I need to restock on paddle tails and fluke style baits as well as jig heads to go along with those. I’ve always preferred the 3.5″-4″ sizes. A lot of the swim jig heads I find use a much heavier hook than I prefer. Fishing inland lakes in anywhere from 5-20fow. Big Bite Baits suicide shad has usually been my go to, but curious what others prefer. These are often used with FFS so ones that show better on sonar are a bonus. Suggestions?
Tom Boley and Clayton Schick both have new videos with the Kalins search bait. Both were catching walleyes and using plastic or crawlers. It comes with straight and slow roll hooks on an easy clip system.
That is definitely another bait I’d like to try. I like the versatility of casting, drifting, or trolling it.
My go to for years has been the Northland Impulse paddle minnow 3.5″
They’re getting hard to find now that they’ve discontinued them for the expensive Eye Candy line. I refuse to pay $8 for 5 baits.
Storm Largo Shads are good and sightly better priced.
BFishN tackle Paddle Tail 3.5″ and their PulsR line are other good options I use.
For fluke style baits you can’t beat the Kalins Jerk Minnow, and Jerk Minnow Jr.
For jigs I use Dirty jigs guppy head jigs, BFishN jigs, VMC moon eyes, and Berkely mushroom head jigs.
My go to for years has been the Northland Impulse paddle minnow 3.5″
They’re getting hard to find now that they’ve discontinued them for the expensive Eye Candy line. I refuse to pay $8 for 5 baits.
Storm Largo Shads are good and sightly better priced.
BFishN tackle Paddle Tail 3.5″ and their PulsR line are other good options I use.
For fluke style baits you can’t beat the Kalins Jerk Minnow, and Jerk Minnow Jr.
For jigs I use Dirty jigs guppy head jigs, BFishN jigs, VMC moon eyes, and Berkely mushroom head jigs.
Eye candy are al.ost always 2 for 8. 4 dollars a pack is cheaper then most all other plastics. After the rainy river 4 days of fishing and only using 2 plastics the entire time I am sold on the Eye candy.
Are the Eye Candy similar to the material Zman uses on their plastics?
Are the Eye Candy similar to the material Zman uses on their plastics?
Northland is marketed as “Super TPE”
ZMan is marketed as “Elaztech”.
Both are stretchy, extremely durable versus traditional plastics.
IMHO similar.
I am not a chemist.
So, I hope someone will explain any differences between the two.
Pulsr fan boi 4 lyfe.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Gregg Gunter wrote:</div>
Tom Boley and Clayton Schick both have new videos with the Kalins search bait. Both were catching walleyes and using plastic or crawlers. It comes with straight and slow roll hooks on an easy clip system.That is definitely another bait I’d like to try. I like the versatility of casting, drifting, or trolling it.
Have you seen the price…$10. They ripped off Walleye Nation Creation’s jig design to come up with their search jig. The WNC ones are just as good, and cheaper.
Pulsr fan boi 4 lyfe.
I love pulsr as well and alot of the bfishn stuff but they are half the time 1 to 2 fish and junk. That sucks. But they do work great
Have you seen the price…$10. They ripped off Walleye Nation Creation’s jig design to come up with their search jig. The WNC ones are just as good, and cheaper.
Thought the same thing. But, they are tungsten. Not so sure tungsten is necessary other than allowing a slimmer profile?
Northland is marketed as “Super TPE”
ZMan is marketed as “Elaztech”.Both are stretchy, extremely durable versus traditional plastics.
IMHO similar.
I am not a chemist.
So, I hope someone will explain any differences between the two.
I’m also not a chemist but I’ll take a stab at it. I’m very familiar with Zman Elaztech. Its extremely durable, but its also buoyant. If you want something deeper or near the bottom, you’ll need to keep this in mind. It holds up very well to toothy fish.
I’m less familiar with northlands eye candy made of TPE. Per their product packaging:
TPE provides more action, flotation, and durability, keeping the Eye-Candy Northland moving and constantly wiggling all day. Because the plastic is so super buoyant, the Eye-Candy features an upward float even on the pause.
It appears to also be quite durable and they indicate that it floats. My guess is that its similar to zman elaztech.
Just another suggestion with elaztech…keep it away from other plastics and keep it out of any prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or extreme heat. It tends not to play nice with other plastics and it’ll turn into a big gooey mess.
I’ve also been a BFishn fan. Sounds like the ZMan ElaZtech (and similar) is the next evolution being a lot more durable and buoyant. There is a great write up with Dylan Nussbaum (tourney pro) in yesterday’s Target Walleye email that goes very in depth about using them with FFS.
So Zman has to be kept away from other plastics. Does Eye candy have to as well?
So Zman has to be kept away from other plastics. Does Eye candy have to as well?
Yes, they will melt and become one nasty mess if mixed. I just keep them in there original packages in a gallon ziplock bag.
There is a great write up with Dylan Nussbaum (tourney pro) in yesterday’s Target <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>Walleye email that goes very in depth about using them with FFS.
Which is what got me thinking about it! 
I may have to give the Eye Candy a try. I like the Zman TRD’s for my ned rigs. Having a swimbait with some flotation may be nice when working it like a ned.
Berkeley powerbait ripple shad. Catches fish everywhere.
Firetiger, and for the miss gizzard shad.
Picked up the eye candy and the WNC death jig and they both worked!
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Those paddle tails are money well spent. Just make sure to take your time and hook it right the first time
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