Munkin

Amazes me when people say they are not using Flukes or a similar bait? I got started fishing a Fluke style bait with the Slug-go back in like 1989? Fished one of the Jr BassMasters Tournaments at 14 and the adult boat captain was asking me for tips after I caught so many fish. From May to October I have a Fluke tied on as it works so well. Only use a few colors as well; Pearl white, Albino, and a Grayish bait I pour myself in the Yamamoto color Natural Shad. Allen

Here is my take on learning to fish a jig to simplify things: 1.If you can fish a T-Rig you can fish a jig, only difference I find is with a jig bigger fish will just knock slack in the line. 2. Use the same colors in jigs that you use in soft plastics, KISS principle applies here. 3. Trailers= Keep it simple here as well, chunk style and something that moves water (doubletail grub, Rage craw, Chigger craw, or something similar) and colors should match the jig skirt to start. 4. Weight = You something slightly heavier than your T-Rig. Jig with a trailer will fall slower than a T-Rig of the same weight. Don't go too much heavier as 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2oz cover most situations. 5. Try lions-cut or fine cut skirts if you want more of a finesse presentation. To really simplify things try this jig with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr trailer. Products (siebertoutdoors.com) Allen

Hole-In-One finesse skirt. Allen That's hand tied with thread pushed tight against the head then cut short. Send a message to smalljaw67 and ask him as he is the expert on hand tying jigs. Personally I cannot tie s**t using thread or I would help. Allen

Personally if I live to 250 years old I could not use all my lures. That said there are a couple of baits I just have to try this year. 1.Jackal Nagisa= This is a shallow suspending jerkbait that I can't explain? You will just have to watch the YouTube video as to how it works. For the shallow, clear, pressured river I fish it just looks like a winner. 2. 6th Sense Provoke silent= From the description this bait hits all the things I am looking for in a jerbait so I have to at least try some. 3. Rapala creature baits= These just look too good to me so I have to try some. 4. Evergreen JT 95 topwater= Last year this walking bait caught more fish than all other walking baits combined. I only have one so I plan on getting a few more colors. 5 Don Iovino popper= Just like the Evergreen JT this bait was a top producer that I only have one size and color of. Plan on buying 3-6 more in different colors and sizes. 6. Vision 110+ Jr = Trying to find some in FA Wagasaki or whatever is closest to that color? The regular 100 jr in that color just crushed them on some local lakes. Problem was I had so many fish that followed and then turned away? Figured if I can get that bait that runs a little deeper I would catch a lot more fish. Allen

Something I came up with a couple months ago? These are 2.75" and seem to catch everything that swims in Maryland. Waiting on the following catches: snakehead, pike, brook trout, and a carp as all other freshwater fish in the state have been caught on one of these. Caught over 50 fish in 2 hours back in October on one in a local creek. Allen

I really like the people at Hagensfish but their premium blades are not as good as Worth or Lakeland. Several years ago I got samples from each company and Lakeland was the best. Worth is good except they don't have premium Black nickel, copper, and some other colored blades. Worth is also almost 3x the price for gold plated blades. Lakeland owns a plating company so they can beat everyone elses prices. Allen

I need to buy one of those baits to see what they are trying to accomplish? Allen

Fishingskirts.com sells an o-ring you can run behind the back of the skirt to get the bottom layer to flare. The other thing you can do is just use a hole-in-one skirt which has the same flare. Allen

Suspending for a set water temp otherwise it will float of sink. Allen

I think the Black Label are as close as you are going to find. Cliff bought the duplicator machines and is making the baits in the same way. He does personally make a lot of those baits, just remember he is a full time Pro so he may not be able to do everything himself like Ed did. Cliff did sell me 200 of the DBait style blanks that I just have not been able to get around to finishing like I thought I would. Allen

Use these with some epoxy or a piece of heat shrink over the weight. Allen

Fat Impact 3.8 most of the time I am fishing them. This year I plan on trying some more craw trailers though. Allen

You can just look and see what size should work the best. Some of the solder is way to big to use for this. Use the smaller size and then put a piece of heat shrink around it. Allen

Weight sliding on an internal wire, think pre-made carolina rig setup without the bead. Daiwa used it in their TD Dartist jerkbait which is where I got the idea from. It will make noise when first casted and then when the weight slides back into its resting place. I will check my Dartist minnows and see if I can take a picture of the weight transfer system. Allen

A buddy of mine knows people overseas that can make blanks. He said I could use his account to get a custom blank made I just have to pay for everything minus his discount. While I have made lures for 30+ years I never thought I would have the opportunity to make a two-piece hard blank. Everything is just a thought in my mind for the design phase right now but I think I want to go through with it. Plan is to make a silent about 95mm jerkbait in two models. One would be like 3-5' and the other 5-9' deep based on what I know best. Already have a concept for the weight transfer system that does not require rattles. Just need to think more about it and come up with some design concepts and bring A-Jay on board. This is not a quick or cheap thing to produce so it may take me 1-2 years but is something I want to see through. Not even sure why I am posting it now except I could use some imput from others as to what they would like to see? Allen

Silent jerkbaits work way better for me than ones with rattles. As for rattle traps most of the time I am using them in muddy water. Allen

This is the best answer to losing less crankbaits from the bank. Allen

The only thing I have seen like this is I bought a Jitterbug lure that looked like a mouse. Lure was smaller and had a soft plastic tail. If you are looking for stuff like this I recommend Ichiban Tackle or Japanlire.com. These are the two places I know of that have things people in the US besides AJay have never heard of? Final comment is learn the metric system before your order anything. Allen

Missed the line tie when you first posted this. The only bait I have with this line tie bend is a Rebel that is at least 25 years old. I suspect the tube keeps the first bead from getting into the line tie? Allen

Never heard of Ament molds? If the mold below is what you are looking for they shouldn't be hard to find. Regularly someone tries to sell me one and I don't know anything about that bait. Allen

Generally stay away from the economy, either the premium or regal. Not much difference in nickel between the two but regal is best for gold and copper. Allen

Why to I envision you looking like one of the characters from "The Outsiders" selling baits? Allen

I got some of those 3.8" Flick shakes in a trade and they are magnets for any small fish. Biggest bass has been a 11" SM but I did catch a 13" Goggle-eye along with a rainbow trout on them. Allen

Oval split rings are better because there isn't a change of the line getting caught in the o-ring. All my baits I have replaced the line tie with an oval split ring or removed it for a cross lock snap. Allen

Starting to get some interest here! For those of you who don't know Black Hills is a great place for big fish in the spring. My record is 7-2 with a ton of 5-6lb bass caught here in the spring. Allen