Need lure help

[Trout Tracker]

Saw a lure on a website the other day but can't remember what site and the lure name. It looked a cross between a wobble troll (peanut lure) and a shortened wee tad. Any idea what it was?

 

[Trout Tracker]

OOPS! I just found it. Crystal Basin Lil' Devil

 

[kokanee-lou]

OOPS! I just found it. Crystal Basin Lil' Devil

Got mine at KokaneeTackle.com and they work!!

 

[Pzak]

How fast are you guys trolling with them? Any concerns about running a hard bait on one rod with a dodger/hoochie on another? Im gonna bet they both run pretty well between the .9 -1.5 range but what are you guys seeing...

 

[kokanee-lou]

Pzak,

I have been running one on a flatline by itself (no flasher/dodger) about 100 feet back as my second rod at 0.9-1.2. No problems. Only try to keep the rainbow off it!

P.S.: I just looked and KokaneeTackle is running a 10% off on all Crystal Basin. Crystal also makes their own Wee Tad with blanks from the same supplier Tomic Lures uses. They are about $3 less.

 

[Pzak]

Thanks K-Lou, I think I need to get a few of those Lil Devils to try this year. I guessing that you are running lead line to get it down a little bit on your flatline right?

 

[SilverBullets]

Pzak... also check out GVF Draggins

 

[kokanee-lou]

Pzak,
I run a chain swivel at the end of my 12# mono main line, then 3ft of 10# leader to the lure. Sometimes I add a small dodger above the leader. Don't use short leaders with a dodger or the dodger will affect the action of the Lil Devil/Wee Tad. What helps is the zig-zag trolling pattern that lets the lure drop on the turns and speed up on the straights. That way the lure is changing both depth and speed which I figure covers the top 10 feet of water. If there are no bites with 100ft, I go out in 20 ft increments (Okuma line-counter reel) provided there aren't a lot of boats.

 

[Pzak]

Thanks guys, anyone out there use all of the hard baits listed? if you guys had to pick one, wee tad/wee thing, DVF draggins, apex, or lil devils which way would you go?

 

[SilverBullets]

Thanks guys, anyone out there use all of the hard baits listed? if you guys had to pick one, wee tad/wee thing, DVF draggins, apex, or lil devils which way would you go?

I 've never tried the draggins/devils but between the apex and wee-tad the apex wins hands down.

 

[Scrminbanshee]

Thanks guys, anyone out there use all of the hard baits listed? if you guys had to pick one, wee tad/wee thing, DVF draggins, apex, or lil devils which way would you go?

Well i just spent a 100 bucks on weetads and some other salmon plugs! I never have had that good of luck with the apex. Hope to have some good luck with those Weetads

 

[SilverBullets]

Well i just spent a 100 bucks on weetads and some other salmon plugs! I never have had that good of luck with the apex. Hope to have some good luck with those Weetads

What size apex, are you re-rigging or useing them as is straight out of the package, and how fast are you trolling?

 

[Scrminbanshee]

What size apex, are you re-rigging or useing them as is straight out of the package, and how fast are you trolling?

I run some just straight out the package. Some i have retied and the leader is about from my neck to the end of my arm so 3ftish. I troll about at 1.0-1.4. Now that i got all these wee tads i got to work em for a while and see what speed works best.

 

[Kokonuts]

Here's a little more info on the Lil'Devil. I found some a couple of years ago in an Estate sale in Portland. They were made back in the 1970's by Maxwell Manufacturing in Vancouver and called Lil Guys. They were ment for Salmon & Steelhead. I have a copy of an add for them & it showes a second hook in Front of the lure! I think there is some more about them on this forum if you run a search.
I have used them & caught Kokanee but they were never a big proudcer for me. Be sure & post info on how they work for you!!

Kokonuts

 

[Trout Tracker]

Thanks for all the good info fellas. Time to order some new lures.

 

[SilverBullets]

I run some just straight out the package. Some i have retied and the leader is about from my neck to the end of my arm so 3ftish. I troll about at 1.0-1.4. Now that i got all these wee tads i got to work em for a while and see what speed works best.

You'll also have to do some experimemting with what holes to run your line though on those wee-tads.
The apex has been my go-to lure for the past 10 years. They've accounted for close to 99% of the kokes my dad and i have caught trolling. I'm not sure if the success is due to the changes i do to them or the fact that they get alot of useage... whatever it is they do work. I use the 1.5 model (measures 2") and the majority of them were packaged as trout lures. I change out the 12lb line to 8lb for better action at slower speeds. I've found 1.4-1.6 mph best.Try rigging them up with a few 5mm beads above the hooks then thread on a rubber bobber stop.The bobber stop gives you the option of changing the set-back of the beads/hooks/corn... (works for the wee-tads too.) I like the hooks trailing inback of the lure by at least an inch but experiment... some days they like more. I've had success with the hooks trailing by as much as 4 inches.

 

[dirty bird]

Has anybody else tried this but with a hoochie behind the Apex? If so, how was the action and how did it work?

 

[chukardave1]

Bret,

Haven't tried a hootchie behind an apex, but do run them behind a medium rapala in the early season on Wickiup. Hoping to maybe pick up a Brown on the Rapala. Never caught a brown, but have had several kokes on the hootchie trailing behind the rapala.

 

[calamari]

Y
The apex has been my go-to lure for the past 10 years. They've accounted for close to 99% of the kokes my dad and i have caught trolling.

Funny how the lure you always use is the one you catch your fish on? Just funning with you SB.101schater101
You can cut grooves in the back of a kokanee sized Apex and slip a hoochie you've cut the tip off of over the back so it locks in the grooves.
You can make your own little plugs by taking a Dremel tool and a 1/4" cylinder cutter and make a concave face in the front of a 3/8" walleye float so it looks like a Bass O Reno. Drill or melt a new hole in the face at right angles to the face you've cut and rig it up with a leader and one bead on the back side and a hook. It will wobble like the commercial plugs.
Take the same float and cut a slot with a Dremel tool on one side at 45 Deg. to the axis of the float. Cut a piece of stiff plastic (like the shrink plastic that is form fitting to stuff you buy like lures or whatever) to make a small wing that sticks out the distance that is equal to the floats diameter. Just glue one on one side.. It will be out of balance and cause the float to wobble as it spins. Another good kokanee lure that cost .10 cents to make.

 

[BorntoFish01]

Funny how the lure you always use is the one you catch your fish on? Just funning with you SB.101schater101
You can cut grooves in the back of a kokanee sized Apex and slip a hoochie you've cut the tip off of over the back so it locks in the grooves.
You can make your own little plugs by taking a Dremel tool and a 1/4" cylinder cutter and make a concave face in the front of a 3/8" walleye float so it looks like a Bass O Reno. Drill or melt a new hole in the face at right angles to the face you've cut and rig it up with a leader and one bead on the back side and a hook. It will wobble like the commercial plugs.
Take the same float and cut a slot with a Dremel tool on one side at 45 Deg. to the axis of the float. Cut a piece of stiff plastic (like the shrink plastic that is form fitting to stuff you buy like lures or whatever) to make a small wing that sticks out the distance that is equal to the floats diameter. Just glue one on one side.. It will be out of balance and cause the float to wobble as it spins. Another good kokanee lure that cost .10 cents to make.

Interesting ideas...got any pics for the creatively challenged? ;-)