Big Tuff Shads?

[J.J.]

I'm thinking about buying a couple of the 8 and 10 inch Tuff Shads, but nobody close to me has them, so I guess that I'll have to order them to seee them in person! Has anyone seen or trolled these new sizes yet? How do they look in the water?

[kevin]

I have a 8 inch model and it looks awsome my buddy has them in all sizes and he loves them. He has caught about 41 fish on them. he has even caught some 50"ers on the 10" model deep diver so give them a whirl..

[muskienut]

There sure were some big ones caught on Tuff Shads this past year. They must look good to the muskies! I may have to order some myself. Look at some of the photos on their site! http://tuffshad.tripod.com/tuffshadlures/

[jlong]

I've never seen one in action.... but I got "sold" and placed an order last week anyway. You just never know when you are going to find a new "gem". They look pretty neat and I'm interested to see what a "square" lip does on a deep diver.

..... and you can't ignore the huge fish photos on their website.

Anyone out there already using them that can offer up an opinion on them? Was my money well spent?

jlong

[kev43]

Very well spent!!! I just wish I had more $$$$$$$$$$$ money to spend on them!!!!!

[* ))))))]

Could someone please tell me what is so special about this bait. It is similar to a monster shad, right? So what is different? I can see that there have been some good size fish caught, but isn't that true for any bait? This might be the future for a bait of this type, but what is different about it, unlike all the others of this type? I would like to know, and maybe I would give them a try. How long have they been around? But I realize that there is no such thing, as a "true" fish cathin' musky bait out there!

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

I seen a couple days last fall when the 10" Tuff Shad produced 50"+ Muskies,when everyone else washed lures.I ordered 2 Perch colored 10" Tuff Shad,liked what I saw when they came to my door and imeadiately ordered another four 10"in Perch color.Then decided to purchase 24 more 10"ers in other colors.I have caught many fish on the 5" Tuff Shad in the past as well!Definately better action then a Monster Shad or a Hooker Shad. Capt. Larry

[kev43]

well lets see, They have only been around a little over a year!! They have caught like 6 muskies over 50"s. The look of them is better than a monster shad. more flash and they will withstand the punishment that the all mighty muskie will put on a bait day after day after day. I know for a fact a Monster Shad wont hold up!!! They come in all sizes monster shads dont!!!! I think that enough but there's more. For now.

[MRoberts]

Not a troller so I am curious how bouyant the 10 inchers are.

Nail A Pig!

Mike

Let 'em go, Let 'em Grow

[muskie myers]

The tuff shads are made by Chris Hamrick of Parkersburg one of many West Virginia lure makers.He has had them on the market for about three years and the results speak for themselves.He has a web-site and I will post on here but there are several tackle shops handling his baits.You can view them and all info on his site.And if you need any WV muskie info check out my site as well,well time to get ready to fish today.Muskie Myers.
http://tuffshad.tripod.com/tuffshadlures
www.angelfire.com/wv/muskie

[1troller]

The Tuffs have only been out for one year! He started making them last winter. Think about that. Look at how they produced last year with only a handful of them on the market. What do you suppose they'll do this year with more of them being used, and now the different sizes!

[muskie Myers]

He had them at the Ohio Huskie Muskie Banquet in march of 2001 for sale and it takes time to develop a lure.But at at any rate they are catching a lot of fish.Maybe I,ll catch one today.Muskie Myers.
www.angelfire.com/wv/muskie

[jlong]

I'm interested in an answer to MRobert's question. How bouyant are these baits??? What kind of action do they have? What can we expect to see when we CAST this lure?

I don't care how many fish they've been catching... just want to know what I'll be getting for the money I spent. Sure, I can wait a few months and find out for myself since I have one of each size coming soon..... but a sneak preview would be nice.

Thanks.

jlong

[HerbB]

How much do these Tuff Shads cost? Just wondering. Imagine a lure that works and costs less than $300!:)

Does anyone have any experience with using these baits in rocks? Can they take a good beating? What sizes have been the most productive?

Does anyone know if they are available at the Muskie Shows?

Herb

[* )))))))]

Sounds like I better look into this bait! What do you think would be the most productive?

[BigMuskieBeliever]

I can tell you alittle about the 10" bait. They are weighted and sink but they are very slow and suspended. With a twitch and a crank of the reel handle, they flash and wobble. Some of the small baits are used in streams as well. And they all trolling and can stand a good hit both musky and rocks. Tell, them and you will be hooked, and the cost id worth it!!!

[Chris H]

Looks like time for me to jump in here! The Tuffs don't sink or suspend, unless they really get chewed up and then soak up water. I caught several fish on the 8's and 10's this past fall/early winter, all trolling, and none of my own baits sink. I have had the small 4 inchers suck up some water and become sinkers, but only after getting several teeth marks in them. I haven't had the opportunity to actually fish with the 10" while casting, but I did throw it a few times and twitch/jerk it, and it looked good to me! Lots of wobble and flash. I plan on trying it this spring over some early growth weed beds. This bait was designed for trolling and for that reason I put the 7/0 hooks close together to inhance the hook up rate. Casting it, every now and then the hooks will tangle, unless you gently lob out, then it seems to be fine. Also these baits don't pull as hard as other baits their size, and I've trolled the 5,6,8 and 10 inchers to just over 7 mph, and still not have them "blow out."

[jlong]

Thanks Chris H.!!! Nothing better than hearing directly from the creator himself (creator of the lures... not mankind!)

I'm a caster almost exclusively... so will let you know how they work... considering you designed them for trolling. I hope mine get so chewed up from fish that they soak up water and slowly sink!!!!

jlong

[HerbB]

Chris, Thanks much. They look like great baits and I plan to order a few and am going to give them a good workout both casting and trolling in MN waters. Yeah, we can troll here.:) Herb

[Predator]

I've used nearly every model of Tuff Shad.I've caught fish on all the different configurations.I'm pretty sure I boated some of the first ones caught on these. The 4 inch and 5 inch cast well and are similar in action to a Ernie.Sort of.They have a tight wiggle with alot of flash.They dive good and they are not too boyant.I had good success right after Ice out last year casting these around timber.Crankem down then twitch,followed by crank.I know there was several nice fish caught in the Fox chain area last spring on these lures also.The Jointed model is basically a trolling lure but can be casted with success also.The twitch near the surface worked for me with this one on more than one occasion.Trolling it produced several nice fish for me on St Clair and New York waters where a shallow running lure was preferred. They out produced alot of standby lures for me on these waters. The 8-10" models produced 3 50 inch class for my boat in November last year.They were brand new with only a handful in use.They fished well from 15-25 foot level easily. I boated fish hooked at 32 feet on these ones.You won't be dissapointed in any of these. Good Huntin.Kevin Selders

[Chris H]

For everyones information, we are not making any jointed Tuff Shads at this time. The straight baits are keeping us plenty busy right now!! If you haven't seen it already, check out the Tuff Shad sight at this address. http://tuffshad.tripod.com/tuffshadlures

[GregM]

I can't get any of the pic's to open on the site.

"I fish cuz the voices in my head tell me to"

[Capt. Larry D. Jones]

Kevin,
I may get out on Green River this Sunday to give the Tuff's a work out! Capt. Larry