Top Multi-Species Lure

Those who know me know that I am a diehard bass fisherman. For me there is no greater pursuit in all of our sport than that of the black bass. But, as those Montanans in the audience can attest, it is very hard to limit yourself to fish for only one species in our state. With so many lakes chocked full of so many species (typically not the one you’re after) anglers here find themselves in the need to build multipurpose tackle boxes that can strike any occasion or any species. With that in mind, here is my personal choice for the top five multispecies lures.

5): Lipless Crankbait

This is one of my favorite baits ever. You can burn it, rip it, jig it, dangle it under the ice; there isn’t much that this incredible bait can’t do. Not to mention that its baitfish profile and myriad of colorations is appealing to many different species. However, as great as it is, this bait does have some harsh limitations. For one thing it isn’t weedless. Unlike regular crankbaits these baits have no lip or bill, hence the name, which means that they don’t have anything to knock rock, wood or grass out of the way. This can get really annoying, especially when fishing weed flats or shallow cover. So despite it being amazing I’m afraid this bait has to take fifth place.

4): Soft Swimbait

Now imagine our previous entry, but this time make it out of soft plastic and give it a curly tail. That is essentially what we have here in the swimbait. Why it is in the number four spot and not the number five though is a twofold answer. For one thing this line of baits is vast, with models as simple as the classic Storm baits with basic shad profiles all the way to beautiful aquarium pieces that run well into the double digits. Each has their advantages and disadvantages but the point is is that these baits can do what the previous entry did but comes in several more varieties, providing them with even more unique presentations. The occasional weedless quality is nice too.

3): Spoon

Perhaps one the oldest baits on the planet, this lure is likely responsible for more fish catches than any other on the planet. Walleye, Pike, Trout, Bass; all have fallen victim to this baits simple but effective allure. And until the scientists over at Pure Fishing’s skunkworks come up with some miracle bait, I don’t feel that we will be seeing this phase out any time soon.

2): Rapala Shad Rap

A true classic of the brand, the Shad Rap has been a staple of tackle boxes worldwide for more decades then I have been alive. I can personally attest that I have caught almost every game fish species in the state on this lure. What is it about this lure that makes it so great? Is it the tight action, or the tuned diving lip or even the beautiful color patterns? Who can say for sure, all that is know is that it works which gives it a worthy number two spot on this list

1): Jig

Ok, so a plain jig doesn’t really catch that many fish, but as a base model and bait delivery system this is the king. Whether it is trailered with live bait or dressed in a skirt or even dragging plastics, this versatile piece of lead and steel (or brass/nickel) has hooked more fish than perhaps any other setup in the world. Anyone who is worth their weight in Rapalas owns more of these than they know what to do with, and for good reason. They. Catch. Fish. Pan fisherman use them because they are a compact way to present tiny plastics and worms. Walleye fisherman employ them because of the pinpoint accuracy they can provide when targeting schools of fish. We bass fisherman use them because their more robust variants help us get our bizarre range of plastics onto the bottom or through matted grass.

This bait can go anywhere and do anything. Why? Because it is versatile. It can be modified and adjusted in ways that any of our previous entries could only dream of. And that, more than anything else, is why the humble jig deserves the top spot on this list.