THE ESSENTIALS

Recently I discovered a great way to start an argument.  To a friend I suggested that the greatest farm pond lure ever was a broke back Rapala.  I was told that was a ludicrous suggestion, and that everybody knew that a Hula popper was clearly the best lure.  Another friend said it was a Texas rigged black plastic worm.  Still another said it was a beetle spin. 

The truth is these are all great lures.  If a beginning fisherman asked me what they should buy to target bass, these are the lures I would suggest.  An angler could take these four lures and catch bass in nearly any farm pond throughout the south.  They are all also easy to use.

 



The Rapala company was founded by a Finnish commercial fisherman, Lauri Rapala.  Lauri would fish the remote lakes of Finland with baited lines and a wooden row boat.  While rowing the lakes day after day, Lauri had time to observe the behavior of the minnows and bait fish that inhabited the water.  He noticed that the wounded and struggling minnows were the first to be attacked by predator fish.  Working with cork and tinfoil Lauri was able to invent the original lure that would eventually become such a massive success throughout the world. 

 

 

Since then the lure has evolved into what it is today.  What I like about the lure is it is an active lure that any dummy can use.  Throw it out and reel it back in.  The action is very lifelike and it catches big bass. 

While I can argue which bait is more effective to use in ponds, I can’t argue what bait is the most versatile.  The Texas Rig plastic worm is far and away the most versatile yet productive artificial bait known to man.  It can be fished fast or slow, on top of the water or on the bottom.  It can be used in all sorts of conditions, and still be effective. 

 

 The plastic worm is widely believed to have first been brought to production by Ohioan Nick Crème.  It was in Texas where anglers first  figured out that if fished weed-less with a bullet weight then the worm was bass candy, thus the name Texas Rig.  To learn more about the history of this bait check out this wonderful article written by Louie Stout on bassmaster.com http://www.bassmaster.com/gear/worm.

 

The Beetle Spin is also a versatile bait for farm ponds as well as for creeks and small rivers.  Invented by the late Virgil Ward, these lures have been around for years.  While anglers probably can’t expect many big bass to hit a Beetle Spin it will catch them.  The diminutive lure will also perch, blue gill, and shell cracker.  I’ve even hooked chain pickerel and catfish with them.  This lure is small but productive, and is used by anglers on every skill level.

 

The Hula Popper is not the most effective lure or the most versatile.  I’ve only ever fished the lure one way and that is with a pop-wait-pop-wait retrieve.  In the winter the popper should probably not even be used.  During the prime bass fishing months the only time I ever even really use it is late afternoon, early morning, or right after a rain shower.  However, there is no doubt that among the four essential lures this is the most exciting to use. 

The popper is a top water bait and there is no thrill in bass fishing quite like seeing the explosion of a big bass grabbing a lure on the surface of the water.  Poppers also seem to attract bigger bass on a more regular basis than the other lures. 

These are, in my opinion, the four essential lures any bass fisherman needs, particularly for those anglers fishing in small farm ponds.  The lures are all great for beginners because they are simple, and in the case of the Texas Rigged plastic worm and Beetle Spin extremely versatile