Loafin' for bass

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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547
My prototype soft plastic lure resembled a miniature, partially kneaded, unbaked loaf of sourdough bread. As our own Hawn Jigs has described, this is a heavily salted chunk of plastic designed to be jigged WEIGHTLESS, with its own very unique wobble during descent downward. While testing it's action in a "fished out" pond, I was immediately surprised when the 3" lure stopped after bottom touchdown and a hefty largemouth fired back up, sky high, firmly hooked !

Similar to the current crop of thick stick style fluttering plastic worms, this "LOAF" is much better balanced with a short ,squatty body that magnifies its zig zag action during the fall. From reading, it seems this soft bait is currently all the rage among pro bass anglers ,based on a Japanese concept with a less than elegant name.

I was extremely excited to discover that a 30 year old Texas ,family operated company, U.S. Bait Co. , is hand poring their own version of this unique thick, round wobbler. Next morning after receiving my initial order in the mail, I took the U.S. "scat" out for a test run. My wife laughed at the plain look of my brown lure ,wondering aloud (very loud!) what a fish would ever imagine in its fat profile. We were both shocked, seconds later when upon the bait hitting water's surface, I had the hardest strike of the season ! It was a long, drag running fight with yard wide boils that almost stopped my old heart. Finally landed the 15 pounder (no, don't faint, it was a thick bellied channel catfish ,not a bass!). I was overwhelmingly pleased, and carefully released the monster,despite sinking up to my knees in slimy mud (more laughter from wifey!), out of gratitude for a wonderful battle! Yes, I went on to catchin bass on the LOAF, thinking just maybe I've found my "bread 'n butter" jig for August!

I'd be remiss in not mentioning that the U.S. Bait-Loaf has an unusual backwards glide as it nears bottom , very similar to a fleeing crawfish. I'm told that Japanese experts give their lure two subtle rod twitches, then allow it to swim in reverse, and pause for a few seconds. As plenty of you tube videos show, this is where the subtle take usually occurs. And from my own observations , not even "dog days" bass can ever resist a plump crab scatting backwards into cover !

Let's talk about this amazingly productive concept, guys!
 

hookup

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May 22, 2012
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I have a bag full of 4" senko bodies - may clip off the tail and give them a try
 

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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547
Hookup, Yep, that's the one, tho U.S. Bait has a smaller model, which I use with light spin gear. I also experimented successfully with fishing clipped down senkos ,backwards (head end facing away). However, the senko types aren't as thick around for wobbling as U.S. Bait's version, nor do they do that unique back swim as well.
 

jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
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547
For clarification and incentive,here's a pic of my hefty cat,which completely engulfed the U.S. "loaf". I can hardly wait to show crayfish loving Lake Erie sheepshead this back swimming lure!

1659463398090.png
 

SPOONMINNOW

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Oct 9, 2016
Messages
211
I just figured out what it looks like John: a peanut.
1659686964369.png

I came up with something similar a while back and the wobble action is the same as you described. The stick can be rigged from either end using a 1/64 oz or 1/32 oz jig:
1659687974118.png 1659687991819.png

It has caught 5 fish species.
 
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jiggerjohn

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Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
Spoonminnow, Yep, I knew I saw that shape somewhere before in YOUR talented creations ! And with a real peanut ,ya already have a great shape to make a mold from - the right girth, length, and ,probably, weight. Just fish it with the heavier, or thicker portion, at the rear. With that in mind, as you say, let the soft plastic body do the main wobbling or back sliding on its own and keep the jighead very light. I'm thinking ,to encourage the "reverse" swimming motion,that your famous "double dipping" of molten plastic, JUST ON THE REAR HALF, would acquire the best balance. I'm also experimenting with placing a thin, short piece of pliable fly tying wire into the butt section, to promote a proper backward glide.
 

jiggerjohn

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Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
Hey Hawn, ya ole jokester, good idea, but that bowling pin shape was already established by Len Hartman years back -and Len used it to establish ALL the International Spin fishing org's line class records!! (best was a 67 pounder taken on 12 pound test mono!) In fact, I used to lathe out these little lure blanks for Len, at the school where I taught ; when other teachers saw me carrying them they'd ask what in the world they were? My answer was "bowling pins for little people!" Here's a completed plug below -

1659807234997.png
 
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