July Saltwater Lure of the Month: Storm Rattlin Chug Bug

May Saltwater Lure of the Month: Storm Rattlin Chug Bug 

Storm Lures rightly touts their sensational Rattlin Chug Bug as a lure for all species of fish when they're feeding on the surface. “From panfish to snook” as they put it.  Founded in Oklahoma, Storm’s been manufacturing innovative lures since the 1960’s. Their first lure was the ThinFin, which began shipping in the 1960’s. About twenty years later, Storm introduced the enclosed topwater sensation. The Chug Bug comes from a long line of successful lures including Storm’s Thunderstick, Wiggle Wart, and Hot ‘N Tot, to name just a few. Normark, makers of the legendary Rapala lures, recently acquired Storm. We believe that Storm is now stronger and more innovative than ever.

The versatile Chug Bug is a favorite of professional and amateur anglers because it can be fished as a popper or as a surface chugger. Bass and walleye anglers find the Chug Bug to be very effective when fished in smaller sizes at night. Oklahoma pro Tom Morton has had success fishing the Chug Bug with a high-speed technique. Morton ties the line at the bottom of the line-tie (without a snap or split ring) and fishes the lure “real, real fast”. This technique makes the Chug Bug spit and skip wildly because the nose is kept unusually high in the water due to the position of the knot. The technique provokes explosive strikes according to Morton, who won the 1992 Oklahoma Invitational with many copies of this lure in his tackle box. Anglers can currently choose from three sizes of Chug Bugs dressed in dozens of colors.

Featured Lure: Chug Bug

Created: C. 1980’s

Manufacturer: Storm Manufacturing

Type: Topwater Plug

Technique:

Experiment with your retrieve. Anything goes with top water lures, i.e. Tom Morton’s high-speed technique. That having been said, the most often mentioned retrieve associated with the Chug Bug is a splash-and-stop technique. Cast the Chug Bug out. Let it settle quietly on the water. Wait some more. With your rod tip down so the wind doesn’t catch your line, give your Chug Bug a solid pull to create its fish attracting splash. Then wait. Let the lure rest a good long time in a motionless position before repeating. The most vicious strikes often occur just after the Chug Bug begins to move again.

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July Freshwater Lure of the Month: The Rebel Firetiger Minnow

July Freshwater Lure of the Month: The Rebel Firetiger Minnow

The difference between a day of fishing and a day of catching!

Storm has produced some fantastic walleye lures, and this month’s selection is no different! The June Freshwater Lure of the Month comes from Rebel's infamous minnow collection, and is a firetiger color.  Firetiger colors are best used around docks and bays, especially when the water is a little dingy. The color represents a bream, which fish love to eat, and the bright colors add a little extra enticing color that attracts fish from further distances.

When the Rebel Minnow was born in the early 1960's, a standard of excellence was created. The same commitment to quality and craftsmanship that was established then is alive today. Rebel minnows are available in a variety of fish catching sizes ranging from panfish fooling ultra-lights to heavy weights designed to handle brutes like muskie, pike, and many saltwater species. Most sizes are also available in a lazy summer jointed model that scores of anglers have relied on to bring most hard to catch trophies to the landing net. Great for walleye, pike, striped bass, trout, muskie and bass fishing.

The birth of the Rebel minnow was prompted to meet the demand of the marketplace for a light, easy-to-cast, durable plastic-bodied lure with an action that simulated a struggling bait fish. Its unique molded-in cross-hatched surface was designed to reflect light with the lure's slightest movement further enhancing its lifelike appearance. It was this 3 inch lure that was the genesis of the proud 40-year-old fishing tradition that is Rebel.

A slow sinking tracdown minnow that will work in most any water conditions. Excellent for bass, trout, walleye and other game species. 

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July Freshwater Fly of the Month: Hair-Wing Royal Coachman

 July Freshwater Fly of the Month: Hair-Wing Royal Coachman

For an amazing reference on flies and their tyers, please check out FlyAngelrsOnline.com !!

The August Freshwater Fly of the Month selection takes us back to an old time - where modern fly tying capabilities didn't exist.   The Hair-wing Royal Coachman was a fly tied in the spirit of early times, with just the materials that existed.  Flies back in the early 20th century often took months or even years to be improved upon - a much slower pace than the improvement seen using todays modern counterparts.  But these flies were tied with tied by passionated fishermen, who endlessly tested and improved upon their own creations, trying to find that perfect look and feel that would make the fish jump out of the water.  The Wulff Royal Coachman (or Royal Wulff as it is popularly called today) was just one of those flies, tied by Q.L. Quackenbush.

Q.L. "Quack" Quackenbush was a member of the Beaverkill Trout Club, located in the Catskills.  In 1930, the group was trying to improve upon the Royal Coachman, because they felt that the fly's wings were very fragile.  So, Quack asked one of his partners in crime in the club to try and find a substitute for the fragile white mandarin (duck) fan wings.  They asked their supplier for any part of an animal that may contain a stiff, white, kinky hair that they could use.  They struck out with that request, but he did provide some impala tails: "Perfect!" They thought.

As a name, the Beaverkill Trout Club settled on "The Quack Coachman", after it's creator. The name as since evolved, with the name changing to Hair-wing Wolff Coachman, to Hairwing Royal Coachman, to it's commonly referred to present day name, the Royall Wolff.

This is a must have for any dry fly box and can be an extremely effective fly on the water.  

Hook: TMC 100, sizes 8, 10,12.Thread: Black, Pearsall's Gossamer Silk.
Wing: White Calf-tail, split and posted.
Tail: Coachman Brown Barbs, or Golden Pheasant Tippet (shown).
Body: Peacock Herl, with center portion using Red Pearsall's Gossamer Silk.
Hackle: Coachman Brown, Rooster Cape.