WORKS BEEN CRAZY. ALSO BEEN MAKING A FEW SLABS.

SIZE AND PRESENTATION, THE 2 MOST IMPORTANT PIECES!!!!!

I have made a few in the glo colors and caught fish but I still think the best colors are gold ,silver. white wirh silver glitter and white one side and chartuse the other.
Johnny

ROAD TRIP

Yea xyz I knew whar your potlicker slabs look like I have that mold and make that slab. I was wondering what you are doing when fishing and you are potlicking. Heck I don't know but I might be a potlicker.
Johnny

size and shape are the critical parts of slab fishing.Color is a factor especially when fishing stained or off-colored water moving or not.However, if one wiggles the slab too much or burnes the presentation too often you will only catch a bad attitude and a sore arm. Reel up one turn off the bottom shake two or three times and hold still. The water temp is less than 50 degrees fahrenheit. I always hold my reel as bites in winter can be very subtle! Keep a tight line and may GOD bless.

Come on XYZ....you've got to let us in on the story. It has to be good. I googled potlicker and looked it up in the dictionary ... the term is not very endearing to say the least.

Lots of info here on fishing slabs, I am going to give youall
the info on the evolvement of the one that I call Slab n Shad
I started with the size of shad that the fish that I caught
were feeding on, 2 to 3 inches and decided 2 1/2 inches, I
then dedided on using two colors, pearl white and Chartruese,
the reason being these are the two most popular lure colors.
I had been told by a professional fly tie man among others that
fish attact the eyes. I don't know if this true or not, but I
do know that they use perch eyes for bait up north when ice
fishing, Henceforth I put on protruding eyes, visible from any
angle. At one time while bait fishing I kept my shad in an
ice chest with a floating areator, of course they all died
but the scales trapped on the foam filters appeared as multi
colored flakes. This told me to use holographic flakes on the
finish. The wire in this lure is toward the top of the slab
and helps to hold it upright when cranking or trolling. I felt
like a streamer would help with more flutter and a slower fall
so I decided to use holographic material to give it more
reflection also. I read in a lure building book that there
needs to be something a little different toward the trailing
end of the lure to act as a strike trigger, again I don't know
but the old wood bomber with the eyes on the fron and pulled
from the rear end gives this appearance, also the cordell
spot has the spot toward the rear end, just to name a couple,
so I used red thread to tie the streamer giving a red spot
toward the trailing end. I could find no mold with the shape
and size that I needed, so I had to build em, and I still build
my own molds. This lure started out at 2 5/8 inches and 2
ounces, it is now 2 1/2 inches and about 1 1/2 ounce. it works
well as a slab or jigging spoon but has caught a lot of fish
while cranking or trolling, the streamer gives the tail a side
to side swimming motion when pulled. Now I do not know if this
slab catches more or less fish than some of the factory molded
ones, but the comments I have had and the repeat business, makes
me think it does pretty good. I contibute the success of this
lure to the whole combination of features rather than one or
two, Hope this gives youall some ideas.

That is a great response. I love to hear the reasons people had in designing their lures. Then there or some people just buy molds and say it is their slab.I have a lot of those myself but i did not design them. But ole ugly it is mine. Keep catching them.
Johnny

Dennis,makes a nice bait. I know that there are a few other slabs I have used over the last few years that have the eyes that stick out like yours do, and they believe fully in those yes doing that. I can understand why it is a great feature on them. I have started cutting my own eyes with a die cutter from vinyl and use the old black dot trick, they turn out to my liking,but the 3d effect isnt there. I have even used the 3d eyes they sell now, they add a nice effect to the baits. I have used a bait during this time of year, that is pretty effective and it reminds me I need to make a couple and put in my tackle box. But all they are is a fluke ball, cannon ball sinker, big eye and put a dressed treble on. These are a great dead sticking bait, I like them when there is no wind, so i can use a lighter one, and just give it the subtle twitch. Knocks them out. But really all it is looks like a big eye. Have any of you used anything like it?

I have only in the past year started using the dressed trebles on the baits, there are times that I know it helps out, just like you say Dennis in slowing the fall. That can make a huge difference on some days. I have had days when a subtle change can make a huge impact on what your catching, it may be a size change, color, or the dressed trebles. I have gotten to where I am a believer in holographic baits for slabbing. It is probably what I use on the home lake now, 70% of the time. Fairly clear water clarity, and some sunshine help out a lot though.

You guys making your own molds that is good stuff. I haven't done that...at least not yet. I have had a few molds made custom, which are nice,but when you get in there and make your own stuff that is where the pride really would come into play. My hats off to you on that. To just start making slabs the do it molds are good molds and decent molds.

I use the 3d eyes on all my slabs. You can't use them if selling slabs there are too expensive. That is why I give my away.
Johnny

I used to use salmon roe when ice fishing in Alaska. Never heard of using fish eyes, but it makes sense.

Johnny, I haven't been on the TFF since making a post to your thread. It was interesting to read all the posts. I do have a question. I just put a new Cuda 300 on my boat to replace an older Cuda with less power. I still have trouble reading fish even when I know I'm on top of them (when I'm catching the heck out of them). Is it the locator or the fisherman, or some combination? How do I learn to read this thing - more experience?

For me - I want a slab that falls good, i.e has a lot of flutter as it falls (90% of the fish we catch is on the fall of the bait, fishing straight under the boat - vertical). And a slab that I can crank and work it thru the water column and still get a lot of flutter/motion (on the forward moving motion on the bait and not just the fall) . And a Slab that when I have to work it just off the top, I can, with quick jerking type actions that can also entice the top water bite. I don't need or want a one trick pony when it comes to a slab.

So I want a slab that is totally, totally versatile (that works for all situations).

I want a slab that I can keep folks in my boat from getting tangled up with each other (heavy enough so as I move to stay on the fish with the trolling motor the customer will stay vertical and not get hung up with the person behind them in the boat). And a Slab that is heavy enought for all people to cast (a long, long way, when that is called for).

For me that is the 1.5oz slabs from TNT - the casting spoons (in the Mark Parker Special colors) http://www.trollingnolanstackle.com/casting.htm .

But the really big key is to get on TOP OF THE FISH (that is really the biggest key). But having tied on a very versatile slab for the conditions and as the conditions quickly change - The TNT Casting Spoons servers all those purposes very, very well.

When the fish are being sluggish (lethargic), you need to slow down (way, way down (most folks work their baits way, way to fast - most all the time) - I tell my folks just lift it 1 inch off the bottom, which they still lift about a foot which is about right) and as the fish get more active on the bite, so do you.

Find a bait that you can work for all situations, get to know it very, very well and how it performs in all those situations (bottom (first and foermost), mid waters and top),

Sandyhound I would say it is your depthfinder. If you are catching the hound out of fish and they are not showing I would sAy it is your scope. If I am really on a lot of fish they will show on the scope. I have caught a lot of fish when all I see are what looks like a few dust particles just off the bottom. I don't want to get in trouble but I don't think much of a cuda. I had one when I bought my boat and it would read the bottom. I took it off and bought me another depth finder. Hope this helps.
Johnny