New Trends for 2004

[BigMike]

Alright, I've been down to BPS in Chicago this winter and I have seen all the catelogues out there and I just wanted to open it up to everyone's idea on some of the trends they see for 2004.

Some that I've seen and heard people talking a lot about are the new scumfrogs. But I've seen alot about red/"bleeding" colors this spring (ie hook & spinnerbait/buzz skirts)! Seems like everyone is coming out with them! I just got an email with a spring sale from bps and they even had those precious Gama EWG hooks in red now...and on sale. Who has used red hooks? Are they any better/different in catching fish or just some hype???

I'm still waiting for the next "senko" idea to hit the bass scene... But has anyone wondered why we haven't seen much ingenuity in baits other than plastics within the last 5-10 years??

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thats not all that true, I think baits have come a long ways in the last few years. If you look at crankbaits alone, there are a lot of "Hand Made" cranks that are getting some huge money. Lucky Craft has been putting out new baits like crazy. Titanium has changed the spinnerbait market and thats been in the last 5-10 years as well. Tungston sinkers, to help penatrate weeds, those have been new as well.

However yes plastics have also made some large changes as well. And will continue to do so. Expecially now that Exude and Gulp have come up with biodegradable plastics. And Exude comes out with Extream Exude(I think thats what they are calling it) this year wich will have quite a bit of salt to make the bait heavier. And will be biodegadeable at the same time to time relase the salt out of the bait rather than trapping it in.

Good thread will be interesting to hear others ideas!

[Dan Wood]

Finesse plastics seem to be pretty hot as of the last couple years. I agree that plastics have come a long way in the past few years (from salt added weightless baits to the biodegradable gulp).

There always seem to be some new topwaters on the market, but they seldom catch on. As far as cranks, Lucky Craft went after the high end market by building some very expensive and well tuned crank baits, but they are not that different as far as I can tell from a the standard cranks that have been around for years.

I expect as bass become pressured more and more, you will continue to see many of the hot new products come as finesse type plastics (senko type, drop shot baits, etc.).

I do see some more room for innovation and improvement for weedless topwaters and maybe even weedless stickbaits or cranks.

[wormburner]

I was at the sports show the other night, and seen a new idea that Storm has come up with, it is a spinnerbait of sorts, it had a single willow leaf blade along with a soft plastic body, came in a 3" and 4" size, looked pretty interesting. The other new Storm, was a soft bodied crank.
I see all these manufactures trying to put out the latest and greatest new lures, and often wonder if they are designed to catch the fisherman or the fish, for the most part, I think the industry as a hole has done their job trying to keep up with the times. For example, look at all the new Rapalas comming out, Holographic must be, or is the latest in crank baits, husky jerks etc, just like the DT series, never used one but they must produce. I guess the thing I like to look for in a bait is mainly color, for example with the Husky Jerks, they had a color out a few years back in crayfish that was sort of a cream color with orange and brown, great lure but try to find one, I did last year in a couple out of the way tackle stores, found 10, bought 10. I'm not trying to get off track here, just my two cents, I think the movment of the lure has to be there, but so does the right color.

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Good Luck To All, Wormburner!
Buy a trailer,help support my fishing habit!

[EBass]

I read or heard or something that fish with gold eyes see red well. Such as Perch and Musky's, and I think Pike have gold eyes. I caught my biggest ski on a red spinnerbait. I also like to use a red hook when fishing for walters to, hmm...

I think a lot of lures are made better now.(well trigger fish more) Think of all the top water poppers that have rattles in them. Actually a lot of lures come with rattles built in. Even jigs and spinnerbaits have rattles on them. Rapala makes that long cast minnow now, so I'll have to pick up a few of them. Yes BigMike platics have changed alot to. But you still catch pike, what's up with that

I get to go fishing on the sippi tomorrow down on pool 4. I can't wait to make my first 2004 cast!

[BigMike]

When I look over the last couple of years I've seen only a handful of improvements and/or new products that have really revolutionized fishing (even if for just a short time). Some of the most recent have been senkos and sluggos. About 15 years ago I remember when pork trailers came out and now there is no such thing as a jig without some sort of "pig". For cranks, I think suspending cranks are a great innovation and can really trigger a lot of strikes.

As for things like titanium, etc..., I haven't seen a big difference from steel like a revolutionary bait might have. I seem to think that new methods to fish older (and new) baits are some of the biggest revolutions. I'm determined to figure out the drop-shot method this year!!!

just my 4 cents

[LOWinEYEin]

I've heard as far as the Red goes I read that the Pike can see that color the best. They might be making the baits more "uninversal".

I've noticed that the new topwater frogs, are weighted, like the new Scumfrog. Which could also be categorized as "universal". I caught more pike fishing bass with the weighted white.

It would be nice if they came up with a weedless cranks or sticks.

One thing I would expect to see soon would be, a salted crank, kinda like refillable...

Just my thoughts...with a little rambling.