TEST REVIEW #2 3:16 MINNOW

[buttaluns]

bigworm

 

 

Introduction:

This bait is small in stature, but what it lacks in size is made up by its tremendous versatility. It is a very effective tool when applied properly in many different situations. The minnow has a perfectly placed hook slot that allows for easy rigging. It’s solid head section for allows for strong hook rigging, and there is also a hollow mid section that will collapse enough to help your hook up ratio. Weighing in at about 1 oz with the stock hook, the minnow can be fished using almost any standard bait casting tackle for bass. Even medium heavy spinning rods could properly fish this bait in the right scenarios. I was able to fish the minnow on my lightest swimbait outfit which was a Loomis SBR 955 and a Shimano 300 reel spooled with 20lb fluorocarbon line.

 

Rigging options:

 

 

 

 

Weightless with the stock hook- rigged weightless (1st) the minnow has a sexy little swagger and fishes best around shallow vegetation. It comes cleanly through all types of weeds I have experienced, even the dead tullies of early spring. When there is matted vegetation in summer, the minnow can be fished like a frog. Its slow sink gives you great opportunities to pause and twitch the bait in holes and gaps you may find. You can also fish it faster like a buzzbait on the surface, allowing the minnow to throw out a decent wake, but it tends to roll out a little.

Belly weighted swimbait hooks- There now is an endless supply of different versions of weighted hooks for this style of fishing. In my opinion the Gamakatsu 6/0 3/16 oz versions match the bait best. The “EWG Monster†hook (2nd) in that size allows you to rig the minnow completely weedless. You still get a nice swagger and the near vertical fall on slack line gives you a great drop. The “Weighted Superline Spring-Lock†(3rd) in the same size gives you a sleek profile and an exposed hook point. On this hook the weight is closer to the belly and further forward on the bait causing a slow nose down glide with the tail still barely kicking. The exposed hook point is held just above the body allowing for easier hook ups, but still providing decent weedless qualities.

Belly weighted hook with stinger treble- I rigged a 4/0 screw lock hook with a ¼ oz weight and threaded a 2/0 treble through its eye (4th). I intend to try this rig in the spring where I had shallow smallmouths head butting the Rising Son. Hopefully the smaller profile will get a few more to commit.

Exposed hook jigheads- This application is where I think the minnow truly shines. Rigged on a jighead the minnow can be fished to any depth. Rocky bottoms to mid-water column the minnow will shine and allow you to match any forage species. Using a drop of super glue to secure the bait to the jighead will save you a lot of baits and time on the water. Again there are endless options for jigheads, but my favorite is the “Redfish Magic Flats Jig Heads†by Strike King (5th and 6th). You can more closely match the jighead to the color of your bait like a did with Buckeye Lures “J-Will Swimbait Head†(7th).

Skirted Swim Jig Trailer- The minnow makes a perfect trailer for any form of large swim jig. I especially like to use this option at night with a heavy 1oz jig (8th). You can cover a lot of water and cast it a mile even fishing it into the 30’ range.

Carolina Rig- I have yet to try it, but I would think it would be a very efficient use of the minnow. You can shove a foam earplug into the hollow mid section and probably achieve some decent flotation. Something to consider this summer when you are bored but still want to fish a “swimbaitâ€.

Proof?

I was able to go out for my test run and quickly catch a fish at a lake that has gotten a lot tougher for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My best buddy had a night we would all dream of. Fishing the minnow on a jighead in 10-25 ft of water in December during a terrible storm. Two separate limits over 35lbs each on different sides of the lake, with an overall best five over 40lbs and an uncountable number of fish over 5lbs. They were on em

[buttaluns]

SwimbaitsatLMV

 

 

The following is a review on the 3:16 Minnow.

 

Backround:

 

First off, let me start by saying that I have fished the minnow before, but have never really fished it the way it was designed, nor do I intend to until the summer time. To me, the weedless qualities of this bait are a moot point until I need to go in after the fish in heavy cover, at which point I usually use one of my hand tied jigs. This year however, I do plan on fishing these in places with reeds and trees with the proper hook. The reason that I say “proper,†is because I have only once used the hook that comes with the bait, mainly because I hate having to bend it out and to the side. I feel that the hook up percentages would be better if rigged similar to an Osprey or Rising Son, so that’s just what I did. I’m sure others will talk about the air pocket, cost, and other design features, so I’ll leave those out.

 

Modifications:

 

The major mod that I do is make this bait a line through. I use a mojo weight (I unfortunately don’t know the size, as I have a ton from a long time ago) with grooves added with pliers. I use the hook that comes with the bait (it is good for something lol) to punch out some of the plastic in the bait and give me room to slide the weight in. After adjusting the weight to sit properly, I superglue it in. This is how the weight should look while sitting inside the bait.

 

(If needed I can embed) http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... 0401-1.jpg

 

I then heat up the nose a little bit to kind of solidify any loose plastic. Be careful not to burn the plastic in the process. Pretty simple, but it gives this bait a rof of around 5 with the weight size I used. It tracks true, and I lost a couple fish on it at the Irvine tournament, but could not get any more interest as many fish at my home lake are already locked on beds, and I figured you guys don’t want a bed fishing review .

 

Tackle:

 

This bait was fished on an LDC MH Custom, with a Curado 200E7 Supertuned by Animal House Reel Service. 12 lb Big Game, and a #2 Owner ST-36 Stinger Hook.

 

Bites:

 

A couple at Irvine Lake with Jfish (Team Muddslingers), and one bite in Saltwater.

 

http://i1265.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... 835099.jpg

 

 

 

Pros:

 

The bait fishes well, and is poured with plastic that kicks well.

 

Realistic shape and detail, looks better than a basstrix type bait, and can also be fished weightless due to the air pocket.

 

Air Pocket makes a good place to stuff squid inside, the only bite I got in saltwater was after my friend did this and told me to drop it, only afterwards did he tell me what he did.

 

Cons:

 

Tail ripped after 1 fish and a tail bite.

 

Not many bites without modification, even in saltwater (MC Swimbait outfished the Minnow while Rock Codding 10:1, literally). I don’t know why, but it did not produce as many bites as other baits for me, even in saltwater on low pressure fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

The Minnow appears to be a promising bait, but further experimentation on my part will be needed, but at the higher cost of the minnow, it is likely that I will stick to more traditional baits such as Big Hammer or MC Which can be rigged the same way, just no air pocket. This isn’t a diss on the bait, but it is also (to me) the wrong season for this type of bait, and it may have just not reached its full potential yet. Also, I am partial to billed hard baits, so maybe this was just too different for me. I did get bit on it however, so I have confidence to keep fishing it, especially as the water warms. I would also be interested to see if the Minnow performs better on Saltwater bass than it did on the rock cod, using the other soft plastic baits as a basis for further inquiry.

 

If anyone else has any questions, about the rigging or anything else, feel free to either post in this thread, or send me a pm.

[justing66]

justing66

 

 

Swimbait Underground

 

3:16 Test #2: The Mighty Minnow -- HITCH

 

 

 

BAIT INTRODUCTION: The 3:16 Mighty Minnow is a versatile soft bodied paddle tail swimbait. Measuring in at around 5.5", this bait is large enough to draw in the big strikes, yet small enough for newer swimbait anglers to build confidence in before stepping up to the big guns. A variety of techniques can be applied to this single bait, allowing the angler to change their presentation without having to own another similar type of bait. A handy angler can exploit this benefit to his advantage. Let's take a deeper look to what makes this minnow mighty.

 

OVERVIEW:

- Hard Plastic Packaging

- 4 baits per package -- Price of $10.49 before tax and shipping

- Average weight = 0.95oz

- Length = 5.5"

- Height - 0.75"

- Thickness - 1"

- 24 colors to choose from

- Gamakatsu 8/0 G-Mag Hook Included

- Tear-drop Tail Shape

- Fine Scale pattern and intricate carved body

 

FIRST IMPRESSION: The bait are delivered to the customer in a medium thickness, plastic container which some are all too familiar with. There is ample room for the 4 baits that are included. All tails came straight, which seems to be an issue for some companies, but this is not the case in this instance.

 

 

Upon opening and inspection, the bait is a relatively soft plastic, yet very durable feeling. The first 1/4 of the bait is solid plastic, while the next 1/4 is hollow. The last half of the bait all the way to the tail is solid. Both eyes are plastic and glued into place similar to a hard bait. The top portion of the "Hitch" color pour was a swirled green color with a mixture of small gold flakes. The bottom portion was a blue-ish clear with larger flat, square flakes. The head has very pronounced jawlines and facial features.

 

 

The entire top of the bait is flat, while the bottom is well shaped, having total of five fins present, not including the tail. A fine scaling pattern and well as a lateral line is carved into the bait, as well as detail on the fins. The tear drop shaped tail has the "3:16" logo protruding from the back.

 

TAIL SHAPE (Inverted)

 

TAIL LOGO

 

The hollow cavity on the bait is accessed through a slit about half-way down the bait, where a hook point can be placed for weedless rigging. This cavity can also be glued shut, making the bait float easier. Depending on where the fish can be found, the Mighty Minnow can be transformed into multiple types of presentations to put the bait in front of the fish.

 

MEASUREMENTS:

LENGTH: Most accurate = 5.485"

 

WIDTH: Most Accurate = 1.015"

 

HEIGHT: Most Accurate = 0.773"

 

WEIGHT: Most Accurate = 0.91oz, 0.95oz, 0.95oz, 0.97oz -- Average of 0.945oz

 

 

RIGGING: This bait can be rigged in multiple types of presentation. In reality, the sky is the limit on how this bait can be used, but the most productive methods (subjective) will be discussed.

 

TEXAS RIG: The bait is packed with an 8/0 Gamakatsu G-Mag hook for a texas style type rigging. The hook point can then be hidden in the baits cavity to keep the bait weedless. The hook can also be stuck through the plastic and skin hooked on top to provide some weedless-ness but allowing a better hook up ratio.

 

Setup:

Med Heavy Swimbait/ Heavy Bass Rod

200/300 sized reel

10-20lb Flourocarbon line, depending on water conditions

 

 

This type of presentation works best in the upper water column near the surface, as the cavity keeps the bait buoyant. Without an integrated weighting system such as the Rising son, it is a bit harder to keep this bait down using this method. The cavity can also be glued shut, making the bait an even better top water style bait, which works well as a substitute for a frog type bait. It can be worked over grass, pads, and mats in an effective manner.

 

TEXAS RIG - Owner Beast Hook: Similar to the rigging with the G-Mag hook, the Owner Beast Hook can also be used with this bait. The benefit of this hook is being able to fish weightless or weighted. The small weight attached to the 8/0 Beast hook is placed in such a way that when rigged properly, gives the Mighty Minnow a horizontal fall. The weight makes fishing the Mighty Minnow deeper more convenient. This rig works better if the CPS lock is screwed into the chin of the minnow.

 

Setup:

Med Heavy Swimbait/ Heavy Bass Rod

200/300 sized reel

10-20lb Flourocarbon line, depending on water conditions

 

 

THE GHETTO RIG: This rig is simply a texas rig with the stock G-Mag hook, but running a 1oz sliding egg sinker in front of the bait. This technique is effective fishing vertical structure (Long Beach Breakwall), to keep the bait in contact with the bottom.

 

Setup:

Heavy Swimbait/ Flipping Bass Rod

300 sized reel

20lb Flourocarbon/Mono line or 65lb Braid

 

 

LEAD HEAD: This is a simple technique using a weighted head. This is a great bottom bouncing method that works anywhere from gravel rock bottoms, to bumping stumps, to just deep cast and wind fishing. Perfect for fishing spot ties in the bays as well.

 

Setup:

Med Heavy Swimbait/ Heavy Bass Rod

200/300 sized reel

10-20lb Flourocarbon line, depending on water conditions

 

 

THE A-RIG: If you take the lead head rig above, it can simply be added to an existing Alabama rig. In synchronization, this rig with the Mighty Minnow is very "fishy" looking in the water. The lead head can be switched heavier or lighter depending on how deep it is planned on being run. The bottom three line ties were keep weighted with the lead heads, while the upper two had an Owner CPS lock screwed into the nose, and a Damiki nail weight added to the bottom of the head to keep the bait straight.

 

Setup:

Heavy/Extra Heavy Swimbait Rod

200/400 Sized Reel

20-30lb Mono/Flourocarbon. *Caution* -- Very easy to snap off casting with straight braid

 

 

 

ACTION: The bait itself swims very straight, right out of the package. Tails were straight as well as the fins, providing a trouble-free approach to the bait. Just rig and throw. The wide body stabilizes the bait in the water. There is not a ton of body action. A slight shoulder wobble at best. Most action from the bait comes from the tail. As seen in the measurement photos, the wide body narrows down to a thin tail section just before the tail. The tail moves in a very realistic fashion in the water. It does not take a lot of movement to get it moving, so this bait is Slow Roll Certified. On another note, the subtle movements the bait makes by opinion makes the bait better for clear water situations. It does not have a lot of "thump" as other baits might in the same category. The tail action looks to be more of a visual draw rather than a sound or vibration call. This is not to say the bait will not work in stained or muddy water, it just may not be first choice.

 

 

TESTING: In my specific location, all of the presentation I ran were deep. For those unfamiliar with Southern California waters, deep in my opinion is >20ft. I ran a combination of "Ghetto rigs" and "Lead Head" techniques to try and find the key bites. While the fish were uncooperative over the past few weeks, I did discover a method to use this bait to find where the big girls lived -- The A-Rig. Luckily I had a pack of Hitch Mighty Minnows already to round out the 5 ties. Standing alone, I did not find the SoCal largemouth to take a lot of notice to the Mighty Minnow, (there are variables involved, such as time of year, water temperature, clarity, etc), but once I placed the baits on the A-Rig, I had follows almost every cast. This method had the drawing power of the Born Again Armageddon if you know what I am saying. In a particular instance, I threw the rig along side a woven, thick mat of some sort of plant that was impenetrable, and as I crept the rig along, I had at least a dozen fish come out after the school of minnows. One fish oven came up and swam with his head in the gap between the bottom two baits, and followed it in that way, but once she saw the boat was out of there. I am confident that with enough time to figure out how to properly and effectively use the rig with these baits, its just a matter of time before they nail it.

 

In the ocean, specifically the Long Beach Breakwall, the "Ghetto Rig" was most effective. At night, it was as simple as throwing the bait up in the waves breaking along the rocks, and letting the bait fall down into the cracks. From there slowly work it out of the crack, and let it fall to the next. This method provided nights full of hard hitting Calico bass. Even with the teeth this monsters had, the baits held up incredibly well. To this day still have let to tear a bait beyond repair with glue.

 

 

Durability: The bait held up very well under the trials it was placed under for two weeks. The baits were subject to countless methods of rigging and de-rigging. Some methods placed wear on the baits, such as pulling the head of the bait over the barb of a lead head, and pulling a G-Mag hook through the nose. If the bait was texas rigged, the hook would penetrate the back of the bait, and if hit by a fish, would also tear parts of the nose, back, and belly due to the hook movement. The texas rig with a beast hook helped prevent premature nose damage to the bait. The "Hitch" colored baits provided for testing didn't get the workout from the fishes teeth like I would have liked to have happen, but a downed ocean boat limited my time to extreme torture tests. I do however have pictures of beat up Mighty Minnows from past trips to show the damage they accumulated, and how they held up.

 

Top of the bait, showing where the hook tore part of the top. Glued back together.

 

Side of the bait showing "checkerboard bass" teeth damage. The bait is being stretched to show better.

 

All in all, they have help up very well under all accounts of abuse, whether it be rigging, fish, or pilot error.

 

 

PROS:

- Great Packaging -- kept baits running straight out of the box

- Superior Quality -- not many soft baits up to par with the detail that went into the bait

- Versatility -- Many different ways to fish this bait

- Value -- Four baits for a little over $10, around $2.50 per bait. If compared to other realistic soft bodied swimbaits (Trash Fish, BV3d, etc) this is an exceptional price.

- Durability -- Stood up to the toothy critters that frequent "The Wall." Will not pose a durability issue to other victims.

- Color Selection -- 3:16 Does a great job covering the vast majority of colors needed to pursue fish in both fresh and salt.

 

CONS:

- Lack of Drawing Power -- Alone the bait did not have a ton of draw, at least in my area.

- Undersized Tail -- For the shape and length of the bait, the tail looks to be a bit small.

- Profile -- A very thin profiled bait from a side with a large broad width looks a little different.

- Nose Splits -- I noticed that when texas rigged, it splits the layers of plastic that separates the colored layers after minimal use. Beast Hook rigging fixed this.

 

 

SUMMARY: The 3:16 Mighty Minnow is a valuable tool to any swimbaiters arsenal of lures. Whether is be top water "frog fishin" or Butch Brown bottom bouncing', the Minnows are up to the task. I found these particular baits to be some of the most versatile baits in my collection after really trying to think outside the box with them. I will definitely putting more time into learning how to better catch fish on these baits.

 

-JustinG66

[wiswimbait]

I've not fished the bait a lot but have used it through,over,and around visible cover weightless with the stock hook it works well but I think I need to try it deeper. Thanks for the time and ideas fellas.

[SPEEDBEAD]

Holy shat! Calipers?

 

Great reviews everyone. Some serious time devoted on these.

[Danny C.]

Good Job everyone. Some good stuff.

[Londonmitch]

Nice reviews guys.

[Bumpererx]

Great review guys! On my way to the site to get me some

[Luke V.]

Awesome reviews everyone! Some were VERY detailed and impressive.

[SPEEDBEAD]

jolley

 

and a ball point pen tube

 

 

Hot damn, that's exactly what I need! Thanks man, never would have thought of that.

[oprcsr]

Very nice all!

[SwimbaitsatLMV]

I guess I just had to fish it on an arig lol. Good reviews everyone! Justin, I seemed to have similar results, so I guess the arig was key!

[spotfisher]

Those are some great reviews guys.

[SwimbaitsatLMV]

What arig is everyone fishing these on? My rago is good for 8" Hudds (spacing is better for big baits), but it doesn't swim very well with smaller baits.

[Luke V.]

What arig is everyone fishing these on? My rago is good for 8" Hudds (spacing is better for big baits), but it doesn't swim very well with smaller baits.

 

I tried throwing mine around on a 3 arm "swarmbrella" worked nicely.