OK, I admit it. I happen to like Ray Charles' ol' tune titled "Hit the Road Jack," which is the reason behind the headline I attached to this post. What I'm really gonna talk about, though, is the fact that we, as avid bass anglers, also are big-time lure collectors.
While we see much of the newest bass-fishing tackle each and every year, we still often rely on some of our older, time-tested options to put fish in the boat. The only problem, of course, is knowing that there's always the risk we one day may exhaust our supply of "oldies but goodies" as a result of hanging them in a tree, on the bottom, or, worse, through breakage.
Following are some old fan-favorites that no longer are in production and thus deserve our being ever so careful with anytime we decide to get 'em wet again.
Strike King Wake Shad. This bait was only discontinued six years ago but is already missed. A tremendous search bait, the Wake Shad is great when burned over submerged grass, and it also works well around smallmouth and spotted bass on clear-water lakes. Rumor has it that the mold for this bait got broken and, because of the cost to repair, it was decided to just discontinue the lure.
Cotton Cordell Rattlin' Spot G-Finish Craw. This lipless crankbait was dynamite for young folks growing up on the Arkansas River, especially when bass were feeding on crawfish and shad. Something about that color and G-finish was the hot ticket back in the 1980s. It still works well around stained water.
Mann's Super George. This tail-spinner combined the allure of a deep tail-spin with the noise and larger profile of a lipless crankbait. It also gave anglers a larger shad profile for ripping baits out over deep-water schooling fish.
(I never fished the Super George, but used the Little George with some success on Lake Anna back in the day.)
XCalibur XCS 100 Square Lip. This was always one of those special lures that caught big bass everywhere. Whether fished on a river, a big reservoir, or a small pond, it consistently produced good bites, especially the "baby smallmouth" and "smallmouth green" colors. Color consistency with this lure wasn't always good. Some had thicker black stripes, while some were nearly all brown. Either way, it remains a great clearwater crankbait, and it looks just like a small bluegill in the water. The entire XCalibur line folded, and it's too bad. They had some really nice, higher-end lures that you occasionally can find on the second-hand market today for upwards of $40 a pop.
Berkley Powerbait Thief. This soft plastic may not look like much, but it's been a big producer when pitching and flipping. The body was thin, but the plastic formula seemed to be a bit firmer than most other baits on the market. This led to outstanding durability, and those legs had an excellent action and were triggered by even the slightest water movement. It also punched through cover very easily. They used to retail for just $4.49 per 8-pack, so it was a great value for the angler.
Original Cotton Cordell Big O. One of the first effective squarebills that was used in and around cover, the Big O still has a very strong following with collectors, and those who have them still fish 'em due to their fish-catching power. The molded bill seemed small, but the tight wobble was a difference-maker. Included in the earlier models was a unique built-in rattle that called fish from under blowdowns and vegetation. The Big O came in a multitude of colors from shad to chartreuse, and Big O aficionados liked that it could be cast long distances and run from top to nearly 4 feet deep. Although it's still made today, the first models are always thought of as the best.
(I used these with fair success on both Lake Anna and the Shenandoah River. On the Shenandoah, I often fished them early morning, just twitching them as a topwater in the current.)
Original Arbogast Mud Bug. Shaped like a World War II bomb, the Mud Bug was built to imitate a crawfish scurrying away. The flat tail was metal and had an adjustable line-tie that could be moved to dive deeper. It worked great in depths of 10 to 12 feet and, due to its backward shape, could also be cast a mile. The unique hook hangers would cause it to bind a bit and allow fish to get leverage at times, which was a downfall of this bait. The Mud Bug was easily tuned and deflected well off of stumps and hard cover. It was especially good in the post-spawn period.
Limberneck Spinnerbait. Made by Brothers and Company, the Limberneck incorporated a cable, instead of a wire, for the blades, allowing it to work well in and over grass. It first was used on river systems to catch bass and was particularly effective on rip-rap as well. Brothers had a unique split-tail trailer that matched well with the bullet-shaped head, and all the skirts were hand-tied with thread for better staying power. The 3/8- and 1/2-oz. models were easier to cast, and the unique head deflected well off cover. Although the willow blade was most popular, the twin Indiana blades was a killer on the river. They came in every color of the rainbow. Brothers also made a bent-shaft buzzbait called a buzzard that was loved. The business side of the arm, where the hook was, was bent down for better hookups. The 1/2-oz model was best as it was easier to throw.
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