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About Our Product Reviews

I began cataloging lures for my own personal benefit: basically a way to capture the real-life effectiveness of crankbaits, softbaits, jigs, rigs and lures as I used them, not what the catalogs told me. Originally, all lures were ranked on 4 basic points. After sharing my findings with a few insiders, I was encouraged to take this basic information and expand on that, creating a rating scale to provide some true, unbiased insight to anglers searching for information online.

Since then, we've grown adding more reviewers and experience. Today, our reviews are based on a 100 point scale broken down into eight separate categories, four 20 point categories and four 5 point categories. No one ever gets a "perfect" score.

What's a good rating?

Our rating scale is anything but forgiving (see scoring chart below), but that is by design. We don't sell lures. We use them. Using our rating criteria, anything above 50 points is considered very good and a rating above 80 is considered outstanding. The points ranges below can be categorized as follows:

Score 80-100 — Outstanding. A must have lure that should have a back-up or two ready to go.
Score 65-79 — Excellent. Will get good use and considered a "go-to" lure in tough bites.
Score 50-65 — Very Good. Consider purchasing as a second priority lure, even more so if it fits your fishing style or locale.
Score 35-49 — OK. It can catch fish and will help round out the tackle box, but will need to consider alternative options.
Score 20-34 — May work in limited conditions, but for whatever reason you may have trouble fishing successfully.
Score 0-20 — Consider suntan lotion instead, because all you'll catch after a long day of fishing is a sunburn.

FOR LURES, PLASTICS, AND SWIMBAITS

FOR GEAR, TACKLE, AND ACCESSORY ITEMS

Summary categories worth 20 points each:

ACTION
Defined as the movement, twitch or vibration generated by a spinner or crankbait. As a lure's action can vary depending on retrieve technique and speed, points are based on optimum movement and techniques with higher points awarded for lures that offer true, fish-attracting movement with bonus points for lure that provide multiple action options for the angler depending on use. Additionally, a crankbait that is designed to suspend in mid-water gets a higher score for quiet suspension capability mid-retrieve. Action is considered a "strike" trigger, but we weight it far heavier (20 pts) than the other triggers in the strike category listed below (5 pts each).
VERSATILITY
Where can you use this lure? More importantly, where can't you use this lure. Versatility is defined as usability in a wide variety of conditions: open water, shallow water, deep water, clear water, around obstructions, over rocks, hard bite, no bite, etc. etc. The higher the score, the more places and situations this lure can be used.
DURABILITY
Quite simply how good is this lure made and will it last? Higher points are given for lures that can pound the rocks, endure heavy hits and hold together.
VALUE
Determined by taking each of the 3 points above into consideration and then factoring in 3 additional considerations: effectiveness, retail cost and portability (size, weight, etc.). When all things are considered you want an inexpensive, easy-to-use lure that catches fish consistently without having to lug around similar or even duplicate tackle.

Strike categories worth 5 points each:

COLOR
Worth 5 points, color considers a lure's available color combinations, paint detail quality, and/or realism.
FLASH
Quite simply...flash. A strong striking trigger, a lure's flash is typically created by a metal spinner, reflective paint or other mechanism.
NOISE
Usually created by a rattle or other internal mechanism. In the case of a deep diver or rig, can be created by bumping the ground while cranking.
SCENT
The actual scent attracting capabilities of the lure or rig.

Summary categories worth 25 points each:

PORTABILITY
VERSATILITY
DURABILITY
VALUE
Determined by taking each of the 3 points above into consideration and then factoring in retail cost.

PLEASE NOTE: This site is a completely independent site not operated or owned by any of the companies or products we review. We simply buy it online or off the shelf, tie it on, and throw it. Then we tell you what happened. Of course, our reviews are purely opinion in nature and are provided as entertainment only. We invite every angler to experience any of the products we review to make their own judgment.