Lindy Darter/Salmo Chubby Darter

[bobbymalone]

I always tell myself that this will be the year that I catch a fish on a darter. In the end though, I just have zero confidence on those lures so they only get tied on when I can't catch a thing and I am not really even marking anything. Then I don't catch anything on it (surprise). It's a self fulfilling prophecy that further erodes my confidence on the things.

I should drop one down when I am having some luck, but then again why switch to something different when what I am using works?

[leech~~]

The "I need to give them more time" seems to ring out a lot on this lure. If they worked that good or half good the posts would be full up prises for them. For the cost of them there are just a lot more better lures out there that don't need as much "time" to work.

[bobbymalone]

The "I need to give them more time" seems to ring out a lot on this lure.

I have caught more fish on a jig tipped with a depth bomb than I have with a darter. No joke. Spent a lot more time working the darter than dropping depth bombs down too. I'm gonna start selling depth bombs for $7.99

[Jim Almquist]

Funny...that's a common reaction I get from most Darter lovers. "Oh, you must be doing it wrong." Riddle me this: If it's such an amazing lure, how come its so non user friendly? To me, a good lure will work no matter who's hands you put it in.

And it's not like I'm sitting there, ferociously jigging like I'm trying to start a gas auger. I've twitched it. I've jigged it. I've wiggled it. I've dropped it to the bottom to raise some dust, then slowly brought it up. I've made it dance around the whole, then let it sit. As stated, it does somewhat act as an attractant, but getting fish to "finish" is another story.

On the other hand, I can put down a spoon with a little flash, a little glow and a little rattle, tip it with a minnow head, and I'll have everything the Darter has, PLUS get the fish to bite.

I dunno...I guess guys like you and Backwater Eddy will tell us how amazing the Chubby Darter is 'til the cows come home. Granted, they probably do catch fish now and then, and maybe I just haven't gotten into really aggressive fish.

My point is, I'm not convinced they're the Holy Grail of lures like some people make them out to be.

My point was that I have a hard time catching fish on a CD and it was because of my jigging, were just a slow drop and slow retrieve was catching the fish.

If I could only use 1 lure for catching any species in the winter I think that I would opt for a Swedish Pimple with the little red flapper.

[nolte]

Give me the Magnum CD in anything glow on lake Winnipeg, it works fish there. A buddy tied on a Hot Glow Perch and never took it off the whole trip. I haven't had any great luck to speak of in N WI or MN, except for the small orange one on LOW.

[Ed Carlson]

Say this Darter Prayer over and over...it may help the more motivational challenged individuals in the group...do a bit better.

This is my Darter.....There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My Darter is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my Darter is useless. Without my Darter, I am useless. I must jig my Darter true. I must jig straighter than my buddy, who is trying to out-fish me. I must out-fish him before he out-fish's me. I will. Before God I swear this creed swear my Darter and myself are defenders of my ice hole, we are the masters of all hard waters we fish, we are the saviors of my sport. So be it, until there is no more fish to catch in this hole, and we move on to another in peace..... Amen.

[Rick G]

Amen. I just work them like a jig n rapala. Deadly in stained water and I dont think I ever caught a tiny fish on them as most of the walleyes caught on the darters will be nice.

[tip_upclyma]

Glow Red Chubby Darter #3 is the BEST lure I have used at Lake of the Woods. It out fishes live bait 5 to 1.

[TylerS]

Ed, case in point: if you gotta pray to make them work, I'd rather just use something else that works without our holy Father's divine intervention

[fiskyknut]

Glow Red Chubby Darter #3 is the BEST lure I have used at Lake of the Woods. It out fishes live bait 5 to 1.

Okay, and wow! I'd have to see it to believe it though iffin we're talking the same LOTW that I fish rather regular!! Spose it gould happen when they're really snappin.

I do get a kick out of these Darter threads and the same old same old's every year! Looking forward to many more chuckles again this year.

Got to have a few in the box though for the days they bite any and everything with reckless abamdon. Seems they like the Lindy with the rattle more often.

How's about those Live Targets, after last winter it sounds like some of those Canucks are dumping their CD's for them bad boys!!

[leech~~]

Ed, case in point: if you gotta pray to make them work, I'd rather just use something else that works without our holy Father's divine intervention

Can I hear an "Aman brother"

[Ed Carlson]

Sigh.. .."Oh Ye of Little Faith?"

[Wes Ellis]

Had very good lock with the gold lindy darter on Lake of the Woods last winter. They were smashing it!!

[trapperdirk]

My point is, I'm not convinced they're the Holy Grail of lures like some people make them out to be.

No the CD is not the " Holy Grail " . If you want that then use the Williams spoons .They are the " holy grail " for any species and gold and silver plated to boot . LOL

TD

[mozy]

I bought into the hype as well, purchased an assortment of about 10 chubbys in different colors and sizes, luckily for me most of them were purchased on sale and under $3. I've spent quite a bit of time trying to get them to work using different techniques and different times of the year, but I've never had a bite.

I've read through a lot of these chubby threads throughout the years, and the conclusion I've come to is that they work well on certain bodies of water, usually large lakes where the fish don't see as much pressure.

[JoeTC]

Funny...that's a common reaction I get from most Darter lovers. "Oh, you must be doing it wrong." Riddle me this: If it's such an amazing lure, how come its so non user friendly? To me, a good lure will work no matter who's hands you put it in.

Couldn't disagree more, no offense. Many great lures require a mastery of tequnique. I once saw a guy fishing with a spinnerbait under a bobber; great lure in the wrong hands.

I will admit though that a CD is not any easy lure to catch fish on and it doesn't work as often as a tipped spoon but it does have it's time and place. If you're catching fish consistantly with a spoon and you tie on a CD and you can't get a bite then you are doing something wrong. You can't fish it the same as a spoon, you need to intice a reaction strike...keep it moving and when a fish comes up dance it away from the fish. I get a lot of bites on a spoon while it's still and that is rare with a CD. I also have my best luck after dark when a larger profile bait with more vibration becomes an advantage. I also use the bait to bring fish in that will take my deadstick. Another thing, I've caught numerous 13-14" walleyes on even the largest CD so don't be intimidated cause it's larger than most ice fishing lures.

Bottom line is keep experimenting because there will be a time they'll work for you and it's a lot of fun cause when a fish hits it will crush it! Nearly had my pole ripped out of my hand a few times.

Joe

[Ed Carlson]

Every angler has a preferred presentation methodology for ice fishing, some are more sedentary as in bobber watchers. While others are more active as in vertical/horizontal active jiggers and move more often.

Ice Anglers develop lure presentation preferences along these lines and select baits that best fit their personal methodology...I seen it over and over through the years..people fish with what they like to fish with.

It is best not to get too set in either ice angling methodology, and try to be flexible, and more to the point, to be adaptable.

A lure or presentation may rule the day, but will not rule every day.

[Borch]

If had very good results with then for crappies, walleyes and perch. Luckily the pike have left me alone so far.

I've seen a clinic put on by JIm's wife Lisa with one fishing lake trout as the rest of us tried to figure out wwhat she was doing different.

Time and place for sure. Once you develop some confidence in it you'll catch fish on it just the same as other confidence lures.

[blackleech]

Up in the Lakes I fish here in Saskatchewan, mainly Last Mountain Lake Ive never had luck with the Chubby's but pull out a Rapala minnow and boom you have a nice walleye. I think there are better options out there for the money spent.

Cheers!!

[DTro]

I guess it begs the question, if one bait is super hot, is that because it is what the fish want, or because it is the bait that everyone is using? I can’t speak for Lake Winnipeg, but I wonder if everyone used Lindy Darters if the scenario would be the same, or if everyone used a gold gumball with a fathead and stinger hook, would that be the “hot” bait?

Fish are beasts of opportunity, if they are hungry and it’s in front of them, they are probably going to eat, but they no doubt will adapt to what is available. I think analyzing the available forage and seeing what they are eating and trying to mimic as close as possible (within the legalities of the region you are fishing) is always your best bet.

Maybe this winter I can find some to get up there. I’ve had offers to “hop in” with buddies the past few years and kicked myself seeing the pictures and hearing the stories.

So do the Darters come in a bullhead pattern? This is what I found in one of my eaters yesterday.

[Bobb-o]

The Lindy Darter is one of the first baits i use for crappies and walleyes, the rattle chamber calls in fish from a distance and the realistic holographic finish works great in clear water and puts out a great amount of flash for stained water. The weighted rattle chamber is perfect for when you don't wanna have a rip and a drop as the only trick your bait has. When you pound the bait it flails like a wounded minnow. The best part though is the swimming action, I dont recall seeing too many minnows that fall straight down, most swim even when injured and the Lindy Darter has that swim down perfectly. When you rip the Darter it comes up, rolls over on its side (exactly like a real minnow does in the water) and then swims back down.

[JuanArellano]

I have some great luck with the lindy Darter, I like to fish it on 4lb test with a swivel to help the line not twist up. this bait just plain works, the thing i have to pray about is that the fish is not to big to come up the hole.

[Pat Burch]

As far as brand that I use for a hard bait ice fishing, with good reason it is hands down the Lindy darter. The action and the rattles and is what makes the difference for me. As far as colors to use if you can only buy a couple I would get the chartruse glow and the perch color, I just smoked the walleyes last year with these colors. In the darker stained waters like lake of the woods they are very effective. Like all baits they have a time and place were they are the perfect fit. My best luck for catching fish with the lindy darter was to give it allot of action. The key for me was to really snap the bait. I mean really high and hard my pole would hit the top of the canvas on my portable then I would let it fall. There is no doubt in my mind that this bait does bring in neutral fish and from a distance. Of course I almost always have another dead stick down with just a small frostee spoon or genz bug tipped with a minnow. Many times fish come into a large aggressive bait but won't eat it, when this happens often times they will hit the dead stick. Remember its fishing and changing tactics is important. Don't give up on using hard baits, there are days when walleyes are all over the darters and days were I have to use other things like rattlin flyers tipped with a minnow head or just a plain hook and minnow, but be open minded and don't get stuck on one thing. IMO The Lindy darters are a bait everyone should have as part of their arsenal

[JuanArellano]

Yes just like Pat said here, The thing with this bait is to let it fall on a slack line. that is when I have had my best fishing with the Darter.. The fish just love to kill the thing on the drop.

[Random guy]

To answer the original question of this thread

I own a few CDs and although they are good lures they sit quietly in my spare tackle because because…well they are quiet without rattles. In the stained waters of Upper Red and a few other ponds in my region the rattles of the Lindy Darter make a huge difference. Rattles have truly revolutionized our presentations in stained waters, at first rattles where laughed at with a few companies putting out spoons with rattles, jigs with rattles and this and that. Now everything from musky sized crank baits to bluegill jigs have some sort of rattle, sound chamber or a method to produce sound. Now do you know why so many things have rattles? Because rattles freakin work! Some companies refuse to embrace what anglers are telling them but Lindy went all out with the Lindy Darter and look what came from that; a rattling, swimming, darting, holographic colored fish catching machine!

When it comes to the use of the Lindy Darter as an effective tool I can’t say enough but before I say anything know this; I am a wholesale bait dealer. Plastics, hard baits and crank baits of any form should be the last thing a live bait guy has in his tackle box but…I now have a separate box for my collection of Lindy Darters that fits right in my pocket for when the going gets tough. When it comes to searching the vast expanses of Upper Red Lake I don’t have time for minnow buckets or the antagonizing hassle of messing with live bait. I want to run and gun across a ½ mile square looking for active fish and the Lindy Darter brings them in and brings them in quick for me. The sooner I can produce quality fish the sooner I can move the rentals to good fishing making for happy clients. Guess you could say the Lindy Darter is less of a lure then it is a means of success for me and my clients.

As for colors I have had great luck in the stained water of Upper Red with what I call the lines or shines patterns. Lines are the high definition perch patterns especially the NEW yellow perch color with its defined lines on a holographic background. The shines are the ones that mimic our natural shiner/whitefish forage base, colors such as Golden Shiner, Tulipee, and Shiner colors. Now as for the night bite Fathead works great. Yes the deepest darkest of the colors in the profile creating superstar of the night.