Don Iovino's "splash It" Lure

[ReggieT]

Hey Guys,

 

A friend of mine who fishes's semi-professional introduced me to this lure. I ordered a couple, one in bone white & the other in a bluegill pattern. I've yet to catch a fish...but Its just my second day./outing.

 

Are these lures superior to "Rebl Pop-R's or Yellow Magic? What is your top Top water Shallow bait...especially when you see them actively feeding or crashing shad???

 

I read in another bass forum that a Bass Pro met Don and he shared that his Splash It lure was nothing more than "sanded down-Rico rejects!"

 

My friend swears by em...when the topwater bite is on.

Just wanted to hear your experiences  concerning this lure and anything relevant.

 

Caught 2 bass today, one own the Booyah Pad Crasher..another on crickets...and then lost  the frog  to a "log fish!" 

Just lost a freaking SPRO yesterday...dam I'm rusty as hell!

Bassing was brutal today...and after witnessing my wife haul in her 6th hand-size shell-cracker I succumbed...and we carried out about 20 slab size shellies!

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

Reggie

[Jrob78]

To my admittedly untrained eye, the Rico, Yellow Magic and Splash It look very similar.  I like and fish all 3 and have caught fish on all of them.  The Splash It is the cheapest of the bunch but it is a very high quality bait.  Out of the 3, I own more Yellow Magics.

[Bluebasser86]

I have some splash its, yellow magics, megabass pop max, and Zell pop's. The Zell Pop is by far my favorite. I'm sure the others are great but the Zell Pop outfishes them all almost every time. 

[ReggieT]

Hmm...thanks,

I'm doing some research on the Zell Pop right now...all the reviews are most impressive!

[Jrob78]

Hmm...thanks,

I'm doing some research on the Zell Pop right now...all the reviews are most impressive!

The Zell Pop is a great bait and one I forgot to mention.  It's also a little cheaper than the others and comes in 2 sizes.  It also shares the same lip design as the other 3.

[ReggieT]

The Zell Pop is a great bait and one I forgot to mention.  It's also a little cheaper than the others and comes in 2 sizes.  It also shares the same lip design as the other 3.

Thanks! By the way, who have you found that has the Zell Pops at the best price?

[Jrob78]

Thanks! By the way, who have you found that has the Zell Pops at the best price?

I don't know of anyone specifically with good prices on them.  Sometimes you can find good deals on the auction site if you're patient.  Still though, at regular price the Zell Pop is less than half the price of the Rico.  $10 at TW.

[ReggieT]

I don't know of anyone specifically with good prices on them.  Sometimes you can find good deals on the auction site if you're patient.  Still though, at regular price the Zell Pop is less than half the price of the Rico.  $10 at TW.

Yeah...no doubt...obviously they're mighty proud of little Rico! lol 

Thanks again 

[deputybc]

You need to try the damiki pop-r. They are wonderful and will almost walk in place. All in All a great bait.

[smalljaw67]

The big difference between the slash-it, yellow magic, and other premium poppers are the sound and I'm a pop-r fan, the premium pop-r which is a little bigger and has a better finish than the regular pop-r. If you want to know why those bait carry a premium price is the way they are made and the action, try making the "plop" sound with a splash-it, you won't, it spits water and the yellow magic is the same. If you think that doesn't make a difference then do yourself a favor and sit in the boat near weeds or lily pads in the summer when there is a bug hatch and listen closely, do you hear that little pop of the bluegills coming up to take a bug? That is the sound the premium poppers make, more of a spitting type sound that is even more subtle that a slowly pulled prop bait. I never believed in paying a premium for a popper until I watched my friend catch 7 smallies in less than an hour while I didn't get a bite , it was that simple sound and the closest thing to them at a modest price is the Zell Pop. There are times when the louder action of a pop-r is going to work and at times it will work better than the splash-its but those times are rare and the ability of the premium popper to get topwater bites when no other topwater bait can get bit is what you buy, and those baits do draw strikes even when the bite is off.

[Jrob78]

The big difference between the slash-it, yellow magic, and other premium poppers are the sound and I'm a pop-r fan, the premium pop-r which is a little bigger and has a better finish than the regular pop-r. If you want to know why those bait carry a premium price is the way they are made and the action, try making the "plop" sound with a splash-it, you won't, it spits water and the yellow magic is the same. If you think that doesn't make a difference then do yourself a favor and sit in the boat near weeds or lily pads in the summer when there is a bug hatch and listen closely, do you hear that little pop of the bluegills coming up to take a bug? That is the sound the premium poppers make, more of a spitting type sound that is even more subtle that a slowly pulled prop bait. I never believed in paying a premium for a popper until I watched my friend catch 7 smallies in less than an hour while I didn't get a bite , it was that simple sound and the closest thing to them at a modest price is the Zell Pop. There are times when the louder action of a pop-r is going to work and at times it will work better than the splash-its but those times are rare and the ability of the premium popper to get topwater bites when no other topwater bait can get bit is what you buy, and those baits do draw strikes even when the bite is off.

Great post, you hit the nail on the head.  There is an episode of the show "The Bass Pro's" where Rick Clunn talks about this.  The lack of a true spitting popper is what lead to the creation of the Rico.  The longer upper lip shape is the key.

[ReggieT]

The big difference between the slash-it, yellow magic, and other premium poppers are the sound and I'm a pop-r fan, the premium pop-r which is a little bigger and has a better finish than the regular pop-r. If you want to know why those bait carry a premium price is the way they are made and the action, try making the "plop" sound with a splash-it, you won't, it spits water and the yellow magic is the same. If you think that doesn't make a difference then do yourself a favor and sit in the boat near weeds or lily pads in the summer when there is a bug hatch and listen closely, do you hear that little pop of the bluegills coming up to take a bug? That is the sound the premium poppers make, more of a spitting type sound that is even more subtle that a slowly pulled prop bait. I never believed in paying a premium for a popper until I watched my friend catch 7 smallies in less than an hour while I didn't get a bite , it was that simple sound and the closest thing to them at a modest price is the Zell Pop. There are times when the louder action of a pop-r is going to work and at times it will work better than the splash-its but those times are rare and the ability of the premium popper to get topwater bites when no other topwater bait can get bit is what you buy, and those baits do draw strikes even when the bite is off.

Man...that's what I'm talking about! Excellent information that makes great sense and is easy to translate into application. My local Tackle shop has a few for $11.00....heading out the door now...later!!!