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Posts: 2061
Location: Belgium | ok, I have been browsing through the archives on several musky sites to find some tips on how to fish the bulldawgs and I read the most contradictory replies you can find on this subject so I want to clear some myths and settle some discussions to make matters understandable for everyone.
- should we, yes or no, remove the single hook on the back of the lure? Why? I read one reply that stated that Steve Herbeck said to remove the singe hook to avoid leverage, another reply said to keep that hook because of the strikes around the head of the lure. Did anyone catch more muskies hooked on the single hook or front treble rather than on the back hook?
- Does it pay to set the hook multiple times and is it necessary to do this? A lot of replies stated that you need to set the hook twice or more each time you hook a fish on the bulldawg.
- Is jigging a bulldawg possible without having to reel in your lure every five seconds to undo the tangled mess? I would imagine that the trebles would catch the leader on the drop.
- Do you find that the spreading of the trebles on the new style bulldawg is better than on the old style? I read several replies stating that they still moved the rear treble back to be able to stick it in the base of the tail, both on 9" and 12" models.
- Is it possible that the new style bulldawg has no wobble because of the rigid stainless steel frame? I noticed they move as straight as an arrow through the water and I'm not the only one to have noticed this. I noticed that the new ones tend to hang on their side when the frame gets bent to eather side
- Should the trebles swing freely under the lure or should one or both hooks be stuck in the body? I read arguments supporting both ways (easier hook-ups with the freely swinging hooks; less snagging in weeds when you stick one hook of each treble in the plastic body). I'm glad the changed the rigging of the tail hook so it's no longer inserted in the body.
iI'd love to read your thoughts on these issues. Thanks!
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Posts: 2061
Location: Belgium | another thing. I spent several hours casting the new style bulldawg and that thing gets bent fairly easily. Once the inside frame has been bent, it tracks out of center and even runs on its side. Anyone else experience this? Never thought I'd be tuning a plastic bait to make it run straight. |
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Posts: 2061
Location: Belgium | has anyone ever seen a bulldawg with scales and gillplates? |
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Location: Pewaukee, WI | I went through a phase of messing with them, cutting hooks, sticking them etc......basically resulted in more work than needed for me.....................have moved more fish just leaving the bait as is out of the box and letting it work for itself............
As for jigging it and keeping the snarled mess to a min.. isn't much of a problem when I straight retrieve every few casts and as of late, I have tagged one just reeling it in.............
It's such a simple bait I think some try to make it do more than it was intended do.........
I know I wouldn't mind a model with the treb's on the top for dragg'n bottom |
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Posts: 516
Location: Kildeer, IL | Here are my opinions: Set the hook once, unless you didn't get a good hook set. Two really good hook sets does noting but open a bigger hole in the fishes mouth. The bulldawg is a surprisingly good hooker. Jigging is very possible. You just have to follow the bait down with your rod tip. Try not to have any slack in your line. I've never spread the hooks out. I shrink wrap each hook on the bottom. This keeps them from wrapping around the leader, and sticking into the body. I always leave the top hook on. I don't see any reason to remove it. I've never seen a fish caught on the top hook. I don't think the stiff leader inside the new bulldawgs affects the action. It does come back all wrapped up in a "C" position every once and a while. The stiff leader is supposed to last longer than the stranded leader. But none of this matters, because the rubber body falls apart before the leader can get damaged. I wish they would have stuck with the stranded leader. Yes, I have seen bulldawgs with scales and gills. I own one in the walleye pattern. It is very cool looking, but it catches my eye more than the fishes. I highly doubt that the fish can see the scales or the gills. Hope this helps, Scott |
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| I use these things to a fault. Here are my opinions on your questions:
I've never found the single hook on the back of any size dawg to be a problem. I rarely hook fish on the single hook. That said, last year I stuck a 51 X 26 on the single hook - my heaviest fish of the year by far.
As to hook-sets, I agree with SetMe31. I personally don't set the hook more than once with any lure. My hook-ups with dawgs are no better or worse than with any other lure.
Regarding jigging, I again agree with SetMe31. Keep the slack out and you'll do fine.
With respect ot hook placement, I've not tried to reposition any of them. I do seem to pull the bait out of the fish's mouth from time to time. I would have to defer to those who have compared apples to apples.
As to the lack of bobble, I do think this is do to the wire frame. If you take a brand new dawg out of it's package and gently place it in the water - don't cast it - some baits still have a bobble. All it takes is one cast to bend that frame and the bobble is gone for good. Personally I think replacing the seven-strand was a good thing as all seven-strand is destined to fail. However, the current configuration of the hook hangers is not the best possible solution. Titanium would do the trick but is probably too expensive to build into a "disposable" lure.
Personally I think free-swinging trebles are the way to go. The trailing hook on the oriiginal medium sized dawg had one hook buried in the body that acted as part of the frame. That hook rarely penetrated any flesh. SetMe31 makes an excellent suggestion when he advises that you shrink wrap the hooks. Take care. |
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Posts: 938
Location: NeverNever Lake | I spoke to Brad Ruh (Mr. Bulldawg) last year and he said that he had too many reports of break-offs with the sevenstrand wire Dawgs. He now uses injection molded Dawgs and the stiff wire is the only thing that will stay in place during this process.
I have since taken my Dawgies in for surgery and I cut the wire off behind the 1st hanger. I have replaced it with single strand leader material in 150# test for my back hanger. I have also used 175# sevenstrand.
I made a mold last week of the "Mag" and started pouring my own. I now can have any color anytime. They're for my own personal use and not for sale and Brad will still get credit for any fish I catch on them.
Heat shrink is the ticket if you're willing to take the time to do them.
5/0 Lazers bent out slightly are my hook of choice on the Magnum.
.......................I love my Dawgs |
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