I always make it a point to throw the wood/plastic. I am partial to the MS Slammer after just purchasing one. I have gotten more follows on the Stocker Trout than any other bait. I find I get more follows on windy/rainy/overcast type of days too. Oh and the dang birds will not leave my MS Slammer alone ! I like to retrieve it really slow, so it just barely pushes a wake under the surface. So far, I have had a great blue heron, an Osprey at Irvine, and I have made cormorants do 180 during flight to come check out my slammer. Oh and one huge carp that I gacked across the back while trolling an old henrys at castaic. Man I thought I had a huge striper on !