Comparison

[arkansasbowhunter]

I got the 2 inch baby razor tail mold in and shot some for you guys to give you a comparison. Sure is a lot of fun making baits. Can't wait to get them in the water.

[Redge]

You do nice work ABH!

["G"]

love it

[snake River]

now that you have the three-inch in the 2 inch and how about baby 1 inch this way you'll have the whole family

[CTom]

The 2" looks like a nice bait size for this region.

Something that really is interesting to me is how different geographic regions of our country can have the same species of fish, I'll use black and white crappies as examples, that seem so different. The southern white crappies I see pictures of have mouth parts that rival those of a bass. Up here our white crappies have mouths slightly larger than the black crappies but still considerably smaller than mouths of the southern cousins. I think the size of the shad forage in southern climates has allowed the mouths of the crappies to evolve into huge gaping pits capable of chomping a shad and not losing it to a small mouth. Here I see white crappies on many of the waters I fish that may get to be 15", maybe 16", but are still potato chip thin. Some of those southern fish look thick like our black crappies.

Where I see white crappie populations in this region, the waters they are found in have a healthy forage base of soft rayed minnows. Black crappies in this region are often chock full of small perch and even sunfish fry to 2". I've found both black and white crappie fry in the stomachs of large black crappies during the winter months. These observations sort of support the idea that those shad, being soft rayed, help grow those mega whites down south. I am in awe every time I see one in a picture with its mouth gaping, looking like a humpbacked whale sucking krill. This is also why I think your larger baits are productive. In this region and 2" or 2 1/2" plastic can easily be at the top end of effective size even for white crappies which have a larger mouth than the same sized black crappie. Its amazing how many crappies get caught here on baits in the 1 1/2" range and by up-sizing to 2" or 2 1/2" a person is taking himself right out of a great bite at times. There are times when I see big plastics being shown as crappie baits but then I remember where they are being used. It still is mind boggling just how different the same fish can be separated only by a couple hundred miles.

Bob's comment on having all three sizes of the new bait will make a family. A southern clan perhaps but that daddy sized bait is more in tune to the walleyes up here. Fun thread to follow.

[arkansasbowhunter]

Lol I thought about it bob but really only want to have stuff that I would use personally. I really don't have any need for that 1 inch. If I do I just buy some from you he he he . Thanks you fellas I am humble in what I have learned and able to produce.

[arkansasbowhunter]

Ctom I can only attest to down this way our fish like big baits. At times though I found they snub there nose to them and hence why I will carry the smaller 2 inch bait. I have fished same colored jigs but in different size and at times they consistently take the big one and at times take the smaller one.

I see a lot of the ice fisherman use smaller baits and often wonder why. Wonder if they have tried bigger baits and just been more successful with the smaller stuff. Enjoy everyone's comments thanks and have a great day.

[snake River]

Ctom I can only attest to down this way our fish like big baits. At times though I found they snub there nose to them and hence why I will carry the smaller 2 inch bait. I have fished same colored jigs but in different size and at times they consistently take the big one and at times take the smaller one.

I see a lot of the ice fisherman use smaller baits and often wonder why. Wonder if they have tried bigger baits and just been more successful with the smaller stuff. Enjoy everyone's comments thanks and have a great day.

aren't you glad that I had the Arkansas downsized a 2 inch. I believe that an ice fishing the fish are slower to strike because of the water temperature so your smaller baits would be a little bit better because they could inhale him without any problem a good question you ask about why the ice fishermen have not tried the bigger sizes I really don't know because I never went ice fishing it is not the top of my list to do I'm one of those guys that like nice warm weather in all in the 65 to 75° range.

[arkansasbowhunter]

Lol me too unless the fish are biting. I would like to ice fish as its on my bucket list.

[CTom]

In part ABH I think that people use such small baits under the ice is that the fishes' metabolism has greatly slowed down and they are not as prone to chasing larger baits. Still, if I am on the ice targeting crappies I fish much larger baits than the usual ice angler. I target actively feeding fish in altogether different locations in the water column and use regular 1/32 heads I use in open water and hang plastics of 1.5" to 1.75" on the jigs and do real well on larger fish. Too many people look at the electronics focused on the bottom and miss the fish moving thru above or simply dismiss those higher fish as rough fish. I wont mess with fish on the bottom as those are the ones with tight chops. The fish 12 feet higher up are on the prowl and will readily nail a larger bait and these fish are the ones a guy can brag about. Those down deep tend to be dinks.

Sunfish are a whole different school though. There a guy wants very tiny offerings with very thin, active tails/tentacles.