$100 for lures, what should I get

[Chris Roberts]

Lets say I have 0 lures (that's not true of course) and have $100 o spend.

What MUST I go out and buy?  This is strictly for panfish.  

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I've done a little of that. I can't say it makes a huge difference in my limited experience. But one thing seems to be clear: bluegill dont always like a big flapping twist tail rushing by!

[Chris Roberts]

Ended up getting this stuff for myself for Christmas, finally got around to posting it.  I'm sure you'll notice a few suggestions!

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Looks good Chris....let's go fishing! A nice variety.....

[Jordan Williams]

I would go with trout magnets, strike king bitsy minnows, rapala ultra lights, and mister twister 1" curl tails.

Fly casting you cant beat any sort of popper fished tandem with a black ant under it

[Randy Goad]

Full discloser...I am on Trout Magnet Pro Staff. I am not paid to fish them....I fish them because they catch fish. I have a bag full of micro lures that I continue to buy but none of them have ever measured up to the catching ability of the Trout Magnet. I fish full time..meaning 5 or 6 days a week 52 weeks a year. I catch literally thousands of Gills a year. Along the way I also mange to put between 800 and 1000 crappie in the skillet also. Plus my Smallies....White Bass and trout also. The only fish that does not particularly care for a Trout Magnet is the Large Mouth bass. We all have our favorite lures. But that doesn't mean I will not try something else. Because of this site I intend to get some Gapen floats. Had never heard of them until Walt Foreman showed me one and then read other posts about them on here. Expensive but I think worth it. Looks like you have a good supply of gear to put fish in the boat.

                                                                                          Regards 

[Jason Preslar]

What's your setup/technique using the trout magnets?

[Randy Goad]

I will use 2# test line...sometime 1# test...and use the twitch method. I do fish it under a float and will fish it under the float more I am sure with the Gapen float. I fully expect the Gapen float to change my float fishing.

                                                                                       Regards 

[Tony Livingston]

Gapen does make some good floats....which ones do you use? I posted a photo of the style I use, or used to use, before I started experimenting with my own, and it was probably one of the best designs i have ever used.

[Randy Goad]

I havent used any yet. I am laid up in a rehab center trying to get used to this new knee they just put in me. Walt Foreman showed me one when I asked him to build me a rod. I was very impressed with them and thought they would give me a big catch rate increase of trout when I float fish for trout. Do you know a good place to get them online...or should I just get them from the Gapen Company? Any tips on using them would be nice also. Thanking you in advance.

                                                                                 Regards 

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Best part of this discussion Randy is all the different choices by many accomplished anglers.....My problem is trying to keep up with all the ideas....I love the trout magnets too but somedays I never get to them because the fish are hitting something else so well.... 

[Randy Goad]

You are so right Jeffery. I find the same thing in my choice of fishing lures. I am really excited about using a Gapen float while fishing for trout with the Trout Magnet. I catch a lot of trout but think just this float will increase my catch rate.

                                                                         Regards

[Jason Preslar]

What's the big advantage with those gapen floats??