Posted 5/7/2012 7:56 PM (#558418 - in reply to #558317) Subject: Re: Gapen's Polish Perch?
Posts: 388
Location: Northern Illinois
I've caught some absolutely massive bass (one 23" in November) with the Poish Shad and the skinnier sucker version. Since they are so realistic, I work them slow with a pull and pause to let them dive and rise and let their sides flash like a dying fish. You definitely didn't waste $6.
The Polish Shad in the picture is 8 inches long (without the lip).
Zoom - | Zoom 100% | Zoom + | Expand / Contract | Open New window
Posted 5/7/2012 10:05 PM (#558438 - in reply to #558317) Subject: Re: Gapen's Polish Perch?
Posts: 218
These lures had been imported from Poland by Dan Gapen. He has had difficulty the last couple years with getting them in the country and so they are increasingly difficult to find. The baits work fine and as the others have stated you didn't waste your money. Two small critiques based on what I've seen. The lips are a bit on the thin side and have not held up well when crashing into rocks so use caution. The lures are a solid polyfoam material and have seen some of them crack. Other thatn that they do catch fish so give it a whirl and good luck fishing.
Posted 5/8/2012 7:04 PM (#558604 - in reply to #558317) Subject: Re: Gapen's Polish Perch?
Posts: 52
Location: Bemidji
Had a perch and a pike - both split and literally started falling apart in the first week using them. Tore half the lip off on the pike by bumping a rock.
Posted 5/10/2012 11:52 AM (#558961 - in reply to #558317) Subject: RE: Gapen's Polish Perch?
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River
I'm surprised to see people praising this bait. I guess I must have gotten a bad batch of them or something. I bought 3 of them from Dan at the Ultimate Fishing Show (in Novi MI) a few years ago & they run for crap. The tuning on them sux IMO & it was a PIA to get them to run close to straight.
Posted 5/10/2012 1:55 PM (#558975 - in reply to #558317) Subject: Re: Gapen's Polish Perch?
Posts: 388
Location: Northern Illinois
I do like them as I mentioned earlier, but I think they have their place. I may have 150 or so wooden or durable plastic lures and 3 of these. I got the first one for $4 from a friend who got them at the end-of-year bin at Gander Mountain. Although I haven't had any problems, I can imagine that they are not the most durable lures in the world. If my $4 Polish Shad falls apart it just goes in the garbage. I like them mostly for their realistic finishes and flash and use them for casting slow in cold water where the fish gets a long look at them. Trolling them across Lake St.Clair or banging them into rocks would not be the first thing that comes to my mind for them. It's obvious to me that they are not going to last a lifetime like something like a Wiley. I think the take away from the feedback here is that they have their place under certain conditions, but aren't the most durable lures in the world.
Gapen's Polish Perch?