Favorite gimmicky or Oddball Bass baits

[RuddyDuck]

Spawning off the old school thread, What are some of your favorite or not so favorite baits that you have used or were glad you didn't buy? I will probably date my self with some of these choices.

I always loved the "The Throbber", top water bait, by Whopper Stopper. Liked the bait and name on that one. I still have it but it doesn't quiver like it used to. It was suppose to quiver in the water, like a live frog.

I also still have the Mann's Hard worm crankbait. Odd looking thing, might of caught a pike on it once, but not real proud of that one. It looked like a worm, but was a longer crankbait. I'm not making these names up for you younger folks! These two were products of the 80's.

I always thought the Bud beer can crankbaits were cool but never had one myself. Ok what are some of your favorites.

[DrJuice1980]

The Flying Lure was a complete joke, so was the copter bait. Not 1 fish was caught on either. I learned my lesson from those and havent purchased a gimmick bait since. Although Id be lying if I said I didnt have the urge to call in and order the banjo minnow. Ive also thought about ordering the cheena bait. Jeez Im a sucker.

The best "oddball" bait Ive come to use is a plain weedless spoon tipped with an Uncle Josh's frog pattern "bass strip" works awesome.

[thatoneguy]

The Banjo Minnow was basically a way to rig swimbaits and frogs. I caught a TON of fish on the Banjo when I was a kid

[EBass]

I have used the banjo minnow. I didn't buy it, but the GF at the time did. It caught some fish, but so would a fluke which I guess is what it is.

What's that topwater plastic spoon that had a metal spinner deal (wasn't a blade) and was a green camo color and had rubber skirting.

I do have an old frog jointed crankbait made from wood with metal lip. Bought it at a garage sale in my teens. I won't use it (to cool for a pike to take), but it has been used. No idea who made that.

[apegs]

Bass are genitically programmed to attack the banjo minnow! Thats what my friend always qouted from the unfomercial. Obviously he was a tool for marketing

[Hester]

Bass are genitically programmed to attack the banjo minnow! Thats what my friend always qouted from the unfomercial. Obviously he was a tool for marketing [/quote

Yup, the banjo minnow triggered a "genetic response" they had to eat it.

They actually did work. I would bike to the lake as a kid and throw it around trees and docks and catch lots of fish.

But like stated earlier. They are like a fluke.

[lookincalifornia]

used to catch panfish on my 2" flying lures!

loved my original doug hannon snakebait.

his frog, with the electronic croaking sound was just plain silly.

[Gordie]

Hands down the ugly bug

[Superduty]

This thread brought back a memory from the 1995 or 1996 Minnetonka Top 100 Bassmasters tournament. Claude "Fish" Fishburne was on stage with a very small limit. Mayber 7 lbs for 5 bass. Everybody had 12 pounds or more and the leaders had over 20lbs. He saw Roland Martin in line behind him. Roland was a big Helicopter lure promotor on the infomercial. Fishburne says to the crowd "This is what you catch when you fish nothing but the helicopter lure for 8 hours!"

[kaparzo]

I fell for the Wiggle Fin last year. It is a funnel shaped disc that is supposed to provide wicked action for plastics. The only value I got from it was the ability to talk up a new secret weapon to my fishing buddies.

I suppose there are enough days between Ice fishing ending and opener that a guy could fall for anything!

[Search Function]

The Bionic Minnow and Bionic Frog. I caught hundreds of bass on those things. Unfortunately the quality on the heads was pretty shoddy. I ordered a second larger kit and half the minnow heads weren't any good. I eventually wore out all of my good minnow heads and never ordered again.

My mom got me the Flying Lure for Christmas. I thought they worked ok, but it was tough to feel a bite on the tackle I used at the time. That was before Fireline and other super lines came out and my rods weren't that great.

[RK]

Gordie - Gapen's Ugly Bug was the real deal man. My God have I caught river smallies on those things.

Mann's Hard Worm - Oh my. I had a jointed one. Don't think I ever even caught a pike on it, which is saying something.

Banjo minnows did work, but it was the rigging not the miinnow. A coil keeper on a hook bend is still a pretty good way to rig a fluke. When I guided in Alaska Mann's Jellyhoos rigged like that absolutely destroyed big pike.

[apegs]

So what are these copter and flying baits you guys speak of? Do they really fly? They sound awesome, I want one!

[Musky hunter 82]

Caught a 10 pound muskie with the 2" crawfish flying lure, and some other fish but not nearly as many as with the banjo minnow. I actiually used them as a trailer on spinner baits works awesome.

[RuddyDuck]

Finally got a pic of the throbber and hardworm up. Looked up the ugly bug and now I remember that one. It was ugly, I might of had one, but never used it much.

[RuddyDuck]

Now I'm getting into gadgets, but how about the Color-C-Lector. Did that actually work or was it just another thing for Roland and Mr.Dance to sell? They always use to use it. I always thought it was a gimmick, but I never had one, so I don't know for sure. Another great product of the 80's I believe.

[Dylan33]

Anyone tried one of these? I see this ad in every magazine I get- I have actually thought about trying it, but haven't...yet.

[JoeTC]

The Flying Lure was a complete joke, so was the copter bait. Not 1 fish was caught on either. I learned my lesson from those and havent purchased a gimmick bait since.

I caught some really nice bass on the flying lure fishing from shore when I was younger. Wouldn't buy it again but I had some surprising results when I did use it.

Joe