Strike King’s Mini-King Spinnerbait – Don’t leave home without it.

Last summer my wife announced that we were invited to my father-in-law’s annual summer company picnic. Ordinarily this proposition wouldn’t pose that much of a problem, but the date of said picnic fell on a weekend that was smack-dab in the middle of my fishing season. Sufficed to say I was unenthused by the whole idea. My dear wife tried to sell the picnic by promoting the fact that there would be free food. Now you must understand that my father-in-law works for a major food distribution company, so the quality and quantity of the fare was sure to be high, and the only thing I like doing more than fishing is eating - so I came around a bit, but not much, this was fishing season after all and I get precious little time on the water as it is (what with juggling work, a wife and two young children). Next she spoke of the games, prizes and rides that would be made available to our kids. Again, all good stuff – but still, I get to fish less than 20 times per year as it is (terribly short season in the Great White North), so foregoing a single day is not something I care to do – call me selfish. Then she mentioned that the picnic was to be held at a private park - a park that boasted a pristine stream fed lake. After hearing this I decided to be a good husband and immediately agreed to go – hey, i’m all about family fun.

The night before the picnic I got my tackle together. It all had to be rather inconspicuous – like it was a second thought - like I didn’t come prepared for a full day of fishing. I finally decided on one of my light action telescopic rods (collapses nicely) and coupled it with a small spinning reel and thin diameter super line. My lure of choice was never in doubt, as I needed something that could fit into my pocket yet put some fish in my hands - Strike King’s Mini-King Spinnerbait. 

Small water? Not a problem. Pack an army of mini safety-pin soldiers!

Upon arrival at the picnic grounds I found the lake to be exactly as advertised – fed by a country stream, this little jewel was dotted in lily pads and lined with trees, some of them fallen. I settled my family at a picnic table, got the kids off to the jumpy tent, and then excused myself to the water, rod in hand (my wife promised to save me a plate full o’ juicy barbeque). The second cast I made with the Mini King netted me a two pound bass. Immediately I drew an audience, with most onlookers asking the exact same questions – There’s fish in this lake? Really? Why are you letting them go? My sixth cast netted me another nice two plus pound fish and more observers, some of them wishing aloud that they had packed a rod and reel. An hour later the Mini King’s work was done; I had caught four Largemouth, including a bonus Rockbass and Bluegill, and had entertained a large number of picnic goers with my display of seemingly impromptu angling virtuosity. I also ate very well that day, and the kids and wife had a ball - Win, win and win.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Mini-King Spinnerbait has proven itself time and time again to not only produce bass on small water, but big bass on commonly fished big water; It’s a fact, smaller profile lures produce on pressured lakes. I’ve personally out fished multiple anglers throwing big spinnerbaits in the same bay on the same day with my Mini-Kings - to their immediate chagrin I might add. With reference to smaller water, the importance of not alarming other fish with your presentation cannot be over emphasized, and therefore a lightweight, light-splash bait is ideal. Also, it stands to reason that bass in smaller water will feed on smaller prey items, and therefore you should mimic in-kind. Strike king offers a wide variety of colors, but my favorite is White Diamond Dust – a fantastic all-around shad/baitfish imitator. I also keep a Red or Black/Blue Diamond Dust Mini-King for overcast or low-light conditions handy. Each Mini-King Spinnerbait is outfitted with a 2.1 size silver Tennessee diamond plate blade for maximum flash and vibration. The bait's jig head is also diamond-dust treated and is outfitted with a metal flaked silicone skirt. A good tip here is to trim the skirt (something I do on all my spinnerbaits) by cutting off a half, to a full thumbnail’s worth of length - I’ve found this increases hook ups. Though the Mini-King does sport a fairly large hook – a testament to its big fish catching potential – I don’t suggest adding a plastic trailer as I feel it compromises the overall presentation. The cost is very reasonable at $3.39 per unit, and at this price you can afford to keep an entire stable of these little baits at the ready. The mini spinnerbait market is a segment that has not been fully taken advantage of in the industry – with few big fish producing options readily available to the angler (Booyah, Johnson and Strike King being the exceptions I’ve found). As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Always effective, always efficient - Strike King’s Mini-King Spinnerbait

Bomber Plugs – Extraordinarily effective and affordable minnow imitators

One of my earliest memories of fishing is of when my father and I would go trolling for musky on warm summer evenings. I clearly remember the still water’s surface shattering like a plane of glass as giant leviathans from the deep became airborne while chasing minnow imitating plugs - it still sends shivers down my spine to this day. We would meet up with my dad’s friend (who had the only boat at the time) just after dinner. On those nights I wouldn’t need to be told to finish my meal – I was usually done well in advance of anyone else. In fact, I would eat so quickly that my dad would typically remark, watch out you don’t eat your fingers! I never did manage to eat my fingers, but I did accidently bite my tongue on occasion, sending my sister into hysterics. My sister typically picked at her food no matter the circumstance. In any event, I see the same thing with my six year old son today; at home, I need to repeatedly remind him to eat; at the cottage, where there are frogs and grasshoppers to be chased, he inhales his food like a goose – I guess cycles do repeat themselves. My dad’s friend’s boat was a baby blue fiberglass run about - I’ll never forget it - with a Mercury outboard that would gently rattle your teeth as it put-putted along. I remember that engine clearly, as I would stare at it while we slowly trolled - the smell of its exhaust in my nose, oily and rich. I don’t know if it was the fumes, or the time spent with my father, but those were some of the best, most magical evenings of my life.

My dad was always a Rapala man, and to a great degree so am I because of him. He would troll a black and silver Rapala minnow plug behind the boat with great patience, and he put big numbers of pickerel and musky in the boat to be sure – much respect to Rapala. My dad’s friend however, trolled a Bomber Long A behind the boat with less patience then my dad, but with occasionally greater success in terms of the size of the fish he caught. He always threw a big vibrant green Bomber minnow, with yellow sides, orange belly, black scales and red fluorescent eyes - I remember that lure always seemed angry or panicked to me because of the eyes. He said that it was exactly because of those red eyes that the bigger musky would become enraged and mad enough to bite. I can’t argue with his results. Where the Rapala baits were dignified and refined, the Bomber baits seemed larger and louder than life. Truly, the impression those lures made on a young boy, way back when, still sticks with me...

These baits are built like trucks – flat out. (Bomber Long ''A'' - Regular Jointed - top to bottom: FIRETIGER, SILVER FLASH/RED HEAD)

Today, I still throw bomber plugs (and Rapala plugs) when the situation calls for it. Jointed or straight Long A’s when I troll for Musky, and Tim Horton Pro Long A’s when I throw diving/suspending plugs for Small or Largemouth Bass. The plastic that Bomber uses is ultra-high impact and low-wear, as I still have (and still fish) the first Bomber Long A I ever purchased. The hooks on Bomber plugs are sharp from the start (Gamakatsu hooks are found on the Pro Long A), and the paint remains durable and resistant to chipping long after your first cast. The baits offer a tight and true wobble right out of the package, whether you run them at low or high speeds (something not easily accomplished). Combine this with a fantastic set of fish-calling internal rattles and terrific colour schemes, and you have a lure that catches fish consistently. Big fish consistently – an attribute not seen in many lures available now or in years past. Bomber minnow plugs function well on light or heavy lines, and are dynamite (pardon the pun) on most any game fish that swims. Bomber also offers Long A Saltwater Grade models that are incredibly well made for life in the brine.

Topwater Bottom Line: When Bomber first fabricated the Long A, they produced an instant classic. When Bomber fabricated the Pro Long A (in concert with Tim Horton) they offered up a new classic. Their five to seven dollar price range ($4.69 for the original Long A; $5.49 for the jointed; and 6.99 for the Pro) seems like an absolute steal when you consider the lures potential. Along with Rapala, they will always remain my go to minnow plugs, as they are not only productive, but also tie me to a time when I fished with my dad – something I truly miss. There are some lure manufactures who just get it right from the start, and Bomber is one of them. I suggest you give these lures a home in your box and a job on the end of your line. As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

This suspending Tim Horton Pro Long A offers a realistic finish that is seemingly wet before it hits the water. (Avialable in: SUNSET SHINER, GOLDEN BENGAL (shown above), PEWTER PEARL, WATERMELON PEARL)

Sebile Lures – Born from immeasurable experience, they remain the pinnacle of charisma and design in any lure collection.

Lure designer Patrick Sebile is a multiple IGFA world record holder who fishes around the world in all types of water. If it swims, this dude has fished for it and probably caught it. I am not ashamed to say that he lives a life I envy greatly; travelling the globe in search of whatever swims, meeting interesting people and collecting their stories along the way. I for one would love to be regaled with tales of his travails, over a cold beer and hot meal of freshly grilled fish. Can you imagine the things he has seen in his time on this spinning rock? When he’s not busy breaking records or wetting lines at the foot of the pyramids, he is busy running Sebile Lures - a company he started a few years back which has since taken the industry by storm. His baits are bold and vibrant, seemingly cut from the same cloth as the man, and are built from high quality materials to exacting standards, sporting eye popping colour schemes and patterns.

I have multiple Sebile lures in my collection for good reason, as these baits will call to your lips an immediate response of Wow! when looked upon. Put it this way, if your jaw doesn't drop in awe when you see a Magic Swimmer or Sun Splasher, then lure collecting, lure appreciation or even lure use is not for you – stick to bobber and worming. (top to bottom: Salt and Sun Splasher, Salt and Sun Stick Shad, Magic Swimmer)

Sebile baits are made tough; with designs that are purpose built to catch any fish you might come across, no matter the circumstances. The colour schemes and finishes, I find, are what really set Patrick’s baits apart from the crowd. In fact, some of the finishes evoke a 4D sensation when one views the liquid suspended in the baits hollow cavity. This trick not only creates a fantastic visual cue for fish to home in on, as the suspended metal flake splashes about like sloughed off scales from a fleeing bait fish, it also creates a uniquely subtle sound and vibration for the lateral lines of predators to receive – Innovative and remarkable! (top to bottom: Koolie Minnow, Ghost Walker, Flatt Shad)

Topwater Bottom Line: Some of the baits I mentioned above are already legendary on the Pro and Amateur fishing circuits alike, being responsible for winning a lot of tournaments for a lot of different people around the world. Sebile lures are not only unique and effective on the water though, as they also command a rightful place on the collector's display wall as well. These baits - due to their popularity I’d assume - can be difficult to find in terms of product/line selection. The best bet is online of course, but I for one am hoping that they become even more readily accessible - fingers crossed! Cost is in step with most other quality baits on the market, with some of the larger offerings being priced correspondingly higher, but not out of range by any stretch of the imagination (one can expect to pay between 12 and 39 dollars per unit). If you haven’t heard of Sebile Lures, you have now - and you should make sure that you own a whole bunch before the demand exceeds the supply. As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

The Micro Lite Elite Spinning Reel – Something small with capabilities tall.

When the International Game Fish Association announced that a Japanese fisherman had tied the 77-year-old record for catching the biggest Largemouth Bass (22 lb 4 oz) in Lake Biwa Japan, it got me to thinking about something totally different but somewhat related. The event seemed so strange, as I always thought that California or Texas would produce the next record breaking – or in this case record tying - fish. When I think of Japan I think about compact, technologically advanced products, and a culture so very refined and reserved – the Wild West it is not. I tend to approach fishing in a similar manner, employing reserved methods of application and presentation. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the necessity and attractiveness of throwing big baits on big rigs for big fish in big cover, but mainly I choose to go small on most occasions – simply because of the closer connection I feel with my intended prey. This is not to say that I do not employ capable mechanics and hardware, to the contrary actually. And it is with this in mind that I present a review for my current reel for open-water, ultra-light topwater fishing, a deceptively diminutive product sold out of the United States - The Bass Pro Shops Micro Lite Elite Spinning Reel.

The Micro Lite gives me oodles of big performance features on the water. Packed into an ergonomically friendly and compact main body, this reel features 7+1 bearings, with a Powerlock™ instant anti-reverse carbon frame; a machined aluminum handle and spool; a smooth and oh-so-capable multi-disc drag, and a spare aluminum spool to boot. I originally purchased the Micro Lite intending to use it strictly for Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Rockbass and Crappie fishing, but when I received the reel in the mail its obvious quality in design and construction came blazing through. I decided that I would attempt to use the reel for throwing my ultra-light topwater bass lures away from and around cover, and spooled the reel with 10 pound test thin-diameter Spiderline. After a full and successful (thank you) season on the lake, I am happy to report that the reel hasn’t let me down once - not a single solitary time. The best part of this spinning reel is its drag system, which seems to defy logic – tiny but tough as nails, having plenty of grunt and mule hooves in the dirt stopping power. I put plenty of fish in the boat – including some real gorillas that got into some serious salad – and I felt each and every one of them fight like they were slapping me in the face with their tails. Now that's what I call fishing.

Topwater Bottom Line: If you are like me - looking to get more in touch with the fish you are catching - a finesse type reel may be just the ticket. Bass Pro Shops have hit a homerun with their Micro Lite series, providing big reel function and quality at a reasonable price. If you put this reel in a position to succeed (e.g. open-water surface and sub-surface fishing) it will pay you back in spades. This tiny jewel is capable from the get go, with a mind boggling value quotient when you take into consideration the asking price of $39.99 per unit. As always, please practice catch and release with this reel.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

So much power in the palm of your hand - The Micro Lite Elite Spinning Reel.

Bass Pro Shops also makes a quality, strictly for panfish fishing tool - The Tiny Lite Spincast Reel. Featuring tough polished stainless steel front and rear cones; a die-cast metal handle; a smooth ball bearing drive system; multi-stop anti-reverse/on/off adjustment; and soft rubber accents. This reel comes pre-spooled with 70 yds. of 4 lb. mono and retails for $12.99 per unit.

What does my Uncle Fred, a Blue Whale and a Largemouth Bass all have in common?

They’ll all knock you over for a good feed of crustaceans. In fact most living organisms on this planet bigger than the smallest brine shrimp will make a quick meal out of these poor, exploited anthropods. Call them what you want: crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, prawns or krill - we love to eat them as much as the next carnivorous creature. And it’s by no accident that they make up the greatest biomass on the planet. So as a fisherman, it would behoove you to mimic the preferred snack of your slippery quarry, no matter the species, to maximize your success.

I’ve stated for a number of years now, that if I was to be lost in the wilderness or stranded on a desert island, there is only one lure that I would need (if a rod, reel and lure were an option) to provide myself with sustenance. That lure is the Rebel Crawfish (sub 2 inch being my preference). I’m fully, completely and utterly convinced that this bait would catch fish anywhere in the world, be it fresh, salt or brackish water. An obvious prey imitator, the bait looks the part, but more importantly acts the part as its action reminds one of a crawdad scooting backwards in retreat. I haven’t encountered a game fish or pan fish yet that hasn’t been enticed by its tight rhythmic wobble, coupled with a set of perfectly tuned internal rattles screaming out I’m tasty! Colour choice runs the gamut from natural browns, reds, molts, chartreuses and mirror options also being available. I do prefer the brown colour set, but have had much luck with the green and yellow and copper offerings as well. My favorite technique with this lure is to throw a shallow running version tight to the bank or shoreline, letting it sit motionless for a five count, and then beginning a slow retrieve, pausing every six or seven feet for a moment or two (letting the bait slowly rise to the surface). Finally I add a couple of short, quick, burst-like jerks - I call it the stunned crayfish presentation – and vicious strikes soon follow. I throw this bait on a thin diameter super line (3-8 pound test), spooled onto a medium action reel and rod combo.

Topwater Bottom Line: This is a lure that needs to be in your tackle box. If you haven’t thrown one, you are missing out on a whole lot of fun, as fish tend to commit often and hard on this realistic looking bait – heck even I’ve been tempted to crack few open and tie on a bib now and then. I’ve caught my personal best Bluegill, Shellcracker and Yellow Perch on this lure, including a significant number of Small and Largemouth Bass. At 4.99 per unit, the Rebel Crawfish is a relative bargain when one takes into consideration its performance on the water, including the different types of fish it can catch, the number of fish it can put in the boat, and its ability to bag largest fish within any group. You should be keeping at least one of each colour in your box, as pound for pound, this is the tastiest looking lure going today. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure. You know something - It must really suck to be a crustacean, what with everyone always looking at you like you’re dipped in butter and garlic.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Real Crawfish are eaten by people in Europe, China, Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and the Caribbean. The Rebel Crawfish is eaten by fish in the same places.

The Ripplin’ Red Fin – Niche lure makes good in storybook ending.

Have you ever discovered a fishing spot/honey hole that you just knew hadn’t been fished before? It happened to me, only once, and it was magical. It was the summer of 1984 (as best as memory serves me), and I had decided one afternoon to take a walk down the gravel path across the road from my uncle’s cottage…

I took that stroll every once and a while to look for baby snapping turtles, as the adult turtles dug nests in the loose rock near the end of the road. The end of the path was lined in bulrushes, as tall as your eye, and was surrounded on all sides by a swamp that was adjacent to the main lake. It was brilliantly sunny that day, with birds flittering about, frogs jumping into the tall grass and cicadas humming on nearby telephone poles. There were a few disturbed turtle nests but no turtles that day, so I decided to engage in another favorite pastime of mine at the time: chasing leopard frogs – an obsession my son has inherited.

What creatures hide among and beyond the cattails?

I spied a green and black spotted giant and gave chase through the grass. As usual the web footed reptile eluded me, launching itself through the bulrush wall. On this particular occasion, and for reasons forgotten to me now, I followed that frog, plowing my way into the field of brown cotton cobs. After a few feet of slow progress, the rushes opened up onto a small circular clearing. The frog sat in the middle, obviously unammused by my pursuit. The blue sky burned above me as a blue heron flew overhead so close that it caused the rushes to sway. At that moment the frog bolted forward again, obviously spooked by its natural adversary. I heard a splash, and I followed. What happened next I remember as if it was just yesterday - I pushed my way through the tall reeds like I was opening a set of curtains, stepped forward, and instantly soaked both my feet. What I had stumbled upon was a three meter wide canal connecting the main lake to the swamp. The shrubs, reeds and vines curled up along its edges, camouflaging it from sight. The water itself looked to be at least a meter deep, and it was festooned in petrified fallen tree trunks and limbs. I was frozen but my mind raced. Here, I thought, here be bass! Another low flying bird snapped me out of my stupor and I turned and ran. I ran straight for the cottage and my tackle box and rod.

I had the perfect bait for just such an occasion: A fish-frog imitator - Cotton Cordell's Ripplin’ Red Fin. I quickly attached the lure to my line, stuck its last treble hook in a line guide and then bolted back for the hidden canal. When I got there I was breathing hard and my hands were trembling in anticipation. I had little doubt that I’d find a fish here. I somehow released the lure from its hanger, carefully swung it over my head (there was precious little room to maneuver), and laid down a cast that would be the envy of Al Linder and Rolland Martin combined. The Red Fin landed mere inches from a huge half-sunken log, right in the middle of the water course.

I twitched it.
I waited...
I twitched it again.
I waited a little longer…

Then I started my retrieve in earnest - and suddenly, BANGO! My drag started screaming. A green football shaped torpedo had slammed my silvery pearl lure and was doing its best to swallow it. I tightened down the drag and started reeling in the fish. A heart stopping jump or two later, I lipped a four pound fire breathing beauty – not the biggest bass I have ever caught, but probably the most memorable and satisfying. I stood there a while admiring the fish before bending down to release her. After watching it swim away I took notice of the frog I had chased earlier, sitting in the water with its hands on a lily pad. I thanked the frog for showing me this secret place, and then quietly, happily, made my way back to the cottage for dinner.

Topwater Bottom Line: Because of my success with the Ripplin’ Red Fin that day, I always keep a couple in my box – call me a sentimental old fool. I don’t use it often, but I will get it wet on occasion when I find a stretch of water that looks like it requires a jerkbait/topwater presentation. And that’s the interesting part of this lure, in that it is kind of a crossover type of bait, a frog-fish imitator that has its very own niche. This lure does however seem to be tailor make for pike fishing, as those toothy predators seem to enjoy eating strange and wonderous things. In many ways pike are much like Tiger Sharks in that regard. I suggest replacing the rear treble with a dressed one to add even more substance to its already substantive presence; its wavy sides create an interesting profile, and the lure wobbles tightly and wildly seemingly because of this. When I do toss this lure I throw it on 10 pound mono, spooled onto a medium action spinning reel and rod combo. Colour/pattern choice seems to be limited, but there are a few choices between chrome and solids (older shad patterns can be found with a bit of searching online). The price remains resonable at an average of 4.99 a piece, and though not a lure you may use daily, it does belong in your box, especially if you are a pike fisherman. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

4 out of 5 bobbers

With the addition of a feathered rear treble, the Cotton Cordell Red Fin really shines in specialized duty.

Salmo Lures – Collector quality baits that catch more than just the eye

My lure collection consists of 1000 individual hard baits. The majority of those baits are musky, pike and other big game lures. What draws me to larger lures? I think it’s partly because of their bold designs, sheer size and wild colour schemes. I also think it’s because these lures were designed for one specific purpose: seek and capture the top predators in any given body of water. It all goes back to my adoration for the “Hemingway way of life” (excluding the way he ended his life), and how he fished for big game, occasionally with a machine gun, but always with bold presentations. The overall lure industry has always impressed me by bringing mass-produced products to market while keeping artistry at the forefront - yes, in part due to the very nature of said products use, but also I believe the lure makers are proud of what they make. Salmo is one of those lure makers, and they are well deserving of having their pike and musky lures in my collection – this is a first post in a series of posts documenting the various standout baits in my collection.

Salmo Lures is a Polish tackle company that has a dedicated world-wide following (including a burgeoning North American fan base). Their lures are built tough, to exacting standards and feature fantastic finishes and top quality hardware that rivals any in the industry. Started by a team of fisheries biologists, Salmo produces hyper-realistic offerings that catch fish as well as the eyes of fisherman - not always an easy proposition. The baits themselves are made out of a tough-as-nails space-age foam and are meticulously hand painted and tested. From my understanding, there is a three month process from start to finish for each lure! Salmo also has a lifetime guarantee on their baits, which speaks directly to their dedication to the craft. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding.

DINNER BELL (top - shown in Green Tiger) and TURBO JACK (bottom - shown in Carbon Killer)

When I first laid my eyes on Salmo's baits I thought they had created something special. When I first laid my hands on their baits, I knew they had created something of exquisite quality, construction and beauty. But do they catch fish? Boy do they! It is well documented that Salmo is a world leader when it comes to baits that catch not only numbers of fish, but giant fish as well (a simple Google search confirms this beyond a shadow of a doubt). More importantly to me however, these baits offer a secondary appeal - they display beautifully in my lure collection, with pristine finishes that are second to none.

Topwater Bottom Line: If you are looking for consistent high quality fish catching lures, or if you are looking for lures to display on a mantle (or wall, if you’re like me), Salmo has you covered. I suggest the FATSO, TURBO JACK, DINNER BELL, SKINNER and HODAG to start, but you won’t go wrong with any of their fine selections. If you’re going to throw these particular baits, I suggest using a heavy action baitcaster paired with a musky rod, and a minimum of 65 pound test (note: Salmo does sell a large variety of lighter tackle options for bass fisherman and the like). If you’re going to hang them on a wall, I suggest finishing nails through the packaging peg holes or lure line eyelets – simple as that. These baits may be a little hard to find, but at reasonable 9 to 25 dollars a piece they are well worth the search. As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Top-notch materials, hardware, paint and engineering - Salmo Performance Fishing Lures delivers on all counts.

The Super Spot – Shake what Cotton Cordell gave you.

I fish two lakes predominately. One is shallow and weedy – I’ll call it Lake A, and the other is deep and rocky - Lake B. Lake B is a relatively new lake to me, with the upcoming season being my third year on the body of water. I hadn’t fished a deep lake for 25 years, and interestingly enough, I am throwing the exact same lure today as I did way back when, albeit an updated version - Unfortunately I will not divulge the actual names of Lakes A and B – they are my honey holes… you understand.

I throw this lure on Lake B for a number of reasons; first, the depth I need to reach to get to the fish; second, because of my limited knowledge of the water itself I need a search bait to fish it properly; and lastly, because I can only fish lake B from shore (no boats allowed), I need a bait that will call the sows to me. The bait I’m referring to? The Cotton Cordell Super Spot Lipless Crankbait. In my wonder years my parents rented a cottage way up north. That cottage sat on a very deep lake which was chock full of pike and a good number of bass holding on large boulders. God, those were the glory days, throwing rattling spots for the first time and catching monster pike. The strikes would literally rip the rod out of my tiny ten year old hands, but I digress... Today, the strikes on lipless rattlers still jar me. In fact, two seasons back, while reeling in a crawdad patterned Super Spot on Lake B, a titanic (for me) 7 and a half pound monster bass stopped my retrieve like I had hooked into a cinderblock. Strikes like that are the reason I fish - plain and simple.

The thing I love most about Super Spots is in the act of throwing one - it’s visceral; you can feel and hear the lure working, making its way back to the boat (or shore) on every cast. As the vibrations travel up your arm and into your jaw, it’s as if the bait is an extension of your body; this is why the Super Spot becomes the ideal search tool for any deep lake – especially those that you are not familiar with. It calls fish like no other lure. It puts you in touch with them, as rattling balls in the baits hollow cavity send shock waves through the water, screaming, “hey predators, I’m an injured baitfish or startled crawdad, come and get me!”

A colour and pattern for almost every season and reason (COPPER CRAW, WATERMELONSEED and RAYBURN RED are great choices)

I like to throw a 2 to 3 inch Super Spot in a red chartreuse if I don’t know the specific forage of a body of water. If I do know the endemic prey (or if I’m fishing in gin clear water), I’ll match the hatch and chose an appropriate colour (e.g. crawdad or shad or panfish). I toss this bait on 10 pound mono, tired directly to the lure (no snap or swivel as this hardware keeps the lure from exhibiting its complete action). I also prefer to use a medium action spinning reel and similarly matched rod, with my drag set fairly tight. You really can’t make a bad cast with a Super Spot, though you’ll maximize your chances of hooking fish by tossing it into or adjacent to rocks and other hard structure. In fact, many strikes will occur after the Spot makes contact with a boulder and bounces off, triggering the bite response of a stalking fish.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Super Spot is a bait that catches fish in deep lakes, and even some shallow lakes where there is little weed growth to foul the diving nose and hooks. It is a lure that brings the fish to you, which helps tremendously on bodies of water that you may not be familiar with. I recommend keeping at least seven different colour patterns, and strongly suggest that three of those be craw, shad and red/chartreuse. Try to match the Spot’s size to the season, i.e. smaller in the spring and lager in the fall. A word of caution: you may loose a number of these baits to hang ups if you bump and run – which you should be doing to entice chasers to strike; but you can always purchase replacements at the more than reasonable price of 2.89 a piece. I have used, and still use more expensive lipless ratting baits by companies like SPRO, Yo-Zuri, Lucky Craft and Rapala, but have found them to more effective only in isolated instances, when a specific colour pattern is called for, or a particular vibration is needed (different amount, type or size of metal balls). The Cotton Cordell Super Spot deserves a spot in your box if you target free roaming pike or relatively deep holding bass, and at their price point, they can’t be beat for the quality you get in return. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

4.5 out of 5 bobbers

Louder than a pissed off rattle snake and much more effective at catching fish, The Cotton Cordell Super Spot.

Heddon’s Moss Boss – I’ll take my salad with a spoon please.

In the winter months I tend to watch a lot of WFN (World Fishing Network). Some shows are better than others, with my favorite being the Scott Martin Challenge. With both of my home lakes locked in ice and snow, I really do enjoy watching people fish for big bass in Southern Florida. My dream is to some day toss a topwater lure for giant 10 pound bass in that gorgeous, dark water Florida salad. One of the lures I would use on such a trip would the Moss Boss – a big fish producer from way back.

Aside from a strike at boat side, there is nothing more exciting in sport fishing than having a giant bass or pike destroy a topwater bait from deep within a lily pad or reed bed; water boils and explodes, salad is chopped and sent flying, your heart starts racing and your muscles tense in preparation – it’s like time stands still for a moment and your brain scrambles, trying to react. It’s the bee’s knees, truly. So what’s the most effective presentation to illicit such incredible strikes? Well, you’ll need a lure that is built tough; you’ll need a lure that transitions well between heavy salad and open water; and you’ll need a lure that can be stealthy in delivery and still cut a tempting path through the pads/reeds. That lure, for me, is the Heddon Moss Boss. This middle-weight skirted plastic spoon is a big time strike inducer. So much so, that I have put it on my “unfair advantage” bait list. Throw this bait deep into the lily pads and reel it back, letting it sink and dance into any holes in the canopy it finds. When you reach the edge of the pad field, let it sink again. It will wiggle and ripple and float to the bottom – Repeat. Big fish will hunt down this intruder and you’ll see the tell-tale v-wake in the pads signaling an imminent strike - It’s addictive, trust me.

My choice of colour for this lure is a toss up between green frog, yellow chartreuse scale, white scale or black scale (note: full black was once available, but I don’t see it offered for sale since Heddon purchased Swamp Fox, part of the lure’s original name), depending on the type or time of day – as always dark colours for dark photoperiods, light for light. For overall success with this bait, it’s important to add a trailer hook for short striking fish. It’s also important to add a large curly grub or worm tail piece to the main hook, as it will seductively poke beneath the surface and drive fish nuts. My plastic of choice? A big purple or black curly tail worm/grub section, cut down to the base. Cast this combo on as heavy a line that you can get away with (30+ pound test is a minimum here); couple that with a capable baitcaster, possessing a fair amount of stopping power and a matched rod, and you’ll be in the salad chopping business in no time.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Moss Boss is a skirted upside down plastic spoon that, when combined with a trailer hook and a plastic tail, can raise the behemoths from their weedy caves like nothing else. It mimics a frog, a mouse, a snake, a salamander, a bird or a turtle, and at $4.49 a pop (1/4 and 3/8 oz sizes available) provides an attractive alternative to the basic weedless frog. It will get hung up on occasion if the lure flips over onto its stomach, but with the proper line test, retrieving this bait shouldn’t be a problem. The Heddon Moss Boss is a topwater and a subsurface lure, a true value added proposition – and it is a fluid bait that you’ll learn to master with great satisfaction. These baits need to be in your box if you consider yourself a top-shelf topwater fisherman. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Waiter, there is a frog and a mouse in my salad!

The Rapala Floating Minnow – The greatest lure ever created - seriously.

These days I don’t get to fish as much as I’d like to or used to. Having two children, a wife and a job, limits my actual fishing time to 15 day trips per year. When I first started my fishing career (back in 1978) I managed to get out on the water much more often. I often fished day and night, each and every weekend for the entire spring and summer. Times have changed, literally and figuratively when it comes to fishing. What hasn’t changed, in essence, is what I like to call my main overall “hard hub-lure”. That is, the lure that centers my fishing lure rotation – this at least connects me to those glory days many moons ago.

The Original Rapala Floating Minnow is a lure that was passed down to me as a child by my father, and his father to him before that. At the time it was a basic balsa wood minnow in black and silver, but it caught fish. By God, it caught fish. Studying this bait, I instinctively chose to go with the orange chartreuse offering, sold in a jointed version. This bait was dynamite, and from the first cast netted me, and my childhood fishing partner, bass after bass after bass after bass. I kid you not. This specific lure configuration was unbelievable. In fact, it was so good I stopped using it after just two seasons. I felt it was an unfair advantage, and decided instead to hone my skills by offering a more natural presentation. I took up using non-jointed Rapala perch colour schemes (sometimes even blues and yellows). Today, twenty eight years later, I am still using a Rapala minnow, but now it is the Husky Jerk in assorted glass colours that I throw. My new trick? Using a stinger jig instead of a rear treble – thank you In-Fisherman T.V. circa 1990.

Topwater Bottom Line: Lauri Rapala carved a minnow shaped fishing lure out of cork in 1936. The dude caught fish when he first threw it. Forty five years later I caught fish when I first threw it. Lot’s of them. More than I could ever put a number on. If you consider yourself a fisherman (or fisherwoman) I urge you to have at least a half dozen of these baits in your box. And at $6.29 - $10.49 per bait, they devour the competition, no matter the brand name or fancy endorsement. This lure is central to my fishing style, and it is a lure I will pass down to my son and daughter. My family will always be a “Rapala” family, and so should yours. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

The greatest lure ever created (aside from a stick of dynamite with hooks attached - whose use I highly discourage)

Fishing - Where it all started for me

At the tender age of eight I would visit the River almost every day. It twisted its way from a beginning I had never seen, and I figured it eventually emptied into the big lake somewhere. There, on the edge of the city, I pictured a titanic mouth spewing its spent waters. I visited the River to escape into a world of snakes, toads, pheasants and supposed pet cemeteries. A world where children ruled the day and adults seldom tread, save to call us late for diner or bed.

The River sat in a valley directly behind my best friend’s house. I remember very well the hill leading down to the water being colossal, and overgrown in thick jungle-like vegetation. In reality it was a gentle bush covered slope, dropping all of 10 feet, at the very most. But through child’s eyes it was mountainous and grand. In the summer, we would build various ramps of earth at its base, so that in the winter we could rocket our green plastic sleds – the ones with the useless black plastic hand breaks - down the slope, off the jumps, stopping just short of the always semi-frozen waterway.

The Riverbank was lined with big rocks, some perfect for sitting – others perfect for resting rusty bait cans containing luncheon meat, worms or crickets on. Early on, the water was relatively clean and I remember catching sunfish and rock bass with a deep red fiberglass pole. Later, I’d catch suckers with white horns on their heads with a light blue fiberglass pole. My line was mostly thick and dark blue, and it sprang off the squeaky reel’s spool in noodle like coils. Interestingly, my father had a greasy black reel that was spooled with what looked like a modern braided line, except without anything modern about it. I would always use a large bobber - red and white or sometimes orange and yellow. I’d find them in my garage, mixed in with my father’s tools in a wooden box. I never questioned how they got there, I only knew that whenever I needed one, a bobber would be there - waiting. I honestly thought that tool box was a fantastical bottomless pit. At times when I would scurry up the ladder to dig around in it, I would try and reach the bottom – sending screws, corks and bottle caps crashing to the floor. I never once found the bottom. It’s still there in my father’s garage, but I don’t dare go near it now. Some things need to remain magical.

After finding a suitable spot to sit, usually in the bright sun, I’d impale a worm I had dug out of my dad’s vegetable garden on a large double barbed hook. My best friend would do the same. Few words were shared between us at this time, and for good reason. The first to string a worm was the first to cast for the first fish. Yes, there always was a second fish, and even a third fish waiting on this particular bend in the River, but second and third didn’t win the race.

We all knew which boulder at the edge of the River held the best chance for the most fish or perhaps with a bit of luck, biggest fish or with even more luck, a crayfish. My favorite sitting spot was a big flat rock with a set of smaller rocks behind it. We’d always race for it, but would never argue or tussle over it - fisherman’s code and all that. Truth told however, the one who missed out would always quietly envy the other – at least I did – and would jump at the opportunity to jump claim if the original owner moved, even for a moment.

The River ran deep in spots as best as we could tell - no one would dare jump in it where we fished it. Of course, a few of us slipped in now and then, but we were damn sure to exit quicker than we fell. Collecting lampreys and minnows in the nearby rapids, eddies and small inlets was one thing, but deep, still water held things we couldn’t see - big things, snapping things, or so we guessed. Besides, at least a couple of kids would drown each year in the River - as our mothers would constantly remind us - so we were relatively careful even during our most reckless and ambitious excursions.

Snakes would sometimes visit you as you fished. They came for a drink or for a swim to the other side, and our bobbers made excellent aerial bombs to impede their way. Frogs and toads would fall victim to cherry bombs every now and then, and I regret the torture we subjected them to.

In any event, when the bobbers were in the water, we’d watch them intently, waiting for the telltale vibrations of biting fish. Though I employ much more “highbrow” fishing techniques these days, live bait bobber fishing still fascinates me when I do it with my children. It think it’s the duality of the thing that gets us; half the bobber being under the water, on their side, and half the bobber being above the water, on our side - All things being equal.

The Daiwa Silvercast Spincast – Has cast a spell over me

A new world record largemouth bass was reported on a week or so ago. Twenty plus pounds! Such a large animal has probably seen her fair share of lures. It makes me wonder why she finally gave in? I caught a nice 7+ pound fish two seasons ago in my “daily” lake, and I think it bit because I threw a fantastic lure (a Cotton Cordell Super Spot), the likes of which she had never seen. I hope that’s the case with the record bass - I always like to think the giants will only fall to a good lure.

With any big fish, you’ll need some serious tackle to horse them in. Believe it or not, Daiwa’s Silvercast Spincast is as serious a reel as they come. A season back I was looking for a new reel. I wanted a tool that was quick, trouble-free and hefty without being heavy. It also needed to be economical and eye pleasing to boot. I checked out a number of baitcasting and spinning reels, but they (to a man) failed to meet at least a couple of my sticking points. So I turned to spincasters, despite their reputation of being a beginner’s reel. After a bit of searching I uncovered a smart, cracker-jack reel - the Daiwa Silvercast. Now this little reel had everything I was looking for, and then some. In fact, it’s become my go to reel for spinnerbait fishing, and when paired with a medium action rod, has enough grunt and drag power to bring in the big girls (and the feisty males). After a period of getting used to the drag adjustments on casting (- for distance, and + on hook set), a common requirement for all spincast reels, I wouldn’t hit the lake without one – It’s that good.

Topwater Bottom Line: If you’re like me, you don’t want to be fussing with baitcasting bird’s nests and loose looping spinning reels – you want to be fishing. The Daiwa’s Silvercast (at $29.99 a piece) lets you do just that, pounding many of the more expensive baitcasting, spinning and even spincasting options available. On top of all that, this reel flat out looks good, with just the right amount of blue metal accent and steampunk machine design. The paint on the plastic thumb bar will wear over time, but that’s ok with me – it shows that I use the reel and I use it hard (lubricate seasonally with Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil). Dead-stop can and does happen, but it's rare compared to other spincasters. As always, please practice catch and release with this reel.

Topwater Rating:

 
5 out of 5 bobbers
 

This compact performer is a well built workhorse.

The Ultra-mini Spinnerbait - A stealthy fish catching machine

It’s cold outside today. Not as cold as it should be, but still, it’s cold. I wish it wasn’t. I wish I lived in Florida from December 31st through April 31st - Maybe one day. I’ll make the best of it though and talk about another key piece of my fishing arsenal this upcoming season.

The Ultra-mini Spinnerbait is actually a lure of my own design, based specifically on the substructure of a Johnson Beetle Spin, with the addition of a small yellow-green/chartreuse colorado blade and a Bass Pro Shops panfish tube. My choice of tube colours are All-American Sparkle or Mellon Candy for daytime and Pumpkin/Chartreuse Pepper for dusk/dawn and evening. I like using a white or black or pink jig head with this combo. The key here is to keep everything small. Ultra-small. I throw this bait on 12 pound test, sprung from a Daiwa Silvercast Spincast sitting on a medium action rod.

Topwater Bottom Line: Bass eat fry-forage fish, bugs and other creepy crawlies that scoot around sub-surface in tiny packs! This small safety-pin style lure mimics all of them. I toss this little guy everywhere, and it has remained my key search bait for the past few seasons. Bass slam it on splash down, on the drop and on straight retrieve at any speed. The Original Johnson Beetle Spin is great out of the box - but if you modify a few Beetle Spins like I described above - at 1.75 a pop they’ll trounce the much more expensive and hefty spinnerbait options available. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

This demure bait is great in its original form. With a few tweaks it rockets to awesome.

Welcome to topwater reviews - Heddon Tiny Torpedo

Well it's 2010, and as I type this I am 4 months (give or take a week) away from wetting a line - I know. In any event I'd thought I’d start the year off by highlighting some of the lures I'll be throwing this season.

I'll start with a surface lure that is overlooked by most serious bass fisherman, the Heddon Tiny Torpedo. Though small in stature, this top water prop/stick bait performs as well or better than its larger/more expensive cousins. I like the bone on black colour choice you see below simply because I feel a.) the dark colour helps fish locate the lure from underneath (against the bright or dark sky), and b.) the white/black combo creates a great contrast that seems to trigger violent responses from predators. I throw this bait on 10 pound test spider line, with a medium action rod and reel. The beauty of this little gem? You can walk the dog with it, buzz it, pop it, or just let it sit motionless with the odd twitch thrown in now and again - each method will draw explosive strikes.

Topwater Bottom Line: Bass eat frogs, mice, bugs and fish at the surface! This little lure mimics all of them. Pick up one or two for your tackle box - at 4.99 a pop they adeptly challenge the much more expensive, albeit equally productive options. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

This little lure sure packs a big punch.