Clown Rogue

[Pepe]

Cleaning out the basement I found about a dozen clown colored Smithwick Rogue from the 90's.  I recall that we wrapped lead wire around the hook shanks.  Are these still useful on TR?

[Champ188]

Clown-colored Rogues are always useful on Ozarks lakes. I made a good check a few years back throwing one in a Central Pro-Am on Beaver. You'll have to play with the weighting but there should be plenty of info on the Internet about how to get it right.

[Pepe]

Thanks, Champ.  I just wondered if they had been effectively displaced by improved baits like McSticks and I should trash them.  Mama says some of this old stuff has to go. 

[MOPanfisher]

You should trash them.  I will recycle them if you send them to me.  I just that kind of guy.

[mjk86]

The thing about an old bait is that when everyone else is throwing a megabass or mcstick,  a rogue or rapala profile might be just a bit of a different look or profile. Fish do get conditioned to certain baits all the time on heavily pressured waters.  An old bait will give highly conditioned fish something they haven't seen before.  

[merc1997 Bo]

17 hours ago, Pepe said:

Cleaning out the basement I found about a dozen clown colored Smithwick Rogue from the 90's.  I recall that we wrapped lead wire around the hook shanks.  Are these still useful on TR?

you can check the bill on your lures to see if they say suspending.  the first suspending models designated that feature on the bill.  of course you can also just fill the sink, and see how fast they float up or not.

if you do not like the color, you can always take a pocket knife and scrape the finish of and paint them.  i know there are many jerk baits on the market now, but i have not really found that i can not still catch them on rebels and rogues.  sounds as though you need to look further into the basement for other bass catching treasures.

bo