AC Plug 12 Inch FATTY

[Bonesaw]

Bait: Ac Plug Handmade Original

Size: 12" Fatty ~5 oz (near to a Huddleston in weight my scale doesn't read that accurately)

Cost: 47.99$ + shipping (they double orders over 100$ on the handmade baits)

Rod: Okuma 7'11 XH Guide Select

Reel: Abu Garcia 6500

Line: 25 lb big game mono

 

AC Plug with 8" and 6" hudd

AC Plug next to 9" slammer top view

 

 

Hopefully I get all this close to correct. I'm sure there are people who know more about the history of this lure and were actually a part of it. I got most info from the AC plug website so I won't be surprised if people dispute it. I believe I was 7 years old when this bait became famous, so sorry if I get some of it wrong .

 

Background: AC plugs are wooden, single jointed floating baits which Allan Cole designed and used to catch big stripers and trout mostly(he mostly trolls I believe, but he also casts quite a bit). Allan had been catching big stripers and trout for years on the lure. In the early 90's he decided to start catching LMB's as well. In 1992 on his first trip to Castaic he landed a 15lber the first day and several DD's throughout the week. That pretty much started the big swimbait craze. Today, the "Handmade" versions are once again made by Allan Cole himself. He had been licensing his lure to other companies over the years and they had some problems so now he makes them himself again. So beware if you buy a used one or one from someone other than acplugs company. I guess they built a reputation for being pieces of crap.(peeling paint, cracked wood etc.)

 

I have been interested in a big AC plug for a while now. I remember seeing a Red head Ac plug in a bass pro shops catalog in the 90's and reading about all the big bass that were being caught on it. Anyways, last year I was looking at buying a HUGE hardbait but the only ones I could think of were expensive and hard to find (Arms, 10" freestyle etc). I stumbled upon the AC plug website and saw some of the 12"+ baits they were making. They had ones up to 16" and 9 oz. I seriously considered the 14 incher but never ordered it.

When I found out that the mystery bait was probably going to be a huge hardbait (the price mostly) I convinced my wife to try and let me buy one. However, I needed some hudds also(the wife would not let me get both) and I knew my chances of actually buying one were very slim. (I ended up being at work when they were released anyways). So, I began looking at other options. I remembered that AC plugs had a 14 inch fatty that was huge, maybe a little too huge for me. I went back to their site and as it turns out, they started making a 12" fatty version of the Handmade original and also the minnow(which is more like a slammer). I ordered a bunch of Hudds and this bass colored handmade original AC plug instead of trying for the elusive mystery bait. This bait is what I was looking for in terms of size.(its humungous)

 

 

I ordered on Feb. 9th and received the plug on Feb 25th. All the handmade baits are made to order and signed by Allan Cole. The AC plug has an impressive resume, here is a quote from ACplugs.com: "It has caught huge Largemouth Bass (four at 17 lbs., two at 18 lbs., as well as thousands over 10 lbs.) It can also take credit for thousands of huge Striped Bass, including ninety four over 40 lbs., eighteen over 50 lbs. and three over 60 lbs" Allan owns the Nevada State Record for Striped bass which he caught on an AC plug. The freshwater world record/Arizona state record striper was also caught on an AC plug. From what I understand, the 12" fatty was Allan's preferred bait for big bass back in the day. He claims to have hooked a world record bass on Castaic using a 12" fatty. Don't think it was called a fatty back then though.(the records are on various sized ac plugs and possibly different models)

 

The Bait: The website warns that handmade baits are a little rougher than the production baits so I was prepared for the worst. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the paint job. It is not bad in my opinion. There is minor chipping near the joint and after I replaced the hooks there is some minor hook rash. My okuma XH handled the bait but a little heavier rod would be optimal.

 

Hooks and Split Rings:As far as hardware goes, the hooks do not seem very sharp but are pretty heavy duty. The split rings are also quite large and appear to be heavy duty. I asked the customer service guy what type of hooks and split rings were on the bait. He did not know for sure but thought mustad hooks and did not know the brand of split rings. The lure is designed to stand up to 40+ lb stripers so I feel somewhat safe using the stock split rings but I replaced the hooks with 3/0 owner st-66.

 

Snap:It does not come with a snap for lure to line connection, which is often recommended for baits of this type. I picked up some cheap 70lb swivel snaps at walmart at first. Now I use a 100 lb Berkley cross lock snap. The Berkley snap significantly helped the bait's action in my opinion.

 

Tail: The tail on the bait looked wimpy to me when I first got it. So before I fished it I cut a mission fish and put the tail in there. When I got to the lake it seemed to me like the mission fish tail was overpowering the 2nd section of the bait. They beat at different cadences. I put the original tail back on and the action improved a little bit in my opinion. It could have been the swivel snap I was using, (don't use one) or maybe there was paint on the hinges or something. I switched back though.

 

Fishing: This bait has tremendous size but it is not really that heavy. I can cast it about as far as a Hudd. As far as action goes, it has a unique swim in the water. It is very different from a slammer. It is more S like and the lip causes it to move laterally sporadically. Slow rolling is probably the standard retrieve. However, it does seem to have a minimum speed at which it swims well; you can't super slow roll it really. You can work it slow enough though, it works well at 1 crank per second with the Abu Garcia. Also, I feel like it twitches(or pops) well. It has alot of buoyancy so it takes more of a small hookset to pop it than just a twitch of the rod tip. I feel the heavier hooks have helped the action as well, bringing the bait down in the water slightly.

Overall this bait,for how it looks out of the water, looks remarkably like a 12" bass on/in the water. It is quite fishy.

 

Summary: This bait is a goliath of a lure. I have had one bite in about 7 hours of fishing it(I'm in North Carolina), and it was a very nice fish(5 of that 7 hours was spent getting skunked on a new lake). I was not going to post this review until I had some fish pics but I feel like the record of this lure speaks for itself. Not many hardbaits have multiple high teen bass to their credit. Another reason for a quick post was the build time of the lure(if anyone was to want to try one after reading this) and pre-spawn is right around the corner.

 

Takeaways: Use a snap (not a swivel snap), use heavy hooks, don't go lighter than an okuma XH. If you want a big waker this could be it. I was shaking like a little girl after it got hit.

[1234567]

Dude, props on a great review and read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and as I was reading I was thinking I should go order one of these bad boys! Looking forward to pics in the near future.

[oprcsr]

Very cool. Nice review as well.

A couple of years ago I ordered a handmade Hatchery Trout from his website. Took about the same period of time. Enjoyed my experiences with the AC Plugs and now own 3 total.

[Jfish]

Excellent review man. The information you provided is on point and I've been following the AC and Allan since about 1992. It surprises me time and again how many guys throw slammers and don't make the connection back to the AC's. One thing I find interesting is that although its popularity has waned in So Cal for whatever reason (probably mostly aesthetics and no marketing presence) but if you look at the striped bass scene on the river these lures are still the bread and butter and have hands down accounted for most of the really giant fish over 40 lbs. Some of the early ac plugs were made from a little heavier wood stock and you could slow roll them a little more. The action of that plug is to this day pretty unique in how it has that irregular kick built in...its not the prettiest thing but its effective and I agree they do look very natural, fluid and fishy in the water. If you want one you can super slow roll get the AC Minnow. Its the OG of OG wakebaits.....great detailed review on the lure thats responsible for starting the swimbait revolution.

 

JK

[DBirdtn]

Too me the tail looks like it could be swapped out with a big hammer swimbait.I have never seen the actuall bait (AC-plug)in person but maybe give that a try if you are looking for other options for a tail.Again never seen the actual bait you have seen the minnow but not this biggen.Good luck and great review

[Bonesaw]

thanks dudes. My wife and I are gonna go buy a video camera tonight (for our daughter mostly) but I will try and get some footage of the bait and put it up. I apologize for no fish and no footage but I will add it as I get it.

 

Also I am thinking about getting a big fat AC minnow too possibly if anyone wants to join forces for an order to get the double deal PM me please.

 

I looked at the bighammers, maybe I will try one once I get my hands on some.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave.

[Jfish]

The original tails Allan was using were Worm Kings but those have long since dissapeared. Any quality boot tail will work fine back there. Sometimes if the particular lure looks too sluggish I'll drop down a size and that brings the kick back and vice versa if I want to slow it down a little I'll move up a size. One of the coolest plugs in my box is the AC Triple Real Trout 9"....the swim on it is unreal....very fluid and sinuous and a pretty fishy profile. One I haven't seen in person is the hatchery trout although I notice most of the fish I see posted still come on the original AC and the minnow. One thing I really like is the number of sizes available.......of course big lures have big fish potential I think guys are missing out not throwing the smaller sizes when fish are targeting shad or bluegill.

 

Again, cool review on a timeless classic bait.

 

JK

[Ceaser]

thanks dudes. My wife and I are gonna go buy a video camera tonight (for our daughter mostly) but I will try and get some footage of the bait and put it up. I apologize for no fish and no footage but I will add it as I get it.

 

Also I am thinking about getting a big fat AC minnow too possibly if anyone wants to join forces for an order to get the double deal PM me please.

 

I looked at the bighammers, maybe I will try one once I get my hands on some.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave.

PM sent! I want some big boy toys too!