Best Lure Ever – Al’s Gold Fish

March 15, 2023 James Collins Comments 12 comments

When I was a kid, Al’s Goldfish, the best lure ever, was free with the can of shaving cream my Dad bought. I can’t remember the brand of shaving cream, but I got the best lure ever with every can he bought. The lure was bright gold metal with a slight bend upward in the center. It had a treble hook. The was a simple eye to attach line. The lure was light, but it seemed to catch every kind of fish in the lake.

Fishing the Best Lure Ever

Casting the Best Lure Ever from the Shor

The Goldfish was light so it rarely got snagged when I cast from shore. A count to 3 was enough to get the lure to the depth I wanted. The light weight of the lure plus the shape of the body caused the lure to almost float down. The slight bend in the Gold Fish created a wobble as it was retrieved. I always tried to figure out ways to maintain that wobble no matter how I fished the Gold Fish. I attached the lure directly to the line most of the time using a loop through the eye and around the body. Sometimes I added a very tiny swivel if I thought I would be switching lures.

Trolling with the Best Lure Ever

Trolling was a different matter because the goldfish was so light. I would add spit shots about a foot to 2 feet about the lure until it trolled at the depth I wanted.

Adding steel leaders for fish like pike, walleye and muskies meant adding action while trolling. I would quickly pull my rod tip forward and let it slip back. I did this frequently in consistent intervals. The forward motion of trolling with the drop as tension was taken off the line allowed the lure to do its signature wobble.

Species Attract to the Best Lure Ever

I have never tried the Gold Fish in salt water. In fresh water, whether streams, ponds or large lakes, I have caught every species I have fished for with this lure. That is why I call it the best lure ever. Letting the lure drift for pools and through in rivers, I have caught lots of trout. Casting from shore, I have caught panfish, perch and even cat fish. Off docks I have caught walleye and bass. Trolling, when the lure is rigged right, I have caught bass, chain pickerel, walleyes, northern pike, lake trout and even a small muskie.

If you are stocking up on lures for the spring and summer, make sure you pick up several of the best lures ever. The gold fish is a spoon. Now there are various colors and sizes. I still stick to the original gold fish which I think is the best lure ever.

Casting Flatfish Lures – Fun Anywhere You Try

June 20, 2022 James Collins

When I was a kid, the lure I used most was a flatfish. Casting flatfish lures always caught me fish. At the time, I was fishing for small mouth bass and walleyes. I have used flatfish my whole life. They work in any water in any conditions.

Casting Flatfish Lures on Calm Water

A brightly colored flatfish cast on still water is a great surface lure. The flat tapered nose dives the lure with a hard pull which the body brings it back to the surface. A finger on the line just before the reel adds a side to side motion. In calm water, the lure is deadly.

A flatfish tends to run at a medium depth, but most models float. They can be used for surface fishing. The surface retrieve needs to vary between slow and fast. The lure should be bobbing and splashing. Fish in the shade of rocks can’t resist the motion. It pulls them out of weeds.

Casting Flatfish Lures in Choppy Water

On choppy water or whitecaps, retrieving a flatfish on the surface does not work. Waves of any size throw the lure out of the water. As a result, fish tend not to hit a lure that is completely leaving the water every couple of seconds. Consequently, in waves, a steady retrieve that keeps the flatfish under the waves is needed. Pulling the rod tip forward and letting it bend back while reeling will add extra action but keep the lure in the water. In choppy water, the best method for fishing a flatfish is slow trolling. Again, pulling the rod tip forward and letting it slip back will add extra action.

Fishing Flatfish in Deep Water

Flatfish are really a mid-depth running lure depending. The faster the retrieve the deeper the lure will run. Ten feet is about the depth with a normal retrieve. For really deep retrieves, weighted line works best. The color tells the depth. The action of the lure does not change as long as it is always moving forward. Any lure can be fished deep using weighted line.

Also, rigging a weight on the line can take the flatfish deeper. Usually, a weight is used with bait, but it works with a lure. The more line let out the deeper the rig goes. This can only be done while trolling. The line must be presented in the water while the boat is moving forward to avoid tangling. A flasher can be added to change the motion of the lure and attract fish. The weight should be a least 18 inches from the lure. If a flasher is add, both should be at least 2 ft.from the lure. If this rig is used, the rod tip should remain steady to avoid tangling. This setup with bait is called a Carolina Rig.

Casting Flatfish Lures in Saltwater

The largest flatfish are needed for saltwater fishing. When fishing in salt water, a flat weight should be added right in front of the nose because the lure will not sink without weight. When surf casting flatfish lures, the retrieve should be fast without stopping. The action of the lure will change, but will still be effective. Perhaps the best salt water method for using flatfish is jigging. When drifting or anchored, drop the lure to the desired depth and pull it up at varied speeds stopping to let if fall a bit and then retrieve again. If trolling in salt water, a huge lure is needed. Flatfish may not look like other saltwater lures, but if fished correctly, they work.

Buy flatfish that are the same size and color of other lures that work where you fish. From there, experiment with color and size. I have used tiny inch long flatfish for trout in streams and foot long flatfish in the ocean.

Flatfish are a versatile, old school lure. Give them a try. They might become your go to lure.

Tik Tok Take Away – Buy What You Saw

March 8, 2021 James Collins

I show a lot of my favorite fishing equipment on Tiktok.com under: drjec. My grandkids all call me “Papa” so I guess that’s who I am. People keep asking where to find the things that I talk about on TikTok so I started this page called Tik Tok Take Away.

What Can You Take Away?

You get 50 seconds of watching me as an immediate Tik Tok Take Away. Scroll down to check out what I talked about. After all, if it works for me, maybe it will work for you. You can click on any item to purchase it or to view more by typing a keyword into the search bar that opens. But don’t wait too long to buy, things will change as Tik Tok changes.

Kid’s Combo – Everything they need for a summer of fishing – $29.99

Rapala Original Floater – $5.98

Newport Vessels 36lb. thrust Trolling Motor $139.95

tik tok take away — 10 Assorted spinnerbaits $12.99

Shakespeare Ice Combo $19.67

I have been spending about 50 seconds per video reading through One Man’s Mile. Listen to more at Papa’s Reading Room on Youtube. For information on One Man’s Mile , click on the picture.

Fishing Lure Mart

Scroll down to read posts about fishing or check out the menu at the top of the page because there is a lot more to fishingluremart.com than just Tik Tok Take Away. We all tend to stick to what works for us no matter what kind of fishing. The great thing about fishingluremart.com is that you can look at every kind of fishing equipment imaginable just by typing in a search bar.

Hit the “shopping” tab in the menu. You will find yourself in one of the most extensive online shopping centers on the net. From Bass Pro Shop and Orvis to Russell Stover Candy, you’ll find almost anything you need for anything you do.

Homemade Ice Chisel – Inexpensive, Easy, Effective

January 12, 2021 James Collins

If you ice fish, you need something to cut a hole in the ice. I have reviewed ice augers in the past. The quickest to use is the gas powered auger. A hand auger is less expensive and easier to carry, but difficult to use. When I hiked into a lake, I did not want to carry a power auger. I found the best alternative for me was an ice chisel. I decided to make a homemade ice chisel.

Ice Chisels

Ice Chisels come in different lengths and weights. This one piece chisel is 54″ long and heavy-duty. It is selling on Amazon right now for $22. Just click on the image to buy this chisel.

Other models, including two and three piece pack-in chisels are sold at:

Click on the banner.

Homemade Ice Chisel

A good ice chisel cuts fast but the hole will not be completely round. There is a tendency to make the hole wider at the top than at the bottom with an ice chisel. This isn’t bad as long as the bottom is the size you want. You will need a good ice scoop if you use a chisel. It’s easy to make an ice chisel.

Materials:

two 24″ x 3/4″ pieces of galvanized pipe with both ends threaded

galvanized cap

galvanized coupling.

3/4″ steel chisel

Quick set cement (optional)

Tools:

Hammer

Block of Wood

Assembly:

Stand one section of pipe on end. Place the handle of the steel chisel into the pipe. Place the block of wood on the chisel blade and tap the chisel into the pipe with the hammer. The fit will be very tight, but the pipe is soft so the chisel handle should go in up to the blade.

Screw the coupling onto one piece of pipe and screw the other piece into it. Place the cap on the open end of the pipe. Tie something around the pipe to act as a wristband. I have lost more than one hand chisel with that last chop that breaks right through the ice unexpectedly.

For added weight, pour some very loose quickset cement into the section of pipe with the chisel. Connect the pieces after the cement dries.

You will have a nicely weighted, very sturdy, two piece ice chisel.

Enjoy Your Homemade Ice Chisel

I love to ice fish, but I don’t like carrying a power auger. They are too noisy and too frustrating when they won’t start. Hand augers are cumbersome. I also find them difficult to use. I like my homemade ice chisel. It packs easily and gets the job done quietly. What’s your preference?

New Ice Fishing Gear 2021 Needed

October 6, 2020 James Collins

Halloween decoration have been in stores for two months. Thanksgiving decorations are up. This means that its time to start thinking about ice fishing and new ice fishing gear.

Ice Fishing Tip-up Rigs

Traditional Rigs

If you need one, you need 3. Don’t exceed the rod limit. These tips ups are basic but keep. With a hit, they spool out line until you get to them. You even get a minnow net. Add a little bell to the arm so you don’t have to watch. Tip-ups are as old as forever. They’re simple and effective. Just cut the hole in the ice and place the rig.

Fishing the Best Lure Ever

Casting the Best Lure Ever from the Shor

Trolling with the Best Lure Ever

Species Attract to the Best Lure Ever

Casting Flatfish Lures on Calm Water

Casting Flatfish Lures in Choppy Water

Fishing Flatfish in Deep Water

Casting Flatfish Lures in Saltwater

What Can You Take Away?

Fishing Lure Mart

Ice Chisels

Homemade Ice Chisel

Enjoy Your Homemade Ice Chisel

Ice Fishing Tip-up Rigs

Traditional Rigs

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