Mattlures U2 Bluegill

[Bluebasser86]

Anyone have any experience with them? I bought one and it looked great in and out of the water. Reel it just right and it fished just below the surface throwing a slow wake like an injured sunfish. Caught a couple fish with it so I know it works. Problem is that fish number 2 decided to jump and my bait tore in half and flew back at the boat, leaving me with the weight and a piece of the head . Did I maybe do something wrong? The only thing I could think of was maybe the heat while the bait was in my bag before I tied it on softened the bait up real bad? I really liked the bait and would like to get another one but I can't afford to spend $20 on one bait if I can only catch a couple fish on it!

[webertime]

Which model? The floating one? I'm heading out now to give my floating one a whirl. It does seem very soft out of the package.

[Midnight Splash2]

I had the same problem with the sinking U2. Mine ripped off after my first fish.

[Bluebasser86]

Mine was the sinking model. I know they don't last forever but I was hoping for a few more fish at least. They have great action and the fish I caught crushed it.

[Mattlures]

The best thing you can do to prolong the life of your soft swimbait is to lube them up. However sometimes (especialy with the smaller fish) they just tear them up. The big fish usualy have the whole bait inside its mouth where it doesnt get damaged. If your bait is destroyed after 1 or 2 fish, then send it back to me and I will exchange it. Send me an email to my site or a PM. so I am not spamming.

On my site I have an article I wrote about making soft swimbaits last alot longer. This aplies to all soft swimbait brands not just mine

here it is

Swimbait Maintenance

Have you ever wondered how guys are getting 15-20 or more fish per soft swimbait when yours are getting torn up after only a few fish? There are a few tips that every swimbait thrower should do to get the most out oh their baits. The first thing I do when I get a new bait is to glue all the potential weak spots. Anything that protrudes out of the plastic should be reinforced with super glue. I will gently pull back the plastic away from the hook until there is a small hole just big enough to put a drop of glue into it. I will do this where the hook eye comes out of the bait and any other metal eyes that are used to add hooks. If you have problems with getting the glue all over your baits just put a drop on some cardboard and dip a tooth pick into the glue, then apply the glue with the tooth pick. It is also important to inspect your bait after every fish. Check for tears and make the necessary repairs with Mend-it before you make another cast. This will keep them from tearing any further.

Now that you have your bait reinforced and you are ready to fish it you will need to apply some lube to the bait. Most scents that will stay on the bait for a long time will make a good lube. I prefer Pro Cure and Mega-strike because they have the consistency of Vaseline. Most guys know how important it is to lube your Swimbaits because it increases your odds of hooking the fish when you get bit. The lube will also help your bait resist tears. Even if you don’t think scents and attractants will get you more bites you should still apply a generous amount of lube to your Swimbaits. If for nothing else it will prolong their life.

Another common problem with soft Swimbaits is they tend to get warped or twisted when they are not stored properly. It is usually very easy and quick to straighten them out. Soft plastic will return to its original shape if you put it in boiling water. It is not a good idea to submerge the glue on eyes in the boiling water because they could become clouded or fall off, but the rest of the bait will be fine. Dip the body of the bait in the water for about 1-3 minutes and then suspend it in cold water until the bait is completely cooled. This should bring it back to its original shape. Now maybe you will get more fish per bait.