In search of favorite floating jerk bait!

[Austen Carter]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and wanted to pose a question for you guys. This is probably a shot in the dark, but here goes nothing:

Years ago I lost my favorite jerk bait to a hungry largemouth at a friend's lakehouse. Snapped my 12 pound test like it was nothing and took my lure with it! This was my absolute FAVORITE lure. I could catch bass all year round using this lure, but I have NO idea who made it or where it came from, and I only had one like it. I have searched in stores for years to find another one like it but my guess is that is was a relatively old lure and is possibly discontinued. I found the lure in my tackle box over 10 years ago, and I'm sure it was relatively old at that time as well.

 

Going to try my best to describe it and maybe with a stroke of luck one of you will be able to at least point me in the right direction (manufacturer possibly?)

Here goes:

• Normal sized jerk bait, probably 4 inches long.
• 2 sets of treble hooks. 
• Shallow diving, probably 3 feet at the most.
• Floating
• Plastic body and lip.
• Straight belly, curved back (like a Rapala), not curved or "s" shaped (like Rick Clunns)
• Body was painted with a metallic-like paint that would flake off in certain spots from overuse.
• Nothing special about the eyes, think they were just plastic beads, not painted on.
• The bill was clear plastic, not painted.
• Most distinctive feature were these HEXAGON shaped indentations covering the entire body of the lure, almost like a Smithwick, but these were much deeper, individualized indents. I know it was not a Smithwick or Rapala, as I have plenty of those. The lure almost resembled diamond plating and would reflect light beautifully. Closely resembles the old Rebel Hellcats, but the diamond indents on the side were even deeper than those, and the bill was closer to the lip of the lure.
• The color of mine was a dark blue with silver on the bottom (I'm sure other colors were available)
• I don't recall there being beads inside the lure.
• No other special features like a lateral line, fluffy tail, etc.

 

I know this is asking a lot of you guys and is definitely a shot in the dark, but I know you guys could throw out some names of old lure manufacturers that I'm not thinking of.

 

[J Francho]

Sounds like an original Rebel Minnow:

 

https://www.rebellures.com/rebel-minnow

[Austen Carter]

The shape is correct, but the markings on the sides were different. Going to try and find an example online.

 

Also, if i had to take a guess as to the time frame the lure was made, I would guess late 90s, early 2000s.

[Dwight Hottle]

11 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Sounds like an original Rebel Minnow:

 

https://www.rebellures.com/rebel-minnow

That was my guess too. 

[Choporoz]

Check Cabelas and BPS.  I've had a couple that took me forever to re-identify that turned out to be house brands from those two stores.

[Austen Carter]

Here is a good representation of the indentations on the lure. If you imagine looking down at those HEXAGON shapes, they were indented into the lure, not raised.

 

36 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Check Cabelas and BPS.  I've had a couple that took me forever to re-identify that turned out to be house brands from those two stores.

That's what I'm also thinking - My late father bought the lure, and knowing his "frugal" tendencies with money, I can't imagine that the lure was a very expensive brand

[Austen Carter]

Just saw an image online of something similar (not the lure) and remembered that the shapes on the sides were hexagons, not diamonds. Like pictured above.

[Bluebasser86]

Maybe one of the old "Honeycomb" series of baits from Wal-Mart? Long discontinued, my dad used to fish them a lot and still has a couple of the crankbaits.

[Austen Carter]

6 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Maybe one of the old "Honeycomb" series of baits from Wal-Mart? Long discontinued, my dad used to fish them a lot and still has a couple of the crankbaits.

That HAS to be it!! The design looks just like the one I had!! 

[scaleface]

My memory is a little foggy but it seems to me Renosky made one with indentations . Maybe that is the Wal Mart brand  Blue mentioned .

[96ecss]

I know you said 2 sets of trebles and the lure in this auction has 3, but to me, it seems pretty close.

 

Renegade Honeycomb Series Silver Blue Rattling Jerkbait

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Renegade-Honeycomb-Series-Silver-Blue-Rattling-Jerkbait-Lure-from-Estate-Sale-/362190517907?hash=item54543cb693&nma=true&si=if%2BCx60RsuJtgF%2FqItNmeCy67BY%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[Austen Carter]

Thank you guys for helping me locate this lure! I've found it as either a Renegade Honeycomb series or a Renosky "Crystalina". Unfortunately, neither one is made anymore. I think I can get a newer model Renosky online that looks pretty similar. Thank you for all your help!

[A-Jay]

6 hours ago, Austen Carter said:

Thank you guys for helping me locate this lure! I've found it as either a Renegade Honeycomb series or a Renosky "Crystalina". Unfortunately, neither one is made anymore. I think I can get a newer model Renosky online that looks pretty similar. Thank you for all your help!

Congrats on finding out about the bait you've been looking for.

Confidence in a bait can be a very powerful thing.

Good Luck

A-Jay