Strike King

[skeetbum]

I sometimes hear folks talk of new baits on the market, but haven't heard much talk about the Strike King baits that are somewhat new to the market. I've picked up a few bags of the Shadpole and Joker. The Shadpole is in a clear w/glitter top and a pearl or silver bottom, like a crystal BGBS and a Chartreuse top and silver bottom. Both are doing well for me and don't tear on the first fish like some I have tried before. The Joker has 3 tails and a solid body and is just plain tough by design. The fish tend to like them in the Popsicle and a couple of other colors I have tried. I mostly use them one poling or deep jigging with an 1/8 minnow head and by design I don't think they would do well at shooting docks, no flat area to aid the skip. If you are like me you have oodles of baits to choose from in the boat already, and some that you would just give away given the opportunity. I was prepared to do just that with these when I bought them but they have shown to be worth keeping around. Just some input, we always look for the next best thing.

["G"]

I really like the Jokers......blue and pearl work great

[theygotaeat]

I have been using the joker on road runners long lining. Blue grass has caught it's share

[jimp]

I've used the joker on occasion since last summer, sometimes they work and sometimes not, but another option when the fish are picky.

[crappiejigger]

Ive been using the joker in junebug/chart. with good results the past few days.

[chaunc]

Been using shadpoles since early spring. They have a lot of colors that work for me. I'll change colors as the day goes on.

[ifish]

What is the rule of thumb of changing colors during the day? I tend to stick with one color all day. Glow pink 3/16 or 1/4 oz. head /2.5 flap jack (Do-It mold)/bright white body/UV+ glow light pink tail. I have been fishing this color everyday for 2 years. I make my own baits and I can have any color I want and this is it. Out fishes anything I have ever tried. I 2 pole a lot and test a lot of baits. I still have some joker baits that I never did use. I never liked how they looked in the water. Have not tried the shadpole but they look like a lot of the other type of shad body baits that I have tried. I fish big baits and heavy weight and still catch 6" crappie. Hope I didn't step on this thread??

[skeetbum]

You're OK Ifish. I tend to two pole deep when it cools down and the color game sometimes comes into play. When trolling cranks this past summer I noticed the bright days I caught more on bright colors, pink, red, purple, orange, chartreuse. The overcast days the shad imitations in more natural colors did better. Point is that if you know things should be producing and it's not, I change. I have had days that when I changed color I would get 2 or 3 fish and then nothing, change colors and get 2 or 3 more. Some natural, others in contrast colors like black/gray or bl/chart. Albino color was a friends only color and when it quit working he went home.
I agree that the Joker looks stupid in the water but I can't deny the fish they put in the boat. The colors I used were ones that have worked in the past so I stuck with what I knew. The Shadpole just has a fatter profile than most of the others. The BGBS that I have used for years still gets a lot of play but doesn't look proportionate with the 1/8 and 1/4 minnow heads I have taken to using lately. Might just be a phase as I'm just an antique kid. I'd like to try some of what you described, shoot me a PM and let me know the details of making an order. Thanx