Labels used when it comes to lures - hard or soft (warning: a long read)

[SpoonMinnow]

I've post huundreds of photos in many forums regarding lures that have caught hundreds of fish over the last few years - mostly soft plastics. But as Dave and others have so superblyb pointed out, the action of lures is what catches fish - not what they supposedly represent to fish. Certain crankbait shapes exhibit a combination of shape, size and action fish can't ignore and prompt strikes. The same goes for skirted jigs & trailers; spinnerbaits as far as blade shape and size/ short arm or long; various plastic worm and stick designs by the hundreds; surface lures regardless lipped, cupped, or nothing at the lure's front/ surface or subsurface and many others. Specific lure properties are  known fish catchers we can count on in certain situations. This is especially true of soft plastic whether weighted or not.

But labels that may coincidentally mimic live prey aren't enough because any lure can be said to mimic an animal - some which may not even live in the water fished. Enter labels that most accurately describe how a lure acts when retrieved as well as profiles that produce such actions given certain presentaitions used. When it comes to soft plastics, the combinations that work are unlimited just as those that rarely work are unlimited. I've found descriptive labels I can count on that I or anyone else can reprodroduce that provoke different fish species to attack. Here are some examples - mostly hybrid lures made from attaching parts from two different lures - that outproduce the originals most of the time:

Quiver tail is not specific regarding lure action unless the tail is described. Any tail can quiver as can any lure in general. But various tail shapes work equally well or not as well depending on the fish, how the lure is worked, depth, jig weight, body size and one's confidence in that lure. 

Label: flat, wide, straight, thin tail that quivers slightly with the least action imparted - in this case attched to a segment of French Fry stick: or directly from the mold:

     

You can imagine the tail flutter when the lure is attached to a Beetle Spin:

 

These shapes are rated A1 along with other specific lure shapes that consistently catch fish when fishing is tough.

The light bulb tail shape produces a much different action when the rod tip is twitched. It's action is a total-body wobble which is a part of the label:

A modification of it is substituting a smaller grub body that reduces the profile but also chanes the action just a bit:

Another label is the combination of a double Crappie Magnet tail joined to a number of body shapes:

   

The tail quiver is unique and for some unknown reason does extremely well. This is the original lure:

:

Thin spike tail gets under their scales big time! :

 

Double spike tails attched to a grub body when wacky rigged cause strong fish strikes when quivered at any depth:

       

The hybrid on the right (above) was formed using two Assassin grubs joined with a candle flame.

Grub bodies joined together have a unique action and shape that get fish going!:

      

Wacky rigged joined grub bodies minus curl tails:

Hell, maybe they do simulate caterpillars. Still not part of the label.

This cone-tail in different sizes has caught many fish species including this catfish:

  

A variationn of the label includes this round thinner tapered tail:

...and this bilateral tapered cone-tail wacky rigged:

  

A double-dipped grub body with wide curl tail is another descriptive label that does well:

   

This 4 lb bass thought it worth chomping on:

 

A claw hybrid is another unexpected fish catching surprise label which includes the bilateral quiver-tip action - note body types:

     

My labels catch fish - PERIOD!  Anyone can reproduce any of the the above with a candle flame, steady hand and a bit of an imagination. Lure companies have done it for years making big profits via advertising and mass producing many good lure designs.

 

 

 

 

done it

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by SpoonMinnow