maiti

Probably a controversial take, but for the longest time, I was cranking the TK with a wide lip and having pretty good success. That was the only way I fished it. Over the last few years, I have also been using it as a jerkbait/ deadwalk bait with a regular lip, V-tail and some added weight. I'm 50-50 on snaps vs split rings when not cranking it. Mostly care about how it affects buoyancy. If I want a glide bait, I fish a glide bait. I'm not much good with glide baits though (or with any baits for that matter).

Two-piece, wood, and one that walks (not necessarily wakes) well. My favorite is the Morning Wood (yes, not making this up, that's what it's called). Sneakys are good too, but more expensive. I have been around the (swimbait) block long enough to remember when Bill Siemantel started advertizing the Spro Rat. One of the things he mentioned is how the Spro Rat is not wood, but sounds like it is. "In my mind", there's something special about the sound a two-piece wood rat makes. Also in "my mind", a rat is different from a regular wakebait. If that's not you, and I totally understand, just get a two-piece resin PB rat and fish it. Easy to find and fairly cheap.

No idea. Maybe she was sunning (there was very little sun, but it was in the 70s), maybe she has an early spawning calendar, maybe something else. One fish doesn't make a pattern. Sidenote: I've learnt from Matt Allen when he was still "supermat" on the swimbait forum(s) and way before Tacticalbassin really took off. One of their recent videos (forget which one it was) was the reason I've been trying shallower stuff for the last few trips. Paid off yesterday.

There should be a round rubber(ish) "thing" and then a square felt(ish) "thing". Also, please get rid of that green "thing". Check HERE

Caught a couple pictureworthy northern strains today. 4 lbs 10 ozs on a Hiroshima hardtail. This bait is an xxxs, almost suspends. I was fishing a main lake point, fishing it with reel pops and long pauses since the water is still pretty cold. Kinda remarkable catch since I don't usually catch very many decent fish on hardbaits (except rats). Then I caught a 6 lb 10 oz fish on a secondary point inside a cove on a 7" Citizen in about 7-8 FOW, fishing it pretty slow on/ near the bottom. Honestly surprised to find a shallow fish this early in the season, but sure glad I decided to spend half an hour in that cove.

January - Reservoir iced over February- Lackluster (no swimbait fish) March- Equally lackluster, but I lost a nice one. Which brings us to April. April has started off well. Water still around 50 degrees today, winds were gusting, got rained on, but only saw one other angler, so that was good. Caught 7 lbs and 10 ozs of northern strain goodness bottom bumping a 7" citizen in about 15 FOW. The itch has been scratched. On to the next one. Caught a baby 2-3 lb-er a few casts later. Didn't weigh it. GGR Light/ Curado 301HG/ 15# PLine PF/ Brook trout citizen painted by Garrett

I have been Butch Brown rigging hudds with mono for a looong time. No wires/ crimps/ pliers nothing needed. I fish up a Tyrant rigged like you described, except that I have a solid Decoy ring, and a loop knot for the hook. One less knot to tie and one less thing to go wrong. Good point about the hook itself, needs to be non-inline to sit correctly on the bait. Your baits look good, I’d be interested in a couple of the smaller ones if you do custom colors.

Looking to find someone who paints softbaits (hudds to be precise). Garret Customs painted a few for me a couple years back and he did an awesome job. Trying to see if you all have any other recommended painters. Thanks all.

Very helpful, thank you!

I might get one or two in a better color (in future) if it fills a niche I'm trying to fill. Couple questions for those who have/ have fished this. What's the stock ROF? Assuming I will be able to increase it with nail weights, don't know an easy way to decrease it though. Does the line go through the mouth of the bait or the top of the bait? Thanks all.