moguy1973 Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Good to know. I needed to go to BPS in St Chuck tonight to get some other things and I was going to check out the whoppers. -- JimIf people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles. -- Doug Larson
gitnby Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 One noticable difference with the Mini Crusader is that the rear hook eye and spilt ring is covered with a hard rubber coating, so it doesn't hang down freely. I assume that is to keep hook 'in-line' while running. But, the rubber does allow the hook to move 360 degrees around main wire shaft. Be interesting to see how that affects hook-ups?
moguy1973 Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Just bought one of the Mini Crusaders. They are lot bigger looking than I thought they would be and big hooks to go with it. Should work fine though and I too noticed the shrink wrap around the rear hook. Keeps the hook out of the "blade" I'm assuming. Not only did the BPS in St. Charles not have the Whopper Ploppers, it didn't even look like they had a place for them. Only had a couple R2S baits, the Clackin Craw and a Scott Martin walk the dog lure in several colors. -- JimIf people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles. -- Doug Larson
abkeenan Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Just bought one of the Mini Crusaders. They are lot bigger looking than I thought they would be and big hooks to go with it. Should work fine though and I too noticed the shrink wrap around the rear hook. Keeps the hook out of the "blade" I'm assuming. Not only did the BPS in St. Charles not have the Whopper Ploppers, it didn't even look like they had a place for them. Only had a couple R2S baits, the Clackin Craw and a Scott Martin walk the dog lure in several colors. Bass Pro really has a limited scope of lures. Not even close to what Tackle Warehouse carries so it's no surprise they didn't have it, especially at the St. Charles location. I will say that BPS is getting better though as they see the demand for higher end tackle and started carrying Megabass and those sort of brands. R2S makes pretty quality stuff IMO. I had one of their "Pro Tuned" Scott Martin Rovers dog bait but I sold it as I didn't like it. The line would ALWAYS foul in the front hook when walking it for whatever reason. I always stray from the Spit'n Image but always go back to it. Need to stop straying.
mjk86 Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Bass Pro really has a limited scope of lures. Not even close to what Tackle Warehouse carries so it's no surprise they didn't have it, especially at the St. Charles location. I will say that BPS is getting better though as they see the demand for higher end tackle and started carrying Megabass and those sort of brands. R2S makes pretty quality stuff IMO. I had one of their "Pro Tuned" Scott Martin Rovers dog bait but I sold it as I didn't like it. The line would ALWAYS foul in the front hook when walking it for whatever reason. I always stray from the Spit'n Image but always go back to it. Need to stop straying. The spit n image is my favorite topwater. Its a great bait for the money. I always put good hooks on it, but its awesome, and gives fish a different look than a spook.
Old plug Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 It's the 5 inch . . . but it feels bigger with the extended hardware and large hooks . . . kind of like casting a "WEIGHTED CORN DOG" It should. i just looked up the 5 inch model and that thing weighs in at 1 3/8 oz. do not think I have ever seen a lure 5 inches long weighs that much.
abkeenan Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 It should. i just looked up the 5 inch model and that thing weighs in at 1 3/8 oz. do not think I have ever seen a lure 5 inches long weighs that much. Like someone else said, It's a corndog with trebles. oldfella 1
wareaglecamo Posted October 10, 2015 Author Posted October 10, 2015 a little deceiving . . . the actual painted lure is 5 inches . . . however, the metal shank extending rearward (which is pretty hefty) adds another inch in length and the trailing treble adds the final inch to make it 7 INCHES . . . because of the hefty extension at the rear of the body, I thought CORN DOG would be an appropriate "code name" for the plopper . . . yesterday (Thursday) I threw it at least 700 times, to the point where I could definitely feel cramping in my casting hand . . . quite a switch from the finesse Ned rig
Old plug Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 a little deceiving . . . the actual painted lure is 5 inches . . . however, the metal shank extending rearward (which is pretty hefty) adds another inch in length and the trailing treble adds the final inch to make it 7 INCHES . . . because of the hefty extension at the rear of the body, I thought CORN DOG would be an appropriate "code name" for the plopper . . . yesterday (Thursday) I threw it at least 700 times, to the point where I could definitely feel cramping in my casting hand . . . quite a switch from the finesse Ned rig I know you are any else on here is not going to listen. But when it gets to the point your feeling cramping in your cast hand it is time to quit. There is no sense really in excellerating the future. Joints wear out plenty fast enough. I could not cast that thing 70 times much less 700.
gitnby Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 Update. got an offer for tickets to Cards-Cubs game Friday, so I left yesterday and never got out to try my makeshift whopper plopper. Decided to stop in Bass Pro in St Charles to see if they had any whoppers in stock. NOPE! However, the guy there showed me a knock off called the Tyrant Mini-Crusader. I bought 2, one in Baitfish, and one in reverse loon. $17.99 a piece Looked it up on the internet, and BP doesn't even show it on-line, and Tyrant doesn't even have a pic of it on their website? Here's the full-size one at BP, which is 6 1/2". The Mini is about 5" http://www.basspro.com/Tyrant-Tackle-Crusader-Topwater-Lures/product/10211313/ Found these pictures on a Musky Bait shop page. http://www.muskyshop.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/197/page/1/id/3248/name/TyrantMiniCrusader baitfish reverse loon also available in a few other colors. they had plenty of them in stock at BP. seems to be about the same as a whopper? not sure if Springfield store has them or not? Coming back to the Lake tonight after a Cards victory, and will fish it Sat, Sunday and Monday and let you all know if it works. Update on Mini-Crusader: With the bluebird skies, the TW bite wasn't as good as I had hoped, but the FB jig was a good backup bait, and it produced most of my keepers the past 3 days. No monsters, but some good SM, several barely keeper K's and 1 decent LM. FB jig was working better later in the day, and it seemed as though the fish backed off in a bit deeper water? Was sitting in 30-35' on secondary points, and targeting 18-25'. Also several on the Ned, but only 2 keeps. Only had 3 fish on the Crusader, and all were well-hooked, no misses! That thing is like throwing a Turkey drumstick, only heavier! Great action, and you can gurgle it or burn it to vary the action. 2 of the 3 bites were on surface busting fish, and the other from the corner of a shallow dock. Can't wait for the cool-down later this week!
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