Chubby Salmo Darter

[IrishZit]

I was wondering if anyone has any experiece with the Chubby Salmo Darter that they would like to share.

I'm wondering if you should tip it with a minnow head.

Thanks!

[fiskyknut]

These are a pretty darn good lure thru the ice. I should probably use them a little more often than I do. I have caught fish tipped with a minnow head and bare. They are kinda pricey and the Jacks on LOTW seem rather partial too them! Their action is still near the same with a light wire trace though.

Irish I put a ? for you on that icerod thread, take a look when you have time.

Fisky

[Guest]

Ya-U-bet Love them Salmo Chubby Darters!

From perch to Catfish they produce very well for me.

The one tip you need to know with a Chubby Darter is work it up higher off the bottom then you normally would most other ice jigs. It's strong point is a #-D profile that is highly visible from below, all directions really. For walleye 2-3 feet up is often the best area to start at. Adjust to the mood once they show up.

The most common mistake made when jigging a Chubby Darter is when a walleye comes up to check it out, folks stop or drop the Chubby in it's face. Not cool, jig it up even further, tease then into WHACKING it. I have had several walleye at a time chase them up 20 feet of bottom to hit them.

Just think about it once. They simulate a schooling fish well. A walleye see's the stray high flier fish and heads in for the kill. What dumb-*** fish is going to stop and drop in the walleyes face? EAT-ME...not likely, that looks Bogus to the walleye. So make it look like a stray stuck out in the open and you will get more aggressive hits from the lookers.

There are days when beating the mud pays off too. Yet for the most part with predators tease them up, it will pay off. This method is especially good for run and gun fishing, cover ice and catch the catchable fish fast.

Perch and crappie, that's another game entirely. Drop rigs, tail gunner stingers, drop and drag, all good tricks on a Chubby. They hose them big perch boy! Big perch and crappie act more like the high flier walleyes do, they fall for the big tease.

I recommend a selection of Hot Perch and Gold and Orange Chubbys, maybe a Dace too. A couple tiny Chubbys and 2 ><,sUMo,> Chubbys, and your all set.

Like Fisky said, pike gobble them up, they love them Chubbys too much at times. A light wire leader 2-3' long with the tiny swivel at the top of the leader will solve that. Pike really slam them big Gold Chubbys Eh!

Hope this was of help to you.

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[fiskyknut]

I don't use these buggers up here without some wire on them, the Pike seem to come from afar. Good point about the wide profile and higher jigging their Ed. Same holds true with the airplane style jigs I'm very partial too. Fish definetly see these wider style baits and will come on up. I like that gold one with the orange back on LOTW. I use the 2 smallest sizes myself up here Walleye fishing {mini & jr?}. I'm afraid if I used the bigger ones while Walleye fishing I would have Jacks coming in from a mile away!

Fisky

[Guest]

Fisky you should like this scoop.

Salmo is developing a much larger version of the Chubby Darter, A Boo-Koo SUMO Chubby. I seen one, it's......BIG.

That bugger will be a serious Gaiter-Getter man! You can call in a gaiter for mile with that bugger. I have a hunch Laker's will go for them too?

That will be a Titanium leader type deal for sure Eh!

If I manage to score a few of the new SUMO Chubbys, I'll keep you in mind. Your in the right area to put them through the drill on some nice fish. Your a prime candidate to field test one. I'll see what I can scrounge up.

I am eager to get a few for myself soon! Can you say Muskie?

------------------
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701-281-2300
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><,sUMo,>

[pikemania]

I bought one just to give it a try because they are kind of spendy. It only lasted 30 seconds when a pike stole it faster than I could say Merry Christmas. I watched a friend pull in walleye after walleye on LOTW last year with the gold chubby darter. Very good lure just wish they were a little easier on the wallet

[Guest]

If you look around some this season they have dropped a bit in price.

Last year the hot colors sold out so fast they became hard to locate. Many more distributors are selling them this season so it should be easier to get them.

A fly fishing friend found some very fine wire Titanium leader material. It came in 50' and 100' spools. I need to get some of that. He said it was easy to use and reasonably priced.

I will see where he found it and get back to you on it once I get the scoop.

------------------
BACKWATER GUIDING
701-281-2300
[email protected]
><,sUMo,>

[fiskyknut]

I could definetly see dancing a Boo-Koo Sumo chubby under the ice when I fish for them big girls on that late ice.

I've pretty much switched to American Wires 49 strand product {7X7}, 'Surflon micro supreme'. You can even tie various knots with this stuff, way slick stuff.

Fisky

[Guest]

I've done well with Chubby Darters when walleyes are rising fairly aggressively off the bottom to hit the baits. The Chubby Darter has a "thickness" to is and it very visible to the fish from below. It also has very nice action and can be used to call in fish as well.

I experimented with taking the hooks off the Chubby Darter and using it as a search lure with a small 4 inch piece of flourocarbon and a small horizontal jig tied to the end. I found that this worked really well for walleyes that showed up on the flasher and approached the lure but wouldn't bite. The Chubby Darter draws the fish in, but they won't bite that, but if there is a smaller offering below the Darter with a small minnow or maggots, the walleye often time hits the dropper jig. Works well on those high pressured Metro lakes where fish need something new and are more finicky. Attract and trigger, thats the name of the game.

Good Fishin,
Matt

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