Front Runners

[Jon G]

I have just heard about Front Runners and I am vey interested if anybody has used them and how well they have done with them. They look like they would be killer but I am skeptical to try one yet due to not hearing about many people using them

[BobP]

I think Norman used to make the Frontrunner but don't see it in their lineup now.  Used with a walking topwater like a Spook, they work really well.  It looks like a bigger fish chasing a small baitfish and gets the bass's competitive urges going.  Of course, it means 2 extra knots to throw, which is a negative.

[Fishes in trees]

I have a few of them.   I've used them off and on over the years.  I've never got on a really hot top water bite, where you might tell if using them made much of a difference or not.   The few times that I did get bit using the front runner - Lucky Craft Sammy combo, it was never on the front runner.   I think that they restrict the walking action of a sammy a little bit and I think that a sammy is easier to walk than a spook is.  In hindsight I think that the bait might work better with a popper - I don't know.   Something to try this summer if I remember.

 

I don't think that having to tie a couple more knots is an issue - just be sure and tie good knots.

[deep]

No, but Matt Allen has a new video on his site about them.

[Jon G]

No, but Matt Allen has a new video on his site about them.

thats where I heard about them. I check his website a lot for information and I found his article and video on front runners that interested me

[the reel ess]

Blakemore made them. I found them on an endcap at BPS on clearance. I have posted about them too. If you expect to see bass busting shad on top you can have one rigged up. I used mine ahead of s full-size Spook on baby bass color so when you walk it the Front Runner looks like it's running from the Spook. I only got bites on the Spook, but there's the potential to catch three fish at once on this rig.

[Bassin Bob]

War Eagle lures still has them.  I just purchased a few.  I had a lot of success with them when they first came out (early 1990s???).  I used them with topwaters and swimbaits.  Interestingly, I caught fish on both the frontrunner and the main lure.  When you tie it in front of a swimbait, it looks like the swimbait is attacking the frontrunner.  Big bass hit the swimbait as they appear fixated on their frontrunner prey and not paying attention to anything else.  At least that's my theory.  I caught my biggest spot this way (about 4.5 lbs).  I lost all my frontrunners years ago and thought they were a relic of the distant past, but was delighted to find them for sale. 

[Robert Hergan]

I hear a lot of you don't use your front runners. I've been looking for one and cannot seem to find one. Would anyone be willing to allow me to purchase it off of them? Thanks!