Still Grieving - Lost Crankbait

[Kevin B]

Ever have one of those crankbaits that outfished every other crankbait you own, every time you tied it on? Mine was a Rebel Tiny-R crayfish colored.(I think that's what it was called, they quite making it before I lost it). Lost it in '92. I still think about it every time I catch a smallmouth. Whenever I was getting skunked on the water, it was my go to lure. My wife used to say "Fishin is too slow today. . . Put my favorite lure on. . . I wanna catch at least a couple of fish." If it hadn't been in October when I lost it, I would have dived in for it 'til I found it. To this day, I have never had a crankbait come close to its fish catching ability. It even caught smallmouths in cold fronts. Wish I knew what made it magic.
Anyone have a similar story?

[Gilligan]

My deepest condolances but... it's been 9 years perhaps some counseling??

I fish a lake that dosent have a single rock or log in it, no snags except weeds. About the only time you loose a lure is when one of those 50" skis inhale a bait. Had one eat a bottom bouncer off line last year.

Closest I've came to grieving over lost tackle was when I drove over top of my new reel with the truck.

[Eyefish]

I once had black and silver #5 shad rap that could catch fish three to one over any other identical crank. I kept it in its original box and named it Zeke. One day while fishing a tournament a big pleasure boat got to close behind us when we were trolling and before we could get our lines in three of them were cut off and I lost Zeke. I know the feeling.
Eyefish

[Gunga Din]

I have a white Bomber. It was given to me when I was in Jr. High by a guy who took me fishing (20 years ago). We caught tons of white bass trolling in Texas's Lake Brownwood. I even caught two fish at the same time on it--one bass hooked on each of the trebles.

I still use that lure, though reluctantly. It's beat up and has lots of battle scars. I caught a 5.5 lb walleye on it just this past Thursday. I've bought other Bombers, but I can't find one that is the same size or exact style. And none catch fish like this one.

By the way, it still has its original trebles, and when I use it I tie it to 30 lb PowerPro.

[smiley]

I bet driving over that hurt a bit!! When I met my husband we went fishing alot. One night he came over to my apartment and I knew something was wrong. He just looked sick. He said he had been to our fishing hole. He had just brought along his crankbaits and nothing else. When he got home, he realized that the box was missing from the back of his truck. It flew out on the way home, somewhere.
He told me he went back and looked but it was too dark. I felt so bad. The next day I told him to go back and we would check again. He didn't want to because he was sure it was gone forever. We always fished this one spot of the river right off the highway. Well, as we got close to the spot, I glanced across the highway and there was his tacklebox. It was laying on the edge of the highway. I don't know how it didn't get run over or someone didn't see it. He was so happy. (I think that's why he asked me to marry him!) He had about 25 cranks in there.
We got lucky for sure.
Have a great day,
Lisa

[Gonzo]

I have a friend who had a crank like that, I believe it
was a Bomber A, Firetiger in color when it was new. That Lure caught everything, Northern, Walleye, Large and Small Mouth Bass,and even a crappie or two. One late fall day we were out fishing and a 4 to 5 pound Norhern bit him off and he lost "The Lure". He was so bummed out he quite fishing and we went in a little early. The next day I get a call from him and he tells me he went fishing around the same area and found his lure floating in the water! Some people are just lucky I guess. Now the lure looks pretty beat-up, hardly any paint left on it, scratches from many many old battles with fish, and my friend hardly brings it out anymore, even though it works just as good as it ever did. I guess he's retired it as a conversation piece, or maybe he's saving it to give to one of his boys when they get older. I bought one just like it but never had much success like "The Lure" did. I wish I new what makes certain lures "The Lure" and could reproduce the effect. It sure would be nice to have one in my tackle box.

Gonz

[ezmarc]

6 years ago while getting ready for ice out jigging on Erie, I laid a large plastic Shimano box, loaded with every kind and color of jigging spoons known to mankind, on the swim platform and went back in the house to get a couple of other things to put in the boat. You probably know what happens next, but 7 miles down the road a light bulb went off and I turned around to try and find it.

Never did find it, I even offered my kids and the neighborhood kids $100.00 if they could come up with it. They looked down the whole strech of road and in all the ditches. I figure someone following me must have had a lucky day before they ever hit the water.

I don't mind the occasional loss of a lure to snags or frayed line, or big fish so much, but those brain farts cause me considerable and ongoing remorse.

[Neal/CO]

We use to use white and brown Bombers back in Kansas when we were kids. Great lures. Largemouths and big Whites loved them.

[EB]

Okay, I have to tell this one. My dad loved to fish, but us five kids were always pestering him and making it tough to "get serious" about catching some fish. So we're at the cottage, dad is wading in the lake casting, us kids are swiming and moms laying on the beach holding onto the dogs leash. After a while we start to whine about being hungry or something so mom decides that she's going to take everyone back to the cabin for lunch. And oh by the way, dad, you need to take the dog for a while. So here's my poor dad, he finally has a few minutes alone, and now he has to watch the dog (who is afraid of the water). So dad has an idea! Why I'll just tie the dogs leash to my tackle box, and he will lay nice and I can fish. Bad idea! Before he knows it somebody comes walking down the road with their dog and hey, off like a rocket is our dog with dads box behind him. Through the woods around trees, through the bushes, all with dads tackle box bouncing open behind him. My mom thought it was the funniest thing she had ever heard of, so of course we all laughed, dad didn't think it was too funny though.
He passed away when I was young, greatest guy I ever knew, and a great outdoorsman. I can only hope to be the same kind of man for my little guy as he grows up, all except the tackle box that is. Thanks for the thread, it brought back a great memory.

[Kevin B]

Neal- I think I have one of those bombers. Do you want it?

[Kevin B]

Gonz- I did go back the next day (and the next)and search the shoreline. I even went back in winter when the water was low and checked every tree & stump that is normally underwater. In almost 40 years of fishing, I've never had a crankbait like it!

[Hawgeye]

I can relate. Had a walleye demon once that just was a magnet for walleyes. Snagged it up and lost it. Since I have not been able to find them. Storm must have quit making them.

As for losing things, I had my real brain fart this winter. I traded in the old boat for a new one and emptied my gear. This spring when I went to "reload" my boat, I realized that my bag of goodies was gone. I had a rainsuit, marker buoys, boat fenders, drift anchor, my "little red" bottle, and some other miscelaneous items. I remember putting them in a large green garbage bag and putting them on my cupboards in my garage. Well, it just so happens that the garbage cans are directly below those cupboards to I am assuming that the bag fell off the cupboards and was improperly disposed of! UGHHHHH!!!!

NEVER, I mean NEVER, use a garbage bag for anything except garbage!!!!

[jigbite]

Hey Kevin,

I bet I can cure your grieving with a replacement mini R. Give me a call at 270-362-5225 or email.

[Neal/CO]

Hang on to them they might be worth something some day?? I put one away also.

[steve dover]

I always carry way too much tackle-when I fish alone I take all the seats out so I've got more room for all my stuff. Last fall at Quinte I took an older friend who kept complaining at all tackle in the boat so the second day I put all my best no longer made lures which took me years to find Canada/US in one Large version blue Plano box for the second day and it got stolen somewhere between the coffee shop and dock. At first I didn't feel like going back there but actually got some advice from this site about lures I'm going to try next fall. But I put ads on local web site, checked pawn stores etc etc hoping to retreive lures. It was a like a death in the family. The major companies buy out the medium size companies and all you can get is medicore lure. Oh well...

[OOC]

Kevin B,I have that bait and it is magical!I only use it on tournament day when I'm desparite for a fish!(No,it's not for sale.)I understand your attachment to that bait.

[Kevin B]

OOC - I don't know that the magic was in that particular model of crank, but maybe it was/is. I've had other cranks that outfish similar cranks. Had a white and yellow #5 shad rap that would outfish any other chartreuse shad rap, that size or any other size, the entire summer in '96. But it wasn't anywhere near as potent as that rebel bait!

[FJH1]

I know what you're talking about. I have a #7 Perch Shad Rap that is a fish catching machine! It is so beat up, but still keeps catching 'em. I only bring it out on those special occasions. I once read an article by Gary Parsons (I think) where he said that he may test a dozen identical crank baits but only keep a few of them and reject the others because they don't have "the magic". I think that every once in a while a crank comes off the line that has just the right vibration and wobble to trigger fish no matter what.

Best Regards,

FJH

[Jigbite]

Hey Kevin,

That offer still stands to replace your Mini R for you. I have severale of the old Mini R, Wee R, Deep R, Maxi R baits tucked away. Give me an email.

[pwuebker]

i had an exceptional rattlin rogue that was a guarenteed eye catcher. While trolling back to the cabin one night I was ambushed by what had to be a muskie. Took the leader (wasn't going to risk it on a northern so i put a leader on) and everying. It was my only one.

I came to learn that they stopped making that pattern two years previous (about 8 years ago now) and could never find it.

So I made a habit of checking all the bait stores at the MWC tournaments I was at. Lo and behold, 2 years ago in Ortonville I found 5! Seems one bait shop had bought out another and they found a bunch of them in the back room.

bought them all.

[Lilfish]

what pattern was that rogue?...if i may ask?....thanx!


Lilfish

[OOC]

Perch#7,thanks Jamie!

[Skis]

I think everyone out there has what I call an "Old Faithful". Mine was a Tiger Fire #9 Shad Rap. That thing was so beat up, the back hook was completely exposed. Lost is last summer fishing and threw another Tiger Fire on. Fishing hasn't been the same since.

[Bigfish9202]

Ohhhh the pain this topic brings.....As a kid (12) I was wading in a lake and found an old cotton cordell Big-O crankbait, it was dark green. I replaced the hooks, and it became the terror of my tacklebox. On it I caught many, many bass, large and small mouth, lots of pike, and a big musky. It was lost on Wabedo Lake in Minnesota Just off the weed bed in front of what was Wolf Lodge. This was in July of 1982. I lost it on a monster bass that I had on and had forgotten the net on shore (I was 14, and fishing from a rowboat). The line snapped and the Big-O returned back to the depths from whence it came. Hopefully some other young kid found it like I did, and used it with the same magnificent luck that I had. I bought newer Big-O's but they never worked like that one!!! Each time I think about it the bass that I lost gets bigger and bigger, oh my how I miss my Big-O.

[DMan617]

I have a fear of losing my trusty Smithwick Rogue-Tiger Minnow pattern. Hard to find but each time I enter a bait store, I search for them. About 10% of the time I find them. I buy one each time. I must have 20, 10 small and 10 large ones. That's my go to lure of all time. My fishing buddy knows when I tie it on, it's over. He's not going to out fish me. TOok him 5 years, but he broke down and bought 1! He's a slow learner.

D

[hawkeyeone]

My favorite was the first plug I ever weighted, Rap #9 floater Blk/Slvr. Still look in the area where I lost it 15 years later. Now that I have 100's and 100's of crank baits I wonder if I just forced myself to fish more with that one?? By the way, Hawgeye, I have a couple of Walleye Demons...........

[mudpuppy]

Wow, I've got one of the old wooden Bombers. Most of the paint is knocked off & I won't fish with it anymore because I'm afraid to lose it. It's hanging on the "wall of fame". They quit making them from wood & I bought some plastic ones & never did nearly as well with them. I've been seriously considering making a replica in my basement this winter.
I've got a salmon spoon thats almost paintless, too. I custom taped a green dolphin blank. About all thats left is some torn up tape, but it's as sure a thing as there is in salmon fishing. Hold my breath everytime I send it down.
I had another favorite salmon spoon (no longer made of course), that got stepped on & bent & never really recovered from it. It was one of those days when I lost about $30 worth of lures that day & a faulty switch on my spotlight almost caught my boat on fire. It could have turned out alot worse, so I didn't feel too bad about the spoon. Kinda greived the big hole burnt in my carpet & charred plywood about 6 inches from my fuel tank, though.

[Terroreyes]

Is this your long lost buddy?

http://cgi.ebay.com/MIB-REBEL-TINY-SHALLOW-R_W0QQitemZ280160494397QQihZ018QQcategoryZ794QQssP ageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

If it is, I'd buy it and have SOMEONE ;) paint me a bunch me to match, so you'll never run out. Or if you can find a good pic, that might suffice. At DT, we bring memories and dreams to life. LOL



Visit DOWNRIVER TACKLE in the Walleye Central Directory
http://www.walleyecentral.com/wcdirectory/fullpage.php?ckey=47

[Dacotah Eye]

One of my fishing friends passed away and my brother slipped a Firetiger Bomber Model 8A into the casket next to him. We all loved pulling plugs. I hope he found a place to use it.

[bob why]

I had a Berkley Frenzy Minnow FS-10 that was a dark green. Maybe a dark perch. Never caught a lot of fish with it on one trip, but caught a lot of big fish with it. Lost it and have not been able to find another. They discontinued the color. Why is it, when I find something that works for me, they discontinue that one color or the whole line?

[Hot Runr Guy]

I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one who retired a battle-worn FireTiger Rapala. Except my wife just doesn't understand WHY it's on display in the china cabinet, with the good dishes!
HRG

[meme]

I also have that fear of losing a lure. Every time the rods thumps back I cringe? at the thought of the line snapping. It is a Bomber Long A. color undisclosed, but they do not make that same color any more. Coolers have been filled by just this one lure, some days bomber 20 walleye, all 7 other rods 4 fish.

It is now retired after this season. I would rather see it everyday with its battle scars, than to daydream about it and what it used to be.

[rspahr]

I am grieving over a LuckyCraft lure that some big fish took away from me. I don't care about the lure, I want the big fish.

[Raybob]

-sounds like my luv affair w/R-Traps ~ I have two 1/4 oz R-Traps from two different years that have both caught 1K+ Eyes. They both got retired at seasons end & are hanging in my garage... most years the hot lures get broken up or are lost before season's end... I have been usin' R-Traps as my goto I-lures for Eyes over 20"es for 20+ years on IL...


da old fart,
Bebob da I-Bobray

[fishinnut]

I have a humpbacked Zara Spook in a pattern that's discontinued. My son uses it religiously and catches lots of fish on it. He has lost the lure to pike biteoffs at least three times. One time it was gone for 20 minutes and then popped to the surface. I picked up a couple more humpbacks on ebay and they're getting a custom paint job now. Hopefully the new ones will work as well as JONAH, son's nickname for the lure that returned from the belly of a fish.

[Ice jigs here]

Jonah thats funny. I had an ice jig that I used for an entire season. Goodness knows how many fish that caught but I fished 3 states and who knows how many lakes. I was single so time and money was not an issue. I left it in a car when I was at the inlaws and they traded the car before I remembered to tell them about the jig. It was a marmooska and the hook was so soft I had to sharpen it all the time. It was worn down to just a little point with no barb or anything.