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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | looking to pick up a couple this yr since I`ve never used one,but why are the hooks so far away from the lure.I would think that weedy lakes you can`t use this type of lure because it would collect way too many weeds on the hooks. |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | Drop hooks are used for those fish that come up from below and behind (not that uncommon with these), keep hooks away from the blade and if it is a shorter flaptail to allow more hooks. At least these are the reasons I do it.
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Posts: 1348
Location: Pewaukee, WI | Maybe JDSPLASHER will post some pics of his flaptails. They have a drop down hook and are the cream of the crop in my book as well as his other surface baits. |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Minnesota. | I got a couple, well 4 actually, from AHL lures. American Hardwood Lures.
Phil Drury makes a really good bait an' I have a tackle box full of his various top-waters, all different sizes.
No affiliation, just really good stuff.
http://www.musky-lures.com/ |
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Posts: 2236
Location: SE, WI. | Jerry, if there are lots of floating weeds, there are not many topwater baits that will be effective. And yes, flaptails are very fickle with floaters. Go to basement baits, page 4, sights and sonics, and view the flaptails in action, utube clip + pics! JD |
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Posts: 32799
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I placed the first 'stinger' ever rigged on a Flaptail style bait back a very long time ago. Put one on a Dog Turd and a Snodlow, and my hooking percentage went WAY up. Used a small treble on the stinger, too, and landed a number of really big fish just hooked on the stinger. |
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Posts: 2236
Location: SE, WI. | Steve, many guys want a up sized treble for a stinger. Explain why the smaller treble is more effective. JD |
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Posts: 32799
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The idea is to stick the fish in the inside portion corner, and a smaller, strong but sharp round bend stinger will bury in there almost every time. A larger hook won't hook up as well, and the stinger isn't usually considered the primary hook. Some times the fish will throw the main hooks and stays pinned up on the stinger, and during the tussle the bait swings and re-hooks the fish. |
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Posts: 309
Location: Elgin IL | Lets see some pics of stinger hooks and how could I add one to this Flaptail
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Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin | I completely agree with the reasoning behind the 'stinger' or drop hook. I use them religiously on my night creepers, and since going with them, my catches definitely improved. At night, fish would routinely open their mouths, hit the wing of the creeper, and simply flip the lure over, not getting hooked, or get beak hooked briefly. With the stinger, the hook is typically inside the mouth buried in tissue. After the baby jerkos/squirkos came out in the late 90's and seeing how sticky/strong and unbelievably great holders the little 1/0 774's are, I made the switch from round bends to that very 774 design on my stingers which improved an already great tool. I had always given credit to Joel Wick for the stinger. After ordering a new creeper from him in 1998 and complaining about my missed night fish, he told me he'd 'fix' it. After reading this thread I see I have Steve to thank for the idea. It's a tool with measurable value no doubt. |
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Posts: 2236
Location: SE, WI. | Tim, if that bait is wood, you will probably need to remove the rear hook to add a trailer. Then, it looks like the front hook is too far up front. Most baits are balanced with the placement of the screw eyes. Adding a stinger to your bait may make it rear heavy, and out of balance. Pics are at times deceiving. not sure of the size of your bait, but rear heavy will make the blade spin beneath the surface, especially looking at the depth of the bracket, and the smaller size taper of back side. balance is huge with the performance of this bait...good luck! I don't care too much for a flaptail without the stabilizer wire up front. That bait looks wild, and will probably have some sway/swing. JD |
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Posts: 32799
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | No need to remove the rear hook. Simply drill a hole the size of .051 wire about 1/2" into the top center of the bait about even with the rear hook hanger. Drill another through the bait about 1/2" from the back of the bait. Take a piece of .051 wire about 8" long, and make a 90 degree bend in one end that is 1/2 inch long. Force the end of the bent portion into the 1/2" hole. Look at where you need the second bend, and use needle nose pliers to make a 90 degree bend, then force the long end through the hole until the wire is level with the top of the bait. Take the wire and bend it back out of the way of the rear hook. Determine how long you want the stinger, loop and cut the wire, and split ring a hook on. Seal the holes with epoxy. Done. |
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Posts: 2236
Location: SE, WI. | Tim; Here is a mod for a trailer on your bait. Again, what I thought from first pic was the case. The rear 2/0 hook sat 1/2" past the bracket, therefore hanging up on the wire after modification. Put 6/0 treble on front eye. You might even get away with a 7/0, 3551 on there. STILL, I would probably bring back the front screw eye 1/2 -3/4". I'll test bait tomorrow to see how it runs  JD
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