Another Oldie But Goodie That Still Catches Fish

Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" is an old favorite of the music industry. Hildebrandt, however, has a couple of old favorites from the fishing industry, including the "Snagless Sally" and "Super Sally." 

Both of these lures have snared many a largemouth and smallmouth bass for anglers, especially those throughout the South. While the Snagless Sally lure still has its days, the newer and larger Super Sally puts fish in the boat, too.

Designed by Steve Porter, who lives near the shore of Lake Okeechobee in Florida, the Super Sally is a favorite of bass pro Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla. "It's not something you use every day," he said, "but when the situation's right, there's no better tool."

Schultz fished the Snagless Sally in Taylor Bayou during a 2013 Bassmaster Elite tournament in Orange, TX. Then in 2015, while fishing a Bassmaster Elite tournament on the Calcasieu River, again out of Orange, he used the Super Sally, with a Yamamoto 3.5-inch swimbait as a trailer. As a result, he caught the fish critical to making the cut.

"The Calcasieu River was the perfect scenario for this setup, especially when the water started moving," he said. "They'd come out and kill that thing."

Anytime Schultz fishes tidal waters, he has a Snagless Sally or Super Sally tied on because, as he explained, "With all the flash and vibration, you can throw it just about anywhere and get bit." His favorite of the eight colors available is chartreuse sexy shad, but he also likes smokey shad, pearl and black-red. His ultimate decision each time depends on what type of baitfish the bass are feeding on and the current conditions (e.g., dark colors on dark days and brighter colors on bright days). They come in 1/4-, 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes, with No. 3 1/2, 4 and 4 1/2 Colorado blades, respectively. He uses the smaller size until he gets a limit, then switches to a larger size to target bigger bass.

According to Schultz, Porter had a better idea when he made a pitch to beef up the Snagless Sally.

In case you're not familiar with Porter, he pioneered the Okeechobee big blade. He also was a partner in the launch several decades ago of the WeedMaster Trolling Motor Weed Guard, a cone that fits around the lower unit of a trolling motor. When Porter showed that guard at outdoors shows, he always ended up, as fate would have it, next to the Hildebrandt Company booth. In 1972, he befriended Alan and Edie Hildebrandt and told them he wanted to make spinnerbaits with oversized blades in an effort to match the golden shiners--which grow as big as 12 inches--that were so prevalent in Florida lakes. Hildebrandt always responded by saying he was in the spinnerbait business, not the blade business.

To Porter's surprise, though, a box of big blades was delivered a year or two later, and that started the wheels in motion. Porter's initial claim to fame was coming up with the first big-bladed spinnerbait that evolved into the "Okeechobee Special." Hildebrandt blades were the first applied to the new concept for a big-bladed spinnerbait, first with an Indiana blade, then with a willowleaf blade.

Porter began trying out his creation in 1974, and eventually settled on a No. 3 1/2 Colorado blade in the front and a No. 7 willowleaf in the back. While he prefers that combination, he also recommends a No. 3 or 3 1/2 Colorado in front of a No. 6 willowleaf.

That was Porter's beginning with Hildebrandt. Both he and Schultz have been associated for many years with Hildebrandt, which was purchased in 2006 by Yakima Bait Co.