I think you're on to something there. I'd go with a woolly buggery kind of thing which is essentially a jig with a marabou tail.

something with a lot of flash.... any kind of spoon would be my pick of a lure that would catch all types of fish

I would say a Kastmaster. I have caught everything from Brim to Muskies to Red Drum on Kastmasters.

having done 90percent of my fishing in saltwater, I don't have a whole lot of freshwater experience. That said, I would have to go with a Rapala, 4inch, blue/black stripes on the top, with silver on the bottom.

Channel cat. Flipping boat docks on lake guntersville. The cat hit like a ton and thought I had a really good largmouth, but then the line started twisting with the catfish rolling over and then I realized what I had.

Weedless97, If you want to see the vamp spook that I mentioned, go to eBay and look at items #220355298681 and/or #260947121243. It is plastic and has a reflective inner surface which works simular to a Mirr-O-lure. It was a huge advancement over the wooden painted vamp spooks but the lure was molded in two ends and glued in the middle. The glue joint is known to skrink and cause the lure to warp and have a crooked back, but I still have caught plenty of fish on one with a crooked back. The new super spooks are a take off on the old zara spooks and are also good for just about any salt or fresh water fishing.

Go to www.ebay.com and when you get there, type in heddon vamp spook #220355298681 next, leave "All Categories" in the next box and hit the search button. It should take you to a spook with a good picture of the one I use. Remember, I remove the lip and move the eye to the nose, and it becomes a lure that will work almost anywhere on anything. This was my father's favorite lure and I have used them all my life too. I have a hand full that I have bought up and saved, as well as some copies that I made myself out of wood. But this one in plastic and in this color pattern is the best.