Bulldawg question.

[crazyice]

Fished with the "Shallow Dawg" this morning. I have never fished with this lure before, but heard good things about them. I can see why, the action on them is pretty cool, I love how the tail really wiggles in the water.

Anyway, after fishing with it for about 20 minutes, I was just telling my buddy that I was fishing with how good it looked in the water, and couldn't see why something wouldn't hit it, when it got hit! Landed a 40ish incher on it, but after unhooking it, I saw the amount of damage to the lure, and I can only believe that one or two more fish on this lure and it will be trash. The tail is close to half way ripped off, and there are shred marks all over the body from the teeth. So here is my question, for those of you that have fished this lure more frequently, is that what you can expect from that lure, you know to be shredded like that from just one fish? If that's the case, I would have a hard time dishing out $15 to catch two or three fish on the lure and then chuck it in the round file.

[Walters]

I agree crazy, I've found the lure also gets beat up even without catching fish on it by getting foul hooked or when the trebles pop out on the bottom and shoving them back in. I love the lure but like you said $15+ is awfully spendy for the few hits. But, I love the action too much to stop throwing it. One big muskie is priceless!

[DHanson]

I use a torch and also recently started using "mend it" for the deeper rips. You really have to take care of your plastic/rubber baits. You can catch more than 1 per lure for sure. It all depends.

[10,000 Casts]

I also keep a torch in the boat for my dawgs. Last last few years, I fished them a ton with pretty good success. This year I really didn't throw them hardly at all. I believe it is the uptown that doesn't mend that well with the torch so you have to glue them and that seems to last another 30-40 casts.

You mention that you have a hard time paying $15 to catch 2-3 fish. What I will say about that is... If anyone ever finds a muskie God that will sell me 2-3 muskies for $15, I am all for it!!!! Geez, if you average out your total investment, that is a very small factor. One thing though, I have stopped throwing them where I know that Northerns are present, that will save a few hits.

[Esox_Magnum]

Torch is the way to go. I have several thats trashed and never been hit. Super D's and Curlie Sues are similar baits and will take alot more punishment without being destroyed. I have 1 super d I been using all season thats still in great shape even with 3 pike and a muskie on it and I have a 2 week old mag dawg laying here with the harness about tore out of it just on 1 hit and from 2 days of casting. I keep the old shredded dawgs to melt others back together with.

[crazyice]

Great tips guys! I will try melting it back together. Thanks!

[SStracker]

Great post, I was curious about this too as I am starting to musky fish more often. What kind of torch are you guys using? I have a little hand held torch I use around the house and garage. I might have to pick up a 2nd one for the boat.

[cjac]

Super Glue in the boat for me, and the heat/melt treatment when I get home or back to the launch. I just don't like the torch in the boat, especially if its at all rough out.

[Esox_Magnum]

we use the little butane torches instant on off. Best $28 I have spent in along time. At home I use a propane torch and an old fillet knife for more precise melting.

[JRedig]

I've used the torches, but recently I found a really hot battery powered soldering iron does a REALLY nice job too. Plenty of choices available at home depot or the like.

The "mend it" glue is great as well, stays flexible and puts these back together well.

I bought a new dawg last week, it's been in 6 fishes mouths in the last few days, cut up, but WAY tougher than the old one's. It's been through about 6 solid days of casting without falling apart and it melts together really well too, quality seems to be improving! Great news IMO.

For as much as they seem to be showing me fish as of late and compared to what i've spent on other lures i never use or catch fish on, seems like a bargain.

Shack attack Curly Sue's are great as well, very strong/well made. Bottom line is no matter what rubber bait you have, those mouths are full of razors and they get cut up. Part of the game.

[crazyice]

Yeah I guess I should have known that it would get cut up going into it. I appreciate all of the suggestions, looks like I will be visiting my local Menards after work today.

[kustmoboy]

I use a little torch lighter that is great for quick fixes in the boat without a big flame. I agree that it is frustrating that they fall apart so easy. I have a pounder that the tail fell off of before it was even casted once. It melted back together nicely though and I haven't had any problems with it since.

A great tip is keeping the old dawgs around for extra plastic to help with repairs.

[smeese]

I would lose several lures just to catch a fish.....quit your fretting and be glad your boating some

[74mph]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I have only had one bulldawg and havent thrown it too much. I tend to stick with the blades. Possibly its the color of my bulldawg that is the problem. Ive got a black body with red tail. Is that a decent color?

What do you guys find to work?

[10,000 Casts]

not a bad color, I don't know if there is such a thing but it all depends when and where you throw it. Overcast days with a little wind might be a good time for that one. LOTW Perch, Sucker, Pearl White, Walleye are the more popular colors and my favorites too. There are hundreds of colors... all good somewhere at sometime...

[AWH]

Mend-It was already mentioned. But I have to bring it up again because this is by far the best soft plastic repair product that I've ever come across. I had a "dead" swimbait that was brought back to life with a little work with Mend-It. It's not a glue. It actually chemically bonds your plastic back together. I was sold on it the first time I tried it. No more glue for me, no more torches, no more hot knives to melt them back together. Great stuff!

Aaron