Here are answers to your frequently asked product questions:
What is a Shuttle Hawk used for?
It allows you to use a second rod on a single downrigger.
Can I use a Shuttle Hawk on a downrigger that has braided line on it?
Absolutely it will work the same as on wire cable.
How do you rig a Wedding Ring for trolling?
Leave leader long and tie on behind a Flash Lites or Troll Lite, shorten leader and rig behind a Double D Dodger or Sling Blade.
What is Sonic Baitfish used for?
It is used for casting, jigging, or trolling. Making it one of the most versatile lures for everything from Trout, Kokanee, Walleye, Panfish, Perch, Steelhead & Salmon. Fresh or Saltwater.
How do you fish the Sonic Baitfish?
With the 3 different pull points, various types of movement, and the fact that you can successfully jig it, swim it, cast, or troll. There is no one way.
How long of a leader do you use when fishing a Pee Wee Wiggle Hoochie?
Since it creates its own movement with the crankbait type bill, a minimum of 18 inches is recommended.
How do I put scent in my Wally Pop?
While wet simply pull the tapered bead out of the surgical tubing, pour scent into tubing cavity, slide tapered bead back inside surgical tubing and you are ready to fish!
What type of bait should I use with my Smile Blade Slo Death rig?
The rig is designed to have very little weight on the hook to create the slow death roll. Using a nightcrawler works best, but it can be fished with small minnows or plastics.
How do I change out the Smile Blade on my Smile Blade Fly?
Push the Smile blade up against the eye of the hook, gently pull on both sides of the Smile Blade, it will pop off the hook. To replace press the center hole against the eye of the hook and pull blade down.
How large of a hoochie body can I put on the small Wiggle Hoochie Bill?
The small 1.5” Wiggle Hoochie Bill is designed to handle any of the hoochie bodies up to 3” in length.
Can you fish a Wedding Ring Classic behind a Dodger?
Yes, beaded spinners can be fished on short leaders behind a dodger which creates movement or on a long leader using the dodger for attraction only.
What is the difference between a Wedding Ring and a Double Whammy?
A Wedding Ring is a single hook, high UV beaded spinner, the Double Whammy is a double hook version.
How long of a leader should I fish on a Hum Dinger?
The Hum Dinger creates its own movement, so no need for a short leader so to get movement from a Sling Blade. A minimum of 16” is recommended.
Is a Rock Dancer good for fishing Walleye?
The Rock Dancer is a what is referred to as a “hair jig”, they are designed to emulate some type of bait when moving in the water or being jigged. Using the right colors, “matching the hatch”, makes the Rock Dancer a very good walleye lure.
Can you bend Sling Blades?
Yes, but only recommended on those that are NOT painted. Bend the lower third of the dodger to help accentuate the back & forth motion.
Can you bend all DD Dodgers?
All Double D Dodgers can be bent down in the lower 1/3rd portion of the dodger when wanting to increase the back & forth motion.
What type of bait can you put into a ScentFlash UV Triangle or Paddle Flasher?
Any bait can be cut up and inserted. Leave room to fully snap closed and do not overfill as you need some water flow in order to flush the scent out.
What is that notch in the Smile Blade for?
The notch in the Smile Blade is for creating the initial bend in the blade. Increase and decrease the fold to change spin rates.
I want to use a Smile Blade what size do I use compared to my metal blades?
To use in place of a metal blade you would measure the width of the blade and double it and pick the Smile Blade closest to that size. For a metal blade ½” in width I would use a 1.1 Smile Blade. A ¾’ a 1.5.
What size of hooks & leaders fit in a Pips Box & Leader Caddy?
Both the Pips Box & the Leader caddy can handle everything from #14 size hooks up to 9/0 hooks with leaders from 2lb. up to 60lb. The Pips box is 3 3/8” in diameter and the Leader Caddy is 4 ½” in diameter, being larger you will get more of the larger hooks, heavier & longer leaders in the Leader Caddy.
How do I get different spins and movements on my Smile Blade?
By pinching the blade together, you will get a faster, less erratic movement. Pulling the blades further apart or flattening it out creates a slower more erratic rotation on the blade.
When trolling a Hum Dinger or a Cripplure on a down rigger will the lure run below the ball?
The CrippLure is 1/4oz. so it will drop a bit more compared to a 1/8 oz. Hum Dinger while being trolled, but neither will drop much more than a few inches deeper than trolling hoochies or Wedding Ring spinners even at speeds down around 1mph or less. Boat speed, current, and distance behind the ball all factor into the amount of drop.
How do you get a Shuttle Hawk to go down on the downrigger cable?
When you have your line snapped into the Ultra Release and the Shuttle Hawk is hooked onto your downrigger cable, use tension from your fishing rod to make the front-end dip down and catch the water while you are traveling forward. Keeping the pressure on it allows the forward momentum of the water to “push” the Shuttle Hawk down the line.
How long of leaders do you use on your lures?
A large percentage of our lures are tied at 48” in length, some of our Walleye & Salmon lures are tied with 72” leader lengths. A few of the Trout & Kokanee lures that are commonly used with a Sling Blade are at 36” lengths.
Are Mack’s Lure Beads UV?
Yes, most of our round and tapered beads are high UV. Currently the only ones that are not are the silver, gold, ruby & blue.
How long do the Glo Hooks glow for?
Our original Glo material is mixed with a proprietary neutrally buoyant material helping create a long-lasting glow. Exposing them to a UV flashlight, camera flash, or direct sunlight will make the glow last for up to 30 minutes. It continually decreases during that time span.
Why use a Smile Blade vs. a metal blade?
It provides action at much slower speeds, as in it can be trolled or retrieved down to less than 1/4mph and still easily rotates. Being offset it creates a back & forth action that a metal blade can’t match. The action can easily be changed with a squeeze. It doesn’t scratch or rust. It does not require a clevis and weighs less. It comes in over 50 colors & 5 different sizes allowing you to “match the hatch” better than with a metal blade.
Is the CrippLure too large of a lure to fish through the ice?
It really depends on what you are fishing for. Using it for Kokanee, Trout, Walleye or Lake Trout works fantastic. When jigged it has a very erratic movement on the drop and works well and entices the fish to bite. 24 different colors.