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Posts: 22
Location: Lou's Bay on the 'goon | I gotta ask, I see all sorts of press about the Jackpot and the Weagle. Both are very popular . The Doc (which I have by the way) doesnt seem to get the press and I have always wondered why. Somebody please tell me. Do the Poe's and Weagles have a Better action, ride lower, longer glides? Tastier? I have a Weagle and Poe waiting for me at the shop. Just need to know. Thanks, Ter
Net time your on the 'goon in Lou's Bay, drop in for a beverage and bring a story. |
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| The hit to hook up ratio on a weagle is really high...Ben |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | All three are great baits.
By design, zig-zag or walk-the-dog style topwater baits have a low hooking percentage compared to other styles of baits on the market.
The Jackpot is the lightest one of the three you mention. Easy to work, fish love to chase it, but in my personal experience very low hooking pecentage due to the light weight of the lure.
The Doc, which I personally really like, is a little larger profile, has rattles for added vibration, sits a little lower in the water, triggers fish very well, and in my personal experience, it was my "go to" bait in this style...until the Weagle was introduced.
The Weagle, the heaviest of the three you mention, sits very low in the water, you can almost keep this bait in one position moving side to side. Due to it's weight and profile the hookup percentages are increased. I batted 80% on it last year, compared to 50% at best with the previous mentioned baits. Because of the size/weight it can be a little harder to work, but with the right action rod, you'll get the hang of it in no time.
All that being said... my Jackpots are now in the overflow box in the shop and in the boat are Weagles and a few favorite Docs. There are times I prefer the "swish" sound made by the rattles in the Doc.
Hope this helped a little. |
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Posts: 2024
| The hit to hook up ratio on a weagle is really high...Ben
Not for everyone...
To answer your question Inspector, the Weagle got a ton of hype, especially from guys on the internet. It's unique sound produced a lot of fish for some folks and, of course, they shared their successes with others. Poe's and Musky Mania advertise in other ways. But remember, they sell lots of other baits, so their zig-zag topwaters aren't necessarily top priority. After seeing the success Steve (Cady, and now Jonesi) and Luke have and are having with the Weagle I'd conclude that the internet is maybe the most powerful form of advertising.
All the baits work just fine. It comes down to personal preference. The Doc has rattles, too, which the others do not, and is made of plastic. If you're curious, buy them all and decide for yourself! |
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| I have never had a weagle blown out of the water by a fish and find it a better hooking bait then the others. Now I have had fish WHIFF at the weagle, but that is a different story. |
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Posts: 1936
Location: Eau Claire, WI | Bukes....
That's called "premature inhallation"...  |
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Posts: 1996
Location: Pelican Lake/Three Lakes Chain | I don't want to confuse things, but one of the better walk the dog baits is missing from your list. The Recon made by H2O tackle is another great option for walk the dog fanatics. It does not get blown out of the water like a Doc or Jackpot.
The only two walk the doggers I throw are the Weagle and the Recon. |
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| The Viper by Phantom lures is my choice for this style of bait. It rides lower in the water than other walk the dog baits and makes a lot of noise. My hooking ratio is MUCH better with this bait!!!! |
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| I don't have any experince with the Weagle but I use Jackpots, Vipers and Docs extensively. I like the action and sound of the Doc but have had very little success. I'm thinking that on the pressured lakes I fish the rattle is a turn-off, but it's probably a benefit in some other situations. I've done well with the Viper but I haven't noticed my hook-up percentage that much better than with other style baits. I have the older Vipers with the weight system and I like to use the lightest weight to make the bait ride really low in the water but still at the surface.
That being said, the Jackpot raises far and away more fish than pretty much any other bait I've every used - but as everybody else has stated, the hook-up ratio is poor. I've gotten away from using the J for this reason, but on a tough day I can usually rely on it to at least move a fish when nothing esle will. One thing I've noticed about the J is that fish are much more inclined to slap at it with thier tail than to try to eat it. I think a lot of the poor hook-up problems are simply that fish are not really trying to eat this bait. Maybe they can see the lower riding Viper or Weagle better and thus eat it rather than slap at it?
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Posts: 816
| Question: What does everyone mean by the Jackpot getting "blown out?" Does that mean fish are actually blowing it out of the water? That sounds a lot like a terriotory strike to me, when the Muskies are just trying to either intimidate/chase the prey out of it's territory. |
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| mountainmuskies - 5/19/2006 9:17 AM
Question: What does everyone mean by the Jackpot getting "blown out?" Does that mean fish are actually blowing it out of the water? That sounds a lot like a terriotory strike to me, when the Muskies are just trying to either intimidate/chase the prey out of it's territory.
Well, you can call it whatever but it has not happened yet for me with the weagle. |
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| Bukes - 5/19/2006 7:46 AM
I have never had a weagle blown out of the water by a fish and find it a better hooking bait then the others. Now I have had fish WHIFF at the weagle, but that is a different story.
I had a 40" fish hit and miss - a weagle and it was easily launched 3 feet out of the water (2 oz vs 4.5oz is not much difference to a muskie exploding on a bait is it?) I have caught fish on all them - you can "feed" a fish a jackpot (takes some practice) - all have a different sound and all are great tools. Weagle is a great throw back lure - by the way the 40" fish was caught on a topraider two minutes later - probably the best hooking topwater bait I have ever used but thats a different subject  |
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| muskies dont "protect territory". muskies dont attack things for any reason beyond they're eating. |
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| My favorite is probably the Z-180!
I liked esox 50 description on the Weagles popularity I think he is right on the money with the internet hype. I asked someone who works at Thorne Brothers about the bait when it first came out and the word "hype" was one of the first out of his mouth. It has caught big fish no doubt but if it's the only walk-the-dog topwater thrown it will be the only one to catch a fish. |
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Posts: 136
| One other thing I can add is that compared to weagles and jackpots, a Doc is made of plastic. Fish are unable to dig into plastic unlike wood. This can make a hook set easier once they have it in there mouth. But first it has to get in there mouth. Personally I don't think I am going to through a walk the dog bait this year. I used to throw them alot, but the hook up percentage is too low. I know they work fish but I can catch the same fish on a LOW rider and they don't miss. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | I hadn't thrown a jackpot in a couple years until just this week...I found one of the old "fat" ones still on the shelf at a local sporting goods store and put it on...wow, what have I been thinking not throwing it! Got a fish first night out with it...
Another one you guys should really look at is Lee Lures Fish Stick and his Mag Fish Stick...I threw the Mag the other night for a bit and all I can say is I know it will get smacked...great side to side movement and it can be worked slow...3 hooks in it so it should be a good hooker...
I love side to side topwaters and probably own one of just about every kind...but the 3 or 4 that I seem to throw the most are Weagle, Jackpot, Viper and Dancin Raider with now Lee's coming into the mix.... |
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | I think one of the baits that need to be mentioned here also is the RECON by H2O Tackle.
Rides great on the water and can be worker fast or slow and does not lose action
Recon rocks!!!!!!!!!!!
SAINT1 |
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| Dewey - 5/19/2006 8:15 AM
The Viper by Phantom lures is my choice for this style of bait. It rides lower in the water than other walk the dog baits and makes a lot of noise. My hooking ratio is MUCH better with this bait!!!!
Couldn't of said it better myself. Not to mention it's half the price of some of the others. |
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Posts: 22
Location: Lou's Bay on the 'goon | Thanks everyone , this gives me more cannon fodder to chew on.
Next time your on the 'goon in Lou's bay, drop in for a beverage and bring a story. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | blassko ... you've never seen a fish hit a bait with it's mouth shut and just throw it out of the way? |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Like hell muskies dont protect territory....all fish do.
Mike |
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Posts: 816
| I know for a fact that Muskies are very, very territorial fish especially when fishing rivers where there's a lot of competition for food and shelter. Here's an example from just a couple weeks ago: We were fishing some pretty clear water, about 7 ft. of water when out of the blue one comes up under the boat and stares down my Manta. Not to unusual, then this fish checked out my partners Tuff Shad and then she kind of disappeared. Next cast, I put a Depthraider on thinking if she checked out the Tuff Shad then the DR may be all she needs. Not quite, she charged it real late then stopped dead, at this point I could have reached out and touched her, she was laying with her side to the boat then sticks her head out of the water then swims down and suspends almost vertical. First word out of my mouth was "territorial" it was pretty wild. |
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Jackpots, Weagles and Docs