The Daiwa Game Vibe - A great lipless crankbait that's worth its weight.

I don't get a chance to fish as much as I would like to. Having said that, there is a lake that I get to fish almost daily in the summer - on my afternoon break (as luck would have it, there is a great little fishing lake not five minutes from my office). I get an hour for lunch, and while others choose to spend it at local watering holes, I typically I choose to spend it at the local fishing hole - different strokes. The sight of a grown man in a shirt, tie and slacks casting from shore does net me the odd look or two, but I don't care - I get to fish! So, having approximately 40 minutes fishing time (10 minutes travel time and 10 minutes to get my boots and gear together) I need to make some tough choices when it comes to lure selection. Seeing that this lake is a deep lake, and that I fish only from shore, I primarily throw rattling lipless crankbaits. To maximize my time fishing, I can't spend even a minute worrying about changing up my presentation, so I came up with a system that has worked for me - so far. I identified 10 different baits that I would be effective, and put them into a daily rotation (5 day cycle). For example, on Monday, I use Monday's lure, and throw it consistently for 40 minutes. I never use the same lure two days in a row (I will change up lure rotation depending on weather, season and light conditions). All things being equal however, I will stick to the set rotation - much like a professional baseball team uses pitchers. Today I will be highlighting one of the baits in the rotation, Tuesday's lure - a true star player, who I purchased at a very reasonable price - Daiwa's Game Vibe.

The Daiwa Game Vibe is based upon the fantastic Daiwa TD Vibration. This value packed lure's tight wiggle emits a distinctive fish catching vibration. This lure sports an engraved scale pattern and "3D" eyes, and a great baitfish profile. Paint applications are effective, consistent, resilient and long lasting. A particular favorite of mine is the Black/Gold version, a pattern that mimics quite well the goldfish that people have released in the urban lake I fish - In turn, these goldfish have become baitfish to the Largemouth Bass and Pike. I throw this lure on a medium action rod and reel combination, spooled with 10 pound super line.

Topwater Bottom Line: With two available sizes and 8 productive colour choices, the Dawia Game Vibe is a quality bait sold at an affordable price. At $ 4.99, this capable little rattlebait is an absolute treasure to have in your tackle box, and while there are more expensive crankbaits out there that may be more effective in particular situations, this value added bait is winner in most all situations. I recommend the Daiwa Game Vibe to any lipless hardbait fisherman. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

4.5 out of 5 bobbers

GV6: SINKING | 0-Bottom | 2 3/8"| 5/16 oz. | hook #6

GV7: SINKING | 0-Bottom | 2 3/4" | 5/8 oz. | hook #4 & #6

Egg Shaped Wakebaits - 3 Grade A performers offer fish a breakfast they'll bite on.

I have a certain affinity for egg shaped wakebaits. I think it’s because they are so visually apealling and effective at catching aggressive predatory fish. They are particularly effective when large frogs and mice represent the major prey items. In fact, the specific type of fishing they represent is an exiting, topwater explosion filled one - and I’ll tell you, if I ever get the chance to fish the Great Amazon River or other water like it, I will throw these bulb-shaped lures for sure. Another sure thing is the three wakebaits I’d take on such a fishing excursion (detailed below), which just happen to be three of my favorite baits in my entire collection.

Bass Pro Shops XPS® Lazer Eye Nitro™ Extreme® The Egg - is an incredible value, featuring: a wonderfully sculptured, egg-shaped body design; pronounced wild-eye "3D" eyes; loud rattles; wide wobbling action; and premium extra-sharp hooks. This wakebait will draw the ire of large predator gamefish.

Built for shallow water and walking along the surface around fallen logs and lily pads, the XPS Nitro Egg (available in 2-1/2" - 3/4 oz. and 2" - 3/8 oz. - $3.99) will dive to no more than 1' when cranked. The lures rotund profile and exquisite available finishes combine for a presentation no bass, or lure collector for that matter, can refuse. As always, I use a light colored selection for early morning, blue skies or clear water, and a dark or fluorescent offering for evenings, overcast skies or stained water. This lure should be thrown on a medium to heavy action rod and reel combo.

XCalibur's Xw6 Wake Bait - With a highly detailed and etched finish, three-dimensional panicked red eyes, molded red gill plates, top-of-the-line hardware (including Tx3 Trebles featuring three razor-edged cutting edges and VMC In-Line Technology) this quality wake bait is an absolute treat for the eyes and a big fish producer on the water as well.

Mimicking a wounded baitfish or swimming frog, the XCalibur™ Xw6 wakebait (2-3/4''; 3/4 oz. - $9.99) bulges and pushes a huge amount of surface water as it aggressively shakes, rattles and wobbles its way along. This lure is a fantastic addition to any modern lure collection and valuable tool in any topwater fisherman's tackle box. This lure is available in 8 beautifully finished candy coated colours.

Since 1998, Ima Japan has produced incredible hardbaits for both saltwater and freshwater applications. With the introduction of their US office in 2007, the company has been able to bring those same innovative, imaginative and realistic pro-inspired lures to the American Market. One of those lures is the Rattlin' Roumba (3", 1/2 oz. - $16.99) - an update to the original Roumba design inspired by professional bass angler Fred Roumbanis. This wakebait virtually dances across the surface of the water, as it rattles away just above submerged weeds, adjacent to lily pads, or along undercut shorelines - calling fish as it goes. This lure features class-leading paint applications (Double Cheeseburger, Ghost Minnow, Firetiger, Blue Shad, Sour Candy and Gold/Black), molded gill features, "3D" Ima eyes and premium Owner hooks. I just recently managed to pick up one of these lures for my collection and I was amazed on sight at its incredible design and quality finish. 

Topwater Rating:

Bass Pro Shops XPS® Lazer Eye Nitro™ Extreme® The Egg:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Xalibur's Xw6 Wake Bait:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Ima's Rattlin' Roumba:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Pin's Minnow - Yo-Zuri's pocket-sized baitfish imitator is a big fish catcher.

This season I plan to go small and slow - i.e. I will be throwing smaller baits then I did last season, and working them slower. The reason is quite simple; I’ve discovered that smaller, realistic lures attract bigger (and of course larger numbers of) fish on pressured bodies of water. Though I'm happy to report that catch and release is commonplace amongst most bass fishermen these days (and this bodes well for the continued development of a sustainable fishery), there are a good number of people fishing today, and thanks to the instant dissemination of information via the world wide web, most of those fishermen are well educated on which baits to throw, how to throw them and when to throw them. The result is an educated class of bass, growing up with a first hand knowledge of what a lure is and when to be wary. My theory is that by throwing small, realistic looking lures, these fish can be still fooled into striking - repeatedly. The diminutive size of these lures lowers the defenses of cautious bass, and the anatomical detail/paint seals the deal. I guess you could call it finesse fishing, but I prefer the term forage fishing - trying to match the hatch and/or baitfish as best you can. Having said that, I do believe larger baits catch larger fish on seldom/lightly fished bodies of water, and larger baits will catch the larger apex predators on any given body of water - but for me, to maximize my time and catch on the water, I will be downsizing this season. One of the lures I will be throwing that falls perfectly into my category of smaller and detailed is Yo-Zuri's Pin’s Minnow™.

The Pin’s Minnow™ is a realistic, ultra-light floating minnow imitator featuring: an etched finish and gill plates; an internal Weight Transfer System™ (internal steel balls on a track that also contribute to a "single knocker" type of sound) to assure long casts and balanced action (2 3/4“ + sizes only); a durable molded body; ultra-sharp, sticky and strong VMC® Cone Cut® treble hooks for sure hook sets and fast jaw penetration; and stainless steel split rings. The Pin’s Minnow™ excels in fast-flowing streams or for fast retrieves, but does just as well when jerked and paused. This bait will dive up to 2 feet. I suggest throwing the 2-3/4" 1/8 OZ version on a light to medium action reel and rod combo, with complementing thin-diameter super line. Tip: tie the line directly to the bait's line eye or split ring to get the most action from the lure.

This minnow will go to great lengths for you on the cast - all 2 3/4" Pin's Minnows have an internal weight transfer system consisting of shifting steel balls, assuring long casts and balanced action on the water.

Topwater Bottom Line: If you are looking for a quality, long-casting small minnow bait, look no further than Yo-Zuri's Pin’s Minnow™. At $7.95 per unit, you get a wonderfully detailed and brilliantly engineered performer that is a proven fish catcher. Its slender profile and darting action will bring fish out for a meal no matter the pressure or general target species education level. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure. 

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

The GLASS MINNOW colour pattern has a fantastic subtle quality that fish will find irresistible (see bottom left: TGLM - Glass Minnow). Tip: use light colours for early morning or clear skies and darker colours for evening or overcast skies.

Strike Pro's X-Buster - A sensational Scandinavian inspired swimbait.

The winters are cold, dark and long in my part of the world. For an enthusiastic fisherman like me, it's a terrible wait between open water seasons. So, to compensate for my lack of yearly angling time, I engage in lure collecting - not vintage or antique baits mind you, but rather modern offerings (I simply can't afford those wonderful baits from years gone by). I find that this pursuit of new products soothes the savage beast in me, and allows for a modest amount of relief when the sun hangs low in the sky. Apex predator baits are a particular favorite of mine, and I tend to keep tabs on all those new to the hobby. With the trend towards larger swimbaits growing out of America, Europe and Asia, my appetite has been regularly satisfied in recent years. One of those big new baits, the Strike Pro X-Buster 7" Swimbait/Jerkbait, hit my radar about a year or so ago, and I made it point to eventually own one.

Though the bait was available online for quite some time, I had resisted ordering it, wanting to wait until I saw the bait in person to finally make a purchase. I got that opportunity a few days ago, when I saw a fresh batch of these gleaming beauties hanging on the pegs of my local tackle shop. I was instantly taken aback at these new shad-style swimbaits being sold in long clamshell packaging - their paint applications being candy coated, and their anatomical detail, prominent and defined. I grabbed a slow sinking model in Hot Pike (an International colour) and made for the cash, extremely happy and quite content. After I got the bait home, I pried opened the staple holding the plastic shell to its cardboard backing - careful to not break anything as I will later re-package the bait for storage (after a period of fishing or display). I immediately I took notice of the bait's tight dividing joint, which felt solid, yet allowed for a good range of motion. Also worthy of note was the "3D" eye and the included Owner hooks and hardware. Internal rattles finish off this impressively hefty bait, which feels quite substantial in the hand. I'd recommend throwing this bait on a equally matched casting outfit (including the appropriate line test) rated for the lures weight and the heavy, toothy fish you'll surely be catching.

The X-Buster, designed by CWC (one of the leading distributors of Predator Tackle in Scandinavia) for Strike Pro, has a wide sweeping action when cranked in. When a jerking retrieve is paused, the bait glides to left or right, performing a 180 and remaining in the strike zone.

Crank it; rip it; twitch it; pull it; jerk it; or troll this 7 inch, 2-3/4 oz (suspending or slow sinking) swimbait/glide bait to entice big Pike and other such predatory fish.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Strike Pro X-Buster 7" Swimbait/Jerkbait can be had for a very reasonable $24.99. This price is very competitive when you consider some of the similar, albeit equally effective options available. With replaceable and interchangeable quality rubber tails, the possible colour combinations are multiple and varied. I highly recommend this lure, from both a lure collector's and fisherman's point of view. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

 

Candy coated goodness - Colours of the North American wild.

International flavor - Colours of the world.

Jackall's TN Series Lipless Crankbaits – Incredible form & function in motion.

I love the lures that come out of Japan. I only own a small number of said lures in my collection due to their relative cost and availability, but rest assured whenever the opportunity and resources present themselves, I pick up those that are offered for sale on this side of the world. Yes, they are typically more expensive then domestic offerings, but they are also typically much more detailed and well built (not always, but as a general rule). Japanese lures also exude a certain style that is hard to match, especially when it comes to Largemouth Bass baits. Jackall is just one of those Japanese lure manufacturers that caught my eye (and money) right from the start. The specific bait that did it for me? Well, I was watching a bass fishing tournament in Australia – on the tube of course – and one of the participants was throwing a wonderfully detailed and painted lipless rattler. Thankfully, he mentioned the name, after landing a huge Australian bass that is - The Jackall TN Series Lipless Crankbait.

The Jackall TN Lipless Crankbait is actually weighted on the outside of its body, at its mouth and chin, via an ingenious tungsten metal strip. This face forward, external weighting system design has three advantages over more tradition rattling baits: 1.) The bait sits in a head down/feeding position while resting on the bottom; 2.) As the crankbait comes into contact with rocks, brush or snags, it can actually do a variation of a headstand and turn head over heels, flipping the treble hooks up and over snags.; and 3.) By placing the tungsten weight on the outside of the body cavity, a greater number of optimized noise making balls can be included on the inside.

I would suggest throwing this bait on a quality medium action rod and baitcasting reel setup. A good tip for all vibration baits is to maximize the baits action by tying your line directly to the lure, forgoing a swivel or snap. I like to use at least 17 pound test line with this bait, and considering the cost of replacement, I check my line regularly for nicks and/or fraying.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Jackall TN is a premium lipless crankbait that is designed to swim at the slowest possible retrieval speeds (via proper weight balancing). It is because of this optimization of weight and weight placement that the lure can be thrown a great distance, in turn allowing the angler to cover more water more quickly – exactly what you want in a search bait such as this. You can expect to pay 14.99 per unit, which is not all that bad considering the true work of art you are getting back in return. Check these fantastic baits out - you won’t be disappointed.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

The attention to detail and design shines through in each vibrant colour offering. My particular favorites are Crawfish, Purple Chartreuse and Chartreuse shad.

A tale of two topwater popper heavyweights – Offshore Angler’s Magnum Z-Pop & Creek Chub’s Knuckle-Head

About 10 years back, I was fishing with my wife (then girlfriend) on the opening day of Musky. It was a rather hot afternoon, and we were trolling in an S-pattern over 33 feet of water with big custom spinnerbaits. On one pass I managed to hook a rather large Yellow Perch (12-13 inches) and started to bring it into the boat rather quickly. As it hydroplaned along the surface of the water, it flapped its tail and made a ruckus trying to free itself from the large trailer hook of the spinner bait. Suddenly, at about 10 feet from the boat, a massive Musky rocketed out of the water from the deep - like a missile launched from a nuclear submarine - nearly landing right at my feet!. As it fell back into the water like a breaching wale, I noticed that in its mouth, now completely and totally hidden from view, was my spinnerbait and the unfortunate perch. The drag on my spinning reel screamed as my mind struggled to catch up with my floundering hands, which were desperately trying to turn the handle. The struggle seemed to last an eternity, but in reality (as my wife would later attest to) the fight was over in mere moments as the Musky released its grip on the perch. I reeled in the suspected remains, only to find the large perch completely unharmed, physically that is. That Musky was large enough to engulf, on the surface mind you, a 13 inch fish and a 6 inch lure in their combined entirety - incredible.

From that day forward I never once doubted potential effectiveness of super-sized topwaters for trophy fish. I don't fish for Musky or Pike anymore these days as the pursuit of Largemouth Bass is my game (for time and geographic reasons) and I’ve never fished the Amazon, nor have I ever wet a line in Australia or Africa - but if I ever get the opportunity to fish for monster sized freshwater game again, there are two topwater baits that will be in my tackle box to be sure - Creek Chub's Knuckle-Head and Offshore Angler’s Magnum Z-Pop.

Creek Chub's Knuckle-Head is a wonderfully unique, jointed topwater popper made with the trophy fish angler in mind. The most unique feature being the head, which is jointed with Creek Chub's new patent pending "Hold-Tite" link, giving the Knuckle-Head an "injured gill" look. It is appropriately weighted for long casts and made to withstand big game fish, creating a distinctive popping and splashing action on the water that simulates a wounded baitfish. It sports over-sized, realistic inset "3D" eyes and super sharp saltwater resistant treble hooks with a complementing marabou hair tail. The bait is tailor made for for Pike, Striped bass, Redfish and Musky fishing, but the smaller models are just as effective on giant Largemouth Bass. The Knuckle-Head is available three sizes (Original - 5" 1-1/2 OZ/$10.49, Jr. - 4" 5/8 OZ/$8.49 and Super - 7" 2-1/2 OZ/$17.99) in a wide array of colour schemes, including two holographic options. I recommend all three models be thrown on capable spinning outfits with, in the case of the larger sized baits, heavy line tests.

Sleek design complemented by top-shelf hardware - A marvel to look at and to fish.

Offshore Angler's Magnum Z-Pop is a 4-1/2" 1 OZ/$4.99 popping behemoth that offers both outstanding value and quality. Bass Pro Shop's saltwater lures have taken huge leaps forward in terms of quality and design with the introduction of the Lazer Eye Saltwater Series. These baby squirrel-sized poppers are also pre-tuned for long distance casting and feature wonderfully sculpted detail, lifelike prismatic "3D" eyes, and ultra-sharp corrosion-resistant hooks. This is a thick bait - one that commands a heavy rod, reel and line test to throw, but also one that commands a distinct presence on the water.

Robust, stout, bold and well made - The Magnum Z-Pop is a true topwater popper heavyweight.

Topwater Bottom Line: If I am ever in a position to fish for monster fish, those truly large predators who consume baby ducks and large rodents on the surface, I will be sure to give these saltwater baits a throw, as their design, quality, substantive actions and incredible affordability cannot be disputed. In fact, I quite enjoy throwing salt water baits for fresh water fish in general as you can find some really interesting colour schemes not made available otherwise. As a bonus, to me at least, these large lures display fantastically in my collection, and will remain there as eye candy until one day - hopefully - they are called upon to raise a monster from the deep. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating - Creek Chub's Knuckle-Head:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Topwater Rating - Offshore Angler’s Magnum Z-Pop:

4.5 out of 5 bobbers

The head may say "please no!" but big game fish will say "yes!" - "Hold-Tite" jointed head technology links the head of lure to body so that they will not pull apart.

Do Saltwater patterns work in fresh? I think so. Along with traditional saltwater colors, such as mackerel, anglers can choose from a range of other forage fish patterns - pinfish, mullet, pilchard, sardine, croaker, goggle eye, and more.

Yo-Zuri's Sashimi Jointed Suspending Minnow - Shifting colors in 3D.

Yesterday I took a trip to my favorite local tackle shop to spend a little money I don't really have - ok, a lot of money I really don't have, but in my defense it is fishing tackle were talking about here - and that monkey is impossible for me to shake (for most fishermen I’d imagine). In any event, after a waiting my turn at key peg locations, I happened upon a lure I had seen online and was interested in, but hadn't purchased. It’s one of those baits that you really have to see in person to appreciate it. In fact, I appreciated Yo-Zuri's Sashimi Jointed & Suspending Minnow (in Chameleon Fire Tiger) right to the cash register.

Sashimi primarily consists of very fresh, raw seafood sliced into thin pieces and served with a dipping sauce (e.g. soy sauce with wasabi paste or other condiments such as grated fresh ginger, or ponzu - depending on your taste and the fish being served) and simple garnishes such as shiso and shredded daikon radish. Sounds tasty, I know. The Yo-Zuri Sashimi series of lures is just as tasty to the eye, as these innovative baits are - as far as I know - the first "3D" colour changing lures widely available on the market today. With the Sashimi Jointed & Suspending Minnow, Yo-Zuri's used their patented color change technology to put different (but complementing) colours of paint on either side of raised ridges along the body - Think of those louver-like, picture changing stickers you had when you were a kid, where, depending on the angle you viewed them, Scooby Doo and Shaggy would either be running from a ghost or standing there with a look of terror on their faces - always amazed me.

This Sashimi Jointed lure is 4" long and weighs in at 5/8oz. I would throw this lure on a thin diameter super line, spooled onto a quality medium action spinning reel and rod combo. It is available in the following colours: Chameleon Ghost Shad; Chameleon Gizzard Shad; Chameleon Clown; Chameleon Fire Tiger; Chameleon Gold Copper; Chameleon Tennessee Shad.

When designing the Sashimi line, Yo-Zuri’s lure designers made a number of observations that are common to all baitfish: they sometimes change color to blend into the environment, they darken or lighten due to stress or illness, or they flash when they are excited (during breeding or sparing). All these colour changes stand out to a predator, indicating an easy or distracted prey item. Yo-Zuri’s Sashimi baits take full advantage of these facts by incorporating the same visual cues. These jointed lures are also highly-detailed, with molded in features like lateral lines, gill plates, rear stabilizing fins and pectoral spots. They also sport top notch hardware and candy coated, chameleon paint applications. One detail that really sticks out, aside from the obvious colour change capabilities of the bait, is the blue iris around the 3D eye - a very, very nice touch.

Topwater Bottom Line: When I first saw these baits on the pegs at my local shop, I thought immediately of Lucky Craft lures and packaging, and if you know their merchandise, that’s a good thing. The Sashimi Jointed & Suspending Minnow is a premium lure, and as such commands a price of 16.99 per unit. To me this is fair value when you consider the quality bait you are receiving. It’s a lure that swims with a natural fish action, with the joint proving exaggerated motion when the bait is jerked. Most importantly, it is also a lure that is able to change colour depending on its position in the water column – something that game fish probably haven’t seen before (outside of their natural prey items that is). Finally, it is a bait that comes to anglers in premium packaging, which is a very nice thing when you are a lure collector like me. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

Pictures don't do the effect justice - The actual shift between colours is quite refined and even subtle in some colour combinations, brilliantly mimicking a flashing or injured baitfish.

The Arbogast Hula Popper – A vintage frog that’s still popping.

This winter I’ve come to a revelation... I need to learn some patience when it comes to topwater fishing. Last season, I threw a Heddon Tiny Torpedo (see my review) with a fair amount of success, but like with most top water lures I throw, my tendency is to move the bait far too fast. It's a fact - watch any frog, or insect or mouse for that matter, that is swimming across the surface of the water and you’ll see brief periods of frantic movement, coupled with long periods of rest. The only action you’ll see out of them during those periods of rest is the odd twitch of a limb or the gentle wave of a webbed foot treading water. A straight retrieve or even a “walk the dog” retrieve with pauses is just not going to cut the mustard. I need to really slow it right down this year. To this end, I’ve decided to go back to a topwater lure that I started my fishing career with – a lure my father threw, and his father before him – The Arbogast Hula Popper.

The Fred Arbogast Company was founded by its namesake, a true pioneer of the fishing lure industry, in 1930. Among the most important and revolutionary contributions Fred Arbogast made to the fishing lure industry was his development of the Hula Skirt - a flexible rubber skirt, that when added to his topwater lures, created lively, fish-attracting action, greatly improving their effectiveness. After the Hula Popper was introduced in 1941, it quickly established itself as a surface lure classic, and after seventy years remains the definitive frog imitating prototype.

In my father’s tackle box, there were always a certain set of lures: spoons, jigs, Rapala’s and Hula Poppers – that’s it. He had every portion of the water column covered. So naturally, the first topwater I ever threw was a red and white Arbogast Hula Popper. My dad taught me, or at least tried to teach me patience with the bait – a life lesson he tried to teach me early on and often. And it is this lesson that I want to revisit this summer, as the venerable Hula Popper, by its very design, asks the fisherman to present it slowly and methodically; its cupped mouth forcing a slow retrieve and its exposed hooks demanding of pinpoint casts. This is indeed the thinking man’s topwater, designed long ago by a man whose first love was fishing. I plan to throw the 1 ¾ inch version in all its colour forms, on a thin diameter Spiderline, spooled onto a light spinning reel and rod combo. A good tip with this bait is to keep a zip lock bag of unscented baby powder handy for storing the removable skirts. This trick will help keep them dry and prevent the rubber strands from shriveling and sticking to each other – a common sight with older Hula Poppers.

Topwater Bottom Line: Available in a number of fish catching body and skirt colour combinations, the time tested Hula Popper is a refined and effective bait, seemingly lost these days in the crush of current topwaters. Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic new offerings out there (that I have currently and will purchase in the future), but personally at least, at less then 6 dollars per unit, I think that the Hula Popper deserves a renascence of sorts – thrown by conscientious fishermen who are interested in our fishing heritage and visionary lure designers of the past. The best part of the bait for me is that it will teach me to fish slower, and perhaps – just perhaps, learn to be patient and catch more and bigger fish. As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

 

5 out of 5 bobbers

A classic frog that I plan to utilize this upcoming season - Coachdog for light, yellow and black and green for night.

Rebel’s insect imitators: Working 9 to 5... it's a bug's life after all.

I fish primarily for Largemouth Bass - In the summer, I target those bass specifically from 6 to 9 a.m. and then again from 5 to 9 p.m., with reaction baits only (this might make me seem like an inefficient fisherman, but I like to look at it more like I specialize). Experience has taught me that ol’ bucket mouth typically shuts down during the day, refusing to budge much from his favorite hiding holes; nope, instead he prefers to lounge the mid-morning and afternoon away, watching plankton float by – not a bad life really. So, when the sun starts beating down on my neck and ears I know (pretty much) that its time to switch gears. In other words, as a fisherman, I need to make a choice: a.) continue to seek out bass and present jigs and plastics on the tips of their noses; b.) suspend my fishing activity altogether until after a good barbeque dinner; or c.) if I have the time and inclination, switch my tactics altogether and target other species. Now I will be the first to admit that I am not a jig and plastics kind of guy. In fact, I haven’t thrown a plastic worm in years, let a lone a jig and trailer combo, so I have chosen more often than not to switch up my game during the hottest part of the day and target the kings of the midday sun. You might know them as Bream, Shellcrackers, Slabs, Goggle-eyes, Bluegills, Redears, Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Crappie or pan fish. I call them just plain fun, and they allow me to continue my passion of fishing with reaction/hard baits while my main quarry is resting for the evening show.

There is nothing like a giant Bluegill or Redear smashing a hardbait. These fish (sometimes as tall as they are wide) will strike to stun or kill their prey as their small mouths are built for tearing, mashing and biting. In fact, most all pan fish are seemingly built from solid muscle, and can put up a fight on light tackle that should thrill any fisherman, no matter their skill level or experience. Typically, these fish make a living hunting all sorts of creepy-crawlies in the water column, swarming and attacking in ravenous packs like Piranha, with the largest of the group leading the charge – if your presentation properly matches the hatch. The best lures that I’ve found that match the hatch for these mini pugilists are the insect imitators by Rebel. I throw these baits on a thin diameter, light test super line (Spiderline), spooled onto small yet capable (see my review of the Micro Lite Elite) spinning outfit. A balanced, medium action rod with a fast tip is best here. This series of baits covers the entire water column, from topwater poppers to sinking crankbaits - so technique varies depending on model used. These small lures are ultra-realistic and detailed enough to fool any would-be predator, offering the best reproduction of prey insects available on the market today.

The Rebel Bumble Bug: Bugs twitching on the surface attract fish, and the Bumble Bug is no exception. This ultra-light lure features a wide-wobbling action. It can be fished as a topwater lure or as a crankbait. Twitch it. Crank it. Pop it. I fish this lure mostly as a topwater or wake bait. It mimics both a fallen flying insect and a frog, depending on your colour choice. Its larger profile attracts Largemouth Bass as well (top to bottom: Junebug, Horsefly, Bumble Bee, Hornet, Lady Bug).
 

The Rebel Crickethopper & Crickethopper Popper: The small Crickhopper resembles crickets and grasshoppers during different stages of the year and can be used as a topwater lure or as a crankbait. I have had tremendous success using a retrieve mixed with a number of pauses, allowing the bait to slowly rise to the surface. The Crickhopper Popper is the first tiny “popping” critter of its kind. This realistic ultra-light will cause a commotion on the surface, imitating a drowning grasshopper. Twitch it to make it “pop” across the water's surface (top to bottom: Firetiger, Yellow/Black).

The Rebel Big Ant & Hellgrammite: The Big Ant is an ultralight lure that features loud, fish-attracting rattles and a wide-wobbling action. It can be fished as a topwater lure or as a crankbait, but I like to get this bait ripping at a good pace, and twitching it much like a jerkbait. A good place to throw this bait is around overhanging branches, or to similar spots where ants or flightless insects my fall into the water. The darker colours can also mimic a crawdad. The Hellgrammite is a small sinking crankbait that mimics the large aquatic larvae of the dobsonfly (or "toe biter"), which are much used by fishermen as bait as bass and pan fish find them quite tasty. This bait is best dredged through areas of soft, weed-free substrate, popping off the bottom and kicking up a telltale wake of muck and debris (top to bottom: Silver Ant, Molting).

Topwater Bottom Line: Trophy pan fishing can be quite rewarding, challenging and fun to boot. These fish will bite all day long, all summer long, even in the heat of mid-day. A great way to target them is with reaction hardbaits just like the ones Rebel offers in its line of insect imitators. You can expect to pay less than 5 dollars per unit for most of these baits, so keeping a full complement is relatively inexpensive. The best part of the equation may be that these lures can work overtime, providing you with valuable Largemouth Bass fishing lure options on pressured bodies of water (a few of these insect lures also come in upsized versions as well). As always, please practice catch and release with these lures.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobber

The Creek Chub® Wooden Pikie® – For things that go bump in the water.

When I was a child my parents would rent a cottage up north every summer. So far up north that my father would have to tie up our garbage cans tight because black bears would try and get into them at night. I would hear the bears just outside of my bedroom window, shuffling their heavy clawed feet and snorting. It was terrifying – they truly were the things that go bump in the night! It was on those same trips up north that I was introduced to the things that went bump in the water…

I remember it clearly. We would get down to the dock very early, while my mother and little sister still slept, perhaps dreaming of that day’s chores and chasing butterflies, respectively (my mother never really had a vacation, even when she was on vacation). My dad would sip his coffee by the glowing remnants of the previous night’s fire as I quickly loaded the aluminum boat with our gear and our packed lunch of ham sandwiches and juice. When I was done my father would fire up the 9.9, sending puffs of blue smoke into the air, starling nearby water birds. A final check of our tackle and we were on our way. Mist danced across the waters surface as we cruised towards our fishing spot across the calm lake. I’d breath deeply through my nose, as the early morning air was frigidly cold yet always invigorating. Just before we reached our destination, my dad would slow the boat to a crawl and then cut the engine completely, allowing the craft to drift into position. It was then that I would peer into the deep water and marvel at the sunken forest we would float over – hundreds of titanic blackened logs, sitting perpendicular in the water column, motionless, ancient – their cut tops sitting mere inches below the surface. I tried moving a few, but they didn’t budge and inch - ...still sends shivers down my spine. In any event, my dad would anchor and we would get down to the job of fishing. I would typically throw a Ratting Spot for Pike and Bass with good success, and my Dad, as awlays, a Rapala.

On one particular cast I was reeling back to the boat and took notice of a dark shadow following my lure. When I got the lure to boat side I saw what I thought was the head of an alligator following it. I panicked and removed the lure from the water instead of doing a figure 8. My dad, unbeknownst to me, was watching the whole thing unfold, and quietly pulled a green wooden plug from his tackle box. Not saying a word, he tossed it out, using the same cast trajectory that I had delivered. Not five feet into the retrieve a giant fish boiled the water, his drag screamed and the fight was on. 15 minutes later, after pulling up anchor and following the beast (for a spell I even held the rod as my father drove the boat), an absolute gator of a Pike was flanking our aluminum boat, defeated, with a Creek Chub® Wooden Pikie® stuck in its snapping maw - I had never seen a fish so big.

The Pikie is a lure’s lure; an old-school plug that embodies the North Country, and the pursuit for mammoth predators. Harkening back to days gone by, this lure is constructed from wood and is equipped with heavy-duty internals that connect the quality hardware components directly with metal diving lip.

If you go looking for monsters, you'd best arm yourself appropriately.

The new Pikie is a proven monster fish catcher, as the plug swims with a distinctive rolling wobble that can enrage even the most cunning and weary of fish. The bait dives down to 7' on the retrieve, and trolls to 11'. The overall length of the bait is a whopping 8’’; and it weighs in at a hefty 3-3/8 oz.

Eight is great - If you fish for trophy predators (Pike, Musky, Peacock Bass etc.) you should be throwing monster lures at least some of the time to up your odds of hooking a true once in a lifetime fish, and the Pikie is just such a lure (available in a number of richly painted colours).

There is also a jointed version of the bait that can be found in 6 and 11 inch sizes. I currently own all three versions in my collection, and I can confidently say that they are my favorites above all else. There is just something about them that evokes nostalgia in me - perhaps it’s the 70 pound musky that a Pikie is reported to have once caught that thrills me, or perhaps it's my father's catch from that day long ago. I would recommend using a “broomstick” type Musky or big game type rod, matched to an equally substantial baitcaster and ultra-high test line for this bait. Note: because throwing this lure would be a workout unto itself, I also highly recommend trolling as a way of presenting the larger versions.

Topwater Bottom Line: The Pikie is a quality wooden lure, made with traditional methods and heavy duty materials. If you are looking for a salt or freshwater trophy fish bait, then this may be it. Lure appreciators should particularily take note. The Pikie is the center piece of my entire collection, as it truly captures the spirit of big game fishing for me. The bait is still available at the remarkably good price of 12.99 per unit (the 11 inch jointed model at 14.99 per unit; and the 6 inch at 5.99 per unit). As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

A heavy weight bait for heavy weight gear - Creek Chub's 11" Jointed Wooden Pikie.

The new Rapala MaxRap™ – A shore fisherman’s dream.

There was a time when I fished exclusively from shore. I still do a lot of shore fishing, as a local lake I currently fish does not allow private watercraft. One of the obvious disadvantages of shore fishing resides in the simple fact that one can only fish the water that can be reached by any given cast. Typically, this leaves the fisherman restricted to a rather small area of accessible water, in turn lowering the chances of catching a fish as the lure does not enter all possible strike windows. Recently, Rapala addressed this issue by releasing a lure that casts like a missle, is built like a fighter jet and looks like a work of art - The Rapala MaxRap™.

The Rapala MaxRap™, in my opinion, is the Cadillac of minnow baits. From its laser-engraved scales, engineered aerodynamic shape, balanced tungsten balls, outrageous metal flake paint application, premium oval line tie, 3-D holographic eyes, VMC® Spark Point hooks and patented internal MaxCast mechanism, this bait literally screams quality. With only one size currently available (an aboslutely perfect slender, minnow profile shaped 5-1/4", weighing in at at 1/2 oz.) the choice is simple - just make a selection from the fantastic colour schemes offered and you can't go wrong: Flake AYU; Flake Blue; Flake Hot Blue; Flake Green; Flake Red Head; Flake Hot Chartreuse; Flake Purple Ghost; and Flake Silver.

Five favorite flavors from eight - (top to bottom): Flake Blue; Flake Hot Chartreuse; Flake Green; Flake Purple Ghost; Flake AYU 

This bait should be thrown on a thin diameter high test line on a medium action rod and reel combo for maximum casting distance. And casting is exactly what this relatively heavy lure is built for, producing little to no wobble or tumble on the fly. In fact, it casts like a dream, rocketing unhindered to your intended targets. Once it’s in the water however, it acts most unlike a heavy lure. The MaxRap is designed with a short diving lip and a gently sloping back, and cruises just below the surface (1-2 feet according to the Rapala website) with a strike inviting rolling action, just like a living, pulsating baitfish. Rip it for darting, wild searching action or employ a straight retrieve for that familiar hard-flashing "wounded minnow" Rapala wobble. All in all this lure really does blaze a signal throughout the water column, practicaly yelling – I’m a wounded and stunned bait fish, and I’m sloughing off scales! Last but not least, the ultra-finely crushed metal flake in the paint application on the lures back really sparkles in the sun like nothing else I've seen and is a wonder to behold.

Topwater Bottom Line: Make no mistake, the Rapala MaxRap™ is a premium bait made with premium materials and hardware for those anglers who demand excellence in their tools - As a lure collector and a fisherman, these are all things I look for in a bait - heck, even the box it comes in is display worthy! The lure is purpose built (slender and perfectly balanced) for long distance casting and it excells at its intended job. Though the bait is realtively heavy, it doesn't look or feel heavy in the hand, and is a marvel to look at. The price is in line with other premium minnow baits on the market, and you can expect to pay approximately 17.99 per unit. I recommend the MaxRap for both collectors and fishermen looking to get that extra advantage, both in casting and visual appeal. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

A flying fish indeed! The Rapala MaxRap™ (Shown in Flake Silver).

Strike Pro Flex Phantom – A lipped swimbait unlike any other you’ve seen before.

My primary obsession is collecting lures. I particularly enjoy collecting lures from around the world, as international lure designers seem to produce wildly creative, high-quality offerings that display fantastically in a collection – things you just dont’t see too often in North America (outside of individual or small builders).

Strike Pro is an example of one of those companies who is blending art with functionally, in turn producing truly unique lures that offer today’s fisherman more quality fish catching tools than ever before. Strike Pro, located in Taiwan, is a lure manufacturer and exporter that opened its door in 1973. Prior to 1990 (According to their website) their products were limited to jigs and spinners. Their President then decided to expand to hard lures, original wooden lures and spinner baits, and I for one am glad he did! One of the new baits they designed and released is the Strike Pro Flex Phantom – A hard plastic, segmented swimbait that takes advantage of Strike Pro's patented "Bike Chain" joint system, which gives the bait a free and fully articulated rear half for superior action and incredible swimming motion throughout the water column. This is the amazing part, as in place of clunky joints or joined eyehooks, Strike Pro uses thin wire instead to allow the bait a full range of motion - twisting and turning on the retrieve just like a real baitfish. The main upper body is wrapped in a jewel-like hard plastic shell, housing an internal flasher strip that reflects light and colour to trigger strikes and catch the eye. These hefty lures are built with tough, utilizing ultra-strong hardware, including Owner wide-gap treble hooks.

Four flavors from the many offered - (top to bottom): Grey Ghost, Firetiger Ghost, Autumn Bass, Sensuous Shad)

Topwater Bottom Line: This is an eye opening international swimbait that fishes well, displays well and is well made. At $15.99 – $19.99 per unit, the Strike Pro Flex Phantom stands in a class of its own, offering remarkable value, quality and attention to detail for such a small outlay (when one takes into consideration the much more expensive, albeit equally effective options). There are 3 sizes available – 3 1/2 , 4 ¾ and 6 ¾ with the latter being an absolute blast to throw for giant Pike, Musky or other large predators on ultra-heavy line and gear. Colour selection ranges from traditional the “Perch” through to the fantastically ethereal “Trout Ghost”. Personally, I selected “Limetreuse” for my display model, but if I was to throw the bait, I would go with “Firetiger Ghost” for stained water, “Autumn Bass” for daytime/clear water and “Blue Green” for low-light conditions. As always, please practice catch and release with this lure.

Topwater Rating:

5 out of 5 bobbers

A jeweled work of art (Blue/Green Ghost shown) – just as worthy of being on display as it is of being fished, the Strike Pro Flex Phantom effectively combines art with technology and environmentally friendly materials.