January Walleye Lure of the Month: Rapala 07 Floating Silver Lure

Walleye Lure of the Month: Rapala 07 Floating Silver Lure

In the 1930's, Lauri Rapala had a very simple revelation: wounded fish get eaten by big fish, so all he needed to do was to create a lure that resembled a wounded minnow.  Such a simple thought process, but it is one that has transcended generations and helped to catch millions of fish.  The Rapala Original Floater was originally made of timber, and has since been updated to what is included in this month's selection.  It's easy to use, durable, and most importantly - it catches fish!

Used as a trolling lure, it is easy to maintain a consistent speed.  Also because of the balsa wood construction, you will find that it has a nice, rolling action through the water, further enticing the fish.  If you are lure casting, simply cast it out and pull it back in.  

As a variation, if you see fish flashing at the lure but not striking, try this: cast it out, increase the tempo of the retrieve, and add in short, sharp stops that get the Rapala minnow darting and weaving, darting and weaving.  This may "wake up" the fish that were previously not interested, and get them to chase and try to catch the lure with a new life to it.

For more info, check out FishingEnthusiast.BlogSpot.com to watch a video put together by Patrick Brennan on best practices of fishing this beautiful lure!

Features:

*Swimming Depth: 0.6-1.8 m

*Available in classic and bleeding patterns

*Can be fished top to bottom

*Balsa Wood Construction

*Natural Minnow Profile

*Run Fast or Slow

*VMC Hooks

January Freshwater Fly of the Month: Dave's Hopper Orange

January Freshwater Fly of the Month: Dave's Hopper Orange

So many different hoppers, so many first names! How did this happen?  Well we do know the story of Dave's Hopper, this months Freshwater Fly of the Month.  The hopper is named for Dave Whitlock, a fishermen that we owe a great bit of gratitude to for his many creations.  Not only did he create the Dave's Hopper, but also the Matuka, Mouse Rat, Redhead flies and about several dozen bass and saltwater patterns.  His nymph and streamer patterns are old standbys at most fly shops.  Many consider Dave's contribution to fly trying, in terms of pattersn, are broader and more numerous than the contributions of Lee Wulff, one of the most famous fly tyers of all time.

Dave's hopper is somewhat of a tradition to many western fly fishers.  Many fishermen say that once you master spinning deer hair, this is one of the easiest hopper patterns to tie (reason enough to learn how!).  This fly can be tied with all-black materials to create a cricket, or stonefly colors to imitate any of the stoneflies that inhabit the mountain streams. The hopper is tied with trimmed hackle legs that were knotted and bent to shape.  Some of the later variations used knotted pheasant tail fibers, rubber hackle, and hair for legs.  Depending on the area that you live in, and the terrestrials of the local area, feel free to use artistic creativity to add any features as you see fit.

Dave's Hopper casts like a bullet.  The fly is the best in wind because it shoots through wind and tends to land right up tight to the bank more than the other bugs.  It does hold some water, but then it seems to "punch" through blades of grass and fall in the water.  This gives it great fishability.  This fly can also be fished sunk (it's an old timers trick... but it works!).  Try fishing it with a little piece of split shot under a Hopper-Cator, which will allow it to drift up under the grass and into the trout's mouth.  Try it and let me know how it goes!

January Saltwater Lure of the Month: Rapala Silver Mackerel

January Saltwater Lure of the Month

Rapala Magnum Silver Mackerel

Happy New Year!  2013 is going to be a great year for fishing.  This month's selection, the Rapala Countdown Magnum mackerel is (according to IGFA records), the world's best selling hard bodied saltwater lure.  The best! More world record fish have been caught with these Rapalas than any other lure, which makes this lure "Your Best Shot at a World Record"! Rapala originally created the floating magnum in 1969 and were amazed by it's fish catching attraction of fish, specifically the silver blue mackerel color that was introduced in 1976.  It was a lethal combination.  In 1987, Rapala improved the model, and created a harder bodied saltwater lure that would more consistently dive to the required depths.  This new change helped the lure to take off, and sales haven't looked back since.

The Magnum is made from tough, African Abachi wood and has salt water resistant VMC perma steel trebles.  The metal lip, welded line tie and heavy duty split rings provide long life and premium performance.  The Abachi wood allows the lure to swim true at any speed, cast or trolled.  Built saltwater tough, the Magnum is build to take the abuse of Blues, Tarpon, Tuna, and Wahoo.

Tips to Fish:

• Try high speed trolling for tuna
• Use matching leaders, and snap locks, for safety
• Concentrate around both floating and submerged features for the best action
• The controlled sinking rate allows you to easily gauge the depth at which the bait is sitting, to better capture specific fish

Technique: Trolling

Running Depth: 2.7-7.5 meters

Colours Available: (SM) Silver Mackerel, (S) Silver, (BTO) Bonito, (RH) Redhead

Sizes Available: 14 cm & 18cm

Features

• Super Tough Abachi Wood Construction
• Sinking Models
• Anti-Broach Design
• Rugged Rust Resistant Hardware
• Natural and Stimulator Patterns
• VMC® Perma Steel® Hooks

January Freshwater Lure of the Month - Heddon Super Spook Jr.

January Freshwater Lure of the Month - 2013

Heddon Super Spook Jr.

“For any fish that feeds on other fish”

The Zara Spook was invented in Pensacola, a seaport in NW Florida, on Pensacola Bay, in 1922. This seductive lure with its trademark wiggle was originally called the Zaragossa, aptly named after the "wiggling" women on Zaragossa Street, which at the time was Pensacola’s red-light district.  A few years later the lure was given a new design (1939) and the name was forever changed to the Zara Spook.  The latter portion of its new name was inspired by the skeleton-like design painted along the sides of the first version of this popular lure.

To this day the Zara Spook remains one of the most often fished lures of all time.  In fact, even after all of these years and despite its enormous success, the Zara Spook's left-to-right, right-to-left top water action remains unique in the marketplace.  This 'walk the dog' motion pulls even the most stubborn game fish from the bottom when no other lure can.  The version of the classic enclosed is crafted from plastic, but the original was hand-carved from white cedar.  Not to worry, today’s Zara Spook is as deadly as the original.  Heddon, a company whose history dates back to 1894, originally sold the lure.  It’s now manufactured under the careful eye of EBSCO Industries, Inc.

Date Created: 1922 (The original Zara Spook received its name in 1939 and the Super Spook followed)

Manufacturer: EBSCO Industries, Inc

Technique:

Cast the Super Spook out into likely cover.  Let it rest long enough for the ripples to disperse.   With your rod tip at a 30 degree angle from the water, begin twitching the lure from side to side with an occasional short pause to induce its trademark 'walk-the-dog' style action.

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: Bandit 200 Series Crankbait

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: Bandit 200 Series Crankbait

Whether you're a pro or just a weekend fisherman, Bandit Lures prides themselves on being able to help take your fishing to the next level.  That's because a Bandit is everything you'll need in a quality crankbait - state of the art molding, premium grade plastics, multi-coat gloss paint.  And, with a complete selection of 51 stock colors, 12 body styles, and twelve different depth ranges, there's a lure to match any fishing condition.  Plus, a Bandit always runs true right out of the box.

 Bandit Crankbaits are some of the most popular crankbaits with experienced anglers for a reason - and it's not just because they are one of the most affordable crankbaits on the market. Featuring a compact shad-shape, with a wide wobble and loud internal rattles, the Bandit Crankbaits have all of the fish attracting features available in a crankbait. Combined with infinite color schemes to match to your local forage, there is a Bandit Crankbait for your situation. Super durable as well, you can bounce it off of every rock, stump or branch you see and it will still look good and swim like it's supposed to. Match up a Bandit Crankbait Series with the depth you want, a color scheme for where you're fishing - and go catch some fish.

About the Bandit Series 200 Crankbait:
Bandit Series 200 Crankbait - The 200 series crankbaits are 2" long and run 4' to 8' deep. This is the best seller of all the Bandit crankbaits. It is an excellent search bait in the spring and fall. It runs as true as any lure made.  

• Premium grade plastics
• Multi-coat gloss paint colors
• State of the art molding
• Dives 4' - 8'

December Walleye Lure of the Month: Rebel Jointed Minnow

December Walleye Lure of the Month: Rebel Jointed Minnow 

It is hard to believe that it was 50 
years ago that Fort Smith, 
Arkansas, resident George 
Perrin saw the potential of 
plastic fishing lures and 
created the first Floating 
Minnow. 

Perrin had grown frustrated 
with the wooden minnow 
lures on the market. They 
were inconsistent, dove to 
different depths and ran to 
the left or right, and with 
use they took on water, 
which killed the action. He 
reasoned that he could 
make a better one out of 
plastic. 

He was right; unlike the 
wooden lures of the day, 
every one of his Minnows ran 
true right out the package, 
dove to the right depth and was 
tough enough to handle giant 
fish. 

Perrin established Rebel, 
named after the mascot 
of the high school his 
daughter attended. 

That original lure, the 
Rebel F10 Minnow, is 
still catching fish half a 
century later.

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 3.5" Rebel Minnow (F10) was the first hard plastic Rebel lure produced. Its success came almost overnight. Demand quickly grew for other sizes and styles of the now legendary Rebel Minnow. For traditional, dependable, true-running action, nothing compares to the one that started it all — the Rebel Minnow. The Rebel Jointed Minnow Fishing Lure has all of the same great qualities as the original Rebel Minnow, but with a ‘broke’ back.

• Delivers straight-running stability at any speed
• Tight, lifelike action and high-speed trolling
• Cranks from 5' to 7' under the surface
• Trolls at 13-1/2'
• Ideal for targeting striped bass, salmon, & trout

December Freshwater Fly of the Month: Elkwing Caddis Olive

December Freshwater Fly of the Month: Elkwing Caddis Olive

The Elk Wing Caddis is one of the most versatile caddis created. Almost every river has blanket hatches of this must have bug. 

The elk wing caddis dry fly is one of the most popular and proven dry flies in the world. The dry fly pattern imitates the natural caddis, one of the most prolific insects across North America that trout feed on. The elk hair caddis can fish like conventional dry flies, as well as be "skated" across the top of the water to attract feeding trout. 

Invented on the West Coast by Al Troth, the elk hair caddis has over the years proved to be an un-paralleled fish catcher. In the tradition of all great flies its "why didn't I think of that" quality has reinforced its reputation and resulted in a continual presence on practically every trout bearing water in the world.  The best way to think of this fly is as a skater. This is because it is the perfect fly for imitating both the newly emerged caddis flies' maiden voyage (or, the take off), and also the skittering female dropping her payload of eggs under the evening sky.

Tips to fish:

When fishing a caddis hatch the Elk Hair Caddis should be fished using standard dry fly tactics. If you suspect fish are taking spent adults aim for a drag free drift, but if you suspect the fish are after newly hatched adults (look out for slashing rises) employ some judicious twitching of your artificial. Standard presentations will work when using the Elk Hair Caddis as a searching pattern.

References:

http://www.sexyloops.com/flytying/elkhaircaddis.shtml

www.FishingEnthusiast.com