Old Lure Still Produces When Others Don't

[papajoe222]

I avoid fishing water that's under 40 degrees, but with a few nice days this week I decided to try a couple of the bigger ponds around here.

My two favorite, cold water, lures are a blade bait and a hair jig. Neither attracted any attention. I reached into a box I labeled 'Papa's Skunk Repelent'

and pulled out what was once called a 'FlatFish' or 'LazyIke'  It's a crescent moon profile crank, possibly a copy as this one is wood and about 1.5inches. No rattles and although it doesn't suspend, it rises very slowly. I'd used its big brother and father back in the day when trolling for pike.  It did the job on the pond bass with a very slow retrieve with multiple 5-10 second pauses. The all struck as I began moving the bait after the pause.

I know a lot of anglers like to try some of the old school stuff and seeing as this style lure likely out dates crankbaits, I'd say it qualifies as old school.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/yakima-bait-famous-helin-flatfish-101117568 

Although this isn't the brand, it is the style I'm referring to.

[Catt]

Simple & effective 😉

[padlin]

I’ve got a couple of the old bright red Worden Flatfish around, I try one once in a blue moon. Probably the oldest lures I have.

[Captain Phil]

8 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I reached into a box I labeled 'Papa's Skunk Repelent' and pulled out what was once called a 'FlatFish' or 'LazyIke'  It's a crescent moon profile crank, possibly a copy as this one is wood and about 1.5inches.

 

I had to chuckle when I read your post.  Back in the day, all our bass fishing information came from magazines.  You couldn't find a magazine without an ad for the Helin Flatfish.  His ads were so convincing you would think you would have to get in the bottom of the boat to tie one on.  I bought a bunch of them.  For some reason, I could never catch a Florida bass on one.  I even bought one of their top water lures call a "fish cake".  The joke was on me as it was nothing but a chunk of wood with a propeller.   People have told me they catch fish on the flatfish.  I have a couple in my collection just to remind me that I can't.  😅

 

[scaleface]

When I was a kid I received a Flatfish and Lazy Ike for Christmas, cant remember ever catching anything on them .Wish I still had them though.

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

Wish I still had them though.

I know what you mean - when I was going through my 'ancient' lures, one of the things I had in the box was a Lazy Ike I'd had since the 70s...never caught a thing on it, so it got tossed.

[Bankbeater]

My dad had a bunch of old Lazy Ike lures in his tackle box.  These are the ones with the metal lip on them.  I remember him saying they worked in the river.  I've never used them.

[detroit1]

Captain Phil that fishcake must be the smaller one. Mine is almost twice that size. I have 1 lazy ike and 4 flatfish (never get used), but the Helin's baits in the larger sizes had those gang trebles on them. 4 treble hooks will catch alot of weeds. Unlike MN. fisher i cannot throw baits away, especially old ones. I have given away some newer baits though.

[steve carpenter]

Caught trout on flatfish. Never a bass. Would weight them with a light split shot and fish them deep in mountain lakes dragging on the bottom. 

[Scott F]

I remember catching smallmouth on a flat fish back when they were still “new school” lures.

[FishTank]

Not exactly old but the Lucky Craft Flat Side Mini still brings in fish for me. I think I bought the ones I have 20 years ago.

[WRB]

The Flat Fish is a trolling lure that doesn’t cast worth a darn.

Lots of bass “plugs” fall into this category like Bomber Waterdog and Whooper Stopper Hellbender , Rebel Spoonbill plugs, etc. 

I just order some obsolete soft plastics because they catch bass today; Reapers and Screamers.

Tom

 

[rboat]

When I was a kid we lived in Northern Minn. My dad had several Lazy Ike lures in his tackle box. We were usually after bass or panfish, if we blanked, out came the Lazy Ike and we would troll for big pike. The lazy Ikes were perch colored and big pike love to eat perch. Normally caught at least a couple of big ones with many of the small hammer handles mixed in. Good memories.

I don't ever remember catching a bass on one.

[greentrout]

 

Mepps^® Aglia^®

[Captain Phil]

1 hour ago, greentrout said:

 

Mepps^® Aglia^®

 

Great schooling bass lure.  

 

 

[greentrout]

19 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Great schooling bass lure.  

 

 

Rapala Blue Fox

 

Like these in ponds and small lakes Captain. 

[SpinLight]

Used to catch smallmouth and rock bass on a Flatfish while wading in clear Tennessee streams.  OP's post about a pond trip with an old lure reminded me of a winter pond fishing trip in Tennessee I took over 40 years ago. Caught 5 nice largemouth on the short version of the original big Bagley's Balsa B, the Big O imitation. It's a shallow runner, similar in size to today's 1.5-2.5 squarebills. Slow retrieve and pause worked for me, too.