Stamina Cranks and minnows

Hey i am a senior in high school this year and i have to do a senior project. I am going to compare money savings between making my ownlures and buying them to see which way is cheaper I was wondering how the stamina cranks work on long lining on the river. Do they work s good as the rapala. I love there 3 inch minnow they work awsome for me on three ways in the main channel this past summer and fall. Also I was planning on making some bucktails and am wondering if they work on the river i have not used them at all on the river. If so what size and colors are prefered? I know i asked a lot but any feed back will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Erick Anderon

I started tying my own bucktails this year as the ones you can buy, All have to much hair. Bucktails can be Deadly on the river for walley, bass, northern, crappie, and even sheepies!!! I caught Plenty of them this fall. Largest bass went around 4 # and walleye around 22 In. My hotest colors seemed to be the whites with pink or black heads. I vary my hair colors with white being the dominate color, running a strip of black on the gap side of the hook( tie on a jig before you tie one, And you will see the hook turns up.)And a few red buck hairs Down the(Inside) middle of the white. This was my shad flaring Its gills Imatation. Worked Very Well. As for other colors and combinations. I just did variations of the Other one, using different colors. Send me a private If you need more info on Bucktails, or get with Beaver, I think I saw some of his work last time I fished with hougie.( nice hair jigs)

Remember, Amatures built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic!!

I use Stamina cranks too. Besides the minnows, I ‘ve used their unpainted shallow to deep diving cranks, attaching my own hooks and painting them. They come out ugly but they catch fish. Just have to make sure they’re tuned to run straight. I also use their top water lures for bass. Put different size propellers on them and small suction cups for the poppers. What a blast!!

Ya Hey Der – Erick, sounds like a great project ! I to use their 3″ minnows when trolling 3-ways. It makes economic sense when I have two clients aboard with not much experience and we run into an unmarked tramle net. I much rather lose a $1.70 bait than a $4.95 Rapala. But the best usually pays off in the long-run. A word to live by (fish-by). Most lure selection is based on confidence and ability to make it perform. If Stamina cranks give you confidence, then by all means use ’em. Rely on your own instincts.

I’m a great proponent for making your own tackle. I’ve made most of mine for years. From jigs, spinners, paint’n cranks, to make’n my own musky stuff. The economics will be a little hard for you to get a handle on, mainly because you need to amortize your start-up costs and product over your life time. I hope you make fishing a lifetime HOBBY !!! Plus you can’t put into economic terms the pride you get from catching fish with your own stuff !!!!!!!. Check some previous posts of mine, late December some time. I wrote a post on make’n your own stuff. Good Luck Erick, your taken the right path!!!

Gofish

Kensyl Reading EFN ProStaff

Ol’ Miss Guide Service

Thanks so far for the resonces. I was also wondering what kind of jigs u use are they collared or live bait jigs. I am presuming they are collared though.

Thanks Erick

erick, that is a good question. my buddy and I have gone round & round on that one. I personaly like the collard because I’m really not putting that much hair on them ( Just enough so they look like a miinow when wet) the collar seems to give the whole lure some substanance.I also find I do not have to use as much thread, like when using a live bait rig.( most use alot of thread to “build a collar”). Anyway I’d experiment with both, for price difference and fish catching ability.

Erick,

I make all of my own tackle and have for years. As has been said, there is a certain pride when you are able to catch fish using all your own tackle, I make my own rods as well. For your Jig question: I do use a mold that has a long collar on the jig head. I had it made from a blank mold that I go from Do-It-Mold company, I took it to a mech. Shop that a friend owns and they were able to make me what I wanted. With the longer collar I am able to put less hair and less thread build up to create the same appearence as a minnow. I do use mostly real bucktail, with some tinsel/flash material for added attractant. I also us a lot of kip tail hair for up close to the head color, mostly reds for the flared gills effect. When I fish in certain bodies of water I try to study the prey fish available to the targeted game fish so I can make up that type of jig (or hard body crank) to match the prey/preditor situation. Fishing on the Mississippi River, as in most other rivers, is really a mixed bag, and one has to be ready for any and all types of situations. I also use many different sizes of jigs from 1/64th ounce to 3/4 ounce, so be diverse, anything can and will happen when fishing jigs……by the way, bring lots of them..