Anybody have any new lures they plan on trying in the BW or Quetico this year?

Mega bass Dark Sleeper. Bass and crappie were choking this bait in Illinois this fall.

preacherdave: "Mega bass Dark Sleeper. Bass and crappie were choking this bait in Illinois this fall."

I definitely plan to try those out this year. I also got myself a giant Whopper Plopper 130 which I'm excited to try for some big pike (but obviously smallies too). I mean I got a ton of baits that I'll try in the BW this year... but the WP130 comes to mind. I also had 2 decent size glidebaits I never threw last year due to fear of losing them (in BW or otherwise), the S-Waver 168 in Lite Trout and one from Savage Gear that is a shiny silver shad/cisco color, can't remember the name. Might try those this year as well. I got some vinyl "bait wraps" to keep them protected, as I didn't have a box big enough to fit them and they have some huge hooks. I will need some heavier leader material though, probably 35lb fluoro.

What about you Mike? Stickin to the ol' faithful ElaZtech flukes or trying something new? Possibly the Ned rig? :)

jdoutdoors: "

preacherdave: "Mega bass Dark Sleeper. Bass and crappie were choking this bait in Illinois this fall."

I definitely plan to try those out this year. I also got myself a giant Whopper Plopper 130 which I'm excited to try for some big pike (but obviously smallies too). I mean I got a ton of baits that I'll try in the BW this year... but the WP130 comes to mind. I also had 2 decent size glidebaits I never threw last year due to fear of losing them (in BW or otherwise), the S-Waver 168 in Lite Trout and one from Savage Gear that is a shiny silver shad/cisco color, can't remember the name. Might try those this year as well. I got some vinyl "bait wraps" to keep them protected, as I didn't have a box big enough to fit them and they have some huge hooks. I will need some heavier leader material though, probably 35lb fluoro.


What about you Mike? Stickin to the ol' faithful ElaZtech flukes or trying something new? Possibly the Ned rig? :)"

Flukes aren't made with ElaZtech. If you want to throw a ElaZtech 5 inch scented jerk shad, you should try the ZMAN scented ShadZ or Razor ShadZ. The Strike King Zulus and ZToos are also made from ElaZtech. They are actually manufactured by ZMAN and sold to Strike King who in turns renames the lures under their brand name. I'm not much into jigging, but I do know that the Ned rig can be awesome during certain times. When I jig up there it is typically with a green pumpkin tube bait or Gulp leech. I have rarely thrown paddle tail swim baits, so I am considering giving the Storm 360GT swim bait a trial run.

QueticoMike: "
Flukes aren't made with ElaZtech. If you want to throw a ElaZtech 5 inch scented jerk shad, you should try the ZMAN scented ShadZ or Razor ShadZ. The Strike King Zulus and ZToos are also made from ElaZtech. They are actually manufactured by ZMAN and sold to Strike King who in turns renames the lures under their brand name. I'm not much into jigging, but I do know that the Ned rig can be awesome during certain times. When I jig up there it is typically with a green pumpkin tube bait or Gulp leech. I have rarely thrown paddle tail swim baits, so I am considering giving the Storm 360GT swim bait a trial run. "

The ZToo/ShadZ are fluke-shaped baits. I didn't mean to say they are ElaZtech Zoom Super Flukes, but that is basically what they are. I think it is appropriate to call them flukes by their profile and how they are fished. If I were to describe the bait to someone who didn't already know what it was, I'd say "it's like a fluke". Yeah, you could also call them a "soft jerkbait", but jerkbaits can be shaped a couple different ways, and the ZToo/ShadZ profile is specifically shaped like a Super Fluke/Caffeine Shad.

I forgot, I'll also be trying underspins with Swing Impact Fat and D-Walker swimbaits.

jdoutdoors: "

QueticoMike: "
Flukes aren't made with ElaZtech. If you want to throw a ElaZtech 5 inch scented jerk shad, you should try the ZMAN scented ShadZ or Razor ShadZ. The Strike King Zulus and ZToos are also made from ElaZtech. They are actually manufactured by ZMAN and sold to Strike King who in turns renames the lures under their brand name. I'm not much into jigging, but I do know that the Ned rig can be awesome during certain times. When I jig up there it is typically with a green pumpkin tube bait or Gulp leech. I have rarely thrown paddle tail swim baits, so I am considering giving the Storm 360GT swim bait a trial run. "

The ZToo/ShadZ are fluke-shaped baits. I didn't mean to say they are ElaZtech Zoom Super Flukes, but that is basically what they are. I think it is appropriate to call them flukes by their profile and how they are fished. If I were to describe the bait to someone who didn't already know what it was, I'd say "it's like a fluke". Yeah, you could also call them a "soft jerkbait", but jerkbaits can be shaped a couple different ways, and the ZToo/ShadZ profile is specifically shaped like a Super Fluke/Caffeine Shad.

I forgot, I'll also be trying underspins with Swing Impact Fat and D-Walker swimbaits."

I understand what you are saying, just don't want people confusing the two brands because the ZMAN ElaZtech baits are superior to the flukes due to how much longer they last than the Zoom plastic products. You can catch 10 times more fish with ElaZtech plastic before they wear out. I have only tried the underspins a few times and didn't do any good with them, but I probably didn't give them long enough. Probably a good idea to give them another shot. Good luck this year!

Nope! Gonna use the same old stuff. Hopefully take less of it.

QueticoMike: "

jdoutdoors: "

QueticoMike: "
Flukes aren't made with ElaZtech. If you want to throw a ElaZtech 5 inch scented jerk shad, you should try the ZMAN scented ShadZ or Razor ShadZ. The Strike King Zulus and ZToos are also made from ElaZtech. They are actually manufactured by ZMAN and sold to Strike King who in turns renames the lures under their brand name. I'm not much into jigging, but I do know that the Ned rig can be awesome during certain times. When I jig up there it is typically with a green pumpkin tube bait or Gulp leech. I have rarely thrown paddle tail swim baits, so I am considering giving the Storm 360GT swim bait a trial run. "

The ZToo/ShadZ are fluke-shaped baits. I didn't mean to say they are ElaZtech Zoom Super Flukes, but that is basically what they are. I think it is appropriate to call them flukes by their profile and how they are fished. If I were to describe the bait to someone who didn't already know what it was, I'd say "it's like a fluke". Yeah, you could also call them a "soft jerkbait", but jerkbaits can be shaped a couple different ways, and the ZToo/ShadZ profile is specifically shaped like a Super Fluke/Caffeine Shad.


I forgot, I'll also be trying underspins with Swing Impact Fat and D-Walker swimbaits."

I understand what you are saying, just don't want people confusing the two brands because the ZMAN ElaZtech baits are superior to the flukes due to how much longer they last than the Zoom plastic products. You can catch 10 times more fish with ElaZtech plastic before they wear out. I have only tried the underspins a few times and didn't do any good with them, but I probably didn't give them long enough. Probably a good idea to give them another shot. Good luck this year!"

Thanks Mike! You too! Not that you need it... you always slay 'em.

AmarilloJim: "Nope! Gonna use the same old stuff. Hopefully take less of it."

I have the same problem, I always take way too much stuff! I guess I am always afraid that my fishing partner will pull something out and start killing 'em and it would be one of the lures I downsized. Oh the dreaded lure conundrum :)

QueticoMike: "

AmarilloJim: "Nope! Gonna use the same old stuff. Hopefully take less of it."

I have the same problem, I always take way too much stuff! I guess I am always afraid that my fishing partner will pull something out and start killing 'em and it would be one of the lures I downsized. Oh the dreaded lure conundrum :) "

I already went through my tackle box and pretty much cut it half, more than that in weight. I basically got rid of almost all my large weights, bottom bouncers, and half the amount of lures and jigs. I really can't see myself even using this much but the color variations is what keeps me from really cutting it down further.

QueticoMike: "

AmarilloJim: "Nope! Gonna use the same old stuff. Hopefully take less of it."

I have the same problem, I always take way too much stuff! I guess I am always afraid that my fishing partner will pull something out and start killing 'em and it would be one of the lures I downsized. Oh the dreaded lure conundrum :) "

+about 1 million on that

Nope. Nope. Not yet, QMike. It's too early to pull out my tackle tray and begin assessing. Not going to do it yet. Although, I did get bit by the BW bug about a week ago. Was wondering when it would show up this year. Always timely, a couple weeks before permit release day. I'm guessing my full scale tackle consideration begins as soon as I have a specific date to a specific entry point.

I am committing to less tackle again this year for the 5th straight year. Whittling it down, but I'm sure a new lure or two will make the cut. Just not sure what at this point.

This thread will require me to investigate the above mentioned Mega Bass Dark Sleeper.

QueticoMike: "

jdoutdoors: "

preacherdave: "Mega bass Dark Sleeper. Bass and crappie were choking this bait in Illinois this fall."

I definitely plan to try those out this year. I also got myself a giant Whopper Plopper 130 which I'm excited to try for some big pike (but obviously smallies too). I mean I got a ton of baits that I'll try in the BW this year... but the WP130 comes to mind. I also had 2 decent size glidebaits I never threw last year due to fear of losing them (in BW or otherwise), the S-Waver 168 in Lite Trout and one from Savage Gear that is a shiny silver shad/cisco color, can't remember the name. Might try those this year as well. I got some vinyl "bait wraps" to keep them protected, as I didn't have a box big enough to fit them and they have some huge hooks. I will need some heavier leader material though, probably 35lb fluoro.



What about you Mike? Stickin to the ol' faithful ElaZtech flukes or trying something new? Possibly the Ned rig? :)"

Flukes aren't made with ElaZtech. If you want to throw a ElaZtech 5 inch scented jerk shad, you should try the ZMAN scented ShadZ or Razor ShadZ. The Strike King Zulus and ZToos are also made from ElaZtech. They are actually manufactured by ZMAN and sold to Strike King who in turns renames the lures under their brand name. I'm not much into jigging, but I do know that the Ned rig can be awesome during certain times. When I jig up there it is typically with a green pumpkin tube bait or Gulp leech. I have rarely thrown paddle tail swim baits, so I am considering giving the Storm 360GT swim bait a trial run. "

Mike, I took a buddy up for his first BWCA trip in early June last year and had the privilege of putting him on 70 total fish. He almost exclusively used the 360 GT swim bait (made him switch to an x-rap and 110 size whopper plopper so he could learn some new techniques). It was a great bait for smallies and northerns. I threw an underspin with a Keitech paddletail and that landed a nice 37" northern and several other fish. We had a blast. I bought him a few more packs of the 360GT's as a Christmas present (and to secure him for a return trip).

I just tied up about a hundred spinner rigs for a central Ontario fishing trip I’m going on this summer. Pretty simple rigs with one or two hooks depending on if minnow or worm. I have six color patterns, firetiger, green, purple, yellow, white, blue. These get connected to a bead chain keel sinker.

I need to get some big #5 mepps in-line spinners for pike. We will be taking one day and going after monster pike. I think a few large pike baits are also going to be in my future.

Mike, I took a buddy up for his first BWCA trip in early June last year and had the privilege of putting him on 70 total fish. He almost exclusively used the 360 GT swim bait (made him switch to an x-rap and 110 size whopper plopper so he could learn some new techniques). It was a great bait for smallies and northerns. I threw an underspin with a Keitech paddletail and that landed a nice 37" northern and several other fish. We had a blast. I bought him a few more packs of the 360GT's as a Christmas present (and to secure him for a return trip).
"

Gickfirk22

I agree. The 360 GT is a great bait for newbies.

preacherdave: "


Mike, I took a buddy up for his first BWCA trip in early June last year and had the privilege of putting him on 70 total fish. He almost exclusively used the 360 GT swim bait (made him switch to an x-rap and 110 size whopper plopper so he could learn some new techniques). It was a great bait for smallies and northerns. I threw an underspin with a Keitech paddletail and that landed a nice 37" northern and several other fish. We had a blast. I bought him a few more packs of the 360GT's as a Christmas present (and to secure him for a return trip).
"

Gickfirk22

I agree. The 360 GT is a great bait for newbies. "

The 360 and other paddle tail baits look like good search lures to use while out hunting new areas when fishing is slow.