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Location: Green Bay, WI | About a year ago I purchased a whole tackle box full of various crankbaits, from the estate of a fellow musky angler. With all the medical issues I had last year, I didn't really get them out to look at them until now. There are probably 10 or so of these lures (see pictures) in many different colors. They don't even look to have been used. They look somewhat like Rapala X-Raps to me, but they aren't an exact match--and none of them have any sort of logo or trademark.
So can someone identify these things?
Thanks!
TB
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pic1.jpg (146KB - 234 downloads)
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | It looks like an older Mann's crankbait to me. How long is it. You mentioned Rapala X-Rap, so I'm guessing they are under 7 inches. I'm Sticking with Mann's. |
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| It looks like a european make made by Fladen. Google for there website it should be on there. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Hmmmm.....
Well, a Manns lure is a good guess. My lures are about 9" from the front of the bill to the back of the rear eye-hook that holds the rear treble. I went to the Manns website:
http://www.mannsbait.com/index.asp
...and tried to find something that was identical; but couldn't. They are very close though--and I wonder if it's simply a matter of them having changed the design slightly? The diving bill on these is straight, but all I can find on that webpage are lures whose bills curve up at the front. Also, these are straight along the bottom, and the Manns lures are curved--and they don't seem to have any that are 9" long. Theirs seem to be (in that style) either 8" or 11". But the Mann lures come as close as I have seen.
When I get my boat from storage at the dealer later this week, I can break out my "trolling secrets" book, and see if this thing is listed with a picture. There were about nine or ten of these things in that box, in all different colors, so I hope they work out well--and that I can find some identification for them. Though not absolutely necessary, it would be nice to find depth profiles for them in the trolling books--that would save me the time of having to plot some depth curves out myself.
Thanks for the post!
TB
Edited by tcbetka 4/27/2009 6:57 AM
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Geordie - 4/27/2009 6:26 AM
It looks like a european make made by Fladen. Google for there website it should be on there.
Well, interesting...never even heard of them! I found their site here:
http://www.fladenfishing.co.uk/Servlet
...and they do offer lip designs like the ones on these lures. And they do actually have contour lines around the head of the lure like these lures--simulating gills. However the body styles aren't the same on their website, and the style lure that is closest has the front eye right on the body of the lure, while these are on the diving lip. But maybe they've changed the lure design somewhat--I suppose that's possible. But I cannot find anything even close to 9" (23cm) in the catalog.
Well, I'll keep looking anyway. Thanks for the idea. At the very least, I am learning about crankbait brands that I never even knew existed!
TB |
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Posts: 462
Location: Madison Wi. Chain | It looks a little like an AC shiner. BG |
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| It's a bait distributed by many companies. I think Rollie and Helen's used to list it as a Windell's something or other. There's a shallow version of the same bait which is sold under many names too. |
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Posts: 50
| looks like a Finnegan's minnow made by The Producers.These were inexpensive baits you could buy at dicks sporting goods.Just a possibility? |
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Posts: 10
Location: Menasha, Wi | Barramundi Mauler...
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj262/cacheton98/Fishing%20Tackl... |
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Posts: 432
Location: Eagan, MN | Good guess Captn but if you're refering to the Windels Muskie Snack that isn't one. I had a few and they were junk btw. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI |
Yup...that looks like the one Kreg!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260390235088
That link shows a top view of a shorter version, and it's identical to the outline of the lures I have. Now to research them some more--apparently they were designed for Tarpon fishing, as far as I can tell.
Thanks a million for identifying the lure though...a HUGE help!
TB
Edited by tcbetka 4/27/2009 5:44 PM
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Posts: 115
Location: Birch Run | The barrmundi mauler was the hot ticket back in the day salmon fishing on lake huron(oscoda) , long lining and off boards. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | How do they hold up against the bigger Kings?
If they can hold up against a 30+ pound King Salmon, they should be able to handle any musky swimming in Green Bay. Those big Kings are BRUTAL...
TB |
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Posts: 89
Location: East of muskie country | That is indeed a Barramundi Mauler. These were my most successful trolling baits back in '04. I eventually lost them all and Dick's Sporting Goods quit carrying them. The pick says it all - this bait was money.......Memories........
(barrmundi mauler muskie.jpg)
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barrmundi mauler muskie.jpg (151KB - 168 downloads)
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Location: Green Bay, WI | COOL...Nice fish! I have a bunch of them, in different colors. Did you have any problems with them holding up to fish? I would think that they should do fine, given that they were designed for Tarpon and such. Also, do you know a depth profile for them? I would bet they aren't listed in the Trolling Secrets guide, but mine is still in storage in my boat so I can't check for a few days. I should have it by the weekend though.
Finally, did you use the salt water VMC hooks? They look like they'd be fine; just need a good sharpening...
Thanks for the post!
TB |
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Posts: 89
Location: East of muskie country | TB - these baits are solid, I owned 2 at the time and caught at least 5-7 on each, can't remember for sure, didn't keep a log back then. I kept the saltwater hooks, always sharpened them. They look like a deeper bait but I primarily trolled them 3-4 mph with 20-40 ft 80/100 lb braid attaining depths of 8-10 ft. I trolled Grandmas, Jakes, and Believers as much as these baits back then with the Barramundi's outproducing all combined. |
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Posts: 115
Location: Birch Run | My buddy has tons of them and they always held up to the kings, not many many in the 30 range were caught though, mostly 12-18lbers. Kings are brutal especially when the water is colder and they are still green in the net. Producers also made a j-plug copy that worked well, i think the business burned down and they never rebuilt. Someone mine as well start trolling j-plugs for skies as well i know of alot of big pike that have been caught on plugs by salmon trollers. |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Thanks for the information...
I have 11 of these things, in all different colors. It doesn't look like *any* of them have ever been used. So they are in mint condition. The "Precision Trolling" book has the smaller Marauders, with depth curves for each. I also have the Trolling Secrets book as well, but it's in the boat and I won't get it until the end of the week--but there might be some information on these lures in there. Otherwise I can certainly figure it out once the season starts.
The reason I asked about their durability is because of how the front eyelet is molded into the diving lip. It looks to be simply epoxied in, with nothing mechanical holding it in place. Quite frankly, I am a bit concerned about this point--as if it fails, the fish is lost...with the lure in its mouth! When you lost these lures, what happened? Did you lose them on fish, snags, or what?
Thanks again for all the help, guys.
TB
Edited by tcbetka 4/28/2009 8:15 PM
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Posts: 89
Location: East of muskie country | TB - both lures are residing in the snag cemetery. Hopefully you can produce the second photo ever of a muskie chopping on the Baramundi  |
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