Every new season brings with it a few new questions, a few new concerns and as always, a few new lures on the market that we fisherman just can’t resist. I am convinced that the great minds behind the tackle companies have decided to design lures to catch one thing and one thing only: FISHERMAN!!! I love to walk the isles of my local Bass Pro or Cabelas to see the new lures, the old stand-by’s and the clearance items. (I’ve learned to leave my credit card at home, if I really want to save some money.) While something will always be flashy enough to make it into our shopping carts, the old reliable lures such as the Eppinger Daredevle or Storm Hot-N-Totshould always be in the tackle box for the trip north. Over the last few seasons, we have asked our guests to make a list of their favorite lures and a number of them are on almost everyone’s list. Some are old, some are brand new and some are just plain funny to look at or pronounce.
Let’s start with the top Pike lures over the last few seasons. My personal favorite has been the Williams Whitefish. This large flutter spoon has produced year in and year out on Whitewater Lake with fish up to 52-inches. The bigger the better on this lure. The next lure for both trophy Pike and Walleye is the Mepps Syclops. This is a great casting spoon and will produce some monster strikes. (Thanks to Dan Carlson for the tip on this great lure.) I love the blue or gold colors on this one. The third lure on my tackle list is the Johnson Silver Minnow. When tipped with a twister tail and tossed into the thick weeds, this one is hard to beat. I prefer to go with the larger sizes when it comes to Pike lures.
The Walleye can be a bit more picky. Jigs with twister tails produce about 80% of our Walleye each season. Whether they are tipped with minnows, leeches or crawlers, they can be counted on each and every month of the summer. If you are looking to try something new, look for the relatively new DeepTail Dancer by Rapala. This is a great deep diving lure with lots of action. It is good for both Walleye and big Pike. Actually, anything by Rapala is a good bet to produce during the summer. One bait that has proven successful in recent seasons is the Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw. This is typically a Bass lure, but thanks to annual guest Dave Mapes and his successful trip into ZigZag a few years back, we now consider this a great Walleye option.
As the tackle industry “sets the hook” in the fisherman with new products, don’t forget about the old reliables that can still be counted on with regularity. I look forward to see what new, old and homemade lures make it up to camp during the 2012 season. If you have any recommendations, please e-mail me as I always love to talk fishing.
Joe Pichey
Outdoor Expert – Adventure Planner
e-mail me here.
