this was the plug I was talking about. It says "Bassmaster 02" on it.
Don't laugh too hard at the tail hook. It looks funny I know but the results I got with this will stop you from laughing at it pretty quick.
I tried 3 different tail hooks, yellow hackle, yellow bucktail and this is rabbit fur that I had my wife sew together (shown). The long rabbit fur tail seemed to work the best but I had pretty good success with all three. This is the only tail hook I have like this (it was an experiement) but I plan to get the wife behind the sewing machine again this winter and crank out a few more....
It is a little beat up now but it looks much better in the water and trolls amazingly well and it doesn't impead the swimming motion that much. This plug probably was trolled a hundred miles this season, from sub surface to 60' deep.
The lip on this one is a little soft but it is eaisly tune-able to get the action you want....

Thanks again

Jim
posted it here because I don't have yor direct email.

oops forgot the pic

YELLOW :D

thanks , i remeber those, they swim well.
i think You will like this batch :)
Dave

Jim, how did you rig up the pikie for trolling?

In shallow waters and around reef edges, I used it both on a 50# braid set up with a long (about 20') 65# floro leader and I tied the lure direct with a loop (Lefty Krehs loop knot for leaders and flies).
The plug swims real well even up to speeds about about 2.5-3 knots. ( I generally troll much slower but it held even at 3 knots.

My most productive use however was with wire (monel) off of squibby. I know a lot of guys don't like wire (neither do I for that matter) but I use it from time to time during the day when the eel bite is off. Anyway again I use a long floro leader (I split a 60' roll of 65# floro between two wire rods) and I tend to tie my single plugs direct to the floro but one of the rods has a bb snap-swivel for other stuff . Why the looong leader? I like to have all the wire and plenty of the leader well on the spool when the fish is along side the boat, IMO the wire rig is much eaiser to handle, is better "behaved" on the spool, provides a nice shock absorber, I can cut a few inches off with each lure change and the plug looks and swims better in the water with a floro leader. Everyone has there own preferences they like, these are mine.
So far this is the only pike that I found that I could actually troll that is reliable. The others I have work ok but need a some lip modification to keep them from "kite-ing" off to one side and not swimming on track or tumbling at boat speeds over 1/2 knot.
When this swims there is a nice steady beat to the rod, by just looking at the tip you know instantly if it is swimming right or has weed. No guesswork.
That particular tail hook was extreme and was an experiment but I did get a few nice fish with it as rigged but to be honest I can't say it was because of the tail hook. I caught pleanty with it when it had a bare treble on the back too. I left it on because it was working and looked good (and different) in the water. Some days I spend more time experiementing and tweeking stuff then i do fishing.:confused:

One nice thing about a single plug like this on wire is that it is easy to reel in....not like a 9er shad rig, that is for sure.
I plan to get a lead core set up next season and try that too. I have not used lead core in years but I think it is time to pick up a setup for that.

It also works great on a downrigger!. My fancy schamchi electronic bottom contoring downrigger (which is in the shop (broken) :af: ) but when it worked it was a great way to troll these deep on braid. Like I said I like to experiment...not everything works but it keeps you occupied when the fishing is not hot and heavy.

good luck

Awesome post! you dont hear of guys trolling wooden swimmers much in RI, but I always think of Charlie Cinto's moose caught on a googoo eye and wire.

Thanks for the info Jim..BM does some nice work!
:D

Sand man, I have the same plug hanging in my rafter:) and I remeber only making less than 10 of those.
I got the 1st coat of primer on Your stash:D