Very good thread. Before rubber we fished bucktails and pork rinds. We fished them a lot when the weather was bad or the water was colder. The different types of rubber have made it a lot easier for some of the younger folks to catch fish. It is as you said, the fish almost can not resist them. I like the standard fin-s 4" on a jig head. You can do better if you vary the weight of the jig with the current and depth of the water. I don't like to use the expensive pieces because there is always a chance a bluefish will come along and bite it in half. Keep it simple if you want to catch fish on rubber.