river-rat

The links below are to two articles about using a Devil's Horse that are very informative. http://crankbaitcentral.com/FeatureArticles/The-Devils-Horse-A-Propbait-Served%20Southern-Style-Part-I.html http://crankbaitcentral.com/FeatureArticles/The-Devils-Horse-A-Propbait-Served%20Southern-Style-Part-II.html My all-time favorite color Devil's Horse is Doll Fly, but it's been out of production for years. I have found it on ebay a few times and was able to purchase several spares.

When I first started using braid I would tie the palomar and double palomar and never had a problem. Last year I started using the reverse clinch knot which I have used for over 30 years for mono and have not had a problem. I can tie this knot a lot faster than the palomar.

Over the past 20 years I have done quite a bit of night fishing. At least once each summer while using a spinnerbait, I have caught flathead catfish ranging in size from 20# to a couple that were just over 40#

I started using the Spro Frog when it first came out and it took me a couple of trips to get the knack for making it walk. Try cutting 1/2" off one of the legs and thin each leg by removing 6-8 strands of rubber. Using 30# braid should not affect the ability to walk the frog (I use 50# Power Pro). Also, you want to use a medium-heavy (at the least) to heavy rod. What I had to learn is to leave slack in the line and twitch the slack, not the frog. Use very light twitches and allow the frog to move to the side before making the next twitch. When starting out, get the frog to walk 3-4 times and stop. Eventually you will be able develop a rythm and walk the frog as far as you want. Besides being effective when fished on top of vegetation, don't hesitate to use the frog in open water in and around brush, standing timber, logs/laydowns, docks, or the edge of weedlines. The majority of the fish I catch on the Spro Frog are in this open water.

In no certain order Hub's Chub - Rattalur Luhr Jensen - Johnny Rattler Spro Frog and Popper Devil's Horse (#200 series) Chug Bug 1/2 oz. Lunker Lure Roger's Lures Hawg Hunter

Norman Fat Boy, Strike King Series 4S, and the Bagley BB3 have a wide wobble.

I've used the 8" Jelly Worm since the early 70's mostly during summer/fall and at night. I always use a texas rig with a 5/0 straight shank or offset bend hook. I let the fish determine the size of the slip sinker to use depending on their mood.

There are seveal discontinued baits I would like to have made. They include: 7 1/2 Fliptail Worm and the Fliptail Flirt (grub) Bagley's BB2 and BB3 as they were made in the early 70's Baby Gator Tail Worm (5 1/2"). The Zoom G-Tail is an exact copy of the 7/ 1/2" Gator Tail. I always seemed to do better on the Baby Gator Tail.

Spro Frog and Popper in Leopard, Tropical White and Midnight Walker.

There are a couple of ways to make sure the frog runs true. You can use wire solder to add weight to an EWG-type hook. All that's needed is 3-4 wraps around the hook shank. You can also use a weighted frog/swimbait hook. I use the Stanley or the Mr. Blitz frog hook in 1/8 oz.

The Kreature is one of my most productive baits. For pitching I texas-rig it a Musatad Denny Brauer Flippin' Hook (3/0) with a 3/16-5/16 slip sinker. I also use it weightless and have had very good results.

A couple of years ago I read on this board to use super glue to bond the nose tie where it exits the nose of the frog to solve this problem. I tried it and at the very least it slows down the amount of water entering the frog to where I don't have to squeeze it out as often.

I've been using the Timber Tiger in the DC5 and DC8 sizes for several years. They come through heavy cover extremely well and will catch fish.

I use texas-rigged tubes year round and always have one on the front deck. It's best to keep it simple. Fish it much like a plastic worm when using 3/16-1/4 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) with a slow lift and drop, or drag it on the bottom. When using 5/16-3/8 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) I like to "pop" the tube 1'-2' off the bottom and let it fall on a slack line. You will get a very erractic fall that will trigger strikes in warmer water. For colors, use green pumpkin w/red and green glitter, black/blue tail, black neon, and junebug. I favor the Strike King Denny Brauer Flip-N-Tube (4 1/2"). I always rig it with a Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook (4/0) and use a tube rattle.

I use a straight shank or offset hook for everything but tubes. I use the Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook in 3/0 for 4" tubes and the 4/0 for 4 1/2" and 5" tubes.

I keep it simple at night. I'd say 90%+ of my night fishing is done with the following. 5/8 spinnerbait I pour myself or a 5/8 Stan Sloan Aggravator (both single spins) with a black/blue/purple or black/purple skirt and a #11 Uncle Josh Pork Frog (blue) trailer. T-rigged 6" Gator Tail type worm (black w/pearl blue tail), Zoom Brush Hog (black/red glitter), or an 8" Mann's Jelly worm (black) 1/2 Jig - Black/Blue/Purple skirt with 5" grub (sapphire blue or junebug) If I'm night fishing an area with a lot of vegetation and wood cover mixed, my favorite lure is a black 1/2 oz. Johnson Silver Minnow with a black rubber spinnerbait skirt. I remove the inline spinner from a Snagless Sally and attach it to the spoon. Comes through the heaviest cover and will draw strikes from some hellacious sized bass at night.

My preference is the Mustad Denny Brauer Flipping Hook (straight shank) in the 3/0 size. But you can't go wrong with the Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG in either the regular or superline hook.

Mustad Denny Brauer Flipping Hook in 4/0 or 5/0. This is a straight shank hook which I prefer when I can get away with it.

I t-rig the following with 1/4, 5/16, or 3/8 tungsten slip sinker. Gene Larew 4"Salt Craw and Biffle Mega Craw Reaction Innovation Tube - 4" (Coonasty and Penetration) Sweet Beaver (Payback, Hillbilly Special, Coonasty)

I have been using the Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook for tubes for the past 3-4 years and have no complaints. I use the 3/0 for 4" tubes and the 4/0 for 4 1/2" and 5" tubes.

I use Hildebrandt copper blades a great deal in the Atchafalya Basin and the fresh/brackish water marshes in south Louisiana. Mostly in muddy water, low light conditions or at night. Also, a red colorado blade (#3.5-4) in front of a copper colorado (#4.5-5) with a yellow/chartreuse/white skirt works extremely well in muddy water.

Couldn't agree with Catt more. I use the same riggings. As for the backlashing - I turn off all the magnets and rely strictly on my thumb.

I've been using the 8" Jelly Worm since they were introduced and still use them later in the year when "bigger" worms start to work. As for colors, black grape and blue work best for me. At one time Mann's made the Jelly worm in black with blue tail which is one of the best colors I've used for night fishing. They no longer make this color combination so I use the blue worm and black worm dye to make the same thing.

My favorite for weedy conditions is the Arbogast Hawaiian Wiggler (I make a slight change to this one) or the Johnson Silver Minnow. I'm also partial to the #13 Rapala.

The RATTALUR - made by Hub's Chub. My go to top water for big fish from pre-spawn (63+ degrees) to late fall. My personal best on this lure is a 10.2 in Florida and a 9.6 in Louisiana. Johnny Rattler - similiar to The RATTALUR but louder rattles A.C. Shiner #550 Buzz Bait - Black w/Black Blade or White w/Gold Blade Frog - Spro or Tru Tungsten