When looking at plastic baits typically they fit into two categories. One category is the production plasitcs where large quantities are produced and all are exactly alike and the second category is the hand poured models where no two baits are exactly alike.
Because they both use molds, they both can retain consistency in shape. The differentiator is color. Production molded plastics have a tendancy to have a stronger consistency with colors than do their hand poured cousins. Production companies will tell you that consistency is essential but their hand poured brethren might argue that that may not be the case. Anglers tend to want some cosnsistency but sometimes find a small varience in each product can be good.
For example, each shad or crawfish has small differences in their color. Some are darker and some are lighter. Some have spots, some do not. Natures variences can be significant and different can get the angler more bites.
Poor Boys Baits of Indiana hand pours their plastics and has gained a significant footprint around the Great Lakes because of it. Their colors are excellent and are much different than others on the market. In 2009 several new colors are being introduced into their line-up that will make anglers sit up and take notice. From their standard Erie and DS Darter to the new Shakin Worm these new colors for 2009 match prey so well that smallies and largemouth alike will be in hammerin’ mode from now until spring.
The 4 new colors from Poor Boys that we like are Peanut Butter and Jelly which it a brown/plum laminate with blue fleck, Rufio which is a minty brown laminate with large and small robin egg colored fleck, Moss Back which is a light green opaque with silver and black fleck and the last one is Amber Wine whcih is a dark motoroil laminate with a smiggin of burgundy combined with black and copper fleck.
Our Tests
Each of these colors reflect and deflect light differently and out tests will all work in clear to stained water very well. We tested the Shakin Worm and the Erie Darter and found that all of the colors caught fish. Rufio got the most bites during our tests but we felt that was due to the color of the gizzard shad in late fall matched it well on a bluebird day. The Rufio Erie Darter actually changed color, was translucent, at different depths. We fished it on a Setyr Drop Shot Rod, with 8 lb prototype Berkley Fluorocarbon line, a 1/0 Gamakatsu straight shank hook and a 1/4 ounce XPS drop shot weight on a Abu Garcia Soron reel. We fished in 5-12 foot of water off points and small secondary pockets. Water temps were in the low to mid-50’s and the air temp was 59.
We tested all of the colors and caught fish on them all. The darker colors seem to work best deeper and the lighter colors shallower.
The Inside Scoop
Poor Boys Baits has a very soft plastic with a dispersed heavy concentration of salt throughout the bait.
Poor Boys special formulation that does not have a petroleum smell.
To order go to www.poorboysbaits.com.
