Chances are your father or grandfather had a few Rebel Minnows in his tackle box. The lure has been on the market for forty years. Still today, the Rebel is productive lure.

Often you hear someone say “I wish I had a dollar every time…” I know on the top of that list would be “every time I caught a fish on a Rebel.” From farm ponds to larger body of waters, the Rebel Minnow has a history as a great lure. Big fish do not get big being stupid and lures do not get old without fooling big fish.

From pre to post spawn the minnow type bait can be fished in and around cover. I have seen bass swim several feet to hit the lure. I prefer the straight model but the jointed version is excellent for small ponds.

A very practical method for catching fish with a Rebel is a slow subsurface retrieve. The lure has a seductive flash, which mimics a wounded fish. After casting the lure against the bank or cover, slowly the reel the lure past the target. Add small rhythmic twitches of the rod to the retrieve. It is important to keep visual contact with the lure. The lure should stay about three to six inches from the surface. Add a few brief pauses and the technique is complete.

With a slow action the Rebel can be worked through treetops, grass beds, or other heavy cover. Rebels can be worked in areas where bass chase shad, too. Remember the key is to work the lure sporadically with plenty of pauses and twitches. Also, you should keep constant eye contact with the lure.

Another modus operandi for a Rebel is a split shot rig. Place a one eighth to one quarter ounce split shot about ten to fourteen inches above the lure. This will make the lure run an average depth of four to six feet. On pre spawn, shallow flats this can be a dynamite presentation. Allowing the lure to slowly descend to the bottom imitates an easy meal for a hungry bass. It acts like a Carolina-rigged bait but suspends a foot or so from the bottom. Slowly crawling the lure can be productive. However, the same slow retrieve with a mix of twitches and pauses is still the most seductive.

Another key to fishing with any hard jerk bait is tuning. Most lures with use will need some tuning. The Rebel should turn on it side but should not run more than an inch or two off a straight line. Lures that return to the surface when retrieved should be tuned. Conversely, tuning a lure to run right or left under a dock or bush is a useful trick.

Equipment for a Rebel can range from a medium to medium-heavy action rod in a 6’ to 6’6” length. Berkley rods with an Abu Garcia 5500C is a good combination. A big reel like the 5500C helps when casting a large plug like a F20S Rebel. Depending on the area you are fishing, lines like Berkley Trilene XL in 14# test is a good place to start. In heavy cover I may use 20# test to bring the fish out of the cover quickly.

You do not get to be forty without learning a few tricks. As long as there is bass fishing, I know the Rebel will have a long and happy life.

About the author: Jeff Bruhl is a member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writer Association, pro angler, and a pharmacist. His website, www.marshbass.com, covers freshwater fishing across Louisiana and the gulf coast. Each Saturday morning between 5-7 am CST, a bass fishing report can be heard on the Outdoors with Don Dubuc Radio Show (www.dontheoutdoorsguy.com) on 870 AM from the New Orleans station. Jeff has made numerous television and radio appearances on shows like Paradise Louisiana, The Big Fish, and ABC26.com. From tips on youtube.com to weekly reports on his website, his articles and reports provide tips and tactics for bass anglers in the sportsman paradise. Jeff’s sponsors include Abu Garcia, Xpoint hooks, Bud Light, Louisiana Fish Fry Products, Power Pole, Stanley Jigs and Spinnerbaits, Skeeter, Dockside Marine, Rat-L-Trap, and Berkley. For more information about fishing in Louisiana, drop Jeff an email at jeff@marshbass.com.