Some things in life are better when you super size it. Like
in the old days when you could super size your meal at McDonalds
or super sizing a stock truck to a monster truck; the list goes
on and on. So it was inevitable that Gambler Lures would
super size their original Flappy Daddy up to a Mega Daddy. The
Mega Daddy measures a massive 5-inches long in length including
two super sized claws and is injected with Gambler BITE so fish
hold on longer.
The
creator of the Mega Daddy, Brian Barnum from Brookeland, Texas,
believes this over sized crawfish shaped, soft plastic bait will
fill a void in the tackle boxes of anglers. Branum, who
is in charge of the research and product development for Gambler
Lures (www.gambler-lures.com),
knows the appeal that soft plastic crawfish lures have on fish. He
designed the original Flappy Daddy followed by the Flappy Jr. “The
reason to super size the Flappy Daddy to the Mega Daddy was purely
selfish,” Branum continued, “I wanted a bigger one
for fishing Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas; I needed a solid body, oversized
crawl for catching the numerous, giant largemouth that live there”. Some
of the key features of the Mega Daddy are big eyes that stick out,
a dent between the eyes, large crawls, and a solid body for easier
rigging. “The large crawls push water around and flappers
just go crazy,” explained Branum. Gambler Lures owner
Val Osinski, also echoed the demand for a large swimming crawl
worm soft plastic lure; noting that the demand for the Mega Daddy
has excided his own expectations. Interestingly, the Flappy
Jr. was also built because anglers everywhere wanted a smaller
version of the Flappy Daddy.
Having a big bait is one thing; however, knowing when to fish with
it and where to cast it is another. The Mega Daddy can be
rigged on a ¾-ounce or 1-ounce, bullet weight with a 5/0
straight shank or off set wide gap hook. “The reason
for a heavy weight is to take advantage of the flappers moving
during the fall which triggers a reaction bite,” Branum continued, “it
has a large profile and swimming action when rigged this way”. Other
rigging options include: taking off 1-inch off the front or nose
section and rigging it with a ¾-ounce or 1-ounce football
head jig, Texas rigging it with a pegged bullet weight and swimming
it through the grass, never pausing it, making it a big crawfish
swimbait, using it for a bait on a Carolina rig, and dropping or
pitching it vertically in to thick clumps of aquatic vegetation.
Another key to having the Mega Daddy is it fills out the series
of Flappys. “As the seasons change, the angler can
change the size of the bait to match the hatch,” pointed
out Branum. The Mega Daddy not only catches fish on Sam Rayburn
Reservoir in east Texas which is full several types of aquatic
vegetation where Branum lives and tested the proto type but highland
reservoir that are full of crawfish swimming and living in them.
Anglers,
who have been fishing the original Flappy Daddy and Flappy Jr.
in the past, now have a option to super size their bait. The
Mega Daddy’s large profile make it the perfect reaction
strike bait or for fishing on reservoirs with big bass. Some
things in life are just better when you super size it.
Brad
Wiegmann is a full time fishing guide on Beaver lake and
Lake SWEPCO in Northwest Arkansas. Brad guides for Largemouth,
Spotted, Smallmouth, Stripers and White Bass. He is also a free-lance
writer who's weekly column "Speaking of Fishing" appears
weekly in several local newspapers. You may also see him doing
seminars, working outdoor shows or featured in outdoor magazines such
as BASSMASTER Magazine, Outdoor life and Arkansas Sportsman. He
also fishes the FLW Tour, Stren and local open tournaments. He
is currently on the Pro staff, promotional staff and guide programs
of numerous tackle manufactures, lure companies, and fishing related
companies. You can contact him at (479) 756-5279, at