Great read....Thank you just palced an order!

Dear 1956 Zebco, the primary intent for this MAL Lure is to attract white bass and hybrid stripers during the summer months. I guide primarily on Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir. Our "summertime" fishing begins around the 1st week of June when the thermocline first forms,and extends until around the middle of October when the thermocline breaks down (turnover). During this warm-water time of year, the effective cool-water vertical tactics of using slabs, tailspinners, and bladebaits just do not seem to interest white bass and hybrids near as much as those lures do from October through May.

The one tactic that always produced for me in the summer (and still does) is downrigging. Many folks don't like downrigging, so, I've always wanted another option for those clients. So many times while downrigging, I come across bottom-hugging whites and hybrids which I know are aggressive and willing to feed because I see them come up off the bottom after my downrigger ball.

So, it was disappointing and frustrating to see these fish on sonar, Spot-Lock on top of them, and try slabbing, etc., only to catch a few, and then have the remainder of the school turn off.

This is where the MAL Lure has really shined. During this scenario I've just described, white bass and hybrid stripers simply stay aggressive and interested in the flash and vibration of the MAL Lure far longer than they do for anything else I have experimented with up to this point (over 30 years on Texas waters). The more fish I catch, the more I know I'm going to catch, because those hooked fish create flash and vibration in the water as they struggle during the fight. Also, they defecate and regurgitate shad as a stress response, which serves as a form of chum. Since my GPS trolling motor is keeping me on a precise location, all of this chum and commotion is happening right under the boat, thus drawing in other fish from nearby. Soon, you have a frenzy going on, which can be witnessed on well-tuned 2D sonar and/or LiveScope.

If you look up further in this "string" of threads, you'll see two of the tactics I mention, smoking and lift-dropping, described. When I find these bottom-hugging (or even suspended) whites and hybrids during the hot months, I will immediately go to the MAL Lure rigged up on a spinning rod, as I've described previously.

I hope this is helpful to you.

This does NOT mean the MAL Lure won't work in the cooler months. It does -- but I rarely have trouble using other tactics at those times of year, and, I feel other lures are better suited to attracting white bass and hybrid especially if/when our water temperatures drop into the 50's. I think it is hard to beat a properly worked slab with a stinger hook attached during such times.

Good luck, sir!

Check out the MAL Lure: MAL Lure

Here's a link to my slabs with stinger hooks: Hazy Eye Slabs w/ Stinger

It was - and thank you for that, more than I expected. Trolled a lot in FL (was 100T). I'll have an excuse to break the Canon out now. Thanks again for your input and good luck with the charters.

Bob, I received your lures in the mail yesterday and tried them out today. I tried to compare your MAL lure to a regular Mepps #4 plain Aglia. I Located fish and tried each bait 5 times then tried each 5 times again. I'd catch 3 or 4 on each then the fish seemed to move before I could complete the comparison. Finally, I tossed a #2 rig and would catch a fish on most casts. I then realized I can't make a comparison while the fish are wanting #2. The MAL lure uses a #4 sized blade, has a larger body and is longer than a #4 Mepps regular Aglia. So, with fish favoring smaller baits, I can't fairly compare the MAL with regular Mepps #4. Also, I was unable to tell if the MAL hesitated on a slow start - too choppy with continuous boat traffic.

The fish I caught with it were with a jerk start and reeling fast. If/when I get into fish that will take a #4 almost every cast, I'll try to make the comparison again. I will test which bait catches the most out of 5 casts and time how long it took. Repeat this multiple times to see how it averages out. I also need to fish the MAL enough to get its feel and know best how to work it in order to be a fair test with the regular #4, which I have fished for years. It might be fun and fairer for you and me to fish together and have a contest. I've never been to Lake Belton.

Dennis, I very much like the fair and methodical approach you wish to take. Currently, I'm booked through 28 September. Do you fish during the cold months? I'd gladly host you here or join you at your home lake, as I suspect we could both glean a few things from one another. Please let me know. Thank you!

Yes, I fish year-round unless winter is severe - say in late January and February. Mild winters I fish then also. Oct thru Dec are good months and fish haven't slowed down, so I'd prefer then or next spring.

/\/\/\/\/\ Dennis Christian & Holding the Line, if you two end up teaming up & do this please take video or at least plenty of pics; two of the best sandbass fishermen on this forum imo, this would be epic

Working hard to improve lures and making the fishing community better is a win win to me.

Fish have been flying in my boat using the MAL! Totally loving it! Sometimes they want it casted out a little ways and reeling it a moderate speed 3-4 cranks of the handle. Other days they are wanting it reeled fast 3-4 cranks and let sink back to the bottom. Excellent lure. I think I would leave this one as is specifically for white bass and then make a slightly heavier duty, slightly heavier one for hybrids. My hybrids bend the metal wire fairly easily but I am not necessarily easy with the fish and lure if I intend to keep the fish for food so I may be just a little too rough on them...... Maybe original MAL and a BIG MAL hybrid version that weighs 1/2 ounce heavier, stiffer wire, slightly bigger hook. I have had a more hybrids get off the hook than I like losing too making me wonder if the smaller hook is a costing me the bigger hybrids. Not sure yet. Rarely miss white bass with it. I use a 7 foot GX2 ugly stick paired with a spincast Lews Mach 2 with 30 pound braid.

Got these in Monday, can’t wait to try them on Whitney for sandies and stripers!

Clay, thank you for posting this. It is one thing when I (who stands to gain financially by selling the MAL Lure) write about the effectiveness of the MAL Lure in this scenario or that, but, it is a whole other ballgame when a fellow guide does so. It lends credibility which I know would increase my own confidence in making a purchase when I'm in the buyer's shoes.

I am working on an even heavier version of the MAL Lure. I suspect it will do well for hybrid, but, I'm afraid the additional weight will force an increase in the length, making this less attractive to white bass.

I'll keep you posted on the progress!

MAL Lure info: HERE

Bob, fyi, I also experienced the wire bending a lot and having to straighten it out. If you are continuing to experiment, you might try a thicker wire.

Dennis, are you referring to the MAL Lure, or to the various Mepps spinners you've used, in general?

Thanks!

--Bob

The MAL - it seems to bend more than regular Aglia. I've used a thicker wire on a rebuilt Aglia, and it did not affect the action.