Incredible feeling when a new design proves productive!

[SPOONMINNOW]

Today was amazing just like yesterday. 144 fish in 2 days caught on lures tested and retested - many that anyone can make.
The beauty of the ball head jig is the number of soft plastics that can be rigged and the overall versatility whether in heavy cover, shallow or deep water. One design blew me away by the number of fish caught going 2" to 11". You'll never guess what the shape is that doesn't even have a mold to make it, yet all of us have been using it - in part - for decades.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Do tell what your amazing discovery is. Is it the shape or color or what that makes it special?

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Do tell what your amazing discovery is. Is it the shape or color or what that makes it special?

Of first importance is action which is dependent on shape closely followed by how the lure is presented/ worked. Color can emphasize a lure's appearance and action making it stand out. Fish senses via the swim bladder, lateral line and ear, notify of the lure's presence; those senses and the eyes keep the fish's simple brain focused. Fish either ambush a fast-moving lure going past or become excited by a slow-moving lure to the point of slamming it as seen in the following:

An idea popped into my head as a solution to nippers: fish that strike the tails of soft plastics.
solution:
Remove the tail from a small curl tail grub and rig it on a 1/32 oz jig. Those little nippers couldn't resist nor the big 'uns that gulped it down like candy! (I added color using a Spike-It color pen.) I call it the pill. It's action is hard to describe but wobble & dart is the closest I can come.


Another shape that did as well as the pill is one shaped like a mini-hotdog:

Key is the slow unsteady retrieve that excites them. I describe it as the nipper pill.

Two lures I haven't used for decades: the Beetle Spin and Tom Mann's Shadow (minnow shape):



172 fish total for Wed. and Thurs, would have been higher if not for the +15mph wind. It's possible the high count is due to the lake being lowered 5' for homeowner dock repair, displacing fish in water less than 3' deep near pad edges and schooled in various shoreline areas.

I feel for all those misinformed by commercials, fishing articles and TV fishing shows. Some of the information is correct, but quite a bit doesn't cover when a lure would have the best success at catching fish.

 

[Hawnjigs]

One could surmise that the grub with no twister tail looks more like a real live caterpillar or grub. Then again your catches look like they attempt to bite off more than they can chew so they might aggressive reaction strike most anything in their territory.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

aOne could surmise that the grub with no twister tail (more like a real live caterpillar or grub.

I've been considering the possibility that live prey actions are familiar to the senses of fish, not that they know what a lure represents such as a species of animal. The pill action is not comparable to that of any animal that ever lived, same for the Beetle Spin or curl tail.
The Shadow most definitely moves and looks like a fish, but coincidence aside, the senses recognize the action as one that should be acted on for whatever compulsion it has to strike. I don't need to guess what that is but only that rection strikes speak loudest.

they might aggressively reaction-strike most anything in their territory

I should change my title to - Reaction Innovator - taken from the company name Reaction Innovations.

 

[RockGeo]

Congratulations SpoonMinno, your innovations are impressive. I also admire your patience in fishing these tiny creatures. I do remember 40 years or so ago when small 1" to 2" grubs were relatively common and pretty cheap. I think "we" get too caught up on new and fancy lures and often forget that the basics still work quite well. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Another phenomenal day considering the lake level keeps dropping.
The tailless body did great catching 5 species! Mixed schools in shallow water kept me busy even with the constant 15 mph wind.


It started out as a chartreuse with flakes, store-bought minnow with rear tail. I cut off the tail, added some black stripes and an orange belly and rigged it on a 1/64 oz jig.
Depth fish caught: 2-4'.

I went bigger with a larger curl tail grub with the tail cut off. It caught fish!

Even small fish bit it!


Mann's Shadow rigged on a light jig caught bass and crappie:




42 fish between 12pm and 4pm.

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Another amazing day though not numberwise.
The wind as usual was a pain and my anchor was too light. But events made it worth killing my digital camera and nearly breaking the gas on/off switch on the 2.5hp.
I cast a light lure near a weed edge in shallow water and it was like the fish had a razor blade ready & waiting. The line was clean cut once I tried to set the hook. Obviously a pick. Okay, so I cast a Beetle spin with large grub to the same spot and BAM! got it hooked and played it into deeper water. Unfortunately it wrapped itself around the anchor rope and got off. But the next one didn't: a pick that measured 2' long that charged under the boat 5x! My arm wasn't long enough to get all of it in the picture.


The very next cast - a 2lb LM on the same lure (grub body)!

This little bass wouldn't be denied:


I got into a small school of white perch, average size 8". An 11.5" crappie was the last fish I caught before giving up fighting the wind that increased to near 20 mph.

All 2 doz. fish were caught on 8# test Kastking braid with no break-offs except by a pickerel's teeth.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Never caught or even seen one but I'm assuming by your description 2' pickerel is unusually hefty?

You've been posting some eating size crappie - do you ever enjoy them on the table?

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

That pick probably went over 4 lbs. Amazing that its sharp teeth didn't break the line and that the next fish -LM- didn't either considering the fight.

Never eat freshwater fish except catfish when I lived in Tx. Never knew a good way to cook them