The Forgotten Lure

When most people think of bass fishing, they think of glittering bass boats, high tech rod and reel combos, and modern senkos. Although all of these things are tremendous, the old, proven lures get left in the dust. During the pre-spawn, spawn, and post spawn, I use one lure and one lure only: the Johnson Beetle Spin.

You might be thinking, “What in the world is a Beetle Spin? Is that a Lucky Craft brand?” No! The Beetle Spin is made Johnson, known for their spoons. Its components are simple: a jig head, a rubber body in the shape of a fluke, and a “safety pin” spinner. Although they come in larger sizes, I find the smaller sizes to be the most effective.

Seeing these lures, bass immediately hit it with a vengeance. Especially five pounders hit them as if the beetle were a steak from Charleston’s. Be prepared, for you will lose many fish because of ferocious strikes. Fortunately for us, they cost only ninety-nine cents from Wal-Mart. How about that for a bargain?

When you finally hit the lake, fish the beetle spin like a spinnerbait, bumping it along rocky bottom and wood stumps. Personally, my favorite color is yellow, with black stripes running down its back.

So, when your budget makes little room for Strike King, have Johnson fill up the space!