I get the question a lot from people regarding what to use as far as lures go. They often ask me things like, "what should I use in spring?" or "what's the best needle to buy?". I always answer with the same response, "Well, what is it you're trying to do?" A lot of the time I'll get a funny look from the person who asked and the typical response is "well, I want to catch fish". I don't want to tell them that it isn't that simple, because sometimes it is. Point is, if you want to catch fish with any kind of regularity you have to form an understanding of the behavior of that fish and maybe more importantly, the behavior of what it eats.
For instance, this is part of the reason I don't like the new swim shads that have flooded the market over that past few years. It's not that they don't catch fish, because they do, very well in fact. It's just that the mere existence of a "magic lure" will typically lead people away from what they should be doing which is paying attention, figuring out what works in different situations and most importantly... why.
It's happened in the past. The Red Gills come to mind. This was a lure or maybe more aptly called a teaser, which came out many years ago. It's a slender, single hook, semi-soft plastic that was used by cape fisherman as a sandeel imitation. Since then, all you hear is that it is the best teaser to use, hands down. Not true of course, but still, it can be very deadly when used in the right situation. Not the be all and end all as some would have you believe.
The Sluggo. Let me just say one thing. I love these things. 4 or 5 years ago, I stood in a river next to Steve McKenna as he worked through how to rig and fish these lures effectively. I saw him on many-a-night with my jaw dropped open as he managed some really spectacular fish on them. He gave me a couple at one point and told me what to do with them. I was very grateful, and I still am. Since then I've been playing on my own and I've caught a lot of fish, including some big ones, on these great lures.
Steve's approach to the use of this lure was appropriate. He knew it had potential and he tried a hundred different things in a hundred different situations to find what he liked best. He didn't try to make it work in all situations, but he used it when it made sense or he had a feeling it would work. That kind of know how only comes from hard earned experience. When he began to share what he learned with the public, which was very kind of him, the internet started buzzing about this new fantastic lure. Next thing you know, there are recipes for the "correct" way to rig a sluggo on every site on the internet. This method does work, very well, but people shouldn't limit it's applications to those defined by this particular technique. This popularity instantly took the mystique out of the lure and turned it into the "magic lure" as we know it today. Since this all started I haven't spoke to many people who don't use the lure according to those rigging specifications. I use them rigged that way too, but not all the time.
I'm sure there are more stories of magic lures out there. These are only the stories that I know and I haven’t been around the scene very long.
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