AHL Ti-phoon

[Cooter]

I might have brought this up before but has anyone used one of those big double propped globe style lures? Thanks.

[Scoot]

Cooter, I have not used one. Is the ty-phoon the one that is a long, narrow globe looking thing that has a really loud pop in the water?

[Cooter]

Its a globe with two prop sections and it is long and narrow in respect to the run of the mill globe. AHL has a video clip of it on their HSOforum - I would describe the sound as more of a higher pitched whirling, not much 'pop' like say a tail prop bait. Its been a while since I watched/listened to the cliop though.

[SJonesi]

Great bait for fishing fast in high wind or slowly when it's flat. AHL topwater baits are some of the best constructed anywhere. If you throw it ....they will eat it ! Steve

[Cooter]

Thanks Steve, do you do any tuning on them? And have you found any tweaking necessary depending on if you're fishing waves or calm conditions - noisier vs quiet?

[SJonesi]

The blades have a slight bend to them(just a little corner) which makes 'em louder in waves. In calm conditions, I just reel very slowly with the blades just turning and chirping. Like to fish all globes like that. I like the fact that they are ready to go without changing hooks/rings. I had Mick(who makes them) in the boat this Summer and he is VERY particular about the construction. Nice to see. Any other questions, fire away. Steve

[b1gf1sh1]

Quote:

Thanks Steve, do you do any tuning on them? And have you found any tweaking necessary depending on if you're fishing waves or calm conditions - noisier vs quiet?

hey coot

this is a hard one. top waters are a different breed when it comes to the stages nessassary to make a muskie want to hit it. maybe you've noticed that not all muskie are of the same personality? or at least it seems? i played with the whole tweaking thing on my lures for years. what i learned was sound is relevent but not the end all. i'll quote another of my posts...

Quote:

IMHO, sound, visibility and contrast are the most important features any lure, not just top water, can have to maximize it's ability to attract a fish to it. not nessassarily in that order depending on the situation. recognition of movement is enhanced with contrast, which is the main focus in any lure i do, even my solid color ''glass'' baits. the rest takes care of itself as long as i do/use the right things.

here is where sound is relevent. as the main ''atractant'' in a top water lure. because under water sound travels around 4 times faster and much farther and is amplified... basicly just a different decernable sound other than the normal ''natural'' surounding sounds is really all that is nessassary. hence the popularity of some for the plop. what's going to make that plop sound? not waves or moving docks or even a swimming weasle. duckling? please. nothing. so it's different and easily located by vibration (which is sound BTW). so now the fish hears it (feels) and see's it....

now what? another of my quotes from the same thread...

Quote:

at this point none of the above matters anymore and the next stage of important lure features kick in.... action and profile. after it's noticed and recognized as possible food, action and profile are the most important factors for that irresistible ''trigger''. let's say for arguements sake ''speed'' and ''motion'' are included in ''action''. remember, sometimes complete stoppage is an action. or just a simple twitch. do you wanna take a stab at the last most important feature(s) of a lure?

... now it's got to make the fish want to strike. action. blades going nut's on the surface are, stopping is. then profile of something it's seen before helps, but obviously not ''always'' nessassary. IMHO a cautious muskie are the ones that bolt if theres too much noise. subtlty is needed then. like your ''whirrring'' comment (which again is different than anything around). but when to make the choice? me... after aggressive topwaters fail and a fish bolts, if the pre-rigged tube or twisty or eel doesn't get them right away i'll come back later and cast something more subtle and slow it down. so to make this long story short... IMO, sound is a very important key to attract but not to entice. it's the action your lure is creating you need to observe and study not so much the sound it creates. there, my two cents.

[Cooter]

b1gf - you have mail on your HSOforum!

[RK]

Hiya -

I've used 'em. I was never a big fan of Globes but the AHL versions are turning me around on them. Great baits in wind, and basically indestructible. AHL makes some good stuff.

Cheers,

Rob Kimm

[Cooter]

Hey Steve, thoughts/comments on the J-walker?

[SJonesi]

Cooter,

I threw the J-walker a bit this Summer, but honestly didn't give it much time. I don't throw many walk the dogs, but when I do, it's a Weagle or a Hughes River Top Prey. Initially, I was over-working the bait. Real short taps seemed to get me the action I was seeking. I did have a fish miss it in Iowa in May though.Gonna be a long Winter. Is it June yet??? Steve

[Cooter]

Thanks Steve, any other standout lures from AHL? I will have a mini mag by next June!