Incredible feeling when an old design proves productive

[Hawnjigs]

Tuesday called sometimes fishing pard Gale if he wanted dunk some jigs that night but he instead requested my help tarping the roof of his house just stripped to install metal roofing which project he couldn't finish in time before the forecast storm starting last night. So I told him I'll still fish my usual pre-dawn session Wed AM and be up at his place thereafter. He requested my saving a fish for him to eat to which I replied the bite has been poor at the only spot capable of producing a decent to keep wally due to continual meathead pressure so not likely.

Since recent sessions have indicated the VERY unusual presence of big cats decided it was time to break out a bag of my miserly hoarded vintage while they were still stinky and firm 3" Gulp Minnows choosing the white pearl. On the steady decline since the usually productive canals and reservoir inlets have been shut down and fishless as expected at this last & only resort spot only landed 3 fish in 3 hours - 2# cat, decent 18" wally, and YAHOO an unusually chunky 23" wally. Hated to kill and keep this survivor of relentless bait and lure barrages but sure made Gale happy. What friends are for, eh?

 

[SPOONMINNOW]

Other than lure modification, I'm digging some old lure designs that did well in the past. I may even start casting some hard lures that have been collecting dust for years (spinnerbaits, bass jigs/trailers, crankbaits)

Catfish especially have super odor detection and those Gulp baits should do well even laying on the bottom,

 

[Hawnjigs]

Haven't used vintage Gulp Minnows in years, hoarding those stinky ones since newer versions smell has been sanitized and the material is softer and more easily torn. The smell likely triggered a bite from a 20# cat, not sure if 2 - 19" wallys, & 3 saugeye 16-17" strike reacted to the smell? Maybe, cuz the Gulp Minnow seems to be attracting more wally species bites than the Z-man Slim Swim last few sessions. All C&R at night.