Top 3 Secret Bass Lures Revealed

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Mar 6, 2024 6:45 AM ET

Secrets just seem to be an integral part of the fishing experience. Secret spots, secret lures—everyone has a few of their own and everyone wishes they knew the secrets of the anglers they believe know more than them. But then, without even realizing it, the secrets just fade away, mysteriously. But why? Where do they go?

While reorganizing some tackle recently, I ran into a secret stash of a very specific crank bait, in a very specific color, that I’ve shared with only a few trusted people, even though it has fooled a ton of bass over the years. At least, it used to. For some reason, the lure that I had 100% confidence in, no longer even occupies a spot in my crankbait box.

I think the disconnect happens because the sport of bass fishing and the fishing industry are constantly growing and changing and providing newer and shinier options for us anglers. And despite the way my tackle collection appears, I can’t own every lure in the world, so choices are made and some baits get “culled” over time. Not because they’re not good anymore, but because something else has captured my attention. As I’ve said before, constantly growing and learning is a big part of what keeps fishing interesting for me.

And that crankbait I found is just one example. I can pretty easily think of two more lures that used to be in heavy rotation and high confidence at different times in my bass fishing journey. And honestly, I feel like I’ve been pretty open about sharing everything I’ve learned over the years, so these three secret examples must have been pretty special to me.

Since I can’t think of any reason that these wouldn’t be great lures today, I intend to give them a shot again this year. And furthermore, I am going to reveal them to you now in hopes that they work well for you, too.

Secret Lure Number One -Norman Thin N crankbait

This little flat-sided, square-billed crankbait was a killer for me on the Mississippi River where it flows between Illinois and Iowa. Unlike the clearer stretches of the Mighty Miss further north, the water starting around pool 13 and headed south is usually quite a bit more stained. This bait with its mostly yellow paint job, banging around through fallen timber and rocks, in three feet of water or less, seemed like magic. Unfortunately, the name of the color escapes me. And even more unfortunate is the fact that Norman lures appears to have discontinued the Thin N model. So, I know this one will be a trick for anyone to find, but I did see a fair selection on eBay. Keep your fingers crossed and your eyes open and maybe you’ll find one there…if you can beat me to it.

Secret Lure Number Two -Stanley Vibrashaft Double Colorado Spinnerbait

The Stanley Vibrashaft Premium Colorado spinnerbait was also a killer in shallow, stumps and fallen timber. The Natural Shad color meant it generally worked best in slightly clearer water. I remember, I did change out the smaller blade for a fluorescent orange version for more stained water situations. Cast just beyond the cover, bang the bait into it, and pause for a split second to let it free fall. Game on! I did notice that the Stanley website still describes the deep cup of their Colorado blade, but I know that when I used to buy them, the blade was stamped with the word “Wedge”. I can’t say for sure if this current version will work the same, but I think it’s worth a try.

Secret Lure Number Three -Strike King Denny Brauer Flip-N-Tube

I will admit the Strike King Denny Brauer Flip-N-Tube might be quite a bit less secret than the other two. When Denny Brauer, long known as one of the best in the biz when pitching a half-ounce jig, won the Bassmaster Classic in 1998 on an oversized, Texas-rigged, tube bait, it swept through the bass fishing world like a tornado. Everyone, including me, pitched a big tube a lot for the next couple years. And the fact is, it worked great! Any time you’re talking about heavy cover requiring heavy tackle, but bass that seem to require a more finesse-y approach to trigger bites, a big pitching tube works like a charm. It’s the same stout rod and heavy line you’d use for pitching a jig, but a fairly subtle presentation. Once again, I’m not sure exactly how or when this disappeared from my lineup, but I plan to see if it still works. I’ve heard some things lately that cause me to believe the real secret is that some guys are still pretty committed to this lure today, and keeping it on the down low.

There you go, the cat’s out of the bag. I hope you find some success with these baits. And, if you do, I’ll understand if you don’t say a word.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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