Five Dollar reward

A couple of years ago I was finally convinced that I should add some blade baits to my arsenal. I bought a bunch of them in several colors and sizes. Every time I got out on the river I’d try one of them, until it inevitably got stuck on the bottom and I lost it. Tonight I finally lost the last one. And in the process I never caught one single solitary fish. Never got close to catching anything!

So here’s the deal….I’ll give FIVE DOLLARS cold hard cash to the first guy in my boat who actually catches a fish with a blade bait.

SR

If I didn’t live so far away, I’d say when and where. Blades are one of my go to lures. Always catch fish on them. Anything from Crappies to perch, saugers and walleyes, too. Especially on the river. Keep trying em. Once you get a hook up, you’ll be hooked. It’s all about gaining the confidence. Good luck, stay safe and tight lines.

Are you tying the blade bait to your line correctly?
Tell you what come out in my boat you show me how to fish platics I’ll show you blade baits. I bet ya we both owe each other $5 though we get fish on meat or pulling cranks.

Use the right weight and you’ll have no problems. I see guys all the time using too heavy of blades. Use the lightest possible to keep bottom contact Fish have a hard time inhaling a heavy bait. IMO if you have to use anything heavier than a 5/16-3/8 you’re doing something wrong.

Rootski, for what it’s worth I’ve caught some fish on blades but not so much when it comes to the Pool 2 fall bite.

get your boat down here and the $5.00 bill.

Randy Wieland wrote:

get your boat down here and the $5.00 bill.

Somehow I knew you’d say that Randy.

I’m trying to understand how you “maintain bottom contact” with a piece of metal that has two treble hooks on the bottom. If you were going to design something to snag bottom, you’d be hard pressed to improve on this. So much to learn, so little time!

SR

Im guessing you didnt get the memo Steve. Blades are out. You now need to purchase Clackin Raps. The price wont mater with the number of fish you catch with these.

http://www.rapala.com/rapala/pro-picks/pro-bass—fall/clackin-rapandreg/Clackin+Rap.html

Steve Root wrote:

If you were going to design something to snag bottom, you’d be hard pressed to improve on this. So much to learn, so little time!

This is hilarious BC its true

Blade baits only work when the fish are stacked up and their soft underbellies are exposed.

Steve Root wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Randy Wieland wrote:</div>
get your boat down here and the $5.00 bill.

Somehow I knew you’d say that Randy.

I’m trying to understand how you “maintain bottom contact” with a piece of metal that has two treble hooks on the bottom. If you were going to design something to snag bottom, you’d be hard pressed to improve on this. So much to learn, so little time!

SR

Steve
That is the issue entirely. You do NOT want to “maintain” contact with the bottom. Lower it down and touch the bottom. Reel your tip down so that when your rod tip is at the water line, you blade is at bottom. Keep your tip 6″ off the water and your blade is 6″ off the bottom. I catch the majority of walleyes and sauger 12″ to 36″ off the bottom. The less I check my depth by touching bottom, the less I ever get snagged up.
Plus watch your electronics. If you see your drifting over a log, get your blade the heck out of there before your into it.

I’m so confident Steve that I can get you to catch a fish on blades, that we can forget you hauling your boat down. Just send the $5.00

Steve I too cannot catch a walleye on blades. I did catch a huge carp on pool 4 that was cruel as my thought progression went. Yes finally a huge Walleye! No fighting to hard must be a northern, no staying down must be a sturgeon. Finally had to hand line it in alas a huge carp. My pain with blades goes farther than just losing a few blades. I read all the articles on IDO and read how the difference in many cases was to buy a expensive St Croix rod so went out and got it. New rod, reel line blades all checked off the list. Not one walleye. I think blades must be an inside joke on IDO.

Steve, I really hate to admit this in public but…

Even >I< have had the SLAM of a eye taking a blade!

Jeff Harcey took me out a couple times to show me how to fool a pea brained fish into biting a piece of stamped out metal. He caught at least 10 to my one, but I did catch two or three.

If I can do it ANYONE can do it!!

I like Randy’s reply so much I am sending $5.00, too.
The check is in the mail!

I just started fishing with blades a few weeks ago. Lost the only 2 I had. Switched to rippin raps. Lost the only 2 I had. Switched to jig and plastic (not a confidence bait for me) and caught the only fish I caught.

Randy….it sounds to me like you’re vertical jigging these baits over a flatter bottom. A couple of thoughts…

On Pool 2 I don’t think I’ve ever caught a walleye that wasn’t smack on the bottom. Swimming baits around 2 or 3 feet off the bottom is pretty much a waste of time. Secondly most of the fishing I’ve been doing is pitching around wing dams. I’ve heard that guys throw Blade Baits at wing dams, but I have no idea how they can present it close to the bottom and not get hung.

I think in the right application they probably work well. But that application doesn’t present it self where I’m fishing as noted by John 23.

SR

Steve, here is one of my favorite spots. It has a few hazards too.

I think fishing blades is a lot like tossing ringworms or most presentations. Once you get feel for them and have success, your confidence grows exponentially

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I spent some time over the last year using blades and now ripping raps with some decent success. I have had better vertical jigging blades then pitching and it has been the other way around with the rippin raps. The way I started was finding a decent bite. Then switching to a blade and sticking with it tell you start catching fish.

nhamm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Root wrote:</div>
If you were going to design something to snag bottom, you’d be hard pressed to improve on this. So much to learn, so little time!

This is hilarious BC its true

Ever notice the similarity between these and dragging grapples(like, for clams…or dead bodies)?

Mike W wrote:

Im guessing you didnt get the memo Steve. Blades are out. You now need to purchase Clackin Raps. The price wont mater with the number of fish you catch with these.

http://www.rapala.com/rapala/pro-picks/pro-bass—fall/clackin-rapandreg/Clackin+Rap.html

$13 for a friggin’ molded plastic crankbait??? Holy hell…I’m getting old, or cheap, or both!

Its not the price but the memories you will make with it.