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Kill Dot #11773096 08/12/16 02:03 PM
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C Worthy Offline OP
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Got a question for all you guys........ How important to you "really" think that the kill dot is on a lure? Do you think that if the lure shape, action and coloration were to pull a big fish in to it, that it would make a determination to pass or eat based on if there was a kill dot or not. This question is meant to make you think and hopefully make you better at what you do.


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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773173 08/12/16 02:41 PM
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Good question thumb. A guy who fishes some of my patterns insists on the "kill dot" or gill tab, pretty much the same thing, being on his stuff. He says it makes a big difference in the "strikes". I've recently been doing an experiment related to this subject. I took a rattlebait in a particular pattern that I have great confidence in (it has no kill dot) and added the black kill dot in the usual size and place for that type lure. I've fished it several times and I do think the kill dot helps improve the strike. Most of the bass that hit the lure with the "kill dot" take the front hook...same lure and pattern without the "kill dot" gets significantly fewer hookups where the front hook is completely inside the basses mouth hmmm. Just sayin'...it seems to matter. The jury is still out, but the results are pretty convincing.

Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773433 08/12/16 04:56 PM
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I would think that the kill for would definitely provide a target .... I wonder if placing the dot closer to hooks (like on some of the megabass lures) helps hookups ?

Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773485 08/12/16 05:28 PM
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Food for thought..... the only food fish in freshwater that has a kill spot are the varieties of shad. The other food fish species such as fathead minnows, shiners, yellow perch, young bream etc. do not have a kill spot. When painting these other species, would adding a kill spot be beneficial or hurt the natural appearance of the bait? Hmmmmmmm....... Remember..... Match the Hatch?


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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773496 08/12/16 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted By: C Worthy
Food for thought..... the only food fish in freshwater that has a kill spot are the varieties of shad. The other food fish species such as fathead minnows, shiners, yellow perch, young bream etc. do not have a kill spot. When painting these other species, would adding a kill spot be beneficial or hurt the natural appearance of the bait? Hmmmmmmm....... Remember..... Match the Hatch?


Bream and sunfish have a "kill spot" ...the ear....

Fathead minnows have a strong lateral line stripe that ends in a pseudo kill spot at the tail

Perch ...I would think that predatory fish would target the darker bars

Some shiners have a tail spot


However .... It could be interesting to fish lures with kill spots vs lures without to see if fish actively target a bold dot

Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773498 08/12/16 05:36 PM
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Thought provoking thread

Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773563 08/12/16 06:14 PM
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Only 1 shiner in Texas has a kill spot. - The blacktail shiner


The other shiners in Texas waters do not have a kill spot - The Texas, Golden and Red Shiners




The fathead minnows don't really have any distinct markings that I can see. These are all photos for the TPWD



I have to give the bream to you...... they all seemed to have some type of distinct kill spot.


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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773609 08/12/16 06:43 PM
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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773611 08/12/16 06:46 PM
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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773622 08/12/16 06:50 PM
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Yes I saw those but when looking up the fathead minnows and cross-referencing the origin of the photo, it seems that most of the fatheads that have the lateral line are either from states north of Texas or from ponds. What that has to do with it, I have no idea. But most of photos that show a fathead harvested from a Texas lake, the lateral line is either very light or not there at all.


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Re: Kill Dot [Re: C Worthy] #11773625 08/12/16 06:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: C Worthy
Yes I saw those but when looking up the fathead minnows and cross-referencing the origin of the photo, it seems that most of the fatheads that have the lateral line are either from states north of Texas or from ponds. What that has to do with it, I have no idea. But most of photos that show a fathead harvested from a Texas lake, the lateral line is either very light or not there at all.



I thought that a possibility but wasn't sure

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