primetime

I know you are really good with the bladed Jig and understand them well. Do you feel a 1/2 oz bladed jig catches bigger fish than the same size 1/2 ounce inline Spinnerbait with say the same Trailer and hook. Lets just say a Diezel Minnow behind a #4 Colorodo blade? I have been thinking bladed Jigs get bigger Fish and have been under that impression for a few years. Obviously it is impossible to generalize, but then again I think it is hard to argue that a Jig does not produce better fish than a Plastic worm on most days. I wonder if Fish see a Bladed Jig in a similar way? I also think the angler casting the lure has alot to do with results. Catching Fish on Vibrating Jigs is not as easy as casting and reeling, at least for me. I still feel I am a novice when I fish one. Thanks for your input. I have landed some nice Bass on the Jigs you make. I love the Jig head you use on your bladed jigs, it only requires 1 ring, and comes through grass really well. That design is one of the best I have used if not the best. You pour those yourself right? I have never seen that available in bulk. Good Job with that design, it is a good design with a great hook.

Thanks for all the replies. I am guilty as anyone (Probably More guilty for buying the latest and greatest and forgetting about certain lures) I just wonder does a bladed Jig say a 1/2 ounce chatterbait with a Diezel Minnow put out more thump or vibration than the same 1/2 ounce Inline Spinnerbait with a 3/0 Free swinging Worm hook rigged with the same Diezel Minnow? I am starting to think that both baits really are very similar. I feel like the 1/2 Inline with a Paddle Tail has more vibration, flash, and comes through cover easier, but for some reason I still think a Bladed Swim Jig Catches Bigger Fish, but I am not sure if that is true or something I have imagined. I forget about the Mepp's Spinners. I used one a couple of years ago on a tough day when my friend was catching fish at a consistent clip and I was struggling, it was a nice one that had a floating body kind of like the Comet Minnow, detail, and it came through weeds really well. It is in the Mepps catalog and when I went to purchase a few I could not spend the $13.99 for a small one. I have heard more than one person tell me that if you are in the back of the boat in a tournament, and you need a limit, a #1 Mepps Aglia or Black Fury will get 5 fish in the boat more times than not. When I was a young kid and first found out a local pond had Bass in it and was also stocked with Trout, I took my Ugly Stick down to that Pond and fished it for years with small Panther Martin & other spinners, and I used to catch fish of all sizes and looking back I think I fell victim to spinners being a "Rookie" lure or "Trout" Lure. Amazing how effective a good marketing campaign can be. I always wondered, how is is that a company like Mepp's who is considered the Rapala of lures for all Freshwater Gamefish besides Bass, has never been able to get a share of the Spinnerbait market? You would think they would have a bunch of Long Arm spinnerbaits. Odd. It seems almost everyone owns a Black Fury, that is a great lure when you want to have fun in a place full of Crappie, Bass, Perch etc...

What do the Bass eat in the 3 ponds. Tilapia, Bluegill, Shiners, other bass, minnow, craws....I would look in the water and look at the surrounding landscape, take note of where water enters, exits, slopes, Trees which have roots under water, weeds, type and where they grow because this tells you about depth changes, ambush points, current, places where water enters will follow the same path to the exit point to drain every time the same way, so that creates a channel or small cut where Bass can hide and ambush bait over their heads.Many times you will notice weeds growing on the edges or shade lines and it is not so much the lure, but where you cast and are the fish active. In the Summer, It can be hard to get strikes even with live bait, but before and after rain, early and late (1 hour after dark) fish will be feeding and easier to catch, and most people are gone. Shorelines with cover are usually a good start, and use the lightest line possible, lures that enter quietly, work softly, and a good start is a weightless texas rigged soft bait of your choice assuming it is shallow. If you want to fish the deeper water as fish often suspend in hotter water, crimp a split shot above a 4" Worm and start casting to ambush spots and working outward. If you can fish a Floating Rapala it will work since most guys are using Senko's and all the other lures you use in any lake. I would go Split shot rig with a 4-6" twister tail worm or Zoom U tail, split shot as light as possible or none at all, or swim a Small Ribbit, Skinny dipper, zoom Speed worm on the surface to cover water and then work mid and bottom until you get bit. Fish will come up for a wounded minnow bait or any floating topwater like a tiny torpedo, Rebel Popper, Storm Sub wart or any small wake bait. Fish it with your confidence lures, a small jig is always a good choice, Strike King makes the bitsy jig which is a fine swim Jig or pitching jig with a 3" double tail grub or single if swimming and I always go lightest line possible and walk softly and use natural and subtle colors. Hope that helps, Pond fish can be tough if they get pressure, often if you arrive when it is getting fished, you may find them in an area that is away from where everyone casts, Bass will group together in small ponds, and they know when people are in the area. One loud cast can spook alot of fish in small ponds. Don't over think it. Do what you do best and enjoy. Key is fishing where the fish are. Good Luck you will get em.

My buddy was always asking me where he could buy those turtles that the Kayak Guy uses, and he claims turtles are like Lizards to bass. I found a few packs of Turtles at a local shop so I grabbed them and when I gave them to my buddy, I reached into my saltwater box in my trunk and grabbed some Exude Crabs and rigged them like I would for Inshore Fishing. I caught more fish on the Crabs than the turtles on a Mojo Style rig, but once I put a Lizard on I did better than both the crab and Turtle. The Turtle is a good deal at .99 a pack imo, they seem to be a bait that works only at certain times of the year and in areas with turtles-Wood. I gave my buddy 3 packs, and I have not seen them again, I just think it is another creature bait and will work if in the right hands, right place, right time etc...but I would be more confident in a Strike King Rage Bug than a Turtle any day, or any beaver style bait... Just my opinion. I know Rage Bugs, Rodents, Beavers, creatures all work year round, Turtles only stay small for a short amount of time and only stay in small areas from what I have seen growing up and catching them.,

I am curious to hear what other's think about the difference of these 2 lures and why they prefer one or the other. "Chatterbait" vs. Inline spinnerbait like the Snagless Sally ($8-weedless/swings etc.) or Terminator Inline? Both companies make versions with skirts, free swing, completely weedless with texas rigged softbaits, all sizes & blade size, color etc. I get that a vibrating Jig has a different vibration, Flash, and is marketed as a Crankbait/Spinnebait/Jig, and I assume many people fish these lures in stained water, slow, looking to deflect from cover, or slow roll along bottom or top. The trailers most use seem to be Flukes (Erratic action) Paddle Tails (More Thump) Twister tails and the simple twin tail trailer. Other popular trailers are the Lake Fork Magic Shad, Rage Menace, and really any soft bait. The length and type of soft bait on a Bladed Jig alter the action in a big way which is why Z-man has made Chattersticks to Chatter Frogs, Flash back shads etc. Why is it you never hear about anyone fishing a custom version or even the original Snagless Sally Inline Spinnerbait w/ wire weedguards for bottom strolling, or covering hooks through weeds. The Terminator is nice because you can slide the body and change the treble hook for a single worm hook etc. The 1/2 ounce Terminator Inline has a #4 Colorodo or Indiana blade which provides Vibration, Thump, Flash, all the options of a Bladed Jig, only it is more weedless, fouls less, and for some reason it seems like nobody uses these lures? Is it because it looks like a "Spinner" and that is not in the Magazines? Is the bladed Jig popular because companies are pushing it, Pro's throw it, All companies are making them, and I can't help but notice, the attachments are moving higher and higher making them Inline Spinnerbaits due to the inability to attach to the blade because of the Z-man Patent. Why do you choose the Bladed Jig over an Inline Spinnerbait? I choose to use bladed Jigs because they are new, I see them in magazines, and I am a sucker for new lures. I will also admit they catch Fish, but have drawbacks. I am not sure that an Inline Spinnerbait is not a better choice on many days, or maybe all days? I would love to hear opinions on this because maybe I am missing something obvious. Since Worden's, Hildebrandt, Blue Fox, Terminator etc. never advertise in Bass Magazines, sold in "Tackle Shops" or sponser any pro's, is it simply just another "Phase" we are in. How many guys throw Sluggo's these days even though they still work as well as always if not better. Thanks for you input.

Thanks for your help. I will be in touch. I had a good day with it today. I will run the price by you before having them made, You know your fishing so the fact you understand metal, cutting, and lure making is probably the way to go. Have a great weekend.

Good hook set on a fish that size. Booyah makes a great frog regardless of money. I enjoy fishing a Frog even when I am missing strikes, you never know when the next strike comes and it could be the desired "Silent Boil".

Thanks for you advise. I will be in touch for sure and I will find out about the blades this weekend and what can be done. I am sure I will need some design help. I am still having issues with the action, and I am good just having a bait that I created that catches fish, besides, I am not sure it will ever have the "Pretty" Factor needed to catch Fisherman, or if it is as good as I think. I took it out for 4 hours today and still have some issues but I think this could be a good creation, I just wonder if I really created anything or Stole 3 ideas already out on the market and combined them in a different way, it is no doubt unique, but the blade will be key and I will let you know how I make out with the metal and I may take you up on your offer and buy some material from you. I will PM you once I get this figured out and see how much time it will take someone to make 100 blades and at what cost. I always see "New" lures that catch on and think to myself, how did I not think of that, or sometimes I think I have thought about it and never realized it. I remember watching the Episode of Timmy Horton outdoors when he was throwing the "MJ Rig" and my brother showed me that trick about 20 years ago after first seeing the Creme Midget Crawler, we would also bite the tails off of Curly tail worms to make Cut Tails when the water was cold. I wonder how much money that company Talon has made selling the MJ rig or Gambler off the EZ Duz it, I know I am not the only one who was putting blades on spinnerbaits as a trailer in stained water years ago or on Jigs because I would swim them since I couldn't flip.

Great Post, I need to look into this project and figure out how to donate. I have a large amount of Plastics I will not be selling and all are very good baits that are perfect for Kids. I remember how much fun it was when I was young to pick out my own soft plastics and colors so you have your own tackle box. I wasn't sure what to do with most of it since I don't want to pay storage and you can't keep them in your place due to smell, but this is a good idea. I have witnessed the power fishing can have on the right kid. Some do not have interest but every so often a neighborhood kid will show an interest, and once they get that fever, they love it, and a few kids in my neighborhood have become quite skilled and I see a few of them at the ponds from first light until dark. Fishing is one of the most healthy hobbies you can have. It is rare you meet another angler who is not a nice person. Not that you have to get along with everybody, but the large majority of fisherman that I encounter are good people who all have the same "Bug" We have. I would love to donate.

I am on my 6th camera/Phone in the past 18 months. I always drop it in the water but that insurance is sure worth the money. The quality on the new phones is simply fantastic, I recently had a 4lb Bass Beach itself Chasing my Jig which was snagged on a Branch a foot from shore, it popped off, and the Bass came flying out of nowhere and beeched itself for a good 5 seconds before it managed to get in the water. I need a Go Pro. I would love to watch that in slow motion since it happened so fast, It goes to show how aggressive fish can be when they want something. It would be cool to have that Pickeral scene on video, I enjoy watching highlights of guys who have You Tube Channels and they document their tournaments and cut them into 10 minute videos. Some of these guys have really intersting Channels, and I would think if you spend enough time on the water, you would get 2-3 amazing clips every year. Great Point. Good Post.

Thanks for your help. The info you just provided me is fantastic and hopefully my buddy will be able to help me, but I will PM you for sure if I need any material and I would pay for the metal and shipping as well. I just need to get some blades and then mess around, but it sounds like you can help out and be a valuable resource. I may (Most likely will) need design help, and I am still early in the process as I have been cutting blades from cans which are crude to say the least, but hopefully this idea turns out to be better than most of my past attempts. I appreciate the advice, I wouldn't post any pics but I feel as though I probably can't sell these (If they work out) unless I do everything from scratch or import some of the components. I have read your name on hundreds of threads in the last few months while getting ideas on how to do this, it seems your name pops up in many threads regarding lure design and Jig Pouring. I will absolutely reach out to you in the near future if I get this going as I am hoping. I have only read good things about your skills. It sure would be nice to be the next Renosky in the world, but hey, you never know. So many lures that have been created and sold to larger companies are designed by smaller guys, but I know that many ideas get stolen online. I have always found it odd that the same 2 guys who created the Original Chatterbait and then sold the patent to Z-man, then went ahead and developed the Rage Blade for Strike King right afterwards. I also find it odd that you can sell the blade directly attached if you are selling them from overseas, so I don't understand why a company couldn't just start a company with an address outside of the United States if you want to go direct to the blade, even with a Hexagon blade shape? I am not looking to do that but I look at Savage and all they did was take a ball head jig and slap a blade on it, so how is it Okuma can sell that in the United States or any Japanese Company when I can import the exact same blades but if I sell them in the USA, I have Z-Man after me? Eagle Claw owns the original Shakee blade, the Eaker Shaker, they just didn't market it properly or understand what they had, yet the creators of the "Chatterbait" admit to using the Eaker Shaker for years to get the idea. I understand patents, but man, I bet Gary Yamamoto wishes he would have put a patent on the Senko. Sure it is a plastic worm, but he could of made that a patent and not let anyone sell a worm that was the same exact shape? I remember Bass Pro used to sell a Spinnerbait that had 2 vibrating blades in front of it back in the late 80's early 90's and another company had a bait similar to a chatterbait in the 60's, but I guess patents are complex and expire etc. I just find it odd that Z-man owns a direct attachment on anything? Sorry for the ramble, I am just amazed that Z-Man was able to stop Berkley from their vibrating bladed Jig which looked nothing like a chatterbait and I never caught a fish on it. But if they were able to stop Pure Fishing, then they must be much bigger than I realized. Guys on Ebay are selling bladed jigs directly attached right now and they are selling well, at least they were last week, my guess is they are pulled by now.

I have been messing around with bladed jigs for the last few months trying every configuration, blades from every bladed jig I could think of, on all types of heads, split rings, oval rings, wire, spinner baits, weighted hooks and I think I finally found a rig that I really like, however I want a blade that is shaped more square than what is available. I am actually using a Jig Rig type of system so I can change the weight to match the trailer and I have found that the key is really the blade. The Z-Man blades from the older models are thin and cheap, but the one's from Skirts Unlimited and Barlows etc. that cost the most are really good quality but I don't like that shape. I know I can't use the Z-Man shape but I was wondering. What type of metal would I need and what should I buy? I have a friend with a Machine shop who can cut them for me and punch holes where I need them, but I was hoping for some ideas since I am not good with mechanical stuff. Thanks in Advance. I can post pics of my creation if it actually works as well as I am hoping. Thanks.

teThe Bass Assassin line of soft baits is very popular with many of the clubs that fish all the Florida lakes. They make a really good fluke that has a single tail like the Caffiene shad, and the Turbo Shad is essentially a Diezel Minnow only not made from Elaztach. It makes a good swimbait, swim jig trailer. You can fish lures with Treble Hooks, especially if it is windy. Once you are fishing the Offshore Hydrilla, a Bomber Long A in the orange belly bengal tiger is hard to beat, if the water is extra tanic or dark, I would throw a floating Rogue with rattles. If you are fishing with someone who makes a living on the lake or find someone to draw you a map for $50, if you can find the fish in that Jungle, you will catch them on whatever bait you like to use. I would speak to the locals and find out where you should fish, maybe pass through to Toho or one of the other lakes or sections. I have had more frustrating days on that chain than good one's, but when I have had the right partner, the days have been memorable and those days were great learning experiences on how to locate fish.

Agree, Gambler Big EZ, and maybe grab a few bags of the smaller sizes as well. I would invest in a pack of Zoom Speed worms as well, but Gambler has all you need, the burner worm is a big worm and is more than just a buzz worm, you can pitch it as well. The next best thing is visiting Jim Bitter's Website or store which is all baits and colors designed for Florida. Good Luck. You don't need too many lures to do well, You could fish swimbaits from top to bottom all day every day and do well, especially if that is your favorite way to fish weeds. Many guys throw 10" worms this time of year, so I would have some Ribbon tails just in case, Junebug is about all you need imo.

Well, If you ever want to go fishing when you get down here I am pretty flexible and always find time to put a line in the water. Simply send a PM and we can do some fishing when you get down here. We have some areas we found which are awesome from both boat and shore. Congrats on the new job and definitely feel free to reach out when you get to Tampa. The great thing about Florida is the fact you can fish so many different types of lakes, Rivers and even brackish areas where you can catch Snook for a few hours, when the tide stops, walk a few minutes and start catching Bass. Perfect Timing, I prefer Fall Fishing over Spring as the Bass seem easiest to catch when it cools off.

Missing Fish is not always the angler's fault. Sometimes it is the way Fish are smacking it, or the way they take it down, I would use a toad or smaller frog but this tip helped me get better. Think of a Hollow body as a regular Soft bait like say a Fluke. If you are working a Fluke on top and a Bass Grabs it, you rarely worry about the fish spitting it out right? If you do not pull, Bass that really want the frog and take it under, they will take it like any soft bait and hold it. I have played Jokes on people and clipped the hook points off and had it done to me. You realize that they hold frogs like any soft bait. They only feel the hooks when you slam them. Single hook on a soft toad helped me get better but you need to really set hard and sometimes the legs get in the way. Stick with frogs that have less "Junk" in the back, I trim legs super short since they can cover the hooks. Frog fishing is complicated. I have days where I think I am Dean Rojas, and then days when I just can't convert, but good advise about with smaller frogs. Or try going white to black or vise versa, and always have one with a chart belly to mimic a bluegill.

I find I was not meant to be a drop shot guy unless we are literally drifting and not moving the rod. I always want to reel and move the bait but it seems less movement is best and often times you want to put it in a spot where a Bass would be and then just leave it as a Fish will pass. I am still trying to figure out the Power Shot, Just can't have success on it consistently but I like the idea, but I always have felt a split shot rig with a floating worm is really the same thing? I also hate line twist, and the drop shot is not easy in shallow water, I find the Mojo or Split shot more fun, Drop shot is like using a Carolina rig to me only lighter and smaller fish but I know guys who are really good with it, it is not all that easy to get good with unless you practice I guess. I am not condident enough to use a drop shot unless fishing with someone who is catching fish on one. Way too many rigs today....I just take a bullet weight and put stops on both ends so I can peg it or slide it up 2 feet as I fish.

Enjoy. The Flat rap is a great option when you want some added flash or if you want a tighter action like cold weather or anytime baitfish are sluggish. I use the Flat Rap and Original Rapala on every trip I take. Some days the flat sides work better but some days a more erratic action from the original Rapala works, but you can be confident that you have a Proven lure that will catch fish once you get the cadence right. 50% of the time they take it as it lands, first moves, or first pause.... Enjoy. I do better when I use the lightest line possible and keep in mind, the hooks are light guage since it is balsa, heavy line kills the action so diameter matters. Around weeds I just use braid since 20lb is 4-6 diamater but I prefer 8lb test since usually the Rapala Excels on edges and if it is just weeds you can another site with 8lb test. I forget the exact quote but I believe Rapala Lures own more world records for both fresh and salt water than any other company or all combined...Something like that. I believe the Original Rapala Series from Floater to Countdown is still the best seller in the world for a lure. The best part is the floating Rapala never get's fished since guys feel they can't cast it far enough, or use it on line that is way too heavy. Not every Rapala is a great lure, I have had bills break on the DT Flats and a few others but I will put the Original, Shad Rap, Flat Raps, Shallow Shad Rap, and the X Rap Prop as baits that are as good as they get in that price range and easy to fish. Shad Raps are life savers as well. Especially the #7 and the #5 suspending Glass shad rap.

I have found the best way to Rig the TRD's weedless or half a Zero or Zinker is to use a Saltwater grade hook so it will not bend if on heavy line. Trokar Makes a Boxer Jig that is for saltwater sold in packs of 3 for like $7 but often on sale at Dicks. They come in 1/16 and all the sizes you want, hooks are not thick which kills the action, but the hooks are sharp, strong and you can button down the drag on that jighead (the smaller the bend or hook size less it will bend) and it needs super glue or you go crazy. The other way is to simply rig it on a strong Flipping Hook like VMC makes in size #4 and crimp a Bull Shot in 1/32 or 1/16 shaped like a bullet weight. You can tie a loop knot to the hook, leave the split on the hook or just like a texas rig and you get better action. I actually do just as well with a small piece of any worm, as I do with the Z-man baits. I think any small plastic will work if you get the right fall rate and it lands in the right place. Saltwater Mushroom rigs usually have hooks too thick but the higher the quality from Owner,Trokar etc...the thinner the guage you get away with. Hope that helps.

yea essentially the X2 shimmy is 2 flick shake worms criss crossed together. You could do the same thing with senko's etc. If they work I would love to know. I bet most people assume it is a gimmick, but maybe it works really well? Wacky Rigged Flick Shake Worms on light line weightless is the ticket some days, maybe 2 really works. Bass Pro has had them for 3-4 years now, so people must be buying them and sometimes the less you hear about a lure or bait means it actually works well and people don't like talking about it. I remember when the Gambler BB Cricket was being talked about as a killer bait and then Crews gave up the goods winning a tournament with it.Then every company had a tiny 3" do nothing creature bait that had a glide without the action for cold water or pressured fish. Those Leeches in 5" from any company are really good trailers since they are flat and move less water than a rounded worm and they catch the water on a swim jig and have a really natural movement. Trigger X and Berkley make really good leeches but hard to beat the BPS prices, leeches are similar to the zipper worms only more finesse, popular on Dropshots for walleye but Bass eat alot more leeches in areas with muddy or stained water than we realize. Leeches in ponds in the 3" size are like Ned rig good.

You have to get lucky with auctions. The key is some guys do not list them correctly, they may have a spelling error or maybe they are not a big volume seller, so you have to search for the reel several ways. Ending Soonest, Just listed (Then track the reels as listed to see who has what, it is the same 3 sellers who sell all the Reels and Rods) Then do advanced searches to see what the last few have sold for and send the seller an email and ask if he will take the amount you want to pay and make an offer). You would be amazed at what you can get deals on by simply asking the seller. Most sellers will list reels at a steady clip which is programmed in as they do huge volumes, and if you see a reel has sold for $75 in the past $30, you can get that price from that guy if you email him directly. If you buy other items it is a slam dunk, the key to making money on Ebay is selling more than 1 item to each person, and right now people are stuck with older inventory. I will shoot some links over of guys to follow and contact. All it takes is a nice email, and don't be afraid of a seller which says "No Returns". At the end of the day, and I should not post this but I will only put that on a listing to keep scammers away on big ticket items. Guys buy reels and try to coax you off of Ebay so they can "Help" you and that is great for the Seller until the buyer returns the reel and in the box you find a rock that weighs the same as the reel. I guess my point is you have to get lucky, if a guy starts listing Tatula's every other day, everyone is following, but you know he has more, so reach out to that person, throw out the price, and the reason you don't see low prices most of the time is because you keep those sales private. I don't want to give away the names of stores that do deals to save money and are honest, 1 has the no return policy, but you can trust them, they do a few thousand sales a month, and never get negative feedback. Also, always be suspect of reels that are "New From Combo's"...Many times they are refurbished and the seller is maybe not honest, or maybe they don't know. A new Tatula or any reel even if 2 years old, new in a box still has the same warranty but stock that old burns a hole in your pocket as a seller and with all the sales out there, guys want to move items. I actually get on Ebay every day with the sole purpose of finding really good deals that I can re-sell once all seller's are out of that item. It takes time, but Ebay has programs you can use to tell you any time a certain item or model number is listed, about to end, and in your price range. Hope that helps. If someone sells a reel for $94 on Ebay, You can expect that seller to take 10% off if you approach it right. Always be upfront and honest and I find Ebay works great as a buyer, not so much as a seller. Some people are always asking you to do silly deals, I don't mind giving someone a deal if they ask and give me a reasonable explanation at how they arrived that price. The local store I buy most of my stuff from is selling Okuma and Lew's reels right now at crazy prices. Almost 70% off of standard TW price, and he is making a profit, so you will find the room to negotiate is there now that China reels are gaining big time steam since that Kast King reel has hit almost all major Magazines, hits all the shows, and at $40 that reel is impossible to talk bad about, Unless you just can't accept the fact that American Companies have been forced to out source and some smart guys realized that I don't need to pay $15 and get $100, Lets get $40 and offer name brand reels as well, line etc....That is why I think we are seeing Companies being so cut throat. Chinese Brands will be the norm in 3 years, maybe sooner. But now I am rambling, if you need some links PM me and I will send the one's I used in the past to buy some great deals on reels and trust 100%, I am just not able to get on Ebay right now.

that"s awesome, I love saving money on items like shoes and clothing. They have a ton of Under Armor and other quality breathable shirts still on the shelves, I am thinking it will be 75% soon, I need to check again because I can't spend $50-$70 normal price for a shirt, but at 75% I will capitlize on that one and not care about color.

was it maybe spooled in reverse or maybe really old with a ton of memory? Maybe the reel, because I have never heard of a line stretching like you are describing. Maybe it melted? Does Mono Melt?

Sounds like a very expensive pack of JDM 1.8" Creature baits that would be $15 for 4 baits. I think every name has or is being used. Even if it was a gimick, if it was listed on a tackle website with some creative writing, I have no doubt within a few months, if you checked comments, you would get at least one comment that states: Took these out last night, 1st cast, I caught a 9lb bass and lost one that may have been over 10 2 casts later. Greatest bait ever!!! I wish I had first cast luck like some other people do, one guy managed a 13 and change on TW, I think everyone called him on it in the thread and it is actually funny because a few guys lost it. Reviews are interesting at times.

Now is the time to buy Baitcasting reels on Ebay. You can buy a tatula brand new in a box from 2 years ago for $70. I have been seeing Aird's for $39 and Okuma Krios and other $100 plus reels for under $40. Smokes are Sub $90 now and even EXO from 2 years ago is down around $115....I don't mind a new model resting in a box. Expect Cabela's to really drop prices again this year, problem is everything is back ordered. If you live near a Sports Authority they are going out of business and you may get lucky since nobody ever walks into them and they do 90% when closing up, and I would recommend attacking the Fishing Line aisle, you can make a nice chunk of change quickly, and have free line forever. The Managers are free to negotiate, if you want all the packs of Culprit worms, he may do .25 a bag? Some bags are old so just look stuff over, they carry colors that went out of production from Zoom a decade ago and that is not exaggerating. They sell bulk Owner/Gamakatsu hooks which also went 90%. Sports Authority started closing Fishing departments about 3 years ago and they ship the bulk of fishing stuff to the best locations, and those locations will do the 90% when they go full out, I did well at 3 out of 11 I walked into the week I heard they were going out. The Sale is 75% or 80% but if you buy all the line, all Rapala's, the Manager will do 90%. Same with Sneakers...I am loaded up with line and sneakers for life. Most stores only have the left over stuff from 1985 and yea, 10%, you have to watch the line if you do get lucky, because most of it is old. I buy it all because at that discount since line is easy to unload fast on Ebay just by beating the standard price by .50. No loyalty on Ebay.