Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog Jr.

The Pro's:
A great topwater lure for fishing heavy cover such as weeds and Lilly pads. Solid construction with minimal in between cast maintenance. Had two trailer skirts that add to the effect of the frog swimming through water. Comes with Gamakatsu hooks that are places right beside the body making this lure virtually weedless. The Bronzeye frog also lands on its belly on every single cast.

The Con's:
Once you catch a fish or two with this topwater lure you will need to squeeze its body after several casts to release the water it holds, this is typical of frog type lures. Is great for calm waters but its effectiveness wears off when the water are wind blown.

Is it a good buy?
This is a great "I wish I had one" lure, meaning when you are stuck in a situation where bass are on heavy cover and other topwater lures can't get to them. Its a good buy if you can find them under the ten dollar mark.

Storm Lures Wildeye Swim Shad

The Pro's:

I finely gave this bait a good try out tonight and I have to say I'm very pleased with the bass I caught with it. I used a perch colored swim shad like the one shown and caught my fair share of smallmouth and largemouth bass along with an assortment of other fish including rock bass and pickerel. Using a moderate retrieve along weed beds and jigging it through rocks this lure held up very well. It is capable of going through weeds without much of a problem but it could not go through tough cover. The three and four inch swim shads come 6 in a pack and I bought the pack locally for only $3.75. Needless to say for the amount of fish it caught it was impressive.

The Con's:

The namesake is "wildeye" because of its holographic eye, unfortunately the eyes are so far pressed back that the plastic that it makes them hazy.

Is it a good buy?
This bait has me hooked! I am going to try a bigger version next time, but I will also keep buying these.

Bass Pro Shops Floating Tubes

The Pro's:

I picked to review the bass pro shops tube above all other tubes because it is a very reliable tube that is rather inexpensive. The bass pro shops floating tube are loaded with salt and are made to withstand a bunch of strikes. Unlike some other competitors the bass pro shops made a super frilly tail that really stands out when hopping it through weedbeds. I find its best to use these plastic baits for smallmouth bass with a weighted tube jig.

The Con's:

Those of you without a bass pro shops around have to order these online and pay shipping. Or you could buy a lesser known brand at a local bait store.

Is it a good buy?

I love to use tubes in fact its become one of my go to baits on slow days. Bass love these baits equally as well. Not only do I buy a bunch but I probably have every color in the book.

Uncle Buck's Bucktail Skirt Buzzer

The Pros:
A smaller buzz bait that is wieghted perfectly for long casts with precision accuracy. Uncle buck's buzzers have a variety of colors of bucktail skirts to choose from. When fishing properly and with the right gear this lure can and will catch bass. Has a smaller and narrower retrive than most buzzbaits.

The Cons:
Unfortunately this lure is a beast, it includes a trailer hook which practically defeats the purpose of the weedless hook. The weedless hook is not like the typical weedless that you would find on other hooks or lures, its two wires that you cross to make weedless, it gets tiring resetting it. When using a spinning reel it is imperative that you use a swivel or else the in line buzzer, like all in line blades, will twist your line and make your trip a short one. I recommend a baitcaster for this lure. It is slow to plane like other conventional buzzbaits

Is it a good buy?
I have caught bass with this little inline buzz bait, so that's a start. Ive seen my brother pull in a nice 4.5 pounder with this lure too. Unfortunately it has many draw backs. For the price its probably better to get a few buzzbaits instead.

Rapala Shad Rap

The Pro's:

The Rapala Shad Rap lure is an excellent addition to any tackle box. In addition to the crawdad that is pictured above Rapala has a very good job at selecting a variety of proven colors and finishing them off with excellent detail. These lures are phenomenal trollers and work equally well in shallow water and deep water. Last year in one four hour session I caught an amazing 14 small mouth bass just by using this lure for about an hour. It was so effective that I continued to catch bass with it all summer long.

The Con's:

I prefer to use the crawdad color and around the north east its not that easy to find these lures unless you shop online. The body is made of a hard plastic that will easily crack if hit on a rock or other hard obstacles, So watch your casts.

Is it a good buy?

After my success with this lure last year I ran out to buy another one just in case I lost my original. This is an amazing buy at a reasonable price.

Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow

The Pro's:

Highly reflective with two sets of treble hooks. Works extremely well just swimming it throught the water but I prefer to jerk it to give it a little more action. Yo-Zuri makes a bunch of diffrent crystal minnows to fit any situation, the one I have been using is a suspended. Bass love these lures.

The Con's:

Other than the pricey Yo-Zuri price tag the crystal minnow is rather light wieght and does not cast very well. The Magnum of the series is two inches longer and is heavier, but that is another review for another time.

Is it a good buy?

It has worked well for me this spring so I will continue to use it through the summer and fall. Would I buy another one? I think I would stick with the Rapala X-rap.

Rapala X-Rap

The Pro's:

A very versatile lure that Rapala has coined a "slashbait". The possibilities fishing this lure are endless, unlike a typical jerkbait that usually lurches through the water. The Rapala X-Rap is best used in short hard "jerks" or as Rapala refers to as snaps, followed by a pause. This will create an amazing side to side action that bass go crazy over. The quicker the jerks the narrower the lure comes through the water.

Two treble hooks which are in excellent positions unlike other counterparts which will often sport three. Holographic eyes always sit well with me and a nice variety of colors. I prefer to use perch because it represents prey in the lake I fish but the one colored above is called "hot steel".

The Con's:

The price is rather steep as they can run up to $9 where I shop, and there's nothing worse then loosing a $9 lure on the first cast. It also take a bit of finesse to master the snap, snap, snap retrieve that is very difficult to do if in a sitting position with the rod tip up IE sitting close to the water in a john boat.

Is it a good buy?

The action is phenomenal when done right, I keep a couple in my tackle box and I would buy again.

Zoom Brush Hog

The Pro's:

While not the prettiest lure this soft plastic creature bait by Zoom will deliver. It's design consist of a bullet head and the body has looped arms, paddles, and twin tails. Zoom impregnated the brush hog's plastic with salt and its sold in a zip pack bag. The brush hogs plastic is extremely soft, giving it a lifelike appearance in the water, at the same time it is very durable. I found the best way to use this lure is to use it near docks and heavy cover using a Texas rig.

The Con's:

The only thing other than its bulky size (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), is in some rare occurrences the bait's arms get caught up on obstacles like underwater twigs.

Is it a good buy:

Bass love this bait, in fact Tonight i caught a very good amount of large mouth bass and pickerel using this lure. I would definitely buy again.

Rad Lures Chatterbait

The Pro's:
The only revealing feature about this lure is its nice side to side swimming action when retrieved. Ill give it a little more credit in saying that it can be fished like a jig or a spinner bait.

The Con's:
Without going into any detail my brother and I cant catch anything on this lure. We are seasoned bass fisherman with years and years of experience. Perhaps north eastern bass just don't take a liking to this lure.


Is it a good buy?
Waste of time and money, I just threw two of them out last month. Do your self a favor and with the money you would spend on this lure go buy yourself a nice 3/8oz jig and a spinner bait. Then you will have two proven baits that will catch you bass instead of this horrible waste of time.

Rapala Husky Jerk

The Pro's:

The Rapala Husky Jerk is certainly surprising me this spring. I have fished this lure with great success in clear water and murky water. This particular one is silver blue and is a suspended diver, this bass lure is good for fishing weed beds that are starting to grow in but haven't yet fully grown. This bass lure is also used to catch walleye, musky and pickerel but works for large mouth bass just the same. It retrieves with a slight wobble that makes the body shimmer underneath the sun light.

The Con's:

Three sets of treble hooks help set the fish but be careful where you cast it or else you will probably loose it very quickly.

Is it a good buy?

I have enjoyed fishing these this spring, they have produced well beyond my expectations for a bigger lure. I would buy them again.

Arbogast Jitterbug

The Pro's:
These are a solid bass catching lures on calm days and nights. The Arbogast Jitterbug is a top water lure that has been around since the early 1900's and it isn't loosing popularity. Upon retrieval this bass lure wobbles back and forth on the water creating a small wave, bubbles, and movement like no other top water lure.

The Con's:
This bass lure is not easy to fish around Lilly pads, weeds, tree stumps or other lake obstacles like some other top water lures because of its two sets of treble hooks. Can crack or bend its front blade when cast onto obstacles such as rocks, so watch your casting.

Is it a good buy?
Yes, I used to fish one of these when I was younger and I still fish one today.

Cavitron Buzzbait

The Pro's:
Cavitron Buzzbait is designed in a way to hook more bass while top water fishing. This is made possible by the "Oxbow Bend" that you see in the wire in the picture. It makes the buzzbait swim lower in the water. Combined with the Cavitron blade this lure also has a slow retrieve and the holes in the blade also make it bubble more. These buzzbaits do have a distinct squeal that can sometimes attract bass. Buzzbaits make excellent lake lures as well as good river lures.


The Con's:
Let's face the facts any commercial buzzbait is generally expensive (in the $4-$7 range) and for the most part are not any better than locally made buzzbaits or store "stock" buzzbaits. If you are a seasoned bass fisherman it only takes a few seconds to adjust a buzzbait to get a good squeal and a nice amount of bubbles.

Is it a good buy?
I wouldnt buy another one, for the price of one i can get two or three of local made or stock buzzbaits which are just as effective.

Chomper Hula Grub

The Pro's:

The Chomper Hula Grub is a small mouth bass fisherman's dream come true. Small mouth bass go crazy over these baits. The action in the front (hula) resembles that of a crayfish moving along the bottom of a lake. The two tails add additional action when just "swimming" it through the water. Chompers are usually garlic packed and sometimes salt infused or rubbed. The garlic does and will attract bites when the bass is close. I prefer to use these on a Texas rig or a Carolina rig. They can also be used weightless with good results.

The Con's:

The tails on the chomper will break off after several uses. Make sure you also ave a rag with you to wipe off the garlic and salt from your hands, these plastic baits are potent!

Heddon Zara Spook

The Pro's:

A good quality top water lure with great action. Comes with three sets of treble hooks so that bass can hardly spit this one out. Paint and finish are top quality and I have been using a couple for over a year without any sign of wear. Has an all around good walking and gliding action when combined with calm water can be a deadly bass lure. For a big lure this lure can be cast far and with great precision. The one shown is the bullfrog color. This is one of the better topwater lake lures that I have used recently.

The Con's:

With any top water stick lure it can take a while to master the finesse that is required to "walk" it. Bass sometimes miss the lure when it is being retrieved back by "walking", if this happens then slow your retrieve down and every once in a while pause to entice hits.

Is it a good Buy?

It is definitly worth testing out.

Gary Yamamoto Original Senko

The Pro's:

One of my favorite baits for mid summer bass that are huggin the shoreline or weed lines. I fish Senkos with either a 4/0 or a 5/0 hook usually a gamakatsu. These particulare Senkos are impregnated with salt so that when they hit the water they have more suspended time. The design of the senko is so that when hooked T-rigged the sides wiggle like a worm falling through tthe water. When this plastic worm is hooked texas stle it can be casted far and with a great amount of accuracy. Original Senkos come in a wide vairety of diffrent colors and sizes. I prefer the watermelon pearl as shown.

The Con's:

There are only ten worms per package and a package costs between $5.99- $8.99 depending on where you shop. Since these particular Senkos are impregnated with so much salt they tend to rip and break easy, a worm may only last up to two bass depending on how hard they hit it.

Spro Aruku Shad rattle trap

The Pro's:
The Spro Aruku Shad is an all around incredible bass fishing lure. This 5/8oz metal shelled rattle trap is a long caster and a sure fire hit with bass. This lure is filled with ball bearings and seem to attract bass from there comfort zones. This lure is extremely deadly in muddy or murkey water or fished extremely deep on a hot summer day. This has got to be my top favorite out of all my lake lures.

The Con's:
As with any rattle trap and diving lure the Spro Aruku Shad is prone to catch a lot of underwater obsticals and with its two sets of triple Gamakatsu hooks. With a hefty price tag ranging from $5.99-$8.99 It really starts to hit the wallet when you loose 4 per trip, as I usually do!

Is it a good buy?

Not only do I buy these baits often but I prefer to keep at least five on hand in case I loose a few. This bait is deadly in the lakes I fish.