Why did the Slug-o go obscure?

[Anantha Patel]

The Slug-o is the go to lure of some of my older family members. They swear by it. It seemed to be pretty popular back in the, too. Why did it go obscure? Was it the arrival of the Senko or Super Fluke?

[smalljaw67]

The Zoom Fluke was the bait that put the Slug-O in the back seat. I still remember buying the Slug-O , it was 1987 and I grabbed a bag in the local tackle shop after reading a magazine article about the effectiveness of that bait. So me an my buddy hit the river with these new Slug-O baits, they were new to us anyway as they came out a few years before but we didn't get any until that day. Well we had a monster day, over 100 smallmouth and while it was common to have good days like that, it was uncommon to do it in a short 6.5 hour span. I remember thinking how simple it was but it really did look like a dying baitfish, and for a few more years it was my number 1 soft plastic bait. I still use them from time to time as I look at them as a completely different bait than the Fluke or Super Fluke. The action is similar but different, the Slug-O quickly darts to the side and stops, while the Super Fluke glides to the side and slowly and subtly comes to a stop, and there are times they will favor one over the other so I like having another option.

[Raul]

The demise of the slugo-o has to do with:

1.- Other baits were developed that made the same thing but "better"

2.- We fishermen like the newest

To the point that when for example I talk with other fishermen only us old farts remember X or Y bait ( and we may still use it ), the Slug-o was a very good bait ( and still is ), personally I liked the Bass Assassin´s Shad Assassin and Culprit´s Jerk Worm over the Slug-o. 3" slug-os are a great D-shot bait.

[Anantha Patel]

For me, jerking a hard jerkbait worked better than using a Slug-o, which my grandfather told me to use often. That's why I don't use it anymore.

Problem is, the trebles often get them snagged.

[Gundog]

I still got a bunch of slugos mostly smaller ones. I use them on drop shot hooks now. And I think the other posts are right on. Newer and better baits come around not to mention different techniques are developed that are productive also. 

[BaitMonkey1984]

Never had any luck with these when wacky rigging. Looked good and had good action just couldn't entice a bass. 

[gulfcaptain]

They are horrible wacky rigged.  They are still very productive and last longer then super flukes do which is good when fish are agressive.  There is always a time and place for each bait and still have these in my box, just don't pull them out until I know it's the condition and time to use them.

[A-Jay]

Slug-Go makes a sweet trailer on a Scrounger.

A-Jay

[pbrussell]

They still work... Shhhhh.

[Master Bait'r]

I like the little ones for river smallies.  T-rigged (especially with their texposer hooks!) they're so snagless and the action just comes alive with the slightest twitch.

 

In lakes though, the Slug-Go SS worm is one of my all-time favorites.  You wan walk the dog with them because of that light whippy tail and the slug-go nose and wow do they get crushed.  Perfect finesse worm.  Five stars on that one.  

[Cgolf]

What is crazy is I bought a pack or three back in the day when I had no clue what I was doing, so maybe I should give them a toss and see what all the hype was about lol. I guess for me what is old is new.

[WRB]

Few remember who* created the Sluggo or when it hit the market, it was a obscure lure for several years. Sluggo was the first soft jerk bait creating a class of lures.

The 6" Sluggo was the 1st size and as A-Jay said sweet Scrounger trailer!

Tom

*Herb Reed/Lunker City, mid '80's.

[River Dave]

I still catch a lot of fish on the bigger Sluggos. That's my "go to" bait for skipping docks, schooling fish (especially if they're chasing bait), and open holes in suface weeds. They definitely still work. 

[Cgolf]

I think I read somewhere that Gary Yamamoto designed the Senko with an eye towards something slightly different then the slugo. I wish I still had the article, I think it was in in fisherman.

[Catt]

57 minutes ago, cgolf said:

I think I read somewhere that Gary Yamamoto designed the Senko with an eye towards something slightly different then the slugo. I wish I still had the article, I think it was in in fisherman.

Absolutely correct & Gary's inspiration for the Senko's design!

[roadwarrior]

Yamamoto's design proves that there is beauty in simplicity. "I got the idea for the shape from a Bic pen I had. I made up some wood prototypes then called the office and told them to make a mold from this pen."

 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Yamamoto's design proves that there is beauty in simplicity. "I got the idea for the shape from a Bic pen I had. I made up some wood prototypes then called the office and told them to make a mold from this pen."

 

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