January Freshwater Fly of the Month: Blue Winged Olive Fly

January Freshwater Fly of the Month: Blue Winged Olive

Any good angler knows that it is important to know the tendencies and seasons of the flies in the area they fish in.  But the blue wing olive mayflies are a unique fly, because you will find them at almost every month of the year, wherever you are.  The blue wing olive mayfly looks like a tiny, greenish gray sailboat on the water to the human eye, but to the trout - that sailboat looking fly with wings that are light gray to black looks like lunch! The olives typically hatch and then swim to the surface.  After swimming to the surface, they split their nymphal shells and emerge as winged insects.  The blue wing olives are prime trout food from fall through spring. This gives anglers a distinct advantage over other anglers, as the flies are a sure shot at rising fish at almost any time of the day (particularly effective during the warmest part of the day).

The key to success is to wade as closely as possible to the rising fish, and then target individual fish (as opposed to shooting into a group of the risers).  By watching the individual fish, you can see what stage of the hatch the fish is keying on and where in the current he is feeding.  Be patient! With careful observation, you can pick out the largest fish in the pool and then specifically target it.  Try to position yourself slightly upstream and across so that you can make a fly first downstream presentation to the trout.  

The Blue Wing Olive Spinner Secret (from Hunting and Fishing Suite 101)

Within 24 hours, the spinners mate and fly to the river's surface to lay eggs and die. On many days, the spinners land on the water's surface at the same time the immature nymphs hatch into duns. Anglers see the upright wings of the duns - and tie on a dry fly with an upright wing.  Most anglers miss the secret part of the blue wing olive hatch. The adult blue wing olives that survive the trout fly off to streamside brush and molt into the sexually mature insect, which is called a spinner. Spinners have bright, clear wings and big eyes.  Few anglers see the spinners - with clear, almost invisible wings - sprawled flat on the surface at the same time.  But the trout - especially the bigger, warier fish - see them just fine, and they lock onto the safer, easier prey.Tie on a spinner - such as a Hackle Spinner - and watch tough trout get much easier!

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January 2014 Saltwater Lure of the Month: Mirrolure

January 2014

Saltwater Lure of the Month

MIRROLURE

The MirrOlure was invented by Harold LeMaster while he was still attending high school during the depth of the Great Depression.  While out walking one afternoon, LeMaster stumbled upon his future in the form of a fallen walnut tree.  Selecting a suitable portion of the tree, LeMaster carved the first version of his MirrOlure using broken glass and scraps of sandpaper.  He brought forth one lure and then dozens more, all carved by hand from the same walnut tree.  As the good word spread about his creation demand for the MirrOlure increased.  LeMaster soon partnered with a close relative to form the L & S Bait Company.  Today, the L& S is still responsible for painstakingly manufacturing this fantastic fish-taker.

Without question, the MirrOlure enclosed was the result of a burst of inspiration from a creative mind, and its handcrafted production was a labor of love.  Much of the hands on attention to the original prototype lives on today.  The L & S Bait Company puts the MirrOlure through no fewer than twenty-seven individual checkpoints in order to assure the highest level of quality possible.  Now primarily known as a productive saltwater lure, a significant segment of the MirrOlure’s market due to the lure’s durability and versatility, many freshwater anglers have rediscovered the MirrOlure.  The MirrOlure is yet another example of a true classic lure still hard at work for today’s anglers in all types of fishing conditions.

Featured Lure: The MirrOlure

Designer: Harold LeMaster

Manufacturer: L & S Bait Company

The Saltwater Lure of the Month Club is a great gift for the loved one in your life.  Sign up the angler in your life for this great fishing gift today!

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January Freshwater Lure of the Month: Dardevle

January 2014

Freshwater Lure of the Month:

DARDEVLE

Happy New Year Fishing Enthusiasts!

The creator of the Dardevle, Lou Eppinger, was making his living as a taxidermist in SE Michigan at the end of the 1800’s.  When Eppinger’s business hit somewhat of a slump, he decided to sell lures alongside his taxidermy services in order to help make ends meet.  As the tackle end of his business grew, Eppinger soon began to experiment with lures of his own design.  While on a fishing trip in the Canadian woods, Eppinger took along a spoon he had handcrafted back in Michigan.  He was pleasantly surprised with the results.  Eppinger particularly liked the longdistances he could cast his lure—even into a stiff wind.  On top of everything, Eppinger’s prototype actually caught more fish than any other bait he fished on the trip.

After quite a bit of tinkering, Eppinger’s first lure made its official American debut in 1912.  Initially Eppinger called his lure the Osprey.  Eight years later, Eppinger changed the name of his wonder-lure to the Dardevle after the Marines, who had been nicknamed the “Dare Devils” for their feats of bravery in the first World War.  Today, Eppinger’s trademark red-and-white stripped Dardevle is perhaps the most recognizable and omnipresent lures ever to hit the fishing scene.  Alongside his trademark paint scheme, anglers will find dozens of color and size combinations.  Although all the colors have their fans, FE is partial to the classic red-and-white.

Featured lure: Dardevle

Created by: Lou Eppinger

Created: c. 1912

Manufacturer: Eppinger Manufacturing Company

Type: Spoon

Technique:

While this lure is not considered to be the most versatile of all lures, as many anglers will confirm, it’s highly effective when others simply are not.  The Dardevle can be relied upon to be a good selection for a broad number of species when fished with a consistent, moderate to rapid retrieve.  If you haven’t used the Dardevle while trolling, you could be in for a surprise.

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rapala X-Rap Deep

December Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rapala X-Rap Deep

The Rapala X-Rap is the dream lure of the 21st century. It is where technical innovation meets Rapala fishing smarts to create a lure like nothing that has hit the water before.

Its premium finish includes prominent scales and lateral line on the fuselage to capture and flash light like a beacon. This Rapala slashbait cuts, darts and slashes its way through the water. Intended for trout and panfish, with an internal long-cast system built in, fishing the X-Rap will get any angler's adrenaline pumping.

Evolving the lineage of the X-Rap family, the Rapala X-Rap Deep takes all the positive characteristics of the X-Rap and adds the ability to dive deep.  The lip design rockets it down to a depth of 6-15 feet. Its aggressive darting action and rattling is every bit as enticing as the original. Cast the X-Rap, and the new lip design rockets it toward the bottom, then rip it for extreme slashbait action. Stop and go for enticing suspending on stall or slow-wind for classic Rapala wounded-minnow action. Internal holographic foil captures and reflects light for optimum flash and attraction. An internal weight-transfer system aids casting distance. Pyramid point hooks penetrate tough-mouthed fish and hold fast. Per each.

Since the original X-Rap’s introduction many anglers have yearned for a deeper version to have the flexibility to fish the same bait while targeting fish holding over deeper structure. The original is capable of reaching a 5 foot depth, but most anglers on a normal retrieve will find that the bait runs between 3-4 feet on average. Last season Rapala answered the call with the new X-Rap Deep which is available in 13 color patterns, and designed to exhibit the same type of action and performance, just at a lower running depth.

Features:Aggressive darting action
Internal rattles for attraction
Weight-transfer system for casting distance
Size/Model: 4" - 7/16 oz.
Dive depth: 6-15 ft.
Hook: 2x Black treble hooks #4 & #5
Body material: plastic - suspending
Rattle: Yes
Overall length: 5.2 in.
Body length: 4 in.
Height: .7 in.
Width: .5 in.

December Saltwater Lure of the Month: Paul Brown's Original

December Saltwater Lure of the Month: Paul Brown's Original

Happy Holidays to all of the Fishing Enthusiasts!  

In 1974, avid Angler Paul Brown began experimenting with different types of trout lures.  He worked out of his garage, a place that his wife, Phyllis, lovingly called "The Shop".  It was in this very shop that Paul knew he was on to something with his newest creation, the "Corky".  The Corky has gone on to become one of the best big seat trout lures ever made, and is sold through Mirrolure's great line of baits.  

It was always Paul's dream to supply fishermen throughout the country with a creation of his own, and this dream has been a reality for many years.  Paul continues to work with MirroLure consulting on lure creation to this day.

  The Corky was a unique lure that is actually a hybrid between a hard plug and a soft plastic.  If you look at the organic looking lure, it features a torpedo-like profile, an oversized eye, a subtle rattle, and a set of sticky sharp hooks that give it a very home made appearance.  The built in action of the Paul Brown Original, when fished correctly, is absolutely deadly on big speckled trout.  

Deadly on coastal predators, Paul Brown’s Original Series Lures have a soft-bodied mullet profile. This lure once held the Texas State record for speckled trout and has taken thousands of other trophy-sized fish. Scientifically weighted with an internal wire harness and fish-calling rattle, the Original’s suspending action and lifelike eye make this one outstanding lure. The Original darts erratically from side-to-side with a twitching retrieve. Working depth: 0 to 24".

Features:

Soft-bodied mullet profile
Scientifically weighted
"Fish-calling" rattle
Suspending action
Lifelike eye
Side-to-side action on retrieve

November Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rebel F10 Minnow

November Freshwater Lure of the Month: Rebel F10 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

November Saltwater Lure of the Month The Bomber Badonk-A-Donk

FishingEnthusiast.com's November Saltwater Lure of the Month

The Bomber Badonk-A-Donk

Fishermen often come up with crazy names for their baits.  Sometimes the name comes from thorough brainstorming sessions.  Other times, it just happens!  Lures and baits out there have names like the “Near Nuthin, the Heddon’s Zaragossa and the Zara Spook.  But there is one lure out there with such a unique name that I had to dig deeper after reading about the rave reviews in Sport Fishing Magazine: the Badonk-A-Donk.  Why the heck is it called that?

It turns out the word “badonkadonk” is a slang term for the behind of a woman – often a curvaceous booty.  What does that have to do with fishing?  Well, since this particular lure wiggles from side to side across the water, it kind of resembled the sashay of a badonkadonk! Kim Norton, the Pradco Saltwater Division Manager came up with the name.  They then capitalized the “A” in the middle of the word because it is a Pradco trademark that they use in other lures, such as the model A, Flat A, and Long A.

Saltwater fishermen rave about the Badonk-A-Donk lure because of the weight forward design, which makes it cast like a bullet, which is a big bonus when trying to stay off spooky fish.  The key is to use your imagination with this one – make it live up to the name! Make it move fluidly with a “walk the dog” action or “slow dancing” method. 

Tips: To maximize action and lifelike attributes it is beneficial to utilize a loop knot (bowline) when utilizing topwater baits like the Badonk-A-Donk. Ensure that the loop knot is properly tied to not interfere with the first treble hook. Anglers unknowingly tie the loop knot too large, resulting in fouled baits when walking the dog. The breaking strength of the loop knot, coupled with a quality drag system provides the best shot at the fish of a lifetime when throwing topwater baits.