Virgil Ward

[Gatorjet]

Something I have been wondering ever since i first saw the sports on KY3. Is Ned Reynolds the guy that used to be Virgil Ward's announcer/add man on his old TV show. Sure looks, and sounds like I remember him. Just thought he would be much older!

[Martin]

Zipstick, thanks for the info on the Spider Spin... My grandpa and he cronies used to use those here at Tablerock and over on Bull Shoals in the winter. I didn't remember that Bass Buster made one. I'd still catch alot of fish I'll bet.

[Al Agnew]

I well remember the Tarantula and Scorpion. Both were short arm spinnerbaits, which are almost nonexistent these days, but they were very versatile spinnerbaits. The short arm design seemed to work better than the longer arm spinnerbaits of today for fishing on the drop. The Tarantula not only had a bigger blade, but also had a skirt made up of fewer, very wide strands of rubber. They were both deadly at night...the big colorado blade on the Tarantula really had a thump.

Remember the SOB...Small Okiebug? It was made by somebody in Oklahoma and was one of the first long arm tandem spins. It was one of my two favorite spinnerbaits for a long time. The other was the Little Jewel, which was made by a company in Florida, I believe, and instead of a lead head it had a spinner blade soldered to the area where the arm and hook joined. You could reel it dead slow and it would still stay up and wake the surface.

[Martin]

Al, you're right about the short arm spinnerbaits. After Virgils went out of popularity (or business), Stan Sloan made a fantastic short arm spinnerbait. Can't remember if it had a name... I think the Small Okiebug was made in Oklahoma (as you stated) and it may have been owned by Don Butler (I think was the guys name)... Who won the very first BASS Classic ?? Might have been Don Butler, but boy, that was a long time ago...lol

Back to Stan Sloan. He made a jig called the Booza Bug....not sure of the spelling. Do you remember the Fleck Weed Wader spinnerbait. I loved those things..lol

[Don]

I remember that Virgil Ward was fond of a crawdad colored beetle spin. He would demonstrate it in his aquarium. I followed his que and did pretty well with it as a youngster.

[rps]

Re: Don Butler and Okiebug.

Don Butler was the first BASS member, according to Ray Scott, and did not win the first Bass championship. Instead, it was in year 3, 4, or 5. That championship was noted for the lowest bag of all championships. I think it was Percy Priest. He ran the SOB (small okiebug) past timber and killed it. He opened Okiebug next to his families lumber business in Tulsa. Morris used to run down to Tulsa and buy goods that he then put on racks in the family liquor stores. Don sold Okiebug (now closed) and retired to Grand Lake after he suffered a terrible injury falling on the stairs to his dock.

Re twin spin spinner baits.

Go to the War Eagle site and find their twin spins. Imagine them in deer hair. And black. Then they would be perfect. Especially with a green spot pork frog. All of the following are based on personal experience on Beaver, TR, and BS.

Method 1: Throw close to the bank and let it fall on a tight line to the bottom. Wait 5 to 10 seconds. Pick it up carefully (often you will find a guest), reel one or two turns of the handle and let it fall again. Repeat all the way to the boat.

Method 2: Throw into deep water where fish are suspended or are willing to come up (stick bait water, bluffs - especially at night or in winter) Count down on a tight line and begin a slow retrieve where you can just feel the blade.

Method 3: Cold water with color in early spring - throw parallel to the bank and slow steady retrieve bumping the bottom constantly in 4 to 8 feet of water.

Method 4: Throw past lay down timber and reel to just this side of the lay down and kill it on a semi tight line.

When you kill a twin spin it does not spiral down like single arms. It falls level with the hook upright.

[Al Agnew]

Twin spins don't work at all on river smallmouth, though...

[zipstick]

[

Remember the SOB...Small Okiebug? It was made by somebody in Oklahoma and was one of the first long arm tandem spins. It was one of my two favorite spinnerbaits for a long time. The other was the Little Jewel, which was made by a company in Florida, I believe, and instead of a lead head it had a spinner blade soldered to the area where the arm and hook joined. You could reel it dead slow and it would still stay up and wake the surface.

Billy Phillips out of TN made the Little Jewel.

[Martin]

Anybody remember the Pedigo Spin-Rite ? Billy Westmoreland used to murder those big smallies with those.

[Mitch f]

Anybody remember the Pedigo Spin-Rite ? Billy Westmoreland used to murder those big smallies with those.

Those guys down at Dale Hollow love those tail spinners