't reason.
fin reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 5:08 AM, Paul Roberts said:"Lizards" are one bait -despite their long-time popularity- that I don't own a single one of. I guess I just don't understand them. There are no lizards in the water, or even salamanders where I fish. I understand that imitation isn't at all necessary to get bass to bite. I just lump lizards in with "creature"-type baits: Bulky plastics that move water. That, apparently, is often enough to spell "food".
Yeah, most lures, if simply dropped on the bottom, would never be bitten. It's all about the motion, and lizards have a lot of parts that wiggle.
I actually caught a small bass on a lizard yesterday.
WRB reply :
Water dogs (Tiger salamders) are illegal to use in California the past decade or so, phenomial bass live bait. I caught a 11 bass at Havasu, Roads End Camp, back in '55. The store owner gave me the water dog, don't think he thought I would fish it off his dock. We weighed the big bass on the stores scale and released it, then he was happy! That bass may still be a lake record.
Plastic lizards were the 1st soft plastic creature baits, still work.
Tom
fin reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 6:43 AM, WRB said:Water dogs (Tiger salamders) are illegal to use in California the past decade or so...
You made me curious, so I had to look up why:
QuoteAlthough immune themselves, tiger salamanders transmit Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which is a major worldwide threat to most frog species by causing the disease chytridiomycosis.[2] Tiger salamanders also carry ranaviruses, which infect reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Using tiger salamander larvae as fishing bait appears to be a major source of exposure and transport to wild populations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_salamander#Diseases
WRB reply :
Carl Lowrance of Lowrance Electrinics had a business selling water dogs until they band in several states.
Tom
jeffo21 reply :
I use Zoom 6 inch black lizards and recently found some solid black Zoom magnum lizards bass in my area love'em
CaptPete reply :
OK guys, riddle me this; I have a local pond (it's 47 Acres). It's absolutely loaded with salamanders. Trolling across the pond I can count hundreds of them easily visible, they sit up near the top of the water column a lot and they hang out around the lillys a lot.
I haven't used lizards all the much in the past, but decided last spring to "match the hatch" and picked up some lizards that almost perfectly mimicked what was in this pond. Not a single bite.... craw bait in a distinctly different color and bam, fish every cast. They love white or black frogs and toads in there too. But anything that resembles a lizard (brush hogs ) just don't get bit. I find worms to be lackluster at best in this pond too.
To make things weirder, the bass population is too large in there and rather stunted. lots and lots of 1.5lb largemouth, few 2lbers in key locations. It's a numbers place for sure.
Any ideas what would cause this? it's like they purposely don't eat the salamanders....
scaleface reply :
On 1/21/2019 at 1:12 AM, CaptPete said:OK guys, riddle me this; I have a local pond (it's 47 Acres). It's absolutely loaded with salamanders. Trolling across the pond I can count hundreds of them easily visible, they sit up near the top of the water column a lot and they hang out around the lillys a lot.
I haven't used lizards all the much in the past, but decided last spring to "match the hatch" and picked up some lizards that almost perfectly mimicked what was in this pond. Not a single bite.... craw bait in a distinctly different color and bam, fish every cast. They love white or black frogs and toads in there too. But anything that resembles a lizard (brush hogs ) just don't get bit. I find worms to be lackluster at best in this pond too.
To make things weirder, the bass population is too large in there and rather stunted. lots and lots of 1.5lb largemouth, few 2lbers in key locations. It's a numbers place for sure.
Any ideas what would cause this? it's like they purposely don't eat the salamanders....
Maybe the lizards in the pond are not edible .
CaptPete reply :
On 1/21/2019 at 1:14 AM, scaleface said:Maybe the lizards in the pond are not edible .
ok... thats whats confusing.... why??? and why do these lizards not exist in the other very nearby lakes? (fed by this very pond) Ive seen maybe one of these lizards in the downstream lake.
Paul Roberts reply :
On 1/20/2019 at 5:43 AM, reason said:1). I'm pretty sure you can put a lizard on a spinnerbait as a trailer or pull a school of them on an A-rig and catch fish. As a matter of fact I used them as cod teasers one time and they worked as well as the grubs normally used.
...
2). Fish don't reason.
1). Completely agree with you.
2). Here you are wading into a mighty big topic. And I think you are assuming a lot of me from my comment.
I understand that this is a touchy subject for a lot of people. Me too -from multiple "sides" of the topic, since I've read a ton of "the literature" as well as had experiences with a lot of critters.
I do not think that fish and humans share the same levels of cognition. That said, if you think you are prepared to define reason, cognition, sentience, and consciousness, in a comparative sense, there are an awful lot of people -who have spent careers on such things- who would love to know what you've uncovered.
I'm not one of those experts, but since we're trading quips... I do know that there are lots of critters out there that will fall for shiny baubles, and repeatedly. I'm one of them! Why they do, is where things get interesting.
roadwarrior reply :
It's all about profile and action. We have lizards in Tennessee, but I have NEVER seen one on the river.
Mobasser reply :
The only lizards I've seen in my area are blue tail skinkBut, I've only seen them in hot weather on dry pavement. In fishing 30+ yrs I've never seen 1 lizard in or near any waters I've fished. But bass will strike lizards for sure. Only the bass know why. I guess we could say the same for many "creature" type baits too
fin reply :
On 1/21/2019 at 1:18 AM, CaptPete said:ok... thats whats confusing.... why??? and why do these lizards not exist in the other very nearby lakes? (fed by this very pond) Ive seen maybe one of these lizards in the downstream lake.
Some salamanders excrete foul tasting substances through their tail, some even excrete toxic substances. There may be something in particular about your pond that is different than the others nearby.
http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/reptiles-amphibians/salamanders-newts/
WVU-SCPA reply :
On 1/21/2019 at 1:12 AM, CaptPete said:OK guys, riddle me this; I have a local pond (it's 47 Acres). It's absolutely loaded with salamanders. Trolling across the pond I can count hundreds of them easily visible, they sit up near the top of the water column a lot and they hang out around the lillys a lot.
I haven't used lizards all the much in the past, but decided last spring to "match the hatch" and picked up some lizards that almost perfectly mimicked what was in this pond. Not a single bite.... craw bait in a distinctly different color and bam, fish every cast. They love white or black frogs and toads in there too. But anything that resembles a lizard (brush hogs ) just don't get bit. I find worms to be lackluster at best in this pond too.
To make things weirder, the bass population is too large in there and rather stunted. lots and lots of 1.5lb largemouth, few 2lbers in key locations. It's a numbers place for sure.
Any ideas what would cause this? it's like they purposely don't eat the salamanders....
Most likely the pond has a population of red spotted newts. Bass will not target them as they are toxic.
A pond with a newt hatch is a neat thing to see, there can be 1000's of them cruising around.
CaptPete reply :
On 1/21/2019 at 8:09 PM, WVU-SCPA said:Most likely the pond has a population of red spotted newts. Bass will not target them as they are toxic.
A pond with a newt hatch is a neat thing to see, there can be 1000's of them cruising around.
Thanks! been reading up on them, curious what will eat them (and hopefully the bass could in turn eat). We've been culling this pond for a while, but it still needs help.
Good read on these newts: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3229496/
it's a study on their predation, to sum it up, bass and bluegill won't eat them. Bullfrogs and turtles essentially will.
Spankey reply :
On 1/15/2019 at 10:31 AM, Mobasser said:I used to like fishing plastic lizards. A Zoom 6" plastic lizard in brn pumpkin/ chart tail was one of my favorite soft plastics. I havnt used any in a few seasons. Going through some older bags of plastics I tucked away, I found 2 bags. 1 brn, 1brn/ pumpkin chart tail. I used them a lot years ago, and always liked them. As with other baits, I stopped using them and moved on to other things. They offer a different profile and look than most creature baits, craws, and plastic worms. Sometimes, going through older baits, you wonder why you ever stopped using them? Are you still using plastic lizards? What sizes or brands do you like? I'm putting them back in my box this season. Another thing that I remember was that most guys thought of them as a spring time bait- especially around spawning bass.I caught most of my lizard fish after this- in hot weather. Are you still fishing with them, or have they been replaced? A great bass lure for sure
Mo, got to thinking about your thread you started awhile ago and organized my lizard binder. I do love fishing 4”-5” lizards on the finesse side. Light T Rig or Split Shotting them.
I’m no biologist by a long shot. But I found some color pics of various Pennsylvania salamanders. Cool stuff. I didn’t realize there were that many variations of salamanders and lizards here.
I’m probably a guy that would say color doesn’t mean everything. Probably a small part. Not sure if bass see color and shape as we do?
But anyway I pulled up the color chart of all Zoom lizards. I could find almost an exact color match of all PA Salamanders. Never thought Zoom had 1,000,000 color patterns of lizards.
My color selection is not huge but they work. Thinking about expanding on some colors and doing a sort of match the hatch thing so to speak.
Sorry for rambling and rehashing your old thread. But I thought it was a good post.
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