“FISHIN WITH A RABBIT?”

Some thirty years or so ago I can remember standing in a local mom and pop tackle shop preparing myself to purchase a complete tackle box full of the latest and greatest bass baits to start my journey into the world of bass tournament fishing. I remember standing in front of a large display of these funny looking things they called spinner baits. So I’m thinking, ”These things don’t look like anything a fish would eat! After all, they are just a piece of lead with a large safety pin attached with a hook on one end. Ha I said! Not me. I’m smarter that that and these people are crazy to think I’ll buy something like that to take up all the space in my new tackle box”. So I walked out with the usual worms and top water baits thinking about how wise I was to not be intimidated into purchasing those funny looking things that would never catch a fishermen more less a fish. After losing the first three or four bass tournaments in a row to some fool using of all things a spinner bait, I decided to rethink my opinion of the fancy safety pin. I guess that’s called experience learned the hard way!

Well, the mom and pop tackle shop has since been leveled and from the ashes grew a new Quick Stop Store. I guess that we needed the store, because the other one was less than a block away, and that’s just too far to travel, right? The tackle shop faded away in time but that dang old spinner bait continues to haunt me by winning tournament after tournament. I now believe that I own at least one of every spinner bait that was ever made. Even if it catches fish or not I will still buy it just to say “I got one!”

As the years passed I read every article that had anything to do with a spinner bait, I tried every one that hit the shelves and through the years have learned enough about the spinner bait to get myself in trouble with the spinner bait Gods. I now have rods and reels specially designed for spinner baits, and you will never get in my boat without stepping over a rod with a spinner bait tied to one end.

Through the years a lot of top-secret baits have come and gone. The spinner bait on the other hand has stood the test of time and continues to be one of the best producing lures of all time. Through out the years the spinner bait hasn’t changed much. Sure the modern manufacturing processes have turned the bait into a thing of beauty with gleaming eyes and paint schemes that look so realistic that the fish must notice these advances to the point of being in awe. Spinner baits were kind of just chugging along peacefully until someone decided to try titanium wire instead of the old stand by steel wire. Then all of a sudden everyone had to have one of the new spinner baits in his or her box also.

Just about the time that I thought I had this spinner bait thing figured out and believed that spinner baits have evolved to their full extent, along comes the Strike On Lure Company with their army of rabbits! We’ll get to the rabbit thing later. I first met these guys at the I.C.A.S.T show in “Lost Wages, NV”, where they had their new spinner baits on display to all the tackle buyers and manufacturers. These guys, Mark, Dan, and Dave took a spinner bait and made it soooo much better! Now who would think after all these years that someone could make a better spinner bait? Obviously no one informed these guys to leave well enough alone, and I think in time we’ll all be glad they didn’t! You see, these guys are thinkers and doers! Why didn’t I think of that comes to mind. They worked with an idea from their garage and turned it into a very good business and deservedly so! It’s very refreshing to see some good guys with a great idea, make it in today’s conglomerate world of big businesses, that have designers who never fish, but instead spend their weekends looking for a little hole to knock their little white ball into. These guys are REAL fishermen and that shows in their products.

Well, back to the rabbit thing. What they did was take a tried and proven bait and made it better. They started out with the best of materials such as, good quality hooks, top of the line swivels, titanium wire, quality blades, and powder coated painting processes just like all the other manufacturers. Then they did the unthinkable. They hand tied on RABBIT hair instead of the normal skirts the fish have seen for years. Rabbit hair? Sure why not? Rabbit hair has been used for decades in fly tying because of the lifelike action in the water. So why not tie it on a spinner bait? Good thinking!

The main difference in these baits between any other spinner bait is simply the action of the rabbit hair. Something different, a new look, a different action, new colors, etc, will sometimes trigger a strike that normal everyday baits the fish have seen for years won’t get. The rabbit hair also absorbs water during use and even flares out more the longer it’s in the water. The lifelike action of these baits has to be seen to be believed. The trailers are also made from the rabbit hair and tied on at the same time, therefore they won’t cause the bait to run sideways or come off every time a fish hits the bait. I really liked that part! That means I can now empty out the wad of plastic trailers I’ve kept in my pockets for years. My wife, clothes, and clothes washer will be the benefactors on this one. I, along with the washer have produced some really new and exciting colors and textures of spinner bait trailers that were left in my pockets. Getting the melted plastic and stains out of the pants however hasn’t been so exciting. These baits look so lifelike in the water that a fish will have a difficult time telling them apart from a live creature. That’s what we want in a bait right? You can also give these guys a call and they will custom make your bait to whatever design you desire. In some situations I prefer steel wire as the steel is stiffer and in thick cover they are less likely to hang up. Blade combinations again just require a call, and they will custom make the lure to your satisfaction. Try doing that with the mega bait manufacturers!

Rabbit hair spinner baits wasn’t good enough for these guys. Then they wrapped a rabbit hide onto a buzz bait, and behold, another proven bait gets better! But wait. If rabbit hair improves these two baits what about slower moving baits that will multiply the lifelike action? Hence comes along the Hammerin Hair Jig! Now were really talking! A rabbit hair jig moving slowly across the bottom with the rabbit hair flowing slowly with the current, as the legs seem to come alive and twinge with the slightest hint of rod movement. Geeze! Oh wait, what about the crappie jig? Many a crappie will end up in a cooler somewhere thanks to these guys and their rabbits! But wait again! There’s more. If the rabbit hair is good enough for spinner baits, buzz baits, and jigs what about a Hammerin Hair Worm?  Can you imagine what a rabbit hair worm would look like in the water? Time will tell and I’m going to be the first in line to get me a box full. Hey guys, what about a crank bait, a top water bait, or a, a? Man, why didn’t I think of this?   It’s great to see some guys who are real fishermen using their heads and hearts to build a great line of lures! Give these baits a look and you wont be sorry! See them at www.Strikeon.com and get you some rabbit stuff, or get left behind! “Anyone know where I can purchase a rabbit trap”?

Please Remember To Take A Kid Fishing!

Captain Tony Strickland