primetime

I started making my own skirts for jigs, so now I am addicted to fishing Swim Jigs and casting Jigs to cover water, and a few weeks ago I went fishing at a new pond after work that I had checked out on Google Maps. When I got to the lake, I was excited to try out my new Jigs but I realized I forgot my soft bait bag. I had a white skirt skirt on with some silver in it, and I figured I would just fish it without a trailer. I am starting to wonder if a trailer is even necessary since I have been doing better without using a trailer, and my hook up ratio has gone up. Obviously trailers have a time and place for slowing the fall or creating more vibration and a ton of other reasons, but I grew up fishing Spinnerbaits as my main lure and I never used a trailer, and if I did, I would always use a simple twin tail trailer just for color contrast. If I use a white jig I want it to look like a shad, or any baitfish since they all have white no them for the most part, but if I want to give it a panfish look or contrast I would say I use a chartruese colored grub in stained water, or I use a clear grub with silver, copper, or gold flake. I love the GYB grubs and his clear colors, but I don't think their is a right answer or wrong answer. I would guess you will get answers from Pearl, Chart, Green pumpkin, Watermelon, to blacks. You can change the entire color of a jig just by changing the skirt, or trimming it etc..Alway's experiment, Shad look different in every lake, rarely are they all white, many have some yellow/chart shading...

I know that Zoom was outsourcing some baits as of last year (That is not a bad thing, They have a solid standard of Quality Control but Zoom has so many baits I am sure they own the molds and production for some models). I wonder if they are part Owner of an OEM maybe, 100 people is pretty big, but I wouldn't be surprised either way, they are huge. I know the local fishing Shop received a bunch of boxes of Zoom Lizads, Fluke Sticks, and Trick worms in bulk this year and he only buys from one place, but they could be old, I didn't look at the label on the back of the box. The Owner also saves stock in a warehouse so people don't mix colors and ruin all his baits in one month. Zoom is a company that seems to focus on price and tons of colors as well as models and they do a great job. I am sure they want to eventually make all their stuff in house to keep prices even more competitive as the market get's more saturated with competition. Companies like Gambler and Z-Man, and even Culprit and V&M are now really stepping up the marketing and quality of baits etc. I know many companies use several OEM's which would make sense as you don't want to have any supply issues, I would think Zoom probably sells the most soft baits per year as a main brand, but that is just a guess, BPS has to be right there with them. I would guess that Strike King and GYB capture the largest margins. Every company has their own Niche, It seems to change every year, and is different in every region. Here in Florida Gambler is super popular, and it seems Missile baits is really taking off as well ever since John Crews switched from the BB Cricket for punching. It is amazing how powerful marketing can be, Strike King does a great Job of marketing and people are willing to pay a premium because they do have designs that are truly unique and they don't need to have a ton of colors since they focus on selling a Perfect bait that is flawless. They have a Really high level of quality control and I am not just saying that since Strike King baits are popular on this site. They reject baits that look perfect for the slightest variations in Flake or shading. When you buy their baits in clam shell packages you can be certain they are all perfect. I never look at my baits when I open a package, but some some guy at BPS was examining them when I was there, and I was surprised when I actually looked. I alway's wonder how GYB ended up with so many colors. Who makes a color that is Smoke with Large Blue, Small blue, black flake, then have a version that is the same with some gold or something...I wonder how many were intentional? I believe the color Pumpkinseed was actually an error back in the day, but companies took it to market and I am glad they did....Sorry for the ramble, I type fast and soft baits and Marketing etc. always get me thinking....

The baits on ebay being sold in bulk are not hand poured..think about it...How could anyone pour 100 senkos for $20 free priority shipping...That would not make any sense....People are all buying from OEM's, some are blemishes, some are overstocks, some are perfect....They are being purchased by the Pallet. You can buy them from a bunch of places depending on what and how many you want but even at 100 for $20 and $6 shipping, it is too much work to sell them alone. Ebay is good as a hobby and part time business, but I have yet to see anyone suceed on Ebay with hand pours...Except Bogs baits...And he is just really good and gets a premium. Most guys selling hand pours can't make 10 stick worms for what most guys can buy 10000...No Joke.

Make sure you understand the industry..It doesn't work how most people think...Most companies do not have their own facility to pour plastics etc...Zoom is not pouring plastics in a zoom Building, nor is Strike King etc...Learn about OEM's...Read Tackle Retail magazine and other's that discuss who is building what and where they are built etc. If you see a company selling skirts and you want to buy them in bulk to make your own jigs, you need to start thinking about "How are they selling 100 Tabs for $12..Obviously they are making money, so then you need to make sure you have enough money to get to the source...Buying direct from OEM's is going to require the most money, largest MOQ, and don't expect to get any deals from wholesale companies for the most part as a start up without having relationships etc...Don't order those 200 Crankbaits from Rapala in an assortment because odds are you will have 190 in firetiger color... Some of the best deals you will find are from calling companies and asking for an overstock list, or any blemishes....It is tough to compete for pricing when companies like Locket lures who make Big Bite and a bunch more sell to the public at wholesale pricing...But you can do well if you have a plan, and make sure you build trust and do not go overboard buying "What you like to use"...That is the most important advise I can give...Think along the lines of "What items does everyone need, that are used to catch fish in all areas of the world, and how can I combine them to offer something different"...If you want to compete on say Ebay to start out, if selling 100 Stick worms for example, think of accesories to add to your listing since you will not get more than .20 per soft bait no matter how nice it is these days. Shipping,Taxes, pay pal fees, store fees, ebay fees....all add up...Plus mistakes...You need to buy smart and make your first investment smart, start with $1000 and make your goal to turn it into $1500 in a few weeks...Then Try to double that and add 1 more item..Always try and sell a few items first that you buy at regular prices just to make sure they will sell. You don't want to put up a ton of stuff to find out that other guys are already selling it, or they do not move as fast as you would think...Terminal tackle is the safest bet imo...Swivels, Snaps, Hooks, Hitchikers, Blades..Tackle craft stuff...Soft plastics is too much work and not enough margin. Plus you get stuck with too many since the industry changes so fast..Hollow belly swimbaits were the rage a few years back, now you can't move them unless you give them away. Always buy colors that look the best, you are trying to catch Fisherman not Fish... Black and blue works great, but everyone sells a black and blue worm...So get some worms that are in a different color and give it your own name...Don't call it watermelon Red just because that is what the packing slip says, some companies call it Green Pumpin Red, you get the idea...Give it a better name...Motor Oil Red Flake flash would work well...Toss in a few free cheap items that everyone needs and you are set....Just a few examples...Click on the items you want to sell on Ebay even if not selling their, and then click Advanced on the right, and then click Sold listings...See what they are selling for and how often. You will be amazed at how low prices go on everything from lures, line, reels etc...Overstockbait.com is a good place to see what you are up against..and that is retail...Fishingdiscount.net is another, but you will notice the same items in all overstock places for a reason.... I would say pouring plastics is way to costly and the odds of making money are super super slim...Unless you are gifted and can do some awesome pours...It is hard to make money off the hardcore angler from a site like this...You are looking to catch the regular guy looking to buy some tackle for the summer and he likes to buy a few colors and in bulk...It is hard to beat 100 5"Stick worms for $15-$20 in perfect shape, with free priority shipping...Hand pours are expensive, I have only seen a few guys make it online, most guys that have their own line of soft baits are having them poured for them.... I tried to start a business and make it full time wholesale and retail, and it has turned into weekends and Ebay....Say what you want about Ebay but you get more exposure than anywhere else, having a website is great, but getting traffic and your name out there is too tough...After every Ebay order then direct them to your website with a card in the package and 10% off next order etc...You need to think of it as a hobby to make a few hundred bucks a week to supplement your regular Job...My goal every month is to make enough to pay all my bills so I can buy more fishing stuff that I get stuck with...It is a tough business even if you understand it, but imo, to start out, you can't beat Ebay...If you are buying right...Hope that helps, but you don't need much to get started...I got started 15 years ago when a shop closed down and I scored 300 spools of line at 90% off...Took it from there...

Gambler makes a version that looks pretty good as well and you can make it yourself while on the water and change blades to fit your style. I have never really used them but it sounds like I should. I use the blakemore road runner style heads which are different but I like the looks of that weighted hook and blade since I fish most of my swimbaits without a skirt or jig, so that would help add flash and I bet it is much easier to fish than a spinnerbait...I need to check those out..

oops...No wonder all the fish my buddy and I were catching were all showing up a few pounds lighter than I estimated and I figured the scale was broken..I need to call my friend and tell him to check the scale...It is the Rapala Lock N Weigh 20lb scale or 50..Can't remember, I rarely use it, but he loves it and I let him keep it, and lately he will send me a pic of a 3lber and I am looking at it compared to his arm and thinking " That fish is an easy 21", so it has to be 5lbs plus this time of year...How is it 3? I guess it is not broken, I bet that is the problem. Glad you asked this question. I am not familar with scales and how they work etc...but I do like having it on good trips just in case we catch one that is possibly over 8lbs. I hope the scale is not broken considering it was not cheap and only opened last year,so I just figured it needed to be calibrated or something...That makes sense....He had a 19" Fish on the scale a few weeks ago and it was saying right about 2lbs according to him and I just told him it was wrong, the fish was a solid 4lbs give or take a 1/4 lb... Thx for the question, I hope that is what the issue is since it get's lots of use, he loves to weigh everything from bluegills to bass to bowphin...

I use a dark top usually a black or smoke with various flake, and a light belly color...White silver belly, chart or orange...sometimes green pumpkin or brown top and chart or gold on bottom... I carry lots of skirts to change them up, I find that it is hard to beat a sexy shad pattern most days...Smoke on top, chart in middle, and pearl on bottom, and if I want to make it more like a bluegill I will simply swap out a skirt that has some black with green flake, some purple, and a mix of orange and watermelon/chart...I like to play around with skirts but I find a black, smoke, or green pumpkin top with a lighter color to match forage works best for me.. Most baitfish have dark backs in florida, and we have stained water so I like to add some flash to all my skirts, and even when I want a craw color most craws down here are brown/gold/red color, some have chart highlights or a yellow hue, but usually for chatterbaits I am trying to mimic a baitfish....I feel I can often get away with any color skirt and a chartruese single tail gyb grub, or a smoke color with various flake single tail grub...I rarely use boot tail swimbaits anymore when I have a bladed jig, I feel it is too much thump at least for me. A 4" ribbon tail worm is a dynamite trailer as well, just clip a worm in half, or buy a 4" brand but lately that is one of my new favorite trailers... I rarely use black and blue anymore, I seem to do better with a black and chart pattern, I actually prefer flashy skirts in most water, if clear I go without flake and stick to natural colors. I try to match my skirts to my favorite crank bait/jerkbait colors...Thicker skirts sometimes work better, sometimes a thin strand skirt, but I have a system I use and usually I end up with a green pumpkin/chart or black/chart pattern on my line....

Some days a bright soft bait just works...I rarely use them but I have had luck on metholianate colored worms, and I also have had luck on swirls (stick baits) but I rarely use them unless I am striking out...In stained water I will try a bright color if black and blue or junebug is not working..I actually like a blue saphire worm in the bright days or stained water...I guess that is considered bright, but I have used it for so long I consider it normal...I also like a green pumpkin/orange swirl stick worm but I think that is normal... A bassmaster Classic was won in the 90's start to finish on a tomato colored gator tail 6" worm...I sell soft baits on weekends and online, and I can say that I get tons of requests for bizarre colors and also pink sherbert swirls sell pretty well...So do bright orange colors and solid red....

Sometimes on a windy day the fish are more aggressive so if your lucky the strikes will be more violent and easier to detect...I feel like a learn something new and get better with a jig or texas rig every time I go fishing. I can say for certain that somewhere on every lake or pond fish will bite a jig, it usually is on the fall this time of year, sometimes after it soaks, but be prepared at all times to swing...Especially after it starts to fall, I would agree most of my strikes come on the drop, not always the first one but one of the 3 before I get it out and pitch again...I find the easiest strikes to detect are when I pin the jig to the top of the cover and shake it or bang it a few inches...Those strikes are easy to feel, one tick is always good, two ticks is often good but if you come up empty the second tick was the jig being spit back out, and that means a fish is still there. If you feel 2 taps and come up empty, toss it back in and if it will not hit the jig, try a different look like a soft bait etc...Sometimes they are better fish...I like to keep my finger on the line and also watch it, but usually you can feel that something is different, and swings are free... In the wind sometimes I do better swimming a jig along the edges or if I can find a T shaped area where the weeds block the wind blowing bait against the weeds..Sometimes you can do really well working the edge instead of going deep in the cover when windy...If you can catch them easier that way it is always worth trying. Some Jigs now are great for pitching and swimming so you can kind of do both, same with a pegged texas rig which I lump in the Jig category...

I typically use zoom lizards since they are the best priced imo and offer the most colors, size and always available in lots of colors and sizes...But if charlies or any other brand are on sale I would grab them and not hesitate...A lizard is pretty much a lizard imo.... I like to carry some 4", most are 6", and I like a few packs of 8".... I keep to 2 basic colors...Black and watermelon...I also carry some spike it to make the tails chartreuse or pink to give them contrast in stained water or if bluegill are in the area... Lizards are hard to beat down here in the South in the Spring, after it rains, and when they are spawning....They work no matter how you fish them but are my favorite for a c-rig or split shot rig...Bass Pro makes a floating magnum lizard that will float a 3/0 hook and it is a bit stiff,but is good for swimming on top when working shorelines and trees on a shoreline... Black and blue tail is great in stained water as well...Junebug, Red shad etc...Motor Oil is another great color...Don't be afraid to pitch one on a jig or under a heavy bullet weight...I know lots of guys use brush hogs instead, but I still prefer a lizard....Pumpkinseed with chart tail is also a great color for clear water...Something about translucent lizards and a chart tail works well in almost any lake I fish...Hope that helps. You can't fish a lizard wrong, if you like to fish weightless senkos or ribbon tails, you can do the same. Sometimes after the rain swimming one on top or making it shake on the fall weightless is the way to go. Florida is loaded with gecko's etc. so after rain they wash into lakes and if you have ever seen one fall in the water they panic and move like crazy...I think that is why they work well on shaky rigs or when falling slowly, I never do well on lizards with paddle tails for what that is worth...

All I know is that they have been on every stores clearance rack for months....and people are not buying them no matter how low the price goes...I loved the first run of Sebile Products, but have not tried the action series stuff, but for $2-3 I am sure they will catch fish and if you lose one it won't get you mad..The colors look good, I am sure they are decent.... For some reason that action series just didn't catch on but I have heard people say that the tungsten weighted lipless crank is decent. I like the color patterns they offer, they look different which could be helpful.

I just picked up a few packs of the elite shiner swimbaits that a local shop had on clearance..The colors are really good, very similar to the Keitechs, very soft, and they are good quality. I have not fished them yet but they are no doubt very good quality. Bass Assassin makes quality soft baits, especially swimbaits and flukes. The Die Dapper comes in some great colors and work great and the 4" Turbo shads are super popular for Walleye and saltwater and as swim jig trailers....Down here the Flukes they make get alot of use, it is just rare you see them in stores... For the price you will be happy...They look and feel just like the Keitechs and the colors are really good, better than they look online....Hope that helps. I have never purchased a bass assassin product I was not happy with, and I have been using those jigheads they sell on their website for .25 which are like the super slider weedless jigheads and fit most soft baits perfectly with a 5/0 Mustad long shank hook, 1/8-1/4 with a vertical line tie...Great deal, if you order from their site, pick some up...The eyes fall out, but for .25 and 4 colors as an overstock it is a steal for jigheads that sell for packs of 3 for $6 usually.

If you visit the Mr. Twister Website, they have rigging options with ball head style jigheads being the most popular. I have used all sizes, the larger 5-6" mostly in saltwater and I use the 3" shad bodies on my light spinning rod when I want to have some fun and just get action...I use a 1/8-1/4 darter style jighead if fishing around grass and I find the Kalins brand fit well, but so do most ballhead style jigs as well...The key is getting the hook through the top perfectly straight since the hook acts like a rudder and keeps the bait tracking true, otherwise is spirals and runs off track if the weight is not balance right or if you are slightly off center...They work well for getting strikes from smaller fish in the 3" size on light line through sparse grass and ripping them free and letting them fall a few feet and fish them erratic..DOA makes a good jighead with a strong hook for heavier line, same with most saltwater jigheads, but the standard ballhead jigs you would swim a 3-4" grub with will work well. Shorter shank as mentioned seems to help but sometimes a certain jig just won't work due to balance etc... I have heard of guys using smaller scrounger jigheads with a sassy shad and doing well but I am not sure of what size..I never use the scrounger heads but I know that some guys do really well with them and use them with alot of different style swimbaits...They work great on a light action spinning rod with 8lb test mono and are good for covering water without making too much noise. A 3" Firetiger shad body in a pond will get bit by everything in the spring time.

You can find deals on good grass style jigs online, sometimes if you visit company websites they have clearance sales on jigs with skirts for about 1.50 which to me is a steal if they have a good hook...I like the siebert style punch swim heads, I like the straight line tie that the AT Punch Jigs have or the Dandy jigs have etc..You can often call a company and ask if they have any extra seconds or blemishes for sale..You may get lucky and get a lot of say 50 or so for a great price...Try companies like Gambler, Boss, or just go through the link on this page of tackle companies..This time of year they should have a few....V&M hooked me up once..

I only remember one video when he got a trap stuck in his pants and the dog was in the boat but he was offshore so that is not bad..he knows alot more than I do so like I said, I give him a pass..I could tell he is a good guy who loves his dog...I have just been really ticked about that gator getting the dog the other day..Still freaks me out, and should have never happened...You can't let your dog near any water....they are easy targets. Thanks for the response..I learn alot from his videos, he is a d**n good angler...

Punching is nothing more than making sure your jig or texas rig make it through the cover on the surface and falls to the bottom. Often Fall Rate is the key to getting bit, but you can control the fall rate by controlling the line (I find that tough to do at times) or using a larger skirt, type of trailer etc. Braid is great for cutting weeds, but it is also loud and can also get hung up alot and dig into any wood or certain types of grass. Have some 25lb test leader ready just in case, or you can just pull of 20 yards of braid and use some copoly or fluoro for mainline so you only have one knot and it helps for abrasion resistance...make sure you protect your not with a bead, soft bait button, or extra bobber stop so the weight is not banging it or anything sharp....Tungsten will cut through your line if it lacks an insert or has sharp edges. Punching a Senko is a great way to get through heavy grass or mats with less weight and still get a fast fall. If it takes me an ounce to punch through a mat with a Punch weight and creature/craw, I can usually put a senko on a weight half the size, maybe even a 1/4 ounce if I use a larger senko and streamlined head like a grass style Jighead with the Line Tie at 90%, the kind most people swim. Good examples of great punch jigs are the Dandy Jigs, AT Punch Jig, and Strike King Hack Attack is a good all around shelf jig for swimming or punching etc...Depends on the type of grass but a few jigs in each weight 1/4,1/2,3/4,1oz and 1.25 is all you really need, and 3/8. One last tip...Many times during the day especially when the sun is out, the Bass suspend under the mats, and if you hear bluegills popping, try to let your bait fall and then lift it up and pin it against the mat. Once pinned, Shake it, pause, and maybe bang it and let it fall a few feet and repeat..Once you find a pattern, it should hold up for a while..I always try to use the lightest weights possible, but sometimes you think you are getting through but you really are only getting down a few feet. Make sure you know how deep the water is, and put a marker on your line so you know that you are on bottom...From there you can experiment...Different types of skirts slow the fall, rubber vs. Silicone etc. Bulky baits vs. Slim. I rarely go over 1.25 oz, I don't enjoy using anything heavier because it can be tough to hook fish as the bigger weights pop when you set the hook and you miss fish more than you would like. It is early to have to use over an ounce anyhow but sometimes a fast fall in clear deeper water helps. I would make sure you get some Punch Jigs since some days they want a jig over anything else, sometimes a texas rig with small creature (Most common for heavy weights since you need a streamline bait) and get a few punch skirts-some days they won't touch a bait with a punch skirt, some days you almost need it, plus it helps you get lighter weights through without junk on them. Make your own, save money, and you can make them with a little creativity once you see one. You don't need alot of colors either...Green pumpkin,Brown, Watermelons,blacks...and a shad color...if panfish in area, add some orange or chart...spike it markers save you lots of money...Good luck, setting the hook in heavy cover never get's old, and when in doubt, swing, you never know...Even the best guys swing at times when grass is stuck on the jig, you learn to weight it but sometimes hits are mushy, you feel the double click, or just get hammered...as mentioned, watch your line on the way down, if it jumps it is a fish. I like bright line and I color the ends so I can see the line but the rest is camo...

Thanks, I like how skirts plus is set up so it is easy to pick out colors etc... Hagens is a pound of silicone bio 44 strand 2 color 5" skirts with a collar, I was going to get a lb of black and blue and then add in some other stuff, but I would have to sell some jigs and skirts which will take all the fun out of it, barely make a profit, if at all, and risk getting stuck with a ton of hooks etc... I just ordered the $30 Kit, some of the shadow colors in skirts, and working on a color that everyone seems to be throwing and they seem to have a skirt close to it...I actually like Rubber on a jig for bulk and to slow the fall, so I grabbed some black tabs which will be good, but I hope the 30 different shades of watermelons,chart,smokes and golds.....get the job done....Right now the ticket in the phoshate pits is a summer craw/chart hybrid with some gold or silver Flake...I think I need some green pumpkin blue in there as well....I guess any watermelon magic craw tone, smoke and black blue fade with silver and blue highlights is the other one.....I have a feeling this will get expensive, I am already making skirts on paper to match cranks, worms, and other lures...I like the idea of bright Chart with blue for a swim Jig, also like some white in that black and blue.....Time to head out for the day....I need to get away, My ex Girlfriend has been calling me non stop all freaked out and I feel so horrible.... An Alligator grabbed her little Dachshund...She loved that dog more than anything, and apparently the new guy was letting the dog run near the lake as he was daydreaming and he heard a yelp and that was it.....I feel bad for him....I can't imagine that happening, but then again, I would never allow my dog near the water without a leash or on one since that is common this time of year, nothing you can do to stop it, but I would guess this gator was maybe 15-20 pounds, dog about 8....One good shot with fishing rod or a shout and that never happens...Need to go fishing and get away from drama...That is horrible, I feel bad for the guy, he was just naive to the fact that they are all over this time of year and you never see them unless you look for them...It isn't as bad as an old neighbor I had....I used to tell him not to leave his dog in the back yard on the runner, I told him that big gators were in the area and they will come into the yard for a big 90lb Lab...He told me I was nuts and paranoid...3 weeks later I come home and Animal control was removing a 11' Gator that walked into his yard while he was not home and all that was left was the collar....I was so ticked at the guy I had to move...If only people respected Nature....Gators do not know about Pets, I get ticked when I see that guy Mikey Ballz on You Tube fishing with his dog since I know one day while he is giving a punching lesson on you tube in grass that dog is getting taken off the boat...He is a smart guy so I will give him a pass, plus he just beat Scott Martin in a challenge on Kissimmee, he can pitch and punch with anyone...If you ever want to learn, watch his channel on you Tube, He is really good at catching fish behind boats, and can scan a grass flat in a new lake and get dialed in right away....he throws either the D&M baits, Gambler, but lately I see the culprit incredipunch, craw slim, bb cricket, and ninja jig with a burner craw.....gets expensive, That bait is fragile but man....it blows away any other burner style craw with the why not body, burner worm claws, it weighs 14 grams...

Hagens fish is the cheapest compared to all the others but the min is usually 100, the 1000 price is given but it only a buck to get a 100 lot... I am contemplating a pound of skirts for $34 all tied already in black and blue, or 100 skirts for $38 cents....As for the kits...I purchased one from Skirtsplus I think for $29.00 but you can put one together for a similar price, I don't think they have standard colors but I am just starting doing punch skirts in bulk and new colors as well as jigs....I have used Hagens Fish for Mister Twister Top Props in bulk, Daichi Death trap trebles, hooks, and shaky heads in the past and they are awesome people...It is not wholesale...Not sure how they sell worm hooks from all brands cheaper than most wholesale places if you buy a ton....They also have Mizmo Tubes for pennies, scorpion worms, check it out if you have never been on the site...It is addicting, but Barlows, Jannscraft, Lurepartsonline, Mudhole, Skirtsunlimited, all have good kits I would think...They also have clearance on some stuff this time of year....Check out hagensfish.com...Hopefully they have a kit that is not gigantic.

I know many of the Jig Makers and lure makers use the same companies for the most part, and I am looking to start building Jigs and making my own colors etc...Nothing crazy, But I realized that on Hagensfish I can get a pound of tabs just like most places sell for $2.50 to $3.00 for a Tab, they offer a Pound for $34. I really only plan on making maybe 100-200 jigs, punch rigs, spinnerbaits etc...Is that way too much? They sell the banded Skirts for .39 and min is only 100, so I was curious.... Is the pound a better deal at $34, or is a 100 tabs for $38 a good deal? I have no idea how much theigh weigh and don't want to get buried. Also, Do you guys use the punch hubs or do you use the cones with the collar? I see the hubs from boss are super expensive compared to the Cones which give them more flare, and come in plastic, nickel, or brass and I think 100 is only $16 or something super cheap...Any help apprecid...If you go to Hagensfish . com you should see the cones I am talking about...My pricing may be slightly off as I am also looking to get a bunch of other stuff... I can't justify spending the money for the punch hubs when I can put in these rubber Spacers I purchased years ago to protect knots and it turns out they fit in a skirt awesome, rubber so it protects everything, and each little rubber stopper costs less than a penny...They don't hold up the greatest so was wondering if brass or Nickel damages the line at all... Thanks, Sorry for the ramble...I don't need to get buried in pounds of silicone, I am already buried in enough stuff but I could maybe use a pound of black and blue skirts???? Thx

On Toho they were all throwing a Gambler beast stick bait on 1/4 ounce bullet weight...same on the Big O...thick stick worms with 1/4-3/8 weights, guys are now punching stick worms more than in the past...Starting to become popular, same as the big 7" size worked subsurface like a subwalk.... They get used plenty, just not in the same way we all do since they are usually covering water and looking or 5 good strikes, a drop shot is just more efficient if they are going to go light I guess, they can drag it faster at the right depth the entire time..If they find them in practice I would imagine guys pick apart areas with an unweighted stick worm....if it works, it works for everyone, but I notice that most guys fish them on weights more often then not it seems, and they try not to peg if possible.... the Yum Dinger is becoming popular for punching due to the hook slot...black and blue or junebug is all anyone fishes down here...6" Dinger, 3/8-1/2 ounce weight does the job, gets through mats that most guys have to use over an ounce.... We don't see it since they already sell enough stick baits...but can only make so many new sticks...creatures can be altered to sell more baits each year but they use the same stuff that works for us...

learn to love the jig...Swim Jigs..Bullet style heads...Defelection is key, ripping it from grass like a rattle trap is key, experiment with trailers...Flipping/casting jigs are great and you should get some mop jigs, read about jig fishing..If you can catch fish on a jig, and master that technique, you can do all the rest and it is easy..Worm fishing is very similar, a texas rigged ribbon tail worm or ribbit from over grass will always work, or ultravibe speed worm, but learn to fish a jig, swim em, skip em, finesse jigs, punch jigs....And pegged weights...you don't need to spend alot of money...One dark color, one green pumpkin color havoc pit boss, and pit boss jr, then something agressive like a speed craw....and you are good to go, grab some strike king swim jigs, hack attacks....bitsy flips.. 1/4 to 3/8 is what you will use the most, just get a few in black, few in brown or green and you are good....And just read articles and have fun..Also fishing a frog is never a bad idea...and a senko unweighted...6" is not too big for any water, but 5" weightless fished slow is hard to beat, same with a trick worm by zoom, weightless, lighter line, junebug in stained water, watermelon or green pumpkin in clear....watermelon red when in doubt or green pumpkin with flake.....soft baits and jigs account for most fish in the summer time or at least the biggest, cranking is great if you have areas without a ton of grass...A rapala oringinal minnow floater F-13 silver and black should be in every box....it can be fished over grass, deep water, all summer and will kill em....

They work great...It is much easier to make them yourself...If you don't use heavy weight usually, you can get away with lighter lead ones that are fine...Bass Pro sells the heads for $1.99 for a 3 pack, boss hubs or skirts are cheap, and you can make 3 for less than what one costs from Strike KIng... Just google making punch skirts or Punch rigs...Also Strikezone makes a version that is only $3 and has an eye and comes in 1/4 and 3/8, 1/2 and is good for swimming and pitching if you want to just get all at once...Siebert jigs also makes them cheaper and better quality,tons of color, wire tied skirts and you can also buy Punch jigs etc....Siebert is cheaper than Strike King and no doubt much better since you can pick you hook type, size, colors, weight etc.... But yes, they add flare and work awesome, some days a punch skirt makes all the difference in the world, some days they don't want it at all....but when it works, it works and gets bigger bites some days..Here in Florida it is all we do besides throwing frogs in the summer for most part... The Strike King Hack Attack Jig is actually a great flipping jig for grass and they make them over an ounce, good hook, and good for most grass. Some days a jig will outfish a punch rig, texas rig etc..never understood why, but they just do, and Jigs have better hook up rates by far imo....if you can use a jig that is how I start, especially swimming for delection, but you can add skirts to a swimbait for topwater and it helps with the profile, makes it weedless, adds color contrast, and one of the best stained water tactics is a black and blue jig with a green pumpkin trailer or vise versa....try to use light as possible but 1-1,5 is most common size for punching, but you can use less with a senko or smaller bait...hope that helps...I am already in full punching/pitching mode and have been ordering hubs, skirts, and jig heads to make my own.... This may sound crazy, but I don't like tungsten all that much unless I am going over an ounce due to size...I hate how it cuts through line, and every brand seems to do it eventually at the worst time...1 ounce BPS punch weight is almost exact same size as tungsten, brass and steel are similar as well...You don't need feel when pitching or punching, Tungsten may help with sensitivity, but losing a $12 weight is not my game and never will be..Lead does fine for me, same with brass and steel, or a jig rig etc...

I enjoy giving someone a lure or showing them a technique that is working so they can do well, it is more fun if both people are catching fish, so I don't mind sharing at all, but I like to get a "Thanks" which most people do. I don't make a big deal if someone loses a lure etc. and usually it comes back around, one day they will have a bait that is working that you don't have...I leave my tackle open to anyone fishing with me, and all I ask is that you put things back in the right spot and do not mix colors of soft baits to prevent bleeding. If it wasn't for people sharing tackle, I would of struggled at times during college and High School when fishing was not something I was preparing for during the week or night before...I was lucky to have an older brother and a bunch of friends who always shared and the bottom line is catching fish is way more fun if both people are having success, it is not fun when one person is killing them and I would expect help if I am the one struggling and usually if you don't lose more than $10 worth of baits it is not a big deal, but I know when someone is trying to just get free stuff, and yes, that ticks me off, but if that is the case it is an easy fix... back boat em...Make sure you can cast further, and if fishing a weed line, make sure he can't reach and is just a few feet short and not getting bit..When he asks to move the boat closer, tell him you either get real estate or tackle for free..learn to cast further....If someone is overdoing it, they probably don't know how much some stuff costs, best approach is to simply get the problem out of the way and ask why they don't have any tackle? Go from there, but usually most people just don't realize that a bag of 6 soft baits can be $6....Usually if you give someone a lure, you end up learning something anyhow, I learn more from new angler's without preconceived notions than experienced guys many days...I love when someone doesn't care about walking the dog, and I insist that they "Have to"...only to end up landing the biggest fish of the day slow rolling a spook or fishing it like a jerkbait....

Frog, Ultravibe Speed worm, Floating Rapala...Bagley bang o lure and prop...Rebel Pop'r and Red Fin wakebait. Long A

I buy what is on sale....I finally have realized that you need to sacrifice a few lures to get bit on square bills....If you are not losing a few each trip you are not casting to the right places...I am still working on my cranking skills and it is still not a confidence bait for me, but I find the bomber, BPS, Academy, Bandit, Cordell, Strike King, and whatever other brand I may have all work fine, some are awful out of the box, then the next one if really good...I try to pick the baits that have even hook hangers, no extra glue..Strike King seems to have the best quality of the one's I mentioned, but recently I picked up a bunch of spro's on sale for $4 that I love...They all seem to run perfect and hunt really well, also come in some awesome colors....I really like the Luhr Jensen Speed shad and the Wordens Timber Tiger around wood and weeds..The Timber tiger is ugly but gets killed if you bang something....Firetiger is my favorite color....