What lures do you use and why?

[atrkyhntr]

Hey Gang...
When I was fishing rocky river today I'll tell you I felt naked without any lurers to toss so I thought I'd ask what do you use and at what time of year do you use them?
I have used inline spinners for trout back in Pa with good success so I know, and after talking to Dingo its confirmed, that steelhead will fall to lures as well...
THANKS in advance...
Clyde

[Steelhauler]

Clyde,


I do pretty good on wide wobbling lures like Kwickfish, Flatfish, Hot Shots, Tadpollys and Hot-n-Tots. You can start using them now and do pretty well. As the weather warms try dragging them through faster water. They also catch quite few fish at night.

Wes

[atrkyhntr]

What sizes? I have most of those if not all but they look rather large for river fishing...

[steelmagoo]

When I chuck metal for steelhead, I use:
Blue Fox Vibrax spinner, no bucktail, blue/silver, silver/silver.
Little Cleo and KO Wobbler spoons, blue/silver.
Blue just seems to be my "confidence color", other colors work too.
I usually stop throwing spoons and spinners sometime in early November, then switch to drifting spawn sacks or jig-n-maggot. I also bottom bounce spawn in riffles and undercuts.

[barefoot boy]

I have, and use everything at one time or another.
For Steelhead, I used to tie a wooly bugger type of jig ,when fishing a spinning rod, and a regular wooly bugger when using the flyrod. Heck, I've even tied, and used, without success, however , a Babine special for the Steelhead in the Rocky.
For LMB, I use jigs, (jig & pig or jig and grub, etc.), worms, spinners, crankbaits, and buzzbaits.
Larger countdown or sinking stickbaits and various spoons and spinners, for pike.
Small jigs and crankbaits for bluegill and crappie.
Various creature baits for SMB.
Also, various flies, bugs, nymphs, for flyfishing.
All in all, I think I have some of EVERY type of lure available for any type of fish. Some are more productive than others, but most have caught something.
I guess, though, I like plastics the best. They seem to be my 'go to' lure.

[BuzzBob]

I've had some success with 1/6 oz rooster tails in pink and orange. 1/4 oz works well in the deeper pools but I like the 1/6.

Short story--my daughter had this glow-in-the-dark fingernail polish and I said that it would work great on one of my rooster tails. She said "yea, right". I took out a brand new one and had her "paint it up".

Honest to God, first cast, WHAM! Unfortunately, dummy me must not have tied it on well enough (stupid, stupid mistake) and the fish and lure were gone.. I doubt that the glow in the dark polish did anything to hook that fish but you KNOW I told my daughter that it did!

[pymybob]

...Weldon hand-tied jigs - red & black 1/64 ounce under a float tipped with maggots.

Early in the season, I've been known to cast K-O Wobblers and Little Cleos - 1/4 ounce at Fairport Harbor. Chrome & either blue, green or orange.