Lure design experimentation for 2020

I my book lure variety is the ‘spice’ of fishing. Using the same ol lure year after year though productive doesn’t do it for me. Used to be I’d look forward to ordering every year from the latest Bass Pro and Cabela’s catalogs hoping I’d find new & improved lures that got the job done more often than not. NO MORE.First, being retired, I can’t afford the expense. Second, most of the stuff I bought ended up in storage in my basement after disappointing outings.

Now, my imagination is my new ‘catalog’ and ongoing even when I can’t be out there. One thing that never changes are confirming new ideas that worked in the past. Another is testing new ideas (shapes, action, sizes, colors, etc.) to find those that can be added to the book of lures that I can depend on most months of the year based on:
the way I fish, personal beliefs, old concepts that have caught fish and preferences while (hopefully) staying open minded for new & unusual that modify those beliefs.

I put together these soft plastics that either are being tested for the first time or confirmed as catching different species from April to November and maybe ice fishing.

#1 is new made from a Sweet Beaver and adding a different tail.
#2 is a modified hand pour for the Ned Rig
#3 (all three lures) will be tested confirmations of a hybrid design that’s caught EVERYTHING !
#4 are hair jigs (my dogs hair) that have caught fish from Jan. to the present with of without a float
#5 is a modified craw that will confirm that asymmetry (note only one claw) is effective
#6 is a handmade Beetle Spin I want to try with different lures
#7 is for a dropshot rig I haven’t used in a few years

Whatever works will be added to a lure folder on my PC. The others will ‘go back to the drawing board’.
It’s so cool when something works and can be counted on plus coming up with some new and unique designs not sold anywhere.

I’ve got it stuck in my head to experiment with tipping hard bait trailing hooks with plastic curly or paddle tails, probably in red or chartreuse.

jwellsy wrote:

I’ve got it stuck in my head to experiment with tipping hard bait trailing hooks with plastic curly or paddle tails, probably in red or chartreuse.

You never know where it will lead to. Concepts many times lead to others and if fish confirm they were good ones, so be it!

I’ve been designing my lures for many years and I can’t tell you the number of lures that were white hot one year and absolutely dead the next. Fish are weird. One year I made a spinner that caught 5 different species of fish but ultimately lost the lure because I didn’t change my leader in time. I made several imitations but none of them performed as well as the original. I guess that why we all end up being tackle whores with more stuff than we could ever use.

“I’ve been designing my lures for many years and I can’t tell you the number of lures that were white hot one year and absolutely dead the next”

Good thing I’m able to discover lure designs that never fail year after year and that catch more than one species. But I do know what you’re saying. There’s one hybrid I made using the body of either a grub or stick (Senko type) and attached it to a Kut Tail worm. Worked amazing until I lost it to a large pickerel at the boat. Still haven’t found the forward part that matches and wonder if subs (#3 in the photo) will work as well.

Of the lure’s I posted, maybe only a few will prove useful. First step is to give them a go.

That reminds me of a miniature geoduck (gooy-Duck).

That geoduck reminds of something. I’m not saying what…..

In any case, being able to try new lure designs requires fish and what better way than having a pond in my backyard. It holds sunfish, perch, LM bass and a few rock bass. The depth is 6-8′ deep, water fed from the wetlands and has three areas of lily pads that grow to the surface annually.

I’ve learned quite a bit about freshwater fish and even that bass can be trained – which kinda makes them like pets I don’t want to catch. What’s more, they ignore my presence near them on shore watching me in schools of 6 or 7.