There are only a few unmodified off-the-shelf lures I use to catch fish. Most are what I call hybrids meaning: soft plastic lure parts melted together to make a unique shape. The only limit is your imagination. They’ve caught over a thousand fish and many freshwater species. Here are a few recent catches and the lures that caught them:
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I like those. I’ll have to try it
Today was no different. By 2pm the air temp was 93/ the water temp 87 yet I found fish biting if different mid-lake sections. The reason: casting lure shapes and actions that work no matter what lake I fish.
These excelled:
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So strange to find schools of fish in different shallow areas – 5.5-7′, catching fish no where near the shore. You would think a bright sun would make fish swim close to the bottom, but many fish hit near the surface. The most active concentrations of fish were between 9 and 11am. But most amazing was the amount of shallow areas far from shore that held fish. Thank GOD for sonar.
Nice having the entire lake to myself due to the heat and work day. The wind helped me deal with the 90+ air/ catching fish in the middle of nowhere kept me from feeling the heat until I had to leave at 2:30pm (ran out of water).
The lures that excelled, I’ll make more of and store them in my basement workshop. The greatest feeling is when fish slam lures you know work and that you never have to buy them.
Having been laid up all of last year I spent time going through my jigs. It’s crazy the amount of different color and size jigs I have. After watching fishing videos, I have noticed more and more fishermen are using unpainted jigs. I just saw your pictures posted July 16 using unpainted jigs. Is this your normal go to color? Thanks Mike
Just because I like the color purple, I paint all of my jigs with a transparent purple paint. Pretty in my eyes. To the fish? Doubtful. I catch as many if not more fish on unpainted jigs.
When I cast a soft platic lure, I want the fish to focus on what makes the lure unique such as its shape/ action/ color and color brightness/ texture/ tail or no tail and vulnerability to attack. A painted jighead IMO adds to a lure’s visual length and nothing more – which is not a bad thing. When I fished for smallies in my local river years ago, I always used a yellow-pearl colored, ballhead with a bright yellow, 3″ Mr Twister grub. Would black on black have done just as well. Maybe, but superstitions based on assumptions based on good catches are hard to break!
Example:
A buddy who I’ve gotten into finesse fishing caught a decent amount and quality of fish on a white pearl mini grub I pour. That color is all he’ll use and he and I both do great on it rigged on an unpainted jig. Not only are they are cheaper, but most important – they don’t affect the strike. On the other hand, the colors of the lures pictured on unpainted jigs, are colors that are not interchangeable. My superstition is that color matters for specific lures. If I find one or two that get it done, no need to take along others.
The color visualized is in the eye of the beholder – the fish’s that is.
Example:
I tie on a silicone skirt to a weedless Arkie bass jig that is painted black. I want the shape of the total lure emphasized such that it adds visually but not distract from the skirt color(s) or trailer.
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Thank you for sharing. Very interesting and definite food for thought. I recently started using a drop shot rig with a bare hook or lead head jig and have had good success with both. Thanks again. Mike
I get carried away when it comes to lure craft and lure characteristics that provoke strikes. Sorry. Should I edit out most of it and stick to the question about unpainted jigs with a yes or no answer?
BTW, the lure in the middle picture was produced by melting two grub bodies together (minus curl tails) using a candle flame. Pearl is the only color I like in that shape and only rigged on an unpainted jig. One of my best discoveries.
I was sight fishing using a cane pole and plastics off the dock this spring.
Talk about fun. 
I was sight fishing using a cane pole and plastics off the dock this spring.
Talk about fun.
We used to back in the old days us fly rods with a bobber. Drop that worm between the weeds and have a blast.
Please don’t edit, it was very interesting and gracious of you to share. Thanks Mike
Thanks Mike. Many anglers hold different views when it comes to lure choice and which ones to use in certain situations. My thing is that a large variety good multi-presentation lures catch as many fish – and maybe more – than one or a few lures limited to one presentation.
Soft plastic shapes include lures that cover all the bases: surface, mid depth, bottom. Adjustments must be made for cover or no cover, deep or shallow bottoms, bottom type and contour, clouds/ no clouds, pre-front/post-front, season and general activity level of fish. Retrieves must be tailored to all of the above and especially to general fish activity level.
Ex. the floating Rapala is a great surface lure, but unless C-rigged, can only target fish near the surface that are active near the surface.
Ex. You all know the versatility of the plastic worm
Ex. A deep dive crankbait or Rat L Trap is more versatile than the Floating Rapala
Ex. Small soft plastics blow them all away when it comes numbers of fish caught, the many species caught and the size range. In one outing I can catch 3.5″ bass and sunfish to 2 lb crappie and 3 lb catfish – all on one lure.
The +12″ crappie pictured was caught on the same lure that caught many small to medium size yellow perch, sunfish and bass along with more crappie ranging in size.
I am addicted to the strike and the excitement of wondering what just got hooked or almost hooked. The more ways I can experience that, the better! At over 400 fish/yr., I’d day that happens more often than not.
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Finally made it out yesterday. Fishing local Reservoir with 2 friends. They were using painted jigs with minnows. I had to talk myself into tying on unpainted jig with plastic. I caught just as many fish as them if not more. All small Walleyes and Crappies. Great day. Thank you, Spoon Minnow, Mike
Always a pleasure helping out a fellow fishing fanatic! Even after all the years spent on the water, I’m still learning by discovery. In fact everything I post was learned by discovery and fishing with different anglers on different waters.
“I always used a yellow-pearl colored ballhead and bright yellow 3″ Mr Twister grub”
The above is a superstition of mine that will never change.
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