Grub vs Keitech

[Creede]

I grew up fishing grubs. Creeks for smallies, ponds for LM and was fortunate enough to spend many weekends on Grand growing up and a grub was always a simple go to when grandpa needed me to get a few bites. As I get more "experienced" I have steadily removed the grub from my rotation, but found myself throwing keitechs to get bites in tough times. I just wondered if anyone else found themselves in the same situation or had a reason one or the other is better. Any input is appreciated. 

[Stump bumper]

Gravel and grubs always go hand in hand especially on table rock, but weather the Keitech is a grub or swimbait is still up for debate. I have always thought pulling a grub along the rocks was imitating small crawfish, but there are times the smallmouth want silver that to me says shad. Weather a small mouth can tell the difference or even cares about the difference in crawfish or minnows feeding in the rocks I don't know but I do know that dragging a grub along the gravel gets spots and small mouth on Beaver also even in the heat of the summer at night. I like fishing grubs over bigger jigs with trailers due to the exposed hook and I don't have to react and set the hook as hard or even set the hook at all with small sharp crappie jig heads.

You will never catch me on the lake without a bag of smoke, copper and black grubs at the ready. But the Keitech and ned rig are replacing them for me more and more.

  

[Blll]

Interesting topic. I've used the grub, 2"-3" since they came out 40+ years ago. When I moved to Arkansas 4 years ago, they were my first choice to try and lo' they caught fish here, bass, crappies, whites and walleyes. Like Stump said, I always had a rod rigged with one. But the last two seasons I've fallen under the spell of the Ned too with increasing success. This year the Keitechs have really worked for me to where I no longer have a grub rigged. Grubs never stopped working but I think there are options that may work better. Fad or fact, I don't know. I have a dock neighbor who throws nothing, and I mean nothing, except a 1/4 oz white roadrunner. He catches lots of fish and has way less $$$$ invested. He even uses them for trolling. I think confidence in what you're using is important and fish really aren't that picky. If you're using a spinnerbait, how many changes in color, blades or size do you make in a day? Same with cranks, If you've got a wart tied on, do you also try DT's, Bombers etc. on the same outing. I've fished with guys that change lures every 30 minutes or less unless they are getting bit. Is location or what you're throwing more important? Back in April, My buddies from Chicago came fishing. I had them all rigged with the same 3" Keitechs that had been working for me. All the same swim jig but one had a black head. The guy with the black head scored a hat trick (1st fish, biggest & most)  all 3 days. Questions for the ages. 

[M_Taylor]

I like to catch them on a Keitech in the front of the boat. It makes my buddy in the back really happy.  

Bill has some very good points. I don't use grubs so I can't comment on them, but no doubt they work just great, but Keitechs work so well I haven't tried anything else. Once I learned the superglue trick, the cost of using them went way down. I will say, they do have that squid smell and the amount of fish I have caught on the fall on it makes me believe they hold on to it very well.

Having been a lifelong trout fly fisherman first and foremost, I often think of a quote I heard once(can't remember who said it). "90% of what trout eat is less than an inch long and brown." We like to overcomplicate things for sure.

[Creede]

Sounds like everyone is in the same boat as me. Found a similar bait for similar fishing that was trendy. Nobody talks about grubs now so its easy to leave them behind. I don't get to fish as much as I would like, or as often as I used to and I find myself reading more about fishing and buying more baits because I've heard they're better than what has worked for me in the past. Instead of actually fishing with what works. Thanks for the insight on the topic. It has restored my affection for the grub and will try to throw it more when I get the chance. I almost convinced myself it didnt work anymore. 

I also had a similar incident with the black head being better than unpainted. M_Taylor whooped up on me catching white bass after white bass on a kietech with a black 1/8 head. I was a 3/16 unpainted head and got no love. Then a few days later he outfished me again running a bank for a mix of smallies and LM if I remember correctly. I had a white head that day 3/16 I think. Mind you he is a very good defensive trolling motor captain but they were biting and I was matching his retrieve. Same color I believe but he was throwing a fat I was was throwing the normal swing impact.

Mathew I will soak some grubs in a keitech pack for some squid smell and wear them out from the back of the boat. Which isnt far from the norm lately. 

[Creede]

M_Taylor. You lost me at trout then you lost me again at fly. I agree you over complicate things.

[Ham]

Grubs still work. I still fish them, but I have refined when I reach for them and how I use them.

in the past, I was going to to throw a grub and figure out how to make them eat it that day. Nowadays, the grub is one of my options, but I fish it one of about three retrieves. Steady swim somewhere UP in the water column, Slow steady bump and grind on bottom, or slower lift and swing back to the boat. 

Ned has stolen a lot of the grub's thunder as have swim baits, BUT they are still a fantastic option. 

[Mitch f]

If I only had 1 lure, it would be a grub. They are the most versatile out there.