Buying Lures for a New Technique

[IowaBasser]

I've been holding the monkey at bay all spring - but I'm not sure if I can keep up the fight.

If I like a specific lure, I like to have at least 2 of them. I mean identical: the same brand, same size, same color, etc. That way if the fish are biting and I lose one I always have a back-up or I have an extra one to loan to a buddy. I also usually have another lure of the same brand, but maybe in a different color or different size.

What do you do when you want to try a new technique and there are so many options? In this case for me it's lipless crankbaits. Are you more likely to pick up a half dozen lipless cranks in assorted brands and colors -or- are you more likely to make your best guess and just buy one or two.

This is my short list:
Spro Aruku Shad color: Cell-Mate

Strike King - Red Eye Shad colors: Bad-To-The-Bone, Bleeding-Gizzard-Shad, Fire-Tiger, & Bleeding-Fire-Tiger

XCalibur One Knocker colors: Chrome-Black, & Oxbow

Xcalibur Xr50 Real Gill color: Chicken-Pox

...and I haven't even figured out sizes!

[Mumpy]

First of all, I want to just say, because you posted "I've been holding the monkey at bay all spring - but I'm not sure if I can keep up the fight." You have officially let the Monkey out of the cage!

Now, to the question in hand, hehe...

I personally when I want to try a new technique try to do some homework and find out how others are having success with that technique. If I wanted to pick up Lipless crankbaits I would find out which Lipless Cranks everyone is using and their Favorite Colors. I then go purchase That Brand and Those Colors.

Good Luck with the Monkey, I didn't even attempt to fight him this year, he basically walked up to me, put a chain around my neck and started pointing out stuff to purchase and I obliged.

[Jrob78]

In your situation, I would probably buy a minimum of 4 different baits, (2 of 2). I would get 2 identical baits for off colored water and 2 identical baits for clear water. I would personally probably buy more than that but I think 2 baits each for those conditions would suffice.

From your list, the Redeye in Firetiger or Bleeding Firetiger and the XR50 in Oxbow would be good for off colored water. The Spro, XR50 in Chrome-Black and Chicken Pox and the Redeye in Bad to the Bone and Gizzard Shad would be good for clearer water. I would buy a minimum of one set from each of those categories.

[BigBassin144]

The Xr50 in Pearl Melon is probably one of my favorite lipless cranks.

When just starting out with a new technique, I like to have a variety of baits to see if I really like the technique. That way, if I do well, I can buy more and already have a good idea which colors work for me.

If I had bought 2 of each lipless crank I started with, I'd have twice as many baits in some colors I found I don't really use.

BB

[Tavery5]

I throw the gold black and the neon shad colors in the Red Eye Shad, I have caught fish on allot of their colors but these two produce the most consistantly for me.

[basstech]

Like Jrob pretty much said, buy the color patterns that you think would work best for the water you fish. By what you've listed it looks like you got a pretty good plan of attack. As far as what size to by, 1/2 oz. is the standard, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a couple of 1/4 oz. baits to use after the baitfish have spawned, and or when vegetation get's to within a foot of the surface. It's a lot easier to keep the smaller baits from burying down in the weeds so much. 3/4 Oz. tends to be kind of a speacialty bait with limited use in my experience. Like early spring when there hasn't been any spawn yet and the bait the bass are feeding on tend to be bigger than what they'll be eating in late spring and through the summer. Not that they won't eat big bait at those times. If you're not sure this is something your really going to get into, you might want to limit your purchase to basic color patterns, like a chrome, some kind of natural baitfish, firetiger and maybe like a sunfish or chart./black back pattern. Then build on that depending how you feel about fishing that kind of bait. These baits with the various techniques that can be used to fish them are really a great year-round-bait. Good luck and have fun with it.

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by Mumpy

First of all, I want to just say, because you posted "I've been holding the monkey at bay all spring - but I'm not sure if I can keep up the fight." You have officially let the Monkey out of the cage!

Today I took my 4th trip to BassPro within the last 4 weeks - and so far all I've purchased is a Twix candy bar! So I can confidently say I've still got the monky in a head-lock... but I feel my grip slipping.

Originally Posted by Jrob78

In your situation, I would probably buy a minimum of 4 different baits, (2 of 2). I would get 2 identical baits for off colored water and 2 identical baits for clear water. I would personally probably buy more than that but I think 2 baits each for those conditions would suffice.

That's pretty good advice - I like the idea of getting 2 clear-water baits and 2 stained-water baits.

Originally Posted by basstech

As far as what size to by, 1/2 oz. is the standard, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a couple of 1/4 oz. baits to use after the baitfish have spawned, and or when vegetation get's to within a foot of the surface. It's a lot easier to keep the smaller baits from burying down in the weeds so much. 3/4 Oz. tends to be kind of a speacialty bait with limited use in my experience.

That was one of the reasons I went to BassPro today, to get an idea of how big a 1/2 oz. lure was compared to a 1/4 oz. or even a 3/4 oz. Even with the enormous selection that a BassPro has in their store, they do not carry every color in every size for every brand, so I will make my order on-line, but I wanted to be able to see the lures and hold them in my hand first.

Thanks for eveyone's input!

[BassDood]

I like to see what I want in my hand before I buy it. Sometimes it isn't possible. If I can't, I usually go with my gut, and pull the trigger on whatever. It usually works for me