Hot News January 2006 Winco's Custom Lures

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"Please release your catch today ,so others may enjoy the thrill tomorrow"

Al Winco

We introduced the Jerk'n Minnow series of baits in the spring of 2005.Color #12,blue-glimmer hologram/chartreuse in the jr. series (JMJ3.7)was the hot seller for largemouths in lakes and ponds as well as smallmouth bass in creeks and rivers. This past fall of 2005,we field tested the new ale-wife colors in the JMJ3.7 series. The smallmouth went crazy over them in clear water with water temps in the 62-74 degree range (remember how warm it was this past September). Fished open-hook, pointed upward with a Gamakatsu, 1/0 split-shot/dropshot hook thru the nose of the bait gets the job done (and your heart pounding). I've also had good success using the Gamakatsu Octopus Cirle hook #2 & #4,hooked horizontally thru the side of the nose.(this method will reduce some line twist). A 6 foot light/medium spinning outfit spooled with 20lb. test Power Pro braid (not a misprint-20lb. test) with an 8lb. test fluorocarbon leader connected with a uni-knot is the deal! You will miss 75% of the smallies that hit this rig fishing straight monofilament due to line stretch. Soooo- learn to tie the uni-knot and you will bail!

Now for the retrieve: holding your fishing rod parallel to the water, complete the following sequences moving your lure 12-18 inches each jerk (not you or me). Jerk-jerk pause, jerk-jerk-jerk pause. The fish hit on the pause soooooo--- set the hook if you feel any resistance after the pause. Many times smallies move directly at you after hitting and you must react very quickly, picking up the slack while setting the hook. This retrieve and set-up produces a great deal of line twist so a SPRO-no.# 2or #4 power swivel is recommended,12 inches from your hook. Now for you lake guys with the "Big-Iron" hangin' on the transom (been there, done that), this technique is also deadly for largemouths that are swirlin' and chasing young of-the-year gizzard shad during late summer/early fall (if your favorite lake doesn't contain an annual, fall gizzard-shad hatch, you may be S.O.L. with this pattern and technique). Sooooooo----leave the smelly minnow bucket at home and enjoy this type of red-hot late summer early-fall action. This pattern works best in clear water with water temperatures in the range of 62 -74 degrees.

Our new exciting color introduction for 2005 was #05, Electric Violet GrapeEVG) and EVG/chartreuse#14.

Color #05 worked well in clear water and color #14 understandably did the job in stained-water. The following were the hot set-ups for 2005:

(I expect the 6 inch version(PSW6),new for 2006,to produce consistent, outstanding results).

The Stick-worm jr.(SWJ4.2-4.5) was awesome after the spawn when all of the bass had vacated the beds and shorelines. The bass were holding on inside weed lines in 4-6 feet of water. EVG #05 was the only the color that worked (I tried watermelon and 4 others but no-go). Rigged with a Gamakatsu 2/0 EWG hook on an original Charlie Brewer Slider Rod, with (you guessed-it) Power-pro 20lb. braid/mono leader deal, was the ideal set-up for me to feel the light tell-tail "tick" these lethargic bass hit with. However, these bass turned into "rocket-ships" after..."you were on! The pattern lasted an incredible 3 weeks and was an un-believable bail. We caught 124 bass in three trips with this pattern on SWJ 4.2-4.5 color #05.

We introduced the new creature series of baits in October 2005. Field tests from late 2003 thru 2005 proved this bait to be extremely effective at catching both largemouth and smallmouth bass. The new baits sold-out 5 weeks in a row at Tanner's Sport Center located in Jamison, PA.

The Rigged-Creature(RC3.7) features a needle-point,3/0 wide-gap hook anchored with a 1/8oz. football head. This gives the bait central balance. The Weedless-Creature(WC3.7)features a 30 strand, fiber weed guard protecting a needle-point,4/0 wide-gap hook anchored by a 1/8oz. Arky style head. Green-pumpkin #06 gets the job done with black/blue #10 getting the nod on over-cast days.

The creature series of baits fish best with a medium-heavy spinning tackle and 20lb. Power-Pro braid and a 15 ft. fluorocarbon leader(8-12lb.test) joined by a uni-knot (blood-knots won't hold a union of braid and monofilament). The braided line and a G-Loomis rod gives you the ultimate in sensitivity. The creature series of baits also fish well on conventional tackle with today's newer high-tech reels. A tip on securing knots: (from Homer Circle) place a drop of oil on the knot before you pull it tight. Try it.....the ole' booger knows what he's talking about!

Our best selling product during the past hot and dry summer was the Magnum-Stickworm(MSW5.3)& the Predator Swim'n Worm(PSW7&8)in color #02,black.(You guys must have been chasin' the "nite-bite"...We were too!) Our magnum stick-worm series is purposely weighted heavier then the leading selling name while still maintaining that enticing, fish-attracting wiggle these baits produce on the do-nothing fall presentation (not all look-alikes do this). Now for the hot set-up! Use a 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG or 4/0 Mustad Ultra-point tube hook with one drop of Pro's Soft Bait Glue where the line enters the worm. Spool-up with 14lb.fluorescent line and turn on the black light. It won't take 3 years and 4 days for our Magnum Stickworm to reach the bottom on those secret humps and drop-offs in 8-20 ft. of water. You'll know your bait reached the bottom when you see your line move towards you in the black light. Pay attention (stop fallin' asleep) 'cause old hawg-face doesn't ring any bells when she engulfs the worm. Either she'll try and rip the rod out of your hands or most likely swim to the left or right.

After doing an "all-nighter" on a hot-sticky night late in July, (we zeroed-the big goose-egg) my buddy and me got the brilliant (too dumb to admit defeat) idea to stay and fish daybreak. With toothpicks in our eyes we greeted dawn doin' the usual drill: poppers, buzzbaits, frogs and twitch baits to no avail! Then a distant light went off in my sleepless brain, "try something new, an un-proven color" (#11,black/pink-glimmer tail). I rigged up a magnum stick-worm, dropped it along side of the boat and watched that pink-glimmer tail wiggle it's butt off as it sank. Apparently, I wasn't the only one impressed as 6 nice bass (no dinks) decided this would be their breakfast. Give this color a try at dusk/daybreak, and on cloudy days.

The Predator Swim'n Worm is an excellent choice when the bass want an action tail worm. Available in 3 sizes,6-7-8 inch, this worm has a hidden attraction. Use a 1/0-3/0 hook ,depending on the size, add a very light bullet weight(1/32-1/16oz)and sloooowly swim the bait back to you. Make sure your fishing rod grips are clean and dry. Big bass don't play games when they decide this deal is their meal!