Regarding the scrounger for those with experience : What differences in action (i.e. wider vs. tighter wobble) , retrieve speed , etc. can one expect between using the long bill version scrounger vs. the medium bill scrounger with a standard Zoom Fluke trailer ? Thanks in advance ...

As a self-proclaimed member of the Scrounger Club, my answer is that for me, it revolves around the head weight & trailer choice.  The bill is what moves the bait & the trailer.

Seems like it's a delicate balance.

A small trailer on a big bait or long trailer and a big trailer on a light bait or a shorter bill - both seem out of balance.

While I prefer & use the long bill just about exclusively, the medium bill may have it's uses, I just do not find that it works or produces for me.

A 3/8 to 1/2 oz head with a Super Fluke is very good.

A 1/2 & 3/4 with a Mag fluke is killer a well.

Something I have recently been clued in on with these baits is that although I do present them low & slow most often, they will get bite a ton 'on the fall'.

If the baits working right (my term) it's still doing it's thing (slow wobble) on a tight line fall to the bottom.

Here's a few of my favorite trailers . . .

A-Jay

 

 

Thanks A-Jay ! ... I'm fishing shallow , so my proposed plan is the TN River Tackle Tremor Head in 1/4 oz. & 3/8th oz. with the standard skinny body 4" Zoom Fluke . It looks like for the 3/8th oz. size I could also use the 5" Zoom Super Fluke - both sizes in the long bill version ... *Do you feel that the long bill scrounger still provides an acceptable action for cold water when bass generally prefer baits with more of  a tighter wobble ?

20 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Thanks A-Jay ! ... I'm fishing shallow , so my proposed plan is the TN River Tackle Tremor Head in 1/4 oz. & 3/8th oz. with the standard skinny body 4" Zoom Fluke . It looks like for the 3/8th oz. size I could also use the 5" Zoom Super Fluke - both sizes in the long bill version ... *Do you feel that the long bill scrounger still provides an acceptable action for cold water when bass generally prefer baits with more of  a tighter wobble ?

You're welcome and Yes I do.

as for cold water and tight wobble is concerned, I am never using this bait in those conditions.

In my world there are more productive presentations.

However,  in water above say 55 -  for me it's all about low in the water column and a slow retrieve with this presentation. 

It's not a blade bait or a spinner bait - you may be better served to fish it like a jig, especially in the cooler water.

Works in warmer water for sure.

Try it ~ 

But please be careful, you might get your arm broke.

A-Jay

 

Side note - in regards to the long bill - there have been a few baits on the market where the long bill is so long that when folded down (as in a bite & hook set) the bill actually comes right down on the hook point.  

This is no good and you may want to check your baits for that.

Also ensure that the bill is straight and lined up with the hook can help ensure that your bait runs 'true'.

The bills can & do 'rotate' on the jug head over time. 

 

Thanks A-Jay for the extra tips !!

I love the scrounger.  Not many people throw them.  We'll keep it our little secret!

I used to throw them a lot but stopped for some reason. 
When I did I always used a Sluggo as a trailer. They just seemed like the right match up. 

I may have to pull them out again. 
Thanks for the reminder

 

 

 

Mike

Little history may help. Long read.

The original Scrounger by John Waters was patent and trade name protected had a short bill and sold with a spear shape soft plastic worm trailer. The Scrounger was made for coastal salt water estuary bays and surf fishing, it wasn't a fresh water bass lure.

I started using the original Scroungers around 1980 with a 6" Rainbow trout color Sluggo for a trailer soon after the Sluggo was introduced by Lunker City.

The original Scroungers were out of production at that time and hard to find, I bought all that I could find in 3/4 oz size. The original Scroungers 3/4 oz has 3/0 Mustad tin plated hook that was too small with a Sluggo trailer so I modified the lure by cutting off the hook at the barb, straighten the shank and tied a 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook onto the original straighten hook using 20 lb mono tightly wrapped and coated with super glue. I also trimmed the lead back to about 3/16 from the collar groove so the Sluggo nose would go forward as far as possible. This modified combination work great and made some legendary catches of big bass.

The word got out, every Scrounger was scrounged up!

A local lead molder Lead Masters made a copy of the original Scrounger using a stamped long longer bill and marketed the lure as a Wiggle head to bye pass the trade name Scrounger, the Waters patent has long expired. Lead Masters didn't know about the larger hook modification so the lure didn't sell as planned.

Enter Aaron Martens, Aaron starts up a Scounger lure company and improves the hook, adds the medium length bill and offers the lure as a Scrounger. Waters family sues, Lucky Strike buys the Trade name rights and Aaron is out of the lure business.

Today several Scrounger type lures are available with 3 bill lengths. Tremor Heads offers a over size hook similar to my modified lure and heavier jigs to 1 1/2 oz.

Basically this is the history. 

The long bill was stamped from thinner soft material, not molded and had a tight wiggle similar to the original mold soft short bill.

The medium length bill was Martens idea to get a different action at very slow retreive speeds. 

The molded long bill really isn't needed as it tends to produce a wider wobble then a tighter wiggle.

The action I tried to duplicate using a Sluggo trailer was a tight wiggle like a Raplala balsa minnow, tighter the better works for me.

Tom 

PS, Scroungers come with a clip and this will create a wider wobble, I tie direct, no clip. Suggest using a varied slow to moderate retreive speed after counting it down to the depth you want and increasing speed if you feel any bumps, this trigger strikes.

On 12/22/2019 at 4:39 PM, WRB said:

Little history may help. Long read.

The original Scrounger by John Waters was patent and trade name protected had a short bill and sold with a spear shape soft plastic worm trailer. The Scrounger was made for coastal salt water estuary bays and surf fishing, it wasn't a fresh water bass lure.

I started using the original Scroungers around 1980 with a 6" Rainbow trout color Sluggo for a trailer soon after the Sluggo was introduced by Lunker City.

The original Scroungers were out of production at that time and hard to find, I bought all that I could find in 3/4 oz size. The original Scroungers 3/4 oz has 3/0 Mustad tin plated hook that was too small with a Sluggo trailer so I modified the lure by cutting off the hook at the barb, straighten the shank and tied a 5/0 straight shank Gamakatsu hook onto the original straighten hook using 20 lb mono tightly wrapped and coated with super glue. I also trimmed the lead back to about 3/16 from the collar groove so the Sluggo nose would go forward as far as possible. This modified combination work great and made some legendary catches of big bass.

The word got out, every Scrounger was scrounged up!

A local lead molder Lead Masters made a copy of the original Scrounger using a stamped long longer bill and marketed the lure as a Wiggle head to bye pass the trade name Scrounger, the Waters patent has long expired. Lead Masters didn't know about the larger hook modification so the lure didn't sell as planned.

Enter Aaron Martens, Aaron starts up a Scounger lure company and improves the hook, adds the medium length bill and offers the lure as a Scrounger. Waters family sues, Lucky Strike buys the Trade name rights and Aaron is out of the lure business.

Today several Scrounger type lures are available with 3 bill lengths. Tremor Heads offers a over size hook similar to my modified lure and heavier jigs to 1 1/2 oz.

Basically this is the history. 

The long bill was stamped from thinner soft material, not molded and had a tight wiggle similar to the original mold soft short bill.

The medium length bill was Martens idea to get a different action at very slow retreive speeds. 

The molded long bill really isn't needed as it tends to produce a wider wobble then a tighter wiggle.

The action I tried to duplicate using a Sluggo trailer was a tight wiggle like a Raplala balsa minnow, tighter the better works for me.

Tom 

PS, Scroungers come with a clip and this will create a wider wobble, I tie direct, no clip. Suggest using a varied slow to moderate retreive speed after counting it down to the depth you want and increasing speed if you feel any bumps, this trigger strikes.

*As usual Tom - great reading ; great history lesson !

Chris, I can't add anything to help you with the scrounger that hasn't been covered. However, I can help with your cold water presentation. For me, the underspin or fish head spin in a 1/4oz to 3/8oz with a regular 4" Zoom Fluke, not the super fluke or super fluke Jr., nothing fancy. I real it slow along the bottom, just fast enough that the blade ticks the bottom, you wouldn't believe how well that works in water temps in the mid 40s to low 50s.

On 12/24/2019 at 12:50 PM, smalljaw67 said:

Chris, I can't add anything to help you with the scrounger that hasn't been covered. However, I can help with your cold water presentation. For me, the underspin or fish head spin in a 1/4oz to 3/8oz with a regular 4" Zoom Fluke, not the super fluke or super fluke Jr., nothing fancy. I real it slow along the bottom, just fast enough that the blade ticks the bottom, you wouldn't believe how well that works in water temps in the mid 40s to low 50s.

Good reminder smalljaw 67 !! I have a few colors of the standard Zoom Fluke and recently picked up some BPS Shadee 4" Flukes that have dark backs / bright sides (Albino and Arkansas colors) I thought would create a nice flash on a chatterbait or a scrounger ... Now I plan to use on a underspin as well and see what bass want on that particular day . *Everyone is thinking jerk bait right now - but shaky head , football jig for slow retrieves and scrounger , underspin + fluke trailer for a bit faster retrieves can be great alternatives in cold water .

What an incredibly informative thread.  I am inspired to dig mine out and give them a try again.