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Lunker Punker Alternatives


JPS_wade_for_it
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The Lunker Punker is basically a walk-the-dog type bait that goes a long way back to the wooden Heddon Zaragossa and beyond.  Like 100 years ago long.  Lots of big fish have been taken on the LP.  The OG wooden ones swim fine but some (not all) of the later ones sit sideways.  I believe this has now been corrected.  I only owned one of the plastic LPs and it walked like crap.  I turned it into a bluefish chew toy and they sent it to an early grave.  If you get a good LP down the line its well worth the price.

If you are on a budget there are a lot of muskie/striper walk-the-dog baits that are in the $20-25 range.  Ima Big Sticks, Drifter Docs, Tsunami poppers, etc. You're in Mass so there are lots of striped bass baits that might meet your needs.  Check Red Top and Canal Baits or your local shops.  Just make sure they are floaters if thats what you want.  There are a decent number of cost-effective alternatives out there.  Again this is not to bash the LP- its a really good bait with a history of big fish.

Thanks for the input man! Sorry to hear about the early retirement of your G2. I've been checking out the ima big stick after reading BigBaiter's initial post, and I have to say I'm leaning in that direction. I'm waiting until the spring to pull the trigger on any topwater baits as things have slowed down up here as far as the surface bite. Thanks for the help guys!

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Have any of you guys tried the "the home wrecker" all the videos I've seen of it the people where working it really fast and I don't know if it can be worked slower and still walk

http://www.sovereignsuperbaits.co.uk/Lures/Hard_Baits/Surface_Lures/Walk_the_Dog_Lures/walk_the_dog_lures.html

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Have any of you guys tried the "the home wrecker" all the videos I've seen of it the people where working it really fast and I don't know if it can be worked slower and still walk

http://www.sovereignsuperbaits.co.uk/Lures/Hard_Baits/Surface_Lures/Walk_the_Dog_Lures/walk_the_dog_lures.html

I own the Salmo Maurauder and they do walk well at both slow and fast speeds.   I've caught stripers on it but haven't really tried it in freshwater.  Yet.

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The Lunker Punker is basically a walk-the-dog type bait that goes a long way back to the wooden Heddon Zaragossa and beyond.  Like 100 years ago long.  Lots of big fish have been taken on the LP.  The OG wooden ones swim fine but some (not all) of the later ones sit sideways.  I believe this has now been corrected.  I only owned one of the plastic LPs and it walked like crap.  I turned it into a bluefish chew toy and they sent it to an early grave.  If you get a good LP down the line its well worth the price.

If you are on a budget there are a lot of muskie/striper walk-the-dog baits that are in the $20-25 range.  Ima Big Sticks, Drifter Docs, Tsunami poppers, etc. You're in Mass so there are lots of striped bass baits that might meet your needs.  Check Red Top and Canal Baits or your local shops.  Just make sure they are floaters if thats what you want.  There are a decent number of cost-effective alternatives out there.  Again this is not to bash the LP- its a really good bait with a history of big fish.

agreed 100%  hardcore custom hellfire missle! its a bad ass bait!  cant wait for it to get chewed.  tons of striper plugs. tattoos sea pup. gibbs. lemires, salty's.  fishin magician skid stick is a killer bait, 8 inches, nice wide walk to it like the punker, not as expensive. local MA guy. 

Edited by bassturds
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I personally like the rago walka poppa as it moves more water and is slightly different in the way that it performs.  However, one smack at a rock or dock, better believe the tail piece will crack.  Fixed with epoxy and its back to normal. 

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The 1 Musky walk the dog baits that I do like for LM is the bait in the middle of this photo its call a Strike Pro Bandit its only a little over 5†but weighs a little over 3oz so it casts a country mile. Strike Pro also makes some nice Glide-Baits but there better suited for NP fishing.

 

http://www.strikeprolures.com/fishing-lures/Top-Bandit-Fishing-Lures-5-1-8in/page171.html

 

post-17904-0-01086500-1508846715_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 years later...

I know I'm three years late to this post, but the stripers are starting to boil and tis the season. 

The muskie inovations 9" seducer is no longer in production but often pops up on ebay for around 35.00. They do have rattles,  but they get bit .

I moded  a few by drilling couple of small holes on top. One up front and one towards the rear, and pour a 2part resin epoxy  and birdshot till it sits level and about 3/4s submerged.

This kills the rattles and let's me wide glide it like a punker or burn it in( jumps just like a fleeting trout).

When I target striper, I actually prefer this bait over the punker. I can easily launch this thing 80-90yrds into the wind. Flys like a dart.

 

20180715_030452.jpg

20180721_204521.jpg

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You might want to try a Strike King Mega Dawg which might be the first Strike King post on this website  :-D . I don't have a lot off time with this bait but it caught  a couple oif 4lbers for me last summer and walks very easily though obviously not as wide as an 8" Punker, that said it is a very budget friendly option.  

 

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/strike-king-kvd-mega-dawg

Edited by Primus
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You guys are sleeping on probably the best walk the dog bait (at least out East it’s staple) 

The Doc. $25 all day, bone color, walks insane, casts great and can tackle 40lb stripers without issue. Available in a 9” and 7” version 

8ADBB069-842E-4071-A22D-105C2C1A947D.jpeg

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