ChrisD46

*Looks similar to the SK bladed minnow offering ... I think the SK bladed minnow and the ZMan similar offering are great bladed jig trailers ... Congrats on pouring your own !

+1 ... A Dobyns SF 702 & 703 pair in the series of your choice make a nice drop shot set up - but if you could only have one then you picked a great one A-Jay !

Original Biffle Bug head and soft plastic trailer for me ...

Plus dipping the claws in 100% Puro Reposado (works better than garlic scent for Mexican bass) !

My set up is a Garcia Veritas 2.0 7' H action , Spiderwire #14 lb. Ultimate Mono and a 6:3:1 or 7:1 bait cast reel . *This rod is a broomstick for sure - but it's great when a swing jig comes in contact with chunk rock it ricochets QUICK which is where you get a lot of bites from versus a rod with more give that delays that desired , quick ricochet effect of the swing jig ... *Tackle set up and technique compliments of smalljaw67 .

JJ's is some interesting stuff - it will disintegrate elaztech (ZMan) soft plastics and even with a seemingly tight cap the stuff seems to evaporate off rather quickly ! I'm not sure what the answer is to keeping JJ's dye for any length of time ?

*Already available at TW (search for: "Bait Buttons") ... Comes in two sizes + a dispenser . In certain cases where you want more give - the hole punch with bike tube idea may be a better way to go .

+1 ^^This^^

+1 ... A Fury or Sierra 702SR would make a fine Ned Rig rod as well as double as a drop shot rod .

I'm amazed no one has selected black & blue ? ... Many pros in Florida and else where throw this color as they sure aren't imitating shad !

*What's your bluegill skirt color then ?

What color jig or chatterbait skirt color do you like best to imitate a bluegill in the summer months ?

+1 ... I'd also use InvizX and AbrazX FC lines .

*I just knew some how Tom would ultimately be connected to the Free Rig from back in the day (as he was with many other bass fishing rigs) - the man is a walking : "Bass Fishing Historian" ! ... *Other kids gather around their grand father to hear war stories - Tom's grand kids gather around to hear bass lure rigging and ask : "Tell us about the time you discovered the split shot rig Grand Pa Tom " - while another grand child interrupts and says: " No , we already heard that story last week - tell us about the Darter Head jig Grand Pa Tom " ! ... LOL ! - much admiration for you Tom and keep the history lessons coming !

You will want an weighted EWG hook and not the standard round bend hook ... I would start with one of these (or similar) in 3/16th oz. to start : https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Bite_Me_Tackle_Vertical_Eye_Tube_Jig_Heads_4pk/descpage-BTMETJH.html

Black is at it's best at night time for top water .

To neutralize the plastisol smell in soft plastics - I give the bag a quick spray of BANG garlic scent and then distribute the scent with the bag closed . It's also a confidence thing for me as I believe bass respond favorably to garlic scent on soft plastics (at least bass in southern waters) .

I believe there is the Owner Flashy Beast Hook now as well with larger hooks and wider gaps .

A click or two looser on the drag setting may help as well along with Trokar hooks ...

According to T.B. it has to do with the water displacement of the chatterbait lip / coffin so when a paddle tail is rigged upside down the paddle has cleaner water to wiggle more naturally and not work against the chatterbait undesirably . Rigging a paddle tail upside down also helps the chatterbait stay down better (works similarly on a spinner bait too) .

*The SK Blade Minnow is awesome ! ... I also like a Super Fluke , a grub and a craw ... Paddle Tails work better rigged upside down but I still believe they fight against the chatterbait action thus I like them much better on a swim jig .

Fill 1/2 the reel with cheap mono then tie a uni to uni knot with #15 lb. ~ #20 lb. Power Pro ... Nice set up as while #10 lb. Power Pro is nice - you may get some wind knots using it while the #15 lb. ~ #20 lb. braid does better in that regard .

A weightless Super Fluke (as well as weightless senko) I believe are best used on a spinning set up : 7' M/XF rod , 2500 reel , #15 lb. braid + FC or mono leader #8 lb. ~ #10 lb. , 3/0 ~ 4/0 EWG hook .

*I am going to buy & try the Fogy soon - I saw from ICAST news that one of the big companies is introducing a chatterbait with a football head (like the Fogy) soon ... I'd rather buy the Siebert Outdoors product and support a sponsor !

I believe having that slight bow in the toad belly gives it a different "planing" response on the retrieve too which could prove useful for getting bass to key in on the toad.