Good fishing!

Bill at ofc

We get stories like this all the time. In fact, about the only way we sell lures is by word of mouth. We really appreciate those who not only say a good word about our lures but help others learn the best way to fish, whether it be with our lure or not. Many of you give us tips on stores and we really appreciate you for that as well. If we didn’t have our customers helping us we could not stay in business. Thanks for being generous.

Bill at ofc

Perry recommends using a bobber most of the time. You can control your depth of lure much better.  A slip bobber works real well in this instance.  Most of us, when we are using a bobber, wait till we see the bobber running off or going under to set the hook.  Maybe with a minnow that is ok,  but with a Puddle Jumper (or some other less effective lure you may have wasted your money on)  if you see any movement….. set the hook.   Here’s the deal. A minnow swims and imparts action to a bobber. A minnow can make a bobber move.  A Puddle Jumper does not swim, therefore,  if the bobber moves, even the slightest bit,  it must be a fish making it move.  If you see that bobber twitch or move  it has to be a fish! Set the hook!  If you wait till it goes under you give the crappie a chance to spit it out.  You may have to be extra vigilant on a windy day. Remember, a twitch is a fish!

Also remember keep the lure level in the water.  See our video  “keeping them level”.

If you have any tips you would like to share email us or give us a call.   ozarkfishing@hotmail.com or 866-994-2383.

Throw a few back for seed!!!!

Bill at ofc.

The Wave Tail Tube

Who says an old great lure can’t be improved? My good friend, Randy, at www.hookedonplastics.com is just introducing the new “wave tail” tube. What this does is gives this fish catching lure more action on the fall as well as a “wavy” action in the water. You need to keep an eye on this lure because it is going to do big things. We will keep you updated on this lure as it is developed for the market. Randy tells me that he not only is introducing the “wave tail” tube, but plans to add the “wave tail” to another lures as well. If you are interested in more information take a look at his site at www.hookedonplastics.com.

Additional note. Randy has been in the manufacturing of soft plastic lures for years. He knows the business! If you have a need for the production of a soft plastic lure he is the man to call.

Even though we do not market this lure on our site, at this time, we are very pleased to be able to give our customers a heads up on this new line of lures.

Bill at OFC

–Bill at OFC

Techniques of a couple of great crappie fishermen, Bob Mitchell from Texas and Perry Brunner from Mississippi

“The Puddle Jumper is the most versatile jig I have ever used.  I have specialized in crappie fishing for more than 25 years and Puddle Jumper is by far the most productive of the many lures I have previously used.”
–Bob Mitchell

1. Use 7-7-1/2 ultra lite to lite rods and light weight open face spinning reels.
2. Use a
 lite line generally 4-8 lbs.
3. Measure and mark your rod so you can “measure” the amount of line going out.
4. When fishing vertical,  set drag light and pull the line off  1-2 feet at a time so you know how deep his lure is.
5. In shallow water (4-6 feet) you may use a slip cork.
6. Keep the lure level. See our “Keep Them Level” article.
7. Let the lure do the work.  Impart little effort to the rod because the natural darting action and buoyancy of the Puddle Jumper will impart all the action needed to attract strikes.

“When people are fishing around me and see me catching fish and they are not they usually ask me if I am using minnows. My rely is “what color of minnow are you using?” When they take that in and absorb it, I tell them Puddle Jumpers are my only choice and I didn’t even know they still manufactured minnows. Having said that I share my precious stash of Puddle Jumpers with them and a suggestion or two if they ask.”
–Bob Mitchell

Update:  We  got word from Bob’s wife that he passed away on August 2, 2010.  He was a great guy and we appreciate his willingness to share his techniques with us. He loved life and the time he spent on the water was special to him.  His favorite lake was about 85 miles away from his home and he made the trip regularly.  

We are going to miss Bob Mitchell.

What a Crappie!

Wilmer Sanford

Our friend, Wilmer Sanford, from Collins, MS sent us this 
picture of a great big crappie he caught in February, 
2008 on Barnett Reservoir in Jackson, MS. The fish was 
18-3/8 inches long 7-1/2 inches deep and had 2-1/4 
inch shoulders.  Weighed 3-3/4 pounds. Wilmer says he 
caught it on a MOTOR OIL 2 inch PUDDLE JUMPER.   
He says this “I have  used PUDDLE JUMPERS since the 
late 79′s and it produces 80% of crappie catches.  Some 
of the colors I use are milky blue ice, motor oil, root beer 
glitter, smoke glitter, chartreuse and black.”  He goes on 
to say he would like to see more stores carry the lure so 
more people would have a chance to use them

Bass on a 3 inch Puddle Jumper

Note: Ned Kehde lives around Lawrence, Ks and has done a lot of fishing and written a lot of good articles He is a great guy who is willing  to share ideas.  Ned sent me this.  It tells the history about a lot of lures that are still popular today. I knew a little bit about the history of these guys and the PUDDLE JUMPER but did not know about  their role in developing so many of the lures and techniques used today.  This article is full of rich history and ideas on how to catch fish.  I hope you enjoy this article and I thank Ned for sending it to me.

In the minds of most folks in the angling world, eastern Kansas is considered one of 
the world’s premiere catfishing capitals.  Such thinking is substantiated by the fact it’s 
where the world-record flathead catfish, weighing 123 pounds, was caught.

It’s a rare soul, however, who thinks of eastern Kansas as being the wellspring of 
finesse tactics for largemouth bass. Most folks deem Southern California as the 
birthplace of finesse and pinpoint its genesis as beginning in the late 1970s and early 
1980s.

It all started, however, in the late 1950s at Fincke’s Tackle Shop in Kansas City and was spearheaded by Chuck Wood, who became the first maestro of finesse.

During his nearly 30-year infatuation with finding ways to catch largemouth, Wood created the Beetle, Beetle Spin, Texas-rig jigworm, and Puddle Jumper. In addition, he devised a bevy of modifications to other lures.

Wood’s efforts were supplemented by Ted Green at Mar-Lynn Lure Company in nearby Blue Springs, Missouri, where the first jigworm was created in 1956. Moreover, the Hibdon clan at the Lake of the Ozarks, which was a relatively short trip from Kansas City, was in the initial throes of developing their finesse tactics for catching largemouth bass.

And a short distance to the south of Kansas City in Amsterdam, Missouri, Virgil Ward 
began his Bass Buster Lure Company in 1955.  In essence, the simultaneous confluence of Wood, Ward, Hibdons and Green made Kansas City the epicenter of finesse.

Wood primarily plied small waterways, and the countryside of eastern Kansas is graced with scores of small public and private reservoirs, ranging in size from a few acres to more than 400 acres.  Some of them contain prodigious numbers of largemouth bass, along with a significant quantity of lunkers; for example, Wood was known to land as many as a hundred bass a day, and his biggest largemouth weighed 10 pounds, three ounces.

One of Wood’s favorite methods for inveigling the bass that abided in these small 
waters was to use a medium-action spinning outfit festooned with an 1/8-ounce black 
marabou jig and black pork eel, which Wood customized so that it was a thin three-inch strip of pork that undulated and gyrated with the slightest twitch of his wrist.

Another favorite was the jigworm, and it was from the nubbins of his mutilated Creme 
plastic worms that Wood’s Beetle and Beetle Spin eventually evolved.

Even though Wood caught bass galore on jigworms and black jig combos, he perpetually tinkered with other lures and methods in hopes of expanding his finesse repertoire and catching more and bigger bass.  For instance, he was always intrigued with jig-spinners, and once upon a time, he even attached a jig-spinner to a small Pico Perch, and even with this bizarre combination, he waylaid the bass.

Besides his fondness for the Beetle Spin, he liked to wield small spinnerbaits, and a 
3/16-ounce single-spin was his favorite.

Dyed-in-the-wool California-style finesse anglers wouldn’t classify Wood’s fondness for little spinnerbaits and his peculiar renditions of a Pico Perch as examples of finesse tactics; they maintain that finesse fishing is putting a small lure affixed to a light line into 30 and 60 feet of water. Of course, Wood couldn’t probe 30 feet of water because the waters he fished rarely reached that depth.  But Guido Hibdon, the great shallow-water finesse angler from the Lake of the Ozarks, would salute Wood as a preeminent tactician of finesse.  

No matter what lure Wood elected to wield, he had no piscatorial peers in northeastern Kansas. In fact, it is often speculated that Wood caught more bass from Kansas waters than any angler ever has caught, and conjecture has it that no one is likely to surpass him.

Across the years, a few other anglers have found that Wood’s small lures and finesse 
tactics are as fruitful on big waterways as they are small waters.  For example, during the 1960s Wood taught two Kansas City area high-school students about the art of finesse fishing for largemouth bass, and those lessons paid grand dividends:  Drew Reese, using two of Wood’s finesse techniques, participated in the first Bass Master Classic and Dwight Keefer competed in the third one.

Initially, Vigil Ward and Bass Buster Lure Company were reluctant to manufacture and 
merchandise Wood’s Beetle, contending that it wouldn’t be an effective lure in big 
waters. But during a big-water outing with Ward, Wood showed Ward the errors in his 
thinking, and ultimately the Beetle became Bass Buster’s best selling lure. Of course, a small black marabou jig, similar to one that Wood often employed, became another Bass Buster mainstay.

Despite the never-ending effectiveness of Wood’s tactics, they have never captured the fancy of most bass anglers – especially those anglers who ply the tournament circuits. In fact, some bass anglers pejoratively refer to finesse lures and methods as belonging to the realm of sissies. Furthermore, as power fishing became the primary motif of the majority of tournament anglers in the 1980s and 1990s, the employment of finesse tactics by serious recreational anglers declined – even in eastern Kansas.

Take the kids and wife along with lots of snacks and goodies. I always tell my grandsons that the best fishing trips are the ones where you don’t run out of snacks. You can’t beat a pontoon boat for this kind of fishing.

Damon Harmon

Here is a nice letter and pictures from Damon “Duke” Harmon from Manhattan, Ks about night fishing.

“Glad to share the pictures.  I have included another one. It is of a nice hybrid.  These hybrids will smash a Puddle Jumper at night and strip off some line. I catch them in early June, not so much this time of year.  I caught (and released) 6 large hybrids and a walleye in an hour one night.  All on PJ’s.

I use white 2 inch PJ’s on 6 lb. test line with a 1/8 oz jig head. A smaller jig will fall slower but we have to fight wind on Kansas lakes. I don’t think jig head color makes a difference.

I figured out a long time ago to pull the knot back towards the hook to get the jig to hang level. This will greatly increase your numbers.  I also tie a ball bearing swivel about 24 inches above the jig to reduce line twist.  I think a swivel is just as important as hanging level.

I enjoy jigging your Puddle Jumpers at night.”
Duke

Caught on a Puddle Jumper at Night Under Lights

If you are interested in this type fishing click on  Tom Payne’s web site at 
www.fishinglightsetc.com for a lot of good information about night fishing. He also sells the best night lights available. Brighter the light, better the attracting power.   He 
contacted me some time ago and said that Puddle Jumpers were the best lures to use for this technique. Since then I have had a number of people  tell me the same thing.

Go somewhere like a flower shop, Walmart or Hobby Lobby.  You need some soft, easy-to-bend,  wire.

The picture below  shows a 1/16 oz. jig with about 3-4 inches of wire.  If you cut the wire a little long it will be easier to work with.  This would work on about any size jig.  Big jigs might need a little stiffer wire.

Wrap the wire around keeper a couple of turns (2) then up and around the eye. (3) Bring the wire back to the hook point and (4) cut off to correct length.

You can still hang up but the weed guard helps a lot.  The wire doesn’t seem to bother the action and bends easily when a fish bites.  I make up some before I go fishing, so I won’t have to stop and make one when the fish are biting fast and furious on a Puddle Jumper.

Left (bad), Right (good)

Tie a few and look at them and you will see what I mean. It is a little tough to keep the knot from wanting to work back to center but well worth the effort.  The picture below gives you some idea of what is meant (in the water the tail will be more level).  Jig on the left is a no-no.  Jig on the right is correct.

Puddle Jumper with Jig Head

The action of the lure when falling is kind of like a dying minnow. The wings will cause the lure to spiral as it falls. This spiraling down will sometimes bring on a strike.

The size of jig head is determined by how slow you want the lure to fall. For the 2 inch a 1/16 oz. works well. If you want a slower fall go to a 1/32 oz. or even the 1/64 oz. If you are fishing deep and want to get down in a hurry you can use larger than 1/16 oz. As with most crappie lures fishing slow is generally the best. If the crappie are real active, like in the
spring spawn, try a spin with them.

Puddle Jumper with Spin

Putting a spin on the Puddle Jumper makes it great bait for other fish such as small mouth, walleye and white bass.