Worst Lures

[Band]

I don't know what you call my worst lure ever but I bought it as a kid from Jim Whittikar himself at REI based on his recommendation.  Great mountain climber and CEO but obviously not a fisherman.  I used that lure off and on for years...YEARS, and it didn't even get a sniff.  I threw it out about 30 years ago and still marvel at the poor concept of that overpriced piece of junk.

[coachcw]

Remember  the red plastic plug with a battery light in it ? Those sucked

[haugenna]

Banjo minnow.

[lokidog]

Ok.  I'll give it yet another try.  Dad bought it for me to catch a bass with at Boyer park back in the 70s.  It has kicked around in the tackle box for years.  Maybe I just lost faith in it and gave up on it long ago.  It's a floater.

I've done quite well on the blue/silver color pattern as well for walleye.  Some plugs don't swim right out of the box.  Drag it as fishing speed and see how it swims, sometimes we would bend the nose eye a little one way or the other to tune it better.

I've never had very good (any) luck with the lipless crankbaits that have the profile of something like a goldfish and are about a quarter of an inch thick over the entire lure.

[RadSav]

I've never had very good (any) luck with the lipless crankbaits that have the profile of something like a goldfish and are about a quarter of an inch thick over the entire lure.

You talking like a Rattle Trap?  I cursed those darn things for years.  Then a friend talked me into fishing Lake Washington for small mouth.  Couldn't find a small mouth that didn't pound those things.  I bet we put 60 fish to the boat in four hours.  That was a good day on the water!

[lokidog]

I guess that was it, though I don't remember them rattling.  Something like this but they seemed more blocky from my memeory....

[Gobble Doc]

I had a couple Mepps that didn't do it for me.  One was black with yellow dots and with a black and yellow bucktail.  The other Mepps was a spinner with a plastic minnow connected.  Both duds.  The red and white Mepps were always good for me as well as rooster tails and a Panther Martin. 

[RadSav]

Anyone remember the old Smolt Spinner.  Believe it was a local company.  Wish I still had some left to copy.  Those were the best dang spinners I've ever fished!  And possibly the single best summer steelhead lure regardless of lure style.  MAN we killed a lot of fish with those!!

[Gobble Doc]

I have not heard of the Smolt Spinner.  I'd like to see one. 

[RadSav]

I have not heard of the Smolt Spinner.  I'd like to see one.

All the ones I had came in a kit that you made up yourself.  The clevis was not folded and blades were lighter than a Mepps.  Took almost zero retrieve speed to get the blade spinning.  Bodies ranged from light to heavy without ever becoming bulky.  Some guys I fished with had bought them in Portland already made up.  But I'm not sure if Smolt Spinner did that or some tackle store.  By the time I found out about them all I could get was the kit.  A year later when I tried to buy more they were out of business and I couldn't find them made up or components only.   Wholly cow I wish I had loaded up to the lifetime gills before they went under!  They really were something special.

[bassquatch]

I got this Rapala 40 years ago.  I've used it over the years and have never caught anything with it.  Too bad I didn't get the perch colored one.    Anyone else have a lure that has never produced?

Taking that exact lure to Storm Lake and twitching it on the surface = skunk off!

A floating version of that lure in that color is one of our "go to" baits when the bite gets really tough! Catches crappie, sunfish and perch as well! 

[Bullkllr]

I have not heard of the Smolt Spinner.  I'd like to see one.

All the ones I had came in a kit that you made up yourself.  The clevis was not folded and blades were lighter than a Mepps.  Took almost zero retrieve speed to get the blade spinning.  Bodies ranged from light to heavy without ever becoming bulky.  Some guys I fished with had bought them in Portland already made up.  But I'm not sure if Smolt Spinner did that or some tackle store.  By the time I found out about them all I could get was the kit.  A year later when I tried to buy more they were out of business and I couldn't find them made up or components only.   Wholly cow I wish I had loaded up to the lifetime gills before they went under!  They really were something special.

I used those a few times. They had a lead body like a sliding bass weight. Can't remember the name of the company, but it was a local NW company IIRC.

[Jonathan_S]

I have a bunch of little Rapalas floating and sinking just like Gobble Doc's OP.  I have worn some of them out on Crappie.

As far as lures that don't work?  Anything for Muskie 

[Ridgeratt]

That lure on a 3 way swivel and a lead dropper from 3/4 to 2 oz. drag around behind a boat. Yee Haa.

But right now I am sort of tied up and sidelined.   

[Gobble Doc]

OK.   I'm convinced.   It's me and not the old lure.  I'm going to catch something with it and then permanently retire it.  Whatever I catch will get a picture and then posted.  Hopefully it won't take another 40 years.