# Are the "high end" lures really worth the money?



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

GVSUKUSH said:


> Anyone ever mess around with the Cabela's knock-off cranks and jerk baits? The Cabelas "Fisherman Series"?


I have some of the Cabellas name brand spinnerbaits, they are OK. But 1/3 or so of my spinnerbaits are the Gander Mountain Guide series. They are really made by Strike King, ahve a ball bearing swivel, and are only $2.99 ea. One heck of a deal.
Other less expensive spinnerbaits I like, Northland Reed Runners and Dixies. All a very good deal. And I fish the heck out of spinnerbaits, buckets, smallies, pike, they all love a nice spinnerbait.


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## BKilla_13 (Nov 11, 2008)

DaveW731 said:


> A bait's effectiveness is more a factor of where it is fished and how it fished than anything else and I am far more likely to bang a $4-$8 crankbait off of stumps, rocks and try to pull it through downed tree limbs. I think the higher end baits track better out of the box and may have better hooks, but nothing a pair of needlenose and a sharpening stone can't fix.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

sfw1960 said:


> Word up here kids.
> *"FISH DON'T CARE WHAT YOU PAID!"*
> 
> LMAO!!!
> ...


Feeling better eh Robert? Welcome back!!!


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## wbones9 (Dec 12, 2003)

The expensive bait doesn't have to catch fish, it only has to catch the fisherman.

Pay what you want, I use the cheap stuff.


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## mud (Feb 8, 2006)

was at the fishing show last year. it was the night our beloved K-zoo bass pro was on the pond. he was pushing his line of strike king sexy shad lures. Of course everyone knows that what comes out of his mouth is straight from God so my bud and I decided to go find this sexy shad.... $20 :yikes:

We found him struttin' down an aisle a bit later and asked him if he knew of a knock off that "worked" as well as this lure. He asked what we didn't like about it and of course we mentioned the $20....  His reply? (This is when he lost a couple of devoted fans) That's not that much besides you get what you pay for.... :16suspect:sad::SHOCKED:

So I bought 4 berkley frenzies for that $20 and caught p-l-e-n-t-y-o fish. I even lost one of those lures and was able to sleep that night.


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## fishinthed (Nov 7, 2007)

Yup, fish don't care how much the lure cost, but I'd rather plunk down $30 for something that _works_ than $6 for something that doesn't ... but there are some el cheapos that definitely _do_ catch fish.

Some of my expensive musky lures were _well worth_ the investment. 

But _no_ lure is the best all the time, so there's room in my tackle box for the cheap and the pricey... within reason.


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

mud said:


> was at the fishing show last year. it was the night our beloved K-zoo bass pro was on the pond. he was pushing his line of strike king sexy shad lures. Of course everyone knows that what comes out of his mouth is straight from God so my bud and I decided to go find this sexy shad.... $20 :yikes:
> 
> We found him struttin' down an aisle a bit later and asked him if he knew of a knock off that "worked" as well as this lure. He asked what we didn't like about it and of course we mentioned the $20....  His reply? (This is when he lost a couple of devoted fans) That's not that much besides you get what you pay for.... :16suspect:sad::SHOCKED:
> 
> So I bought 4 berkley frenzies for that $20 and caught p-l-e-n-t-y-o fish. I even lost one of those lures and was able to sleep that night.


$20 sexy shad? I got mine for $7 each, I have seen the King Shad and its a $20 lure! But its a swimbait, cranks and lipless are not $20 lures to me, but then I shop ebay and rarely ever pay retail!

BD


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## fishenrg (Jan 9, 2008)

I don't think I'll ever know since I don't see myself shelling out the money. Rapalas are already creeping up there to the "too high" zone except for my go to ones. I'm satisfied and don't need the upset and anxiety of potentially losing an expensive one.


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## takemfishing (Apr 26, 2008)

My favorite all time lure was a crankbait from a bargin bin. Gave it to someone, thought I would be able to get another. Still looking for another one like it.


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## ed1054 (Aug 26, 2006)

_ use a lot of Lucky Craft baits on Lakes that don't have a lot of pike. I use them when I go to Table Rock Lake in Missouri and I lost one this past week there after only catching one fish on it. It sucked, but I'll buy another. _


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## fishinthed (Nov 7, 2007)

Let's see ... my best baits by price (to the best of my recollection).

Bass: 1) $4; 2) $4; 3) <$1; 4) $5; 5) $6 (size, not #s, same lure as as P/M #1)

Pike/Musky: 1) $6 (overall best); 2) $25 (seasonal #1); 3) $30 (seasonal #1 for _monsters_); 4) $14 (seasonal #1)

Walleye: 1) $8; 2) $11


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## waterfoul (May 18, 2005)

fishinthed said:


> Let's see ... my best baits by price (to the best of my recollection).
> 
> Bass: 1) $4; 2) $4; 3) <$1; 4) $5; 5) $6 (size, not #s, same lure as as P/M #1)
> 
> ...



I don't think I could begin to count my baits like that... too many boxes of them to even start.

My most expensive bait right now is a C-Flash crank bait at $14 I think. Places I will NOT throw this bait include Croton, Hardy, and Tamarack lake! LOL!!!


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

I on the other hand will throw any lure in the box anywhere anytime 

The price of a lure is not worth missing out on catching! not even if it means I loose said lure,:yikes: 
It is the reason I buy em, to eventually loose em or wear em out tryin!:lol:

BD


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## XXXdisel77 (Dec 16, 2004)

IMO Lucky Craft can't be beat and my cousin has proven that to me time and time again until I finally bought a few. The paint on them lasts much longer than other baits and they suspend deeper than the X-Raps. I have thrown X-Raps all day and my cousin used the Lucky Craft and outfished me 5-1. As soon as I started using the Lucky Craft lures I caught way more fish. The walleye love them as well. For the most part they were the ony thing they were biting on for us with an occasional on a jig and fathead. 

Don't get me wrong, I know all the baits work at some point or another, and I feel it really depends on the water you are fishing as to whether or not one will produce over the other. I have just seen it too many times to believe Lucky Craft is inferior to any other lure out there.


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## jim sasser (Feb 19, 2007)

Its kinda like this ,some guys drink,some smoke,some gamble,I FISH!And thats what i spend my coin on i have many lc baits,spro bbz-1's,basstrix hollows and also cheap baits rap's,bandits and normans also other custom painted cranks.they all have a time and place.personally i think dudes spending $6 for a pack of ciggs,is beyond me but to each there own.do i think they catch more fish not all the time but many days on st. clair there what u need...:coolgleam


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## mike the pike (Mar 11, 2008)

I think it does when it comes to spoons. I walleye and steelhead fish quite a bit ..and the cheap lures just dont have the same action as the more expensive mini streaks with custom paint jobs


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## glnmiller (Jan 7, 2006)

I have a few YoZuri body baits and they work good, but not any better than Rapala, Bombers, SmithWicke, etc... in the right conditions. I do think they are well made baits and should last a long time. The finish on them is very good and has held up well.


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## Fyshslayer (Oct 23, 2008)

I have been using all sorts of jerk baits and let me tell you. The best ones I have used are 1.97 each from walmart. The renegade ones. Wow I have never been so impressed with a bait. And they are durable.


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## fishinthed (Nov 7, 2007)

waterfoul said:


> I don't think I could begin to count my baits like that... too many boxes of them to even start.
> 
> My most expensive bait right now is a C-Flash crank bait at $14 I think. Places I will NOT throw this bait include Croton, Hardy, and Tamarack lake! LOL!!!


Oh, those are only the ones that catch the _most_ fish. Easy to remember them... but the "best baits for muskies and pike" tend to be _very_ seasonal. Main point is that I catch a lot of big fish on cheap lures, but wouldn't catch nearly as many real 'gators without some of those $25+ lures in my arsenal. 

I know what you're saying about some of those waters... good thing Lake St. Clair doesn't have so many hard snags in the areas I usually fish!


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## BKilla_13 (Nov 11, 2008)

jim sasser said:


> Its kinda like this ,some guys drink,some smoke,some gamble,I FISH!And thats what i spend my coin on i have many lc baits,spro bbz-1's,basstrix hollows and also cheap baits rap's,bandits and normans also other custom painted cranks.they all have a time and place.personally i think dudes spending $6 for a pack of ciggs,is beyond me but to each there own.do i think they catch more fish not all the time but many days on st. clair there what u need...:coolgleam


And if you are like me you smoke, drink, gamble and fish. $6 for a pack of smokes $12 for a 12 pack of budweiser $8 for 4 scratch off tickets and....oh crap dude did you remeber to get the minnows.ne_eye::lol:


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