Steve Sarley: Some of my ‘must have’ lures for the tackle box

(Outdoor News may earn revenue from products shown on this page by participating in affiliate programs. Click here to learn more.)

I have been told that the lures I tend to talk about are usually the old tried-and-true fish catchers. I even got a letter that accused me, “What’s the deal Sarley, you dinosaur? Haven’t you bought any lures in the last decade?”

Ask Mrs. Sarley that question and she’ll give you the answer because she sees the credit card bills. I buy plenty of lures.

I think this is a good time for me to offer a list of the lures that I think every fisherman should have in their tackle box.

If you are looking for something new, you might want to give the Whopper Plopper a try. Besides the cool name, the lure really catches fish. It caught fire with the muskie fishermen but works for any fish that will swallow a topwater lure.

The Whopper Plopper has a big, bulky, segmented body with a hard front segment and a soft plastic back segment. The back has a very large tail that spins and makes a giant splash as it turns. The splash creates a huge noise as it creates an incredible splashing in the water.

If you need a stealthy presentation, this is not the lure for you. No lure creates a larger ruckus on the water’s surface than the Whopper Plopper. A fish can hear it coming from halfway across the lake. The 43/8-inch model is perfect for big, toothy fish while the 3-inch version drives bass wild. I love these lures.

Rat-L-Traps

Back to a few older lures, you’ve got to have a few Bill Lewis Rat-L-Traps in your tackle box.

The Rat-L-Trap is a flat-sided crankbait. Unlike a traditional minnow-imitating crankbait, the Trap looks like a minnow, but the sides are flat. Unlike a minnow.

The trap vibrates wildly as it is retrieved. It can be used almost as a surface lure, down to a deep diver, depending on how quickly you crank it in. This is a killer spring bait but works all year.

Spinners

A spinnerbait is the most widely-used fish-catcher on the market.

A spinnerbait is a piece of stiff wire bent into a “V” with a hook on one side, a spinner on the other, and a loop in the wire in the middle where you tie it to your line. Blades, beads, and plastic skirts can adorn the lure any way you please. I prefer these lures when the color of the blades matches the color of the skirt.

Strike King is the most famous spinnerbait brand and has earned a great reputation. Small spinnerbaits are harder to cast but are well-worth the effort because they catch so many fish.

The Johnson Beetle Spin is the gold standard in tiny spinnerbaits. Spinnerbaits can be retrieved fast or slow and you can even let them bounce along the bottom as you reel them in. Not many people bottom-bounce a spinnerbait and that is a mistake.

Buzzbait, chatterbait

A cousin if the spinnerbait is a buzzbait. This lure looks like a spinnerbait but runs on the surface as it is retrieved at a very high speed. Use it when the fish are aggressive.

The Chatterbait is a combination of a spinnerbait and a jig and may be the deadliest lure I carry in my tackle box. The Chatterbait is a basic skirted jig attached to a spinner blade. Easy but effective. Z Man makes this baby, and it comes with gigantic blade all the way down to micro blades.

You can always find a Chatterbait to fit the occasion. A great benefit is that the skirts seem to last forever, fish after fish.

Plastics

You should have a couple of pre-rigged plastic worm baits in brown or dark green. I like the Ike Con Worm the best. These baits really catch fish and are easy to use.

Pre-rigged worms are artificial worms that are made with a curve built into them and are rigged on either one or two hooks. The curve in the worm makes it spin slowly in the water when it is retrieved. Fish find it irresistible.

In-line spinners

Mepp’s practically owns the in-line spinner market. If I had to pick one lure to fish with, I’d take a Mepp’s Spinner with a black and yellow blade with black squirrel tail dressing.

This particular Mepp’s Spinner is what I call my confidence lure. If I had to catch a fish in order to feed my family, it would be the one I would tie on. I caught my biggest muskie on a Mepp’s Musky Killer and have caught limits of bluegills on tiny Mepp’s spinners. 

Surface baits

I love fishing with surface baits. Topwater fishing is my favorite way to fish. There is nothing more exciting than watching a hungry fish come out of the water to attack what it thinks is its next meal. The Pop-R and Zara Spook are a couple of traditionally popular surface lures that always seem to work.

The Bagley Bang-O Lure is a true “oldie but goodie” that works well, even though it seems like it has been around forever.

When the water’s surface starts to get covered with weed growth, I love to pull out my plastic frogs. Use a very stout rod and some heavy braided line, as if you were fishing for pike, and you’re ready for action. There are dozens of makes and models and manufacturers of artificial frogs and the prices vary. I like the Snag Proof Phat Frog.

Frogs on the three for $10 closeout rack may seem appealing, but what are you saving if a frog only lasts for a single bite or two?

By the way, surface lures should be tried no matter the weather. If they aren’t working, switch to something else, but always give a surface bait a cast or two.              

Now tie on one of my favorites and get out there and catch some fish.

sarfishing@yahoo.com