Best all purpose lures

[tgruenke]

I have several types of crank baits, but what do people think the best all purpose lure is for either walleyes or multi-species. Also looking at different fishing conditions.

[northernsportman]

I like the salmo hornets. Ive caught lots of walleye, crappie, pike, bass, etc. on them.

[JohnMickish]

I believe the best all purpose lure would be live bait under a bobber. Not the most exiting way to fish but I bet more fish have been caught that way over all others combined.

Second I would say is the simple jig and minnow combo. This can be fished just about anywhere, rocks, sand, mud, weedless, crawlers, plastic and minnows.

[markkstanley]

Depends on time of year. Warmer water 50 degree and up shad raps, Salmo hornets, Bomber As. Temps below 50 stickbaits like Husky jerk-baits, Thundersticks, Reef Runners. Minnow raps can be used almost any time. If fishing deep I really like Taildancers and Rap DTs. If I had to stick with just one crank it would be a Husky Jerk in fall Rap DTs in summer.

[Jim Almquist]

I have several types of crank baits, but what do people think the best all purpose lure is for either walleyes or multi-species. Also looking at different fishing conditions.

For me it would have to be a Jig and Minnow. When fishing for Walleyes I think that I have caught just about every species of game fish excluding the trout family.

[Chode2235]

I am a jig and minnow guy too. You can do so much from pitching them up shallow to working mud flats out deep. The control freak's favorite lure.

[twon]

Split Shot and Plain hook if you wanna go for simplicity... but usually a spinner/floater rig with live bait.

[Bassinbob84]

Rapala dt's. I've has musky follows, lmb, smb, walleye, pike, and even a crappie.

[hector00]

Do any of you use the chubby darters much? I bought one a few weeks ago t try and have not had any luck at all with these things.

[tgruenke]

I've tried the lindy darter, but no luck. Doesn't mean they don't work though. Just no fish biting.

[carpmanjake]

if i could use only one lure for the rest of my life, it would definately be a jig, and a 4" inch plastic worm (or 3" gulp minnow).

1. they can be fished at any depth

2. i have caught so many different species with them

3. they work great any season.

4. they can be fished in any vegetation and cover

5. they also work well for fishing in rivers

and last but not least, definately one of the most economical lures possible

[Bob Clausen2]

Early Spring...lindy-type rig with crawler early and minnow/shiner later. Late Spring & Summer...slow troll with lindy & minnow/shiner/leech or crankin with a matzuo deep diver (similar to a shad rap). I mainly crank on LOW & bought the Matzuo in "golden shiner" some years back. It was dynamite, but when I tried to find more they were no longer made so I went online and found some. I always out catch my buddy with his shad raps 2 to 1...often 3 to 1. Fall...strictly jig & minnow/shiner. Probably my techinique but I get lots of hits & misses with plastics (Gulp included) on the jig. Through the ice..."eaters" on almost any inconspicuous flash lures such as gemneyes, angel eyes. Big fish...bare hook & shiner on a dead stick with a jig rod going in the other hole. My handle should now be 9over30 and three of those came through the ice on the hook/minnow. I watched one of those come on the vex for 3 to 4 hours about 2.5 feet above bottom before I teased it into a commitment. Caught some eyes on the darter, but the northerns liked it more. At the price, my eyes would tear up and freeze shut when I'd lose one.

[Turk]

Rapala Shad Rap #7.

[fridron]

Try to use whatever is workin at the time, but last opener alternated between jig'n'minnow and #5-7 shad raps and got more fish on raps trolling around jig fishers. 'Course it helped that I blanked the nephew who wanted to do the experiment he now says it was because he put me on the fish

[tacklejunkie]

Without a doubt a spinner with either a crawler or minnow.

[FutbolGuru]

Do any of you use the chubby darters much? I bought one a few weeks ago t try and have not had any luck at all with these things.

I used darters for the first time on LOW a couple weekends ago. They worked great, but then again, I was on LOW. It was a great way to gain confidence in a presentation I might typically steer clear of. Still haven't gave it a shot in the metro, but definately plan on it soon.

[New2TheFly]

Salmo now makes really small chubby darters. Works great with a minnow head and still has lots of action. It has landed me walleye, perch, and crappies.

[TrophyEyes]

Jig and a lindy munchies 4 inch grub will catch every species in MN.

[Heatseeker]

First off, the whole idea of "all purpose" is anti productive. You should vary your tactics daily, especially when the fish ARE biting. This allows you to build confidence in new presentations that work to try in the future and weed out failed tactics. There are "go to's" for every lake depending on the time of year for every species your after. It takes experimenting to figure that out. If you only had 10 bucks to spend on tackle, i would start with a few jigs of different weight and color and save the rest for the live bait that is working on that particular lake for that particular species of fish!

[walleyejgr]

the one that catches the fish

[walleyemaniac]

Rapala ShadRap Firetiger#7-caught more differant species of fish on this one lure. I've replaced them just cause they get so beatup.

[OnAFly]

Blue metallic #5 Rattlin' Raps have caught all sorts of species for me. All around great bait. Probably my number two behind plain old jigs.

[mole]

I fish countdown rapalas below the Ft. Thompson South Dakota dam on the Missouri at nite in the fall and have knocked the [PoorWordUsage] out of them. Also, a crappie size twister tail below the Albert Lea dam 2 years ago got me 33 of them in about 2 hours(catch and release). I think you can throw most anything reasonable if they are in the area and are willing to bite.