Why I Owe the FishLab Flutter Nymph an Apology: A Surprising Bass Bait Test and Review

From skepticism to success: how a soft plastic I nearly dismissed turned into one of the most effective bass baits I’ve tested all year.

I had my doubts about the FishLab Flutter Nymph. Big mistake! I tested it on the water and knew immediately I was wrong. See why this surprising soft plastic bass bait turned a skeptic like me into a believer, with real results and fishing tips. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

The Fishlab Nature Series Nymph is a shockingly effective soft plastic bass bait. The difference between my impressions of the lure in its package vs. the lure in the water could not be farther apart.

Why I Doubted the FishLab Flutter Nymph

Honestly, it wasn't that I didn't think the lure looked like a dragonfly, it was the idea that a dragonfly like this would be "flying" around underwater. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

After decades as an enthusiastic bass fisherman, and someone with a long career in the fishing industry, it starts to feel like I’ve seen it all. Unfortunately, a good bit of that “all” is lures that are pretty clearly designed to catch fishermen more than fish. I picture all of the most famous (or, infamous) infomercial fishing lures, and think to myself that I’m too experienced and savvy to be fooled by that stuff (again).

But then I see things like the fuzzy dice baits that have been the biggest craze of the past couple years. That's an undeniably effective bait that reminds me I need to keep an open mind. I mean, come on, though. Tell me we didn’t all roll our eyes the first time we saw those fuzzy dice.

The On-Water Test: From Skepticism to Confidence

Here's a YouTube short I put together to give you a look at this bait's amazing underwater action:

When I first saw the Nature Series Flutter Nymph in its package, I must admit to being very skeptical (and perhaps a bit closed-minded). Dragon flies don’t fly underwater, I thought to myself. To be honest, these baits sat in a box in my garage for most of the summer. I know as a journalist, it’s my job to give everything a fair, unbiased, test and then form my opinion, but I was sure I already knew about this one.

But recently, I found myself with two uninterrupted days of fishing and tackle testing with my brother, and decided to include a pack of Fishlab Flutter Nymphs with the rest of my tackle.

Real-World Bass Fishing Results With the Flutter Nymph

The bass couldn't resist the Flutter Nymph! | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

It was actually my brother who rigged one up first on a shaky-head jig. When he dropped it into the clear lake and dragged it past the side of the boat we were both immediately blown away.

What I assumed was a gimmick absolutely came to life in the water. This soft plastic bait produces a subtle, flickering, breathing, movement, that looks very much like something alive. While I don’t think it looks anything like a dragonfly flying, or even like a dragonfly nymph in its underwater phase, I think it really doesn’t matter to an opportunistic predator like a bass. This thing is the right size to eat, and it flickers and darts around like some kind of nervous prey. I knew bass would eat it.

We fished our way around the deep weed edge of a natural, clear upper-midwestern lake in mid-August. My brother cast the shaky Nymph while I pitched a jig and craw. In almost no time, the Nymph produced a solid northern-strain largemouth bass…and then another. I picked up a couple stragglers on the jig, but the fish definitely seemed to be showing a preference for that Nymph.

In fact, during our second day of fishing, once I had taken plenty of photos and videos of the Nymph in action, my brother voluntarily kept fishing it. By late that afternoon, it became apparent that something had shifted in the overall mood of the bass. We went for a long stretch where the only fish coming into the boat were the ones my brother was catching on the Nymph.

Since I’m not a fool, I bailed on all the baits I had been trying to make work, and tied on a Nymph for myself. For the last hour of the day, the action was fast and consistent. We even had a couple double-headers. It got to the point where we were re-rigging used Nymphs that had been discarded on the floor of the boat, because I had only brought the one pack. Bravo, Fishlab!

Breaking Down the Lure Design: What Makes It Work

My guess is the bass didn't think they were eating a dragonfly, but to be honest, it really doesn't matter what they thought it was. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

This lure design is unique, or at least a unique combination of elements that I don’t recall seeing before. Once I got beyond my initial analysis that it looks like an adult dragonfly, I broke it down into two basic parts—the body is a small soft plastic stick bait and the wings are a collection of four, slim, boot-tailed swimbaits, kind of joined at their noses. Together, you get the subtle undulating action of the stick bait, plus the gentle rippling of the tiny swimbaits.

FishLab Flutter Nymph Features and Specs Every Angler Should Know

The FishLab Flutter Nymph is a good looking lure, I just couldn't understand why fish would ever think a dragonfly was flying around underwater. Turns out it doesn't matter what I think. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

• Created by award winning lure designer Bill Siemantel - BBZ
• Available in a micro 2-1/2”, compact 3 ½” and magnum 4 ¼” sizes.
• Classic creature bait shape with new natural creature looks.
• 12 tournament winning proven colors for any type of fishing/water conditions.
• Designed to be fished on a multitude of 3/0 to 5/0 hook styles and jigs.

Why the FishLab Flutter Nymph Deserves a Spot in Your Tackle Box

The FishLab Nature Series Flutter Nymph has earned a regular spot in my tackle bag. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

The FishLab Nature Series Flutter Nymph offers exactly what a savvy bass angler should care about—it moves in a way that triggers bass to strike. Period. End of discussion. No concern about what it looks like in the package to a seasoned, know-it-all, bass angler. Its unique design combines subtle stickbait movement with the flicker of tiny swimbaits, making the Flutter Nymph a great addition to your fishing arsenal.