Lake Trout Chews

[ctom]

I'm doing up a bunch of Lake Trout tubes and am expanding out from the usual 4" tube, tube. This is the Zipper Tube. Lots of meat on this fella, right up a Lake Trout's want-list alley. Its a bulky bait, nothing at all shy about it. The ribs are super soft and deep so when the hit comes the fish won't feel a lead head hidden inside. The ribbing will promote bubbles, which trout will occasionally focus on, and they'll help slow the drop rate.



This pup is just shy of 4 1/2" and nearly an inch at the thickest part of the heavily ribbed body. Its an easy and clean injecter and doing the two color as shown is a cinch. Lake trout like large offerings and this one should fit the bill nicely.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

I remember seeing it at the get together. It sure would get there attention and I think the pike and musky would have a hard time passing it by with out taking a bite out of it.

It looks big in the pic but until you see it in your hand than you’ll know just how big it is.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Have you ever used a wutz-it or wutz-it forktail on a jig for trout?

[ctom]

Oh yes. I've caught a couple small lakers on those but for some reason most of the big lakers I've taken on plastics have come from either a tube or a boottail minnow. The larger the better.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Do you have the 4” Ripper or something else

[ctom]

When I was on staff with Culprit baits I got a mess of 5" Boot tail plastics and still have a mess of them. The next time I have that tackle bag out I'll get a picture for you.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/culprit-incredi-swim

Tom is this it or a older version

[Lamar]

 This bait done in a pearl white is a great bed fishing bait as well. I like to make it in white so I can see it better when the bass takes it.

[ctom]

Culprit doesn't even list this bait anymore Mike. I took a peek at their site and its not to be found. I suppose they've gotten rid of a lot of baits in the last few years, at least those years since I left them.

I've got some of these yet but they are in storage. I'm not even sure how many packs I have yet. These baits had the hook groove underneath. I'd use a wire and thread the bait on it going from nose to the front of the groove. I'd split ring a treble hook on the loop end of the wire coming out of the hook slot then twist a closed loop at the head end of the bait to attach to a ball bearing snap swivel. On the line just ahead of the swivel I'd peg a heavy worm weight. On my 10'6" casting rod I could chuck one of these about 140 feet, then would allow it to go to the bottom on an open bail so the bait wouldn't pivot back into the rocks at the base of the breakwater. The retrieve was just a hard lift-drop until I felt the first rock then it was crank it in. I've caught quite a few 15-20 pound lakers with these baits. I haven't really paid much attention to what is out there now but I should maybe check things out again. These and tubes have been my go-tos for lakers when I get into slinging plastics.

[Rex]

Was up out of knife river yesterday tom. Slow but man is the lake getting pounded.

[ctom]

Great place to play, that lake. I stay off ice anymore. And the ice on that lake can fool even the wariest.

Seen mixed reviews for the Lake this winter. I have friends in Tow Harbors who fish the ice there that I chat with a couple times a week and its been on one day and off the next all winter. I got some pearl Zipper Tubes up to a couple of the guys late last week by mail and they both have taken trout with them but nothing huge....8 pounds was tops so far.