SNAKES???

[CyBasser]

Has anyone here used extensively those beautiful little snakes designed by Doug Hannon (our Bass Professor)??? They certainly look really attractive, but I would appreciate any feedback you all guys may have....

Thanks....

[Guest SkyChimp]

I've been wondering that, too.  With all due respect to the creator, they seem decidely un-snake-like in action.  The size and lack of a hook near the tail makes me wonder if short-strikes would be a problem.  I suppose the good thing about them is that they don't have a "sharp end" that can ruin your week like the real thing.

[David P]

I've been wondering that, too.  With all due respect to the creator, they seem decidely un-snake-like in action.  The size and lack of a hook near the tail makes me wonder if short-strikes would be a problem.  I suppose the good thing about them is that they don't have a "sharp end" that can ruin your week like the real thing.

From what I've seen, they look amazingly realistic.. And be creative and add an extra hook to the back end of the snake if that's a concern. The snake targets LARGE bass, from what I've seen 4+lb bass, they shouldn't have a trouble taking in the whole thing..

I haven't fished one, but have seen a kid fish them. Didn't catch anything, but they sure looked good.

Buy a pack and see how you like them.

[Taliesin]

I have been thinking about them as well. My questions are different though.

How heavy are they? This will tell me what kind of equipment I need to put them on.

How are they rigged?

How tough is the material? how many fish can I catch before I have to replace it?

As far as the hooks go, bass that are feeding on snakes almost always go for the head first. I have absolutely no problem using a single 1/0 hook on a 10" plastic worm.

[Bass Kicker]

i have used them and they are great lures so totaly realistic but i really dont have anywhere to fish with them what he says is what really happens i went half with my buddy  and they are cheaper that way cause if you live in a badass place like flordia or somewhere with alot of weeds and things they are awesome but we dont have that around here

[armesjr]

40 Bucks for 15 snakes 4 hooks and a CD containing tips, maps, and his book.  It seems a little expensive to me.  Especially considering i dont live near any of those lakes, and who wants to read a 275/260 (page length differs from one description to another) page book on their computer.

[Taliesin]

I have been thinking about them as well. My questions are different though.

How heavy are they? This will tell me what kind of equipment I need to put them on.

How are they rigged?

How tough is the material? how many fish can I catch before I have to replace it?

As far as the hooks go, bass that are feeding on snakes almost always go for the head first. I have absolutely no problem using a single 1/0 hook on a 10" plastic worm.

I did some more looking on the site and answered some of my own questions.

They are 11" lng, so they will be pretty heavy compared to some other lures

Looks like a T-Rig or something similar. From what I saw on the site they are weedless.

One fellow caught 40+ fish on one lure, so they have to be fairly tough (I was almost expecting <5 on each lure).

I am very seriously thinking about these things.

[Bass Kicker]

he recomends getting a 7'6" rod for these things i dont use that big of a rod ever so it dont matter

[Bassn Blvd]

I bought them several months ago and don't like them.  They are very realistic and work great scaring the shi@ out of the wife but I haven't caught a thing on them.  They don't cast very well at all.  I used a 7.5 m/h spinning rod with 20 lb braid on a stradic reel.  I also used a 7' med with my curado & 15 lb mono.  They are difficult to control when casting and I think because they are lond and flimsy that you get too much air resistant.  I suppose they will produce if you dedicate a whole day fishing them in the right conditions but I catch too many nice fish on the worm, senko, cranks and spinner baits to fool with these things...   And they are not new.  I believe someone came out with something similar in the 60's or 70's.

[Guest SkyChimp]

Frankly, they don't look too realistic to me at all.   (That's not to say they don't work.)

Real snakes ungulate through the water without commotion.  This lure is incapable of imitating that motion and in the videos it seems to be fished in a manner to cause surface commotion.  Very un-snake-like.

The lures aren't colored like real snakes which probably helps with its success.  Studies have shown that bass can recognize color and use color as a visual cue in deciding what to eat and what not to eat.  Bass predation on baby slider and painted turtles is almost non-existent because bass associate the color of these turtles with the foul secretions these turtles emit.  Most snakes are boldly marked on the botton and emit secretions much fouler than those of a turtle.   Additionally, certain snakes produces toxins and venoms which, while harmless to man, are effective on the snake's natural prey - fish.  Common garter snakes have venom glands and some water snakes have toxic saliva.   I need not mention Cottonmouths or Copperheads, both of which produce venom highly toxic to fish and man.  

Studies in North Carolina suggest predation on snakes by fish is minimal compared to predation by just about everything else.   I've seen many snakes on the water swimming in bass habitat that simply go about their business unmolested by bass.  

IMO, if this thing is successful, it's because it isn't too snake-like.  If it were more snake-like, bass may avoid it like many do the real thing.