Anglers are always looking for an edge, something that will allow them to catch fish when others are struggling. Let’s face it – as the most popular pastime in America, there are not a lot of baits that the bass in our lakes, rivers and reservoirs haven’t already seen and fell victim to. We all receive advice ranging from downsizing our baits to adding/removing rattles in an attempt to gain an advantage on the water and maybe show the bass something they haven’t seen before, but to truly achieve that “one of a kind” look to a bait, I have a suggestion: custom baits.
Yeah, I know they can more expensive and it takes time to have them in your hands. No, I am not saying that production lures are inferior, as they clearly catch fish for both recreational anglers and tournament anglers alike across the country. All I am saying is that having a few unique custom painted lures in your arsenal to supplement your staple baits may prove to be the addition that catches highly pressured fish when the tournament is on the line. With sizes and paint schemes that deviate from a lot of production lines, custom bait shops can truly offer “something they haven’t seen before”, and that could put that fifth fish in your live well.
Looking for a custom bait shop? Turn to social media – Facebook and Twitter are filled with great options. My first encounter with a custom bait company, Shamrock Fishing Products, was initiated through Twitter, and when the Owner/Designer Michael Hoff offered to send me a few for testing and evaluation, I jumped at the chance.
Michael hand paints all of Shamrock’s lures, and produces one of the finest perch patterns I have ever seen. With color schemes such as “Kelvin Harpox” “Strawberry Jam”, as well as uniquely realistic patterns like “Baby Crappie”, “Northern Bluegill” and “Baby Bass”, you virtually guaranteed to “show ‘em something they haven’t seen before”.
Size variances are also a strong selling point of custom bait options, and the Shamrock Fishing Products “Shammy Shtumpy” is a singular design that catches fish. It’s an undersize wake bait with a lot of tail action, and on lakes and rivers with shallow grass beds, can call up a lot of bass in pressured areas. The “Shammy Shaver” a smaller profile jerkbait, and the “Shpopper” (I think you can guess what that is) head a list of baits that are solid designs with custom colors, and the combination of custom appearance and design creates a unique lure that will put fish in the boat.
With one-of-a-kind paint schemes and quality design, Shamrock Fishing Products offers anglers a chance to put that game changer in their tackle box. Go to www.shamrockfishingproducts.com to view their lineup.
By Chris Murphy
Find out more about Chris on his website and his Facebook page.
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