Popular lures you've never caught fish on 2024
alzun664 reply :
Title says all, for me it would be the Shad Rap. I have some with the lip completely beat up from banging off rocks and haven't had any luck with them. So I don't think the problem is not fishing them as often, I just tend to do a lot better with the Flicker Shads.
I'd also like to add that the purpose of this thread is not to bash popular lures/brands but rather to compare results.
Looking forward to seeing what popular lures haven't lived up to expectations and more importantly which underrated or less common lures have produced better results.
Darren. reply :
Buzzbaits... Nada, zilch, zamboni.
Cyacnba reply :
Flukes... I just can't seem to make it work. If you had asked this question in October, I would have included Senkos. Only caught 3 bass on them since then.
scaleface reply :
Zara Spook . I have caught fish with it but my hook up percentage is so low that I havent thrown one in years , Bad part is I can work it well . Walking the dog is simple . I can half step it around a stump . Just havent had much success with the things .
I cant think of any popular lure that I gave a good go with and have been skunked on it .
buzzed bait reply :
wake baits.... i just gave up on them....
James Frise reply :
Top water frogs. The only kind of frog I can catch fish on is a rebel buzz n' frog. When it comes to hollow body I have absolutely no success. My last 3 fishing trips i threw exclusively hollow bodied frogs and I got nothing. Other than that I catch fish on everything else.
everythingthatswims reply :
I have definitely caught fish on them, but aside from a small window in pre spawn, I never really do much with lipless crankbaits.
RyneB reply :
Tubes. I have caught fish on them, but I can count them on one hand. Also, the Havoc pit boss. I've been on private ponds where they bite anything, and still have yet to catch a fish on a pit boss
EricTheAngler reply :
Soft Plastic Lizards, it could be that I just started bass fishing in the late summer. 
drew4779 reply :
Lipless cranks. I still carry 2 but anymore they almost never come out the box. I've lost all confidence in them but know they must catch fish for someone.
fishinfiend reply :
chatter baits
Munkin reply :
Chatterbaits and yes I have given them a fair chance.
Allen
PennBass reply :
Jigs
Catt reply :
Brush Hogs!
Kill em on Baby Brush Hogs 
A-Jay reply :
A-Jay
Jigfishn10 reply :
Swim Jig...Spinnerbaits no problem...Swim Jigs = Goose Egg!
Alonerankin2 reply :
Lol^^
Munkin reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 5:38 AM, A-Jay said:
A-Jay
I have a Bart Simpson lure that has actually caught some fish. His head did break off on a cast though which made the lure run better.
Allen
everythingthatswims reply :
And lizards, I hate lizards with a passion. Love a baby brush hog though
Bankbeater reply :
Beetle Spins. I think in all of the years I have used them I have caught one fish.
guitarkid reply :
Buzzbaits. I can't even catch a cold with one.
Senko lover reply :
I really and truly feel sorry for you guys who aren't throwing buzzbaits.
camman reply :
Alabama rig
bigbassin' reply :
Pit bosses have only produced one fish for me in two years, and while it's more of a setup than a lure, for all the hype surrounding the Ned rig, I'm of the opinion bass actually swim away from the area when I'm throwing it.
stk44 reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 4:30 AM, drew4779 said:Lipless cranks. I still carry 2 but anymore they almost never come out the box. I've lost all confidence in them but know they must catch fish for someone.
I did too. Until the 6th sense lipless 70s came out. I didn't catch any huge ones, but lots of numbers.
Racerx reply :
For me, buzzbaits and Senkos. Not for lack of trying, though.
Ginosocalbass reply :
Crankbaits. I have put time in. Bumping them off structure I still seem to snag stuff.
ABW reply :
spinnerbait / chatterbait for me. Thrown and thrown them but can't catch anything
MIbassyaker reply :
Chatterbait for me, but I haven't given them much of a chance (too many baits competing for my attention!)
Before this summer, my nemesis was a Buzzbait -- always owned a few, but never so much as a blow-up, so I just ignored them most of the time. All it took was revisiting them with a little extra patience this last summer, and BAM! All of a sudden, I couldn't keep bass (and pike) off them, all the way until I hung things up for the season before the freeze. One even produced a new PB. I might not go anywhere anymore without a buzzbait tied on now.
Here's hoping I can do the same with a Chatterbait/bladed jig in 2016.
fullcoupe reply :
I'll 2nd chatterbaits. Threw them every chance I got a few years back. Mine had more issues misbehaving after the cast (fouled up, tangled, etc). Between that and never getting so much as a tap on it, it was just enough already.
Deep diving crankbaits. Used to carry a couple with me just in case, now I just leave them behind.
Giant swimbaits. They're all the rage in Socal, I see guys with 9' surf rods and 80 lb braid fishing them in small water. They'll fish them 8 hours a day just trying to find the big one. I have one Huddleston that I got as a gift, and maybe I haven't given it that much time - but I haven't even gotten a follower on it for the hours and hours I've spent with it tied on. For the price, I'd rather pick up a handful of other baits. Just my 2C.
Raul reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 7:51 AM, Senko lover said:I really and truly feel sorry for you guys who aren't throwing buzzbaits.
I throw them but ......
gulfcaptain reply :
jerkbaits.......1 fish in 4 years. Yet I still have a half dozen of them in my box.....why???? just incase.
ACORO reply :
Topwater Frog.....Ive had plenty of blowups and hooksets but no fish yet. Maybe this year my luck would change.
WIGuide reply :
For me it's the A rig, and buzzbaits. Jigs would be close. I've caught some fish on them, but I've never had a great day with one in my hand.
On 1/26/2016 at 5:43 AM, Jigfishn10 said:Swim Jig...Spinnerbaits no problem...Swim Jigs = Goose Egg!
Don't give up on them yet. Think of it as a finesse spinnerbait. Throw one with a small boot tail as a trailer something like a swim'n senko/swimmin' dinger or a Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper. When your spinnerbait bite slows down usually the swim jig bite picks up. Or if you've went down a productive stretch with a spinnerbait, throw on a swim jig and double back and more likely than not, you'll pick up a few of the stragglers that you missed with the blade.
Jaderose reply :
Wacky rigged Senkos. Never....nothing...nada....nope
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 11:25 PM, Jaderose said:Wacky rigged Senkos. Never....nothing...nada....nope
Are you sure you're casting it in the water and there's a hook attached? 
Jaderose reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 11:45 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Are you sure you're casting it in the water and there's a hook attached?
Hook?
tholmes reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 2:49 AM, scaleface said:Zara Spook . I have caught fish with it but my hook up percentage is so low that I havent thrown one in years , Bad part is I can work it well . Walking the dog is simple . I can half step it around a stump . Just havent had much success with the things .
I cant think of any popular lure that I gave a good go with and have been skunked on it .
That's mine too. I've fished them until my arms ache and never hooked a fish on one.
Senko style worms are a close second. I've never caught a bass over 2 lbs. on one. I've T-rigged 'em, fished 'em wacky rigged, etc., nothing but dinks.
Tom
Raul reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 11:45 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Are you sure you're casting it in the water and there's a hook attached?
OMG, too funny !!!
Tucson reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 11:47 PM, Jaderose said:
Hook?
Oh…….that changes everything.
Jigfishn10 reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 10:29 PM, WIGuide said:For me it's the A rig, and buzzbaits. Jigs would be close. I've caught some fish on them, but I've never had a great day with one in my hand.
Don't give up on them yet. Think of it as a finesse spinnerbait. Throw one with a small boot tail as a trailer something like a swim'n senko/swimmin' dinger or a Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper. When your spinnerbait bite slows down usually the swim jig bite picks up. Or if you've went down a productive stretch with a spinnerbait, throw on a swim jig and double back and more likely than not, you'll pick up a few of the stragglers that you missed with the blade.
Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a whirl. 
On 1/26/2016 at 11:45 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Are you sure you're casting it in the water and there's a hook attached?
Too funny ... I actually have better luck t-rigging them for whatever reason
the reel ess reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 4:23 AM, EricTheAngler said:Soft Plastic Lizards, it could be that I just started bass fishing in the late summer.
Try them around bass on the bed. Use white so you can see them when the bass bite because sometimes they'll just move them away.
On 1/26/2016 at 7:51 AM, Senko lover said:I really and truly feel sorry for you guys who aren't throwing buzzbaits.
What he said. use them around wood cover, stickups, blowdowns, docks... Bump them off of the cover. Fish hate that and want to kill this bait. Fish them as slow as you can and keep them on top. I find that for me black is the best color.
On 1/27/2016 at 12:15 AM, tholmes said:That's mine too. I've fished them until my arms ache and never hooked a fish on one.
Senko style worms are a close second. I've never caught a bass over 2 lbs. on one. I've T-rigged 'em, fished 'em wacky rigged, etc., nothing but dinks.
Tom
I think the Spook doesn't work as well for in stained water. That seems to be my experience. I have several Super Spooks, one junior and a couple BPS Excalibur knockoffs. I've had one banner day on a Super Spook. But I bought a Chug'n Spook, Jr last spring and I did quite well just before sundown after the dog days hit. It seems to draw them in better than just the quite swim-swim action. It will walk, but you can also pop it. When you do it splashes a little. I caught a couple over 5 lbs last summer on it.
the reel ess reply :
T-rigged Senko-type stick worms. Not a bite although I had great luck wacky rigging them in early to late spring.
Dropshot, thought I haven't given it a fair chance.
Jig. Always get bored and pull out the ol' T-rig. I feel like I get 4X the bites on the T rig.
Johnson silver minnow. One bite-missed. I've caught two flounder on it though.
the reel ess reply :
I forgot the tube. Nary a bite on a bass-sized tube. Although the crappie size tube really draws in all kinds of fish. It's one of the best baits I've found in creeks too. I've been bass fishing with my buddy when they won't bite and we'll start trolling for crappie and catch a few bass mixed in.
ww2farmer reply :
I think I have caught a bass on every lure I have ever used...........but I do have a small list of lures I have zero confidence in, zero interest in fishing again, and will not be in my rotation anytime soon. Those are:
Brush hog type creature baits, I don't care who makes it, I don't like any of them.
Buzz baits...........I would just rather throw a soft plastic buzzing frog.
A-Rig
XXL Cranks like the 10xd/etc.
Mosster47 reply :
Buzzbait.
Preytorien reply :
Tube baits
Spook type baits
Shakey-head anything's
Deeeeep cranks
Dropshot everything's
tholmes reply :
On 1/27/2016 at 1:20 AM, the reel ess said:Try them around bass on the bed. Use white so you can see them when the bass bite because sometimes they'll just move them away.
What he said. use them around wood cover, stickups, blowdowns, docks... Bump them off of the cover. Fish hate that and want to kill this bait. Fish them as slow as you can and keep them on top. I find that for me black is the best color.
I think the Spook doesn't work as well for in stained water. That seems to be my experience. I have several Super Spooks, one junior and a couple BPS Excalibur knockoffs. I've had one banner day on a Super Spook. But I bought a Chug'n Spook, Jr last spring and I did quite well just before sundown after the dog days hit. It seems to draw them in better than just the quite swim-swim action. It will walk, but you can also pop it. When you do it splashes a little. I caught a couple over 5 lbs last summer on it.
That could be the case. Almost all of the water that I fish regularly is stained to some degree. I catch plenty of bass on other topwaters like Jitterbugs, Pop-Rs, and the much-maligned buzzbait, but not a thing with the mighty Spook.
Tom
FryDog62 reply :
Scatter Rap. I think they're nothing more than a poorly tuned, low quality, too light to cast gimmick lure --
kcdinkerz reply :
Still haven't caught bass on a fluke, they are my go-to for white bass and hybrids but no large mouth yet. I've caught drums, carps, catfish, walleye, gars, no bass 
Looking for the big one reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 2:39 AM, Darren. said:Buzzbaits... Nada, zilch, zamboni.
Try them at night in the warmer months, bright moon. Less bites, but bigger ones.
bassheel reply :
Anything LIVETARGET
Felix77 reply :
Prop baits and flippin' tubes.
hawgenvy reply :
On 1/27/2016 at 9:55 AM, kcdinkerz said:Still haven't caught bass on a fluke, they are my go-to for white bass and hybrids but no large mouth yet. I've caught drums, carps, catfish, walleye, gars, no bass
In the blistering days of August in So Florida, a fluke is about the only bait I can catch a LM bass on. Funny how things work so differently for different people in different situations.
Bluebasser86 reply :
I've caught fish on everything I've really tried that I can think of.
I've had less than exceptional results on a drop shot and a swim jig though.
I have good success on lipless baits, but a Rapala Rattlin Rap is one in particular that I couldn't catch a cold with. Even schooling white bass won't touch those things.
Paul Roberts reply :
I've generally caught fish on most things, and rarely blame the lures. It's either that I haven't given them a really fair shot (lotsa times even my GoTo's will fail) and/or I haven't applied them under the right conditions. Recognizing conditions and circumstances is a huge -maybe the biggest- part of fishing.
That said, the Rapala Rattlin Rap is the only lipless I've not caught much on, and know it's (mostly) my fault. They just don't... appear to do much in terms of vibration and wiggle. So, I take them off and put on another lipless. They've now sat unused in "the warehouse" for quite some time, never making it to the water. Guess I should rectify that this spring. I'll consider it a challenge.
scaleface reply :
I finally thought of a lure I have never caught a fish on . The jointed mirro lures .
Paul Roberts reply :
Heddon Cousin II. I have two, and never found a place for them -a "lipless" meant to be crawled on bottom.
whitwolf reply :
Spinnerbaits. I have had little success and generally have absolutely no faith in that bait. The one positive about a spinnerbait Is they make awesome decorations on my fishing tree at Christmas.
papajoe222 reply :
Lucky13. I've even set my beloved Spook down to attempt to catch a fish on one when the 'bite' was on. No matter how I retrieve it, I've yet to get even a swirl let alone a blow up.
Paul Roberts reply :
I have a Lucky 13 too. My brother bought it over 40 years ago. Neither of us ever caught anything on it and it now adorns my family's Christmas tree every year (longer story).
It should work, as a popper/chugger... under dark skies... with a good chop. Another challenge for this summer.
burrows reply :
Scatter raps
On 1/27/2016 at 11:35 AM, bassheel said:Anything LIVETARGET
Ha-ha I agree
FrogFreak reply :
Banjo minnows and helicopter lures oh and the flying lure (not sure if this is the name).
Man if I didn't catch fish on buzz baits and hollow body frogs, I might quit fishing! I love the blow ups! Now that I think about it, I need to throw a buzz bait way more this year.
scaleface reply :
Everybody dumps on the flying lure but any decent worm / jig fisherman will catch fish with them . They work as advertised . You need try them on a bluff , pull them out and they glide right back into the rock wall .
N Florida Mike reply :
Hmmm I would have to say...Rattletrap's.I do remember catching one dink on one.
Ads7633 reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 2:43 AM, Cyacnba said:Flukes... I just can't seem to make it work. If you had asked this question in October, I would have included Senkos. Only caught 3 bass on them since then.
We must be two very different fisherman. You just named my 2 go-to lures.
N Florida Mike reply :
Yeah,those 2 are my favorites at least for now
FrogFreak reply :
On 1/29/2016 at 3:52 AM, scaleface said:Everybody dumps on the flying lure but any decent worm / jig fisherman will catch fish with them . They work as advertised . You need try them on a bluff , pull them out and they glide right back into the rock wall .
I think it's mostly the commercials that made it seem like they would pull fish in like some kind of magic trick.
AQUA VELVA reply :
Every brand of blade baits.
hawgenvy reply :
So you know you can't catch fish on, let's say, the Ziggle Monkey? If you're like me, and you're out there catching lots of fish on Old Faithful, you're just not going to change baits. It's because you're having success already. But when the bite slows maybe then you'll then try out the Ziggle Monkey. If you don't catch fish on it, even though intellectually you know it's because they're not biting, you will subconsciously lose confidence in it. You may never try it again. Or maybe you'll try it once more, when nothing else works, and since nothing else works, that will reinforce your negative feelings about the new bait. You are highly unlikely to try it again.
Now, someone on the other side of the lake starts out with the Ziggle when they're really biting, and catches several bass. He may eventually change baits, but knows forever that the Ziggle Monkey is at least a decent bait. If he once again uses it when they're biting, it becomes a very good bait.
Maybe that's why some people feel they can't catch fish on a bait that is the favorite of many other anglers.
N Florida Mike reply :
On 1/26/2016 at 5:31 AM, Catt said:HBrusBrush Hogs!
Kill em on Baby Brush Hogs
I've had the same experience. But I did catch a 4 pounder on a brush hog.It was watermelon with purple flecks.I've done well with the babies.
scaleface reply :
On 1/29/2016 at 12:31 PM, hawgenvy said:So you know you can't catch fish on, let's say, the Ziggle Monkey? If you're like me, and you're out there catching lots of fish on Old Faithful, you're just not going to change baits. It's because you're having success already. But when the bite slows maybe then you'll then try out the Ziggle Monkey. If you don't catch fish on it, even though intellectually you know it's because they're not biting, you will subconsciously lose confidence in it. You may never try it again. Or maybe you'll try it once more, when nothing else works, and since nothing else works, that will reinforce your negative feelings about the new bait. You are highly unlikely to try it again.
Now, someone on the other side of the lake starts out with the Ziggle when they're really biting, and catches several bass. He may eventually change baits, but knows forever that the Ziggle Monkey is at least a decent bait. If he once again uses it when they're biting, it becomes a very good bait.
Maybe that's why some people feel they can't catch fish on a bait that is the favorite of many other anglers.
I think your right on there .
hoosierbass07 reply :
This is easy: Jerk baits.
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