The Flying Lure~amazing or worse lure ever?

[Bass Man]

Hello OFF members,

I'm needing some advice, opinions or maybe fishing tips, success stories in regards to Alex Langer's Flying Lure. Yep, I'm an owner of the original as seen on TV kits purchased while channel surfing the infomercials one early morning back in '92. Now I'm not one who normally watches these infomercials but since it was related to fishing I figured what the heck I'd watch for a bit. Well it didn't take long for me to pick up the phone and call in my order, only $39.95 for such an amazing lure, I'd be the envy of every fishermen and fisherwomen around I thought to myself!

For those of you who haven't heard of the Flying Lure:
"The Flying Lure does something no popular lure had ever done. It swims on its own -- completely naturally -- under its own power, away from the fisherman just like live bait. This alone would be enough of an achievement for any lure, but it does even more. The Flying Lure swims into a fish's hiding place where no other lure has gone before. So, it catches fish because it can be presented to fish that are hiding. And that is what fish do most of the time. Penetrate a fish's lair -- and you've got them."

Anywho..I have not caught one fish in 17 years using the Flying Lures I don't understand it, this was suppose to be the next best thing since the invention of Post-it Notes!!! They said I would catch more fish, bigger fish dang it! I've fished under logs, weeds, docks and still can't catch a lunker or anything else.

So has anyone had any success using the Flying Lures? Should I remove the lures from my tackle box and never use them again? Is this the worse lure ever to be released on TV? Help please..what should I do?

 

[Raincatcher]

"Chuck" it...

"Chuck" it...

Bass Man;
Oh dear,I'm afraid you've been had.:think: I hate those infomercials and some have been on for years. I would say chuck the whole thing and get on with catching fish with real gear. If they were a success there would be hordes of people actually using them. If they could actually swim right up to where the fish were hiding,wouldn't they have like an onboard computer or sonar to locate the fish? I would rate those things right up there with the Popeil folding fishing rod. Remember that one? He must have made millions off that one. I vote....toss it. Sorry. No more surfing for you! :naughty: :lol: Be safe.
Barb

 

[metalmania]

Allright how do they swim on there own? Those just look like normal artificial tube grubs with a weird lookin hook. Don't feel bad for being swindled by the ad. I too have fallen prey to these infomercials, and ended up with the banjo minnow fishing system, Biggest piece of crap I ever bought. But it's not are fault. How are we fisherman supposed to make rational decisions when fish are being slayed on tv, and we're so tired we can barely lift our eyelids. It's just not fair I tell ya.

 

[Fishtopher]

rotest:I think you should track down ol' Alex, and make him catch a fish with one of those suckers. If he don't, well, use your imagination.... :lol::lol::lol:

 

[Troutski]

Your not alone...

Your not alone...

Don't feel bad your not alone, this guy has made a ton of cash off his lure - great salesmanship. I wish I had hind sight, I have a tackle box full of lures that caught me, but not one fish Smile and keep them in your boat and the next time your out fishing for the day and someone ask "how you doing, and what are you using" Hold up the box and ask them what is the maximum number of fish over twenty inches you are allowed to have.
I know I will burn for this but somethings are meant to be said...

Chuck

 

[Anyfishisfine]

I bought the Flying Fishing Lure set. I still have it. Threads like this are freeing up space in my tackle box for the good ideas I learn here.

 

[Webwader]

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. A few questions come to mind for Alex. Why did he call it the Flying Lure since it doesn't fly and when did fish start living in lairs?

 

[Bass Man]

It's gonna be flying as I toss the kit into the garbage!

It's gonna be flying as I toss the kit into the garbage!

Bass Man;
Oh dear,I'm afraid you've been had.:think: I hate those infomercials and some have been on for years. I would say chuck the whole thing and get on with catching fish with real gear. If they were a success there would be hordes of people actually using them. If they could actually swim right up to where the fish were hiding,wouldn't they have like an onboard computer or sonar to locate the fish? I would rate those things right up there with the Popeil folding fishing rod. Remember that one? He must have made millions off that one. I vote....toss it. Sorry. No more surfing for you! :naughty: :lol: Be safe.
Barb

Raincatcher,
First, thank you so much for the reply and great advice Yep, your right I was had along with millions or other anglers so I don't feel as bad now. I can't believe he is still seeling these lures, guess it has to make some money now that he owns a radio network. No more late night infomercials for me:naughty: I do remember those Popeil folding rods and no I didn't get one of those either:lol: Didn't Popeil get into selling kitchen stuff? I'm so done packing the flying lures around, thank you Now it will give me an excuse to go get some real gear now that I have more space, I'm sure that will make the wife happy Thank you once again for the feeback, chat soon.

 

[Bass Man]

Those dang infomercials!

Those dang infomercials!

Allright how do they swim on there own? Those just look like normal artificial tube grubs with a weird lookin hook. Don't feel bad for being swindled by the ad. I too have fallen prey to these infomercials, and ended up with the banjo minnow fishing system, Biggest piece of crap I ever bought. But it's not are fault. How are we fisherman supposed to make rational decisions when fish are being slayed on tv, and we're so tired we can barely lift our eyelids. It's just not fair I tell ya.

Metalmania,

Thank you for the feedback, now I don’t feel so bad being swindled. In regards to how do they swim on there own. This is what Alex said “The patented system consists of a perfectly weighted jighead used in conjunction with a flat hydrofoil soft lure surface to make the Flying Lure propel itself forward -- in the opposite direction of all other lures.”

As for the Banjo Minnow, I’ve never used these but from what people have said you’re not alone in your assessment on this item, tons of people not happy with this product. Dang it your right, I mean we just want to catch fish and when we see a product landing the fish left and right on TV we want to get in on the action. Hmmmm..I’m beginning to wonder if those fish in the demo tanks are being starved before they start filming for the infomercial???

Thank you once again for your feedback and I’ll be sure to stay away from the late night infomercials!

 

[Bass Man]

rotest:I think you should track down ol' Alex, and make him catch a fish with one of those suckers. If he don't, well, use your imagination.... :lol::lol::lol:

Fishtopher,

Thanks for the support, my thoughts exactly! It's not like I'm upset over the money but I just want to catch something on the dang thing! Is that too much to ask for? I did find an email address for ol' Alex...might have to send him one thanking him for such a wonderful product..NOT! :lol:

 

[Bass Man]

Did you have any luck?

Did you have any luck?

I bought the Flying Fishing Lure set. I still have it. Threads like this are freeing up space in my tackle box for the good ideas I learn here.

Anyfishisfine,

Thanks for the reply. Did you at least catch anything? I think we are both in the same boat when it comes to these lures, time to rid them from our tackle boxes and free up some space:clap:

 

[Bass Man]

We shall both burn

We shall both burn

Don't feel bad your not alone, this guy has made a ton of cash off his lure - great salesmanship. I wish I had hind sight, I have a tackle box full of lures that caught me, but not one fish Smile and keep them in your boat and the next time your out fishing for the day and someone ask "how you doing, and what are you using" Hold up the box and ask them what is the maximum number of fish over twenty inches you are allowed to have.
I know I will burn for this but somethings are meant to be said...

Chuck

Hi Troutski,

Thank you for the reply and great advice...I guess I could bend the truth a bit but I'll definitely make sure they're not OFF members before whipping out those Amazing Flying Lures! :lol:

 

[Anyfishisfine]

Anyfishisfine,

Thanks for the reply. Did you at least catch anything? I think we are both in the same boat when it comes to these lures, time to rid them from our tackle boxes and free up some space:clap:

To be honest I bought them when I was stationed in Illinois because I wanted to fish for bass, but never did. I should try them at St. Louis ponds before tossing them.

 

[Troutski]

Amasing things...

Amasing things...

Don't misunderstand; those lures probable do work. Heck I have seen plenty of stuff out there that should not work but does, and stuff that should and does not. I believe that the biggest problem that most anglers face is between there ears, believe in what you are using and expect to catch fish.
Here is a story that I have used before and it fits here: I took a good friend over to Crane a while back, it was his first time to fish this lake and I had been fishing there for years. We get to the camp site and spend most of the day setting up camp, once that was done we load up the boat and head for one of my favorite spots on the lake (if you have been to Crane you will understand "out by the dead trees) we anchor up and he says to me "what should I use?". Now keep in mind we had every thing under the sun as far as bait goes, not to mention lures, flies even had some fresh bugs we had just picked up from the shore line. So we were loaded for bear, I look over at him and say "use what you feel most confident with". So he begins to load up a bottom rig with a mini marshmallow and a chunk of night crawler. Well I smiled inside knowing full well that wasn't going to work. But he picked it so far be it from me to say anything. Well he cast his presentation out into one of the channels along this tree line...I know what your thinking....it is true. His bait never even touched the bottom and he had the largest Rainbow Trout I had ever seen leaping straight up in the air four or five times before we could land the fish. No bull, he is a member on this site - send him a pm and check out the story. Bottom Bob is his name. My point is keep a positive attitude and you never know what will happen.
By the way, that SOB out fished me all weekend long. Fun to watch, at least now...then it was a mind bender.

Chuck

 

[Anyfishisfine]

I could not agree more. I honestly believe that to catch fish, I have to know I'm going to catch fish. I can't remember how many times fishing in the ocean in Japan (I used to go like 3 times a week), that when things slowed down, you need to concentrate and know the fish will bite, and they would.

It's totally irrational and borders on superstition, but there does seem to be something to having faith in what you are doing. How else do you explain beginner's luck? The beginner is successful because nobody has told him he is doing it wrong yet.

 

[Troutski]

Here here....

Here here....

I could not agree more. I honestly believe that to catch fish, I have to know I'm going to catch fish. I can't remember how many times fishing in the ocean in Japan (I used to go like 3 times a week), that when things slowed down, you need to concentrate and know the fish will bite, and they would.

It's totally irrational and borders on superstition, but there does seem to be something to having faith in what you are doing. How else do you explain beginner's luck? The beginner is successful because nobody has told him he is doing it wrong yet.

Absolutely...

Chuck

 

[Anyfishisfine]

OK, I'm not ready to toss these yet. I tried them out at St. Louis today, and even though I was skunked I did get a couple good hits on the FFL.

Also, I really liked its action in the water. Because it swims back to where it started, you can jig it 3-4 times before reeling 1/2 a turn. I played with it a bit in shallow water to figure out how to best fish it, and I have to say it looks like fish candy to me. It swims pretty nice.

 

[Drice]

I dont know about you but I have seen some ugly bass lures, things that you would not even consider to resemble any type of animal in a Bass' world and have witnessed them catching fish repeatedly on many different occasions. If the bass gets irritated enough he is gonna gulp it, if what is irritating him is small enough to fit in his mouth. The main objective of a lure, is just that, To Lure, they trigger an instinct in bass to swallow the annoyance; Therefore the flying lure is an excellent concept where the lure is pulled out of the strike zone and then all of the sudden(thought bubbles of a fish here) "here comes that little turd floating right back here again all cocky like, GULP! FISH ON! When I lived in FL these were all the craze and in the right conditions I have seen them work. I'm not endorsing them but I kind of enjoy those off the wall lures when the fishin is not so good just to say I tried everything or if the fishin is really hot just to brag that I caught him on this ____ - (enter obscure lure name here). So if you decide you must part with them I will give you my info and you can send them to me, HeHeHe.

 

[Renton]

They work but you have to know how to use them

They work but you have to know how to use them

My parents bought me a pack back when they just came out, at the time I was 17 in high school and lures were expensive to a high school student. I saw the infomercials after I got the product. I took the small plastic tackle box out to a pond in rural Oklahoma on the search for largemouth bliss. The first 20 casts or so I got nothing, no fish not even a bite. I then tweaked the lure by bending it into a slight bow. I then started catching fish, I remember that I did not catch a largemouth that day but caught several nice croppie <sp> and even more large bluegill. I was sold that they could catch pan fish but was lusting the largemouth I saw on the tube. The next time I went out with the lures was with a group of friends, we hit a farm pond that was known for producing bass in the 4- 5 lb range. That day I actually caught a total of 6 bass the largest being around 4 lbs the smallest closer to the 2 pound range. The part of that trip to note is that my other three friends combined to reel in 2 fish total both in the 2 lb range. All fish that day I caught were on the large pearl color flying lure, from the bank. Another thing that you have to remember is to let the lure fall all the way down, if you pull back too quick you will not get in the fishes hit zone, also try to cast several times in the same area, a lot of times they fish do not strike right away, but with a few casts in the same spot you seem to anger they to striking. I have caught catfish (flathead), bluegill, croppie, largemouth bass, hybrid bass, striper, gar, and a couple turtles so far on the lures. I hope this helps you with your quest. I would say they are dependable, but not the end all be all of fishing. I mainly use them when I can not catch anything on anything...

Another quick tip, you do not have to feel for a strike, when they take it they take it... the hook always faces up, so they tend to hook almost every time in the upper jaw... A lot of times if it is falling and it bumps a log, or anything like that it feels like a strike...

 

[A_J-Llama]

I believe they will catch fish, maybe not rigged as intended every time, but they are fishy looking lures. As for the banjo minnow, I have rigged them up different ways, such as a spinnerbait body, or attatched weedless behind a spoon dragged through lilypads and gotten tremendous stikes. As said b4, faith sometimes is all it takes, I had a friend I took out fishing to Hagg Lake for bass, he had not been fishing since a wee lad. He holds up a bright orange super-duper, asks, how bout this lure?? I tell him it's a typical trout lure, but who knows for sure, there's trout here, give her a try. First cast he catches the biggest bass we seen all day:shock: I about fell out of the boat So, you just never know, one day when nothing else is working for anyone, I'll bet you tie one on and outfish everyone around, sooner or later the fish have to forget they've seen that crazy swimming lure before:lol::lol::lol: