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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | Anyone have anything good, bad or indifferent to say about these baits? They've been around while, pretty sure Uncle Josh was making them, or still does. I like that style of bait, sort of in the jntd Believer pedigree. I see them kicking around a lot on Ebay and other Buy/Sell forums. Looks like a shallow diver with some good rumble. Might be a good one to add in with Outkasts, Believers and stuff for trolling close to the boat. Thoughts/experiences? Thanks. |
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| I have had some luck trolling them for tigers. I haven't tried casting them. |
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Posts: 132
| I have been fishing B-1's for thirty years. I knew Fred and Cliff Burmek back in the day and would have lunch with them a couple times a year. GREAT action on this lure!
That said, I don't believe I have ever caught a musky on one! I often refer to it as the best lure I have never caught anything on.
You can swim them slow on the surface and they look awesome. Crank them down and they go about 3-4 feet.
I can get follows all the time on them. I can get follows when nothing else will get follows. But, I can't get anything to eat one. Even on the surface, all I get are follows with it. I use them a lot to see fish and then go back later or the next day when the conditions are better and throw something else. Or, if I have two other people in the boat casting ahead of me, I'll mop up with a B-1. Many times I will see fish that the other two in the boat with faster presentations didn't interest.
I guess I use it like a shock bait just to see fish.
I must be doing something wrong because I know they catch fish for others. |
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Posts: 1316
Location: Lebanon,Mo | Partycrasher - 6/3/2008 2:54 PM
I have been fishing B-1's for thirty years. I knew Fred and Cliff Burmek back in the day and would have lunch with them a couple times a year. GREAT action on this lure!
That said, I don't believe I have ever caught a musky on one! I often refer to it as the best lure I have never caught anything on.
You can swim them slow on the surface and they look awesome. Crank them down and they go about 3-4 feet.
I can get follows all the time on them. I can get follows when nothing else will get follows. But, I can't get anything to eat one. Even on the surface, all I get are follows with it. I use them a lot to see fish and then go back later or the next day when the conditions are better and throw something else. Or, if I have two other people in the boat casting ahead of me, I'll mop up with a B-1. Many times I will see fish that the other two in the boat with faster presentations didn't interest.
I guess I use it like a shock bait just to see fish.
I must be doing something wrong because I know they catch fish for others.
Thats the best news I have ever heard coming from a Burmek. |
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| Not saying they're good or bad, but they're nothing like a believer if that's what you're looking for. |
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Posts: 141
| The Burmeks are not a bad bait, just a little too bouyant. Try adding some more weight to the front part of the bait so you can work it nice and slow and your catch rate will improve. |
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm strictly looking to troll this bait. Big action, can be surface crawled or made to troll four feet deep? Sounds like a Believer on the upper eye a bit to me, Guest. |
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Posts: 132
| Yes DaveG. They are too bouyant. I nevet tried adding weight to them. You pretty much cant stop reeling them or they will pop up to the surface.
When I was a kid there was a guy from Chicago that used to vacation at the same resort as us the same week for years. He swore by B-1's and caught fish on them. He's actually the one who got me started using them. But the couple Burmeks that he had were very old and the tail section didn't have that "shark fin" on it like they do now.
And I swear that they may have been wood. I think they were early versions that may have had slightly less action than the new ones and less bouyant. I don't believe they went any deeper, but I don't remember them popping up as fast as the newer ones.
Burmeks also made a small Bass and walleye bait about the size of a #9 Rapala that was outstanding. It was the Burmek Minnow. It had a little metal lip, wide wobble, and would just kill the walleyes and Largemouths. Even Lake Michigan Browns.
Fred and Cliff were great guys. I never got to meet Tony.
The also made a surface bait for Musky that basicly looked like a B-1 with propellers on it. I don't have one but I nave seen them on e-Bay now and then. |
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Posts: 531
Location: Hugo, MN | Agreed, they are the best looking bait I've never caught a fish on. I prefer to use them like a hawgwobbler, real slow with a big wide wake. Problem is, I don't have the patience for either. |
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| Four of the biggest musky's I have ever raised (2 would have gone 40lbs or more) was on a sucker colored Burmek B-1, but could never coax them into hitting. That said, I have caught five or six undersized (30"-32") on it. I cast it, with and retrieve it slowly. I've raised the big ones sitting on the weed bed and throwing into deep water and bringing it back over the weed edge.
I have one of the original Burmeks, yes it is wooden and it has a fork tail. Lure don't work all that great beacuse the lip is screwed up on it. |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I suppose I have 7-8 Bermek B1. They where a hot bait back when I started fishing muskies (60's). I think I've caught at least one muskie on every one I own, but no longer use them. Perhaps I should. Doug Johnson |
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Location: Eastern Ontario | When fished on the surface you would wonder how it ever makes it back to the boat, but for 30 years it has impressed me far more than the muskies. I sold mine and a year later bought another because I can't believe it won't catch fish |
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Posts: 19
Location: Central WI | I've caught fish on them, but have found that if the musky follow and will not take them, I throw back a No. 18 Gold & Black Rapala. I am not sure if it's the smaller profile or that I use small jerks to retrieve, but works almost every time. |
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Posts: 395
Location: NW WI | DaveG - 6/3/2008 4:55 PM
The Burmeks are not a bad bait, just a little too bouyant. Try adding some more weight to the front part of the bait so you can work it nice and slow and your catch rate will improve.
Dave,
Would you share exactly where and how much weight? Try as I might I just can't get a fish to look at mine yet the action seems killer! I keep wanting to retire the bait but it just looks too good! LOL!!
Thanks!
IFS |
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Location: 31 | You guys have me interested in trying this bait again after never catching anything on it... gave up forever ago. I like the idea that it's so buoyant... and now I'm contemplating trying it slow trolling/casting at night almost like a surface lure. What I'm interested in is modifying the B1 like I've done in the past with a jointed 8-9"? believer/Swim Whizz. I replace the center hook with a bass size Indiana blade and BB swivel, the blade spins and really clangs against the hollow body.
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Location: Eastern Ontario | You could drill the front section and add a couple of ball bearings then epoxy the hole like we used to do with Believers before Drifter started adding rattles. Would add weight and noise. |
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Burmek B1