So last year i picked one up at M&D's, i was so sure it would be an absolute killer. Casts like a dream for what it is, has a gorgeous finish and looks like a winner. But i never did catch a fish with it. It was weird for me, i had confidence in it even after the total lack of success. Once last year an one of those days at the canal when everything in the box caught fish that didnt get sniff. I was even throwing unweighted sluggos McKenna style and spanking the fish, but the SP got nothing. Another time at block the only lures that were catching were greenish mambo minnows, the SP nothing... Who loves em, who hates em? Anyone else have the same experience as me?

There were a lot of times that's all they would touch :smash::wall::fishin:

I used the mackeral pattern with moderate results last season after a friend raved about his success. . . called it his new secret weapon.

I've trolled it from my yak and had a couple of small takes.Nothing to write home about.

Keep on fishing it. ;)

Rob I've had decent success with them fishing them with a go pause method of retreive. Holding the reel handle still and working the whole rod itself around the stationary handle for the retreive causing reactionary strikes pretty regularly. I think the Rapid acceleration and deceleration makes them throw caution to the wind and they just crush it.

take note of rip formations as well as current seams, on your retreive try staying in front of the rip line, then center etc. Ahead, middle, back. Hang it in front of em like a meatball :). Dead swings trying to positions ahead! Middle and or through also help. Not the end all and I'm sure very basic direction but these are things I've noticed helped me with them. best of luck.
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IMO the x rap is a better made, better casting, and overall better plug. Caught some of my best fish last year in canal on that in mack pattern. Got 4 in my bag right now and hope to ruin them all in next week or 3. And yes Vic has the right idea as to fish them. I almost jig them in the rips,for lack of a better word, pull up and let fall back in current repeatedly, with really not a lot of reeling until they get in too close. I luv to fish most plugs against the tide and this plug shines doing that.

You heathen! First it was Polish Shads and now Rapala X-raps!

i did good last year swinging them thru a ripline funny thing is i don't really care for the swimming action it don't seen to dive much if the rips 60-80 feet out I'm sure its deep out there...but the fish hit it a foot from the surface... plug took a beating bent the hook wires...i just bought 2 more lol they work

I Picked one up this year, fished it half a dozen times or so, not even a bump. I guess I'll keep trying it and hope for better luck.

Roy L was kind enough to hook me up with one 2 weeks ago.
Only thing I caught so far is my finger. Hooks on the S.O.B are SHARP.....casts like a missle for a little plug. I have always been a HUGE fan of Yozuri Crystal Minnows (red head/ white body) and I always fished em the way Dr Timber speaks of so eloquently. Very similar.

2 weeks ago, I watched the great Mr. T. Orlando SMOKE fish with that plug!

I've had 2 instances since December when it was all they would take.

Its still in the bag. Im going to try Dr Timbers technique. Very informative. Id say thats about worthy of next years cold as a bastard how to threads. Thanks.

Caught quite a few nice fish with that lure last year! Put aside my redfins, bombers, and mambos. Casts well, swims well, right out of the box. Split rings seem a little weak so I change them.

Split rings seem a little weak so I change them.

Worst split rings ever!

It's a niche plug .. doesn't catch all of the time ,, not even some of the time ... went thru my all my go to's ,,, nada .. I saw bait spray ,, put the xrap on and got a bump .. put the sp minnow on and fish almost every cast to 30#'s .. Only thing scary about that plug is the tiny hooks .. keep bending them back ,, Tempted to go larger hooks but would probably kill it .. That plug stays in the bag for those rare occasions they are keyed in on small . It's a thin plug ,,no problem carrying it .. I have blue mack ,,, green mack ,, but did well recently with the greenish , flashy side with the black line on it . so happy i had it with me .

Upgrade the hooks, too. I use a 6x VMC 1/0 on the belly and a size 1 on the tail. The smaller the hook, the stronger you need the metal to be. If they come with 4x, those aren't strong enough. ;)

i've done well with them. Schoolies mostly. But i carry them at all times, like Eddie said, small enough to carry in the bag, all of them.

41" heavy 25 #'s ,,, since upgraded to 6X ,,,,, thanks Ditch .

Congrats Eddie. I threw one today but only got tiny fish
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Congrats Eddie. I threw one today but only got tiny fish
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not a tiny fish lure ... been getting some nice fish on it ,.. That fish today was loaded with sand eels ,, explains a lot .

grabbed 4 fish to high teens never changed rings or hooks lol danger is my middle name lol

First split ring fail ever (on any lure though i change many) for me yesterday with a SP. Will change them all now. There was a time yesterday before "it" happen that I caught a dozen fish on the SP while everyone else was throwing poppers and catching almost nothing. After that the pencils were the way to go as most of fish were too far out for the SP.

There's always 1 in the bag.

Just curious, those not having great daytime success - are you using a heavy leader? The canal is one of those places where during those those clear days you get more hookups with the lighter leader.
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The split rings fail after two or three good fish. I added a better split ring and a 4X VMC hook (2/0? same size, stolen from another plug) on the belly, and lost the tail hook as these are small plugs and tend to be inhaled. Set up like this, the plug will go up to 4 feet deep and I like the action even better.

Update:

They work. But then again most everything seemed to be working the last couple days. There was one time when the fish got picky and that was all they would take.

I bought one yesterday but haven't had a chance to use it yet

they look and seem weighted right, Change those hooks and split rings because what they come with are weak I bent one with my finger

During stupid fishing on the canal last friday, we learned you can catch 4 to 5 good fish before needing to replace the hooks and rings.

For those of you that want it to dive deeper:

Take the tail hook off, and put on a 2/0 4x VMC treble and a nice split ring on the belly. It dives about 3-5 feet that way and the swimming action is much more intense.

Any particular colors better than the others?
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So last year i picked one up at M&D's, i was so sure it would be an absolute killer. Casts like a dream for what it is, has a gorgeous finish and looks like a winner. But i never did catch a fish with it. It was weird for me, i had confidence in it even after the total lack of success. Once last year an one of those days at the canal when everything in the box caught fish that didnt get sniff. I was even throwing unweighted sluggos McKenna style and spanking the fish, but the SP got nothing. Another time at block the only lures that were catching were greenish mambo minnows, the SP nothing... Who loves em, who hates em? Anyone else have the same experience as me?

they work good in early summer june, early july, on the canal. some days that is the only thing they will hit. i reel mine in fast, sometimes as fast as i can, and it seems to work pretty well.

Yes they do work, my tune has changed on them. Still not nearly a favorite in most places, but they have their time and place for sure. :)

Any particular colors better than the others?
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I like the blue Mac minnow myself. These work well in the current too
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They work all the time almost I drift em then give it a quick jerk reel drift jerk. I love the damn things
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I caught so many at a small fish spot last year that I broke off all of the hooks on three of them.

Going to upgrade the split rings and hooks this year and see how they do.

Going to upgrade the split rings and hooks this year and see how they do.

Or you could just get the Savage version of that style. The manic minnow, its through wired, a bit heavier and has good hardware right out of the box. It has the weight transfer system too should cast very nice.
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older thread .. Since this post I had another stella day with SP's.. I had 4 Sp Minnows with me ,, I missed the morning bite that I heard was great . Made it to the canal at about 10 am .. No fish showing on top but cast one (SP)out and let it swing and fish on every cast for 4hrs. high teen to mid twenty pound fish . I trashed all 4 minnows and ended the day live lining macs . 1st 2 hrs. all alone until a cell phone showed up .. After that a lot of people got in on it . I love this lure but only have this confidence in it ,at the canal .

I love this lure but only have this confidence in it ,at the canal .


X2

Or you could just get the Savage version of that style. The manic minnow, its through wired, a bit heavier and has good hardware right out of the box. It has the weight transfer system too should cast very nice.
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Saw these @ Hartford show. Like you said VMC 3X hooks, Owner splits and thru wire. Available by spring. Around 12.00

Any particular colors better than the others?
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Some new colors for this year, northeast flavors: Blurple, Bone, sand eel, chicken scratch,Black/yellow.

Daiwa sp minnow thru wired?
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Saw these @ Hartford show. Like you said VMC 3X hooks, Owner splits and thru wire. Available by spring. Around 12.00

Pssst... the rep let it slip that they are introducing a 2oz 7" version in July... :-D Same weight transfer system @ ~$12.99
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My order is in & has the new colors :fishin:

....i was so sure it would be an absolute killer. Casts like a dream for what it is, has a gorgeous finish and looks like a winner. But i never did catch a fish with it.



Sounds like every plug I own:fury::rotf2::biglaugh::fishin:

SP is not thru wired to my knowledge.

SP is not thru wired to my knowledge.

Nope, there is a picture somewhere of one that a gorilla blue chomped the back off.
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Pssst... the rep let it slip that they are introducing a 2oz 7" version in July... :-D Same weight transfer system @ ~$12.99
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The 2 ounce Savage should be here soon. Mike from M&D worked on the design of these..he may have them in a few weeks.
SP is not through wired, the Savage is I'll have a few with me at TFCTFN and plug fest.
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Andy doesnt the savage also come with VMC's?
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Yes, that was mentioned above...
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Yes, that was mentioned above...
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Yup missed it in BillyD's post sorry
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The savage manic prey has some nice hardware but the colors are limited not like the SP.
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The savage manic prey has some nice hardware but the colors are limited not like the SP.
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They picked common patterns blue mack, green mack, bone etc...first year of product line. I'm sure with fishermans influence more colors will come.
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The 2 ounce Savage should be here soon. Mike from M&D worked on the design of these..he may have them in a few weeks.
SP is not through wired, the Savage is I'll have a few with me at TFCTFN and plug fest.
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That would be awesome. The guy at the Hartford show claimed they wouldn't be out till after a July show and realistically not till late summer/early fall.

Told him he was nuts not to release that kind of bait sooner in the NE
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I love this lure but only have this confidence in it ,at the canal .

Keep fishin it, deffinately not just a ditch killer, especially in a particular harbor that starts with a B. The silver color with the blue back and dots on the side was the most productive for me, but im itchin to try the new sandeel and bone colors

Your banned from fishing those at that harbor
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Keep fishin it, deffinately not just a ditch killer, especially in a particular harbor that starts with a B. The silver color with the blue back and dots on the side was the most productive for me, but im itchin to try the new sandeel and bone colors

Thanks ,,, yea ,, my favorites are the line and the dots ... not so much the mackerel ... I think it's a better sand eel than a mack .

Thanks ,,, yea ,, my favorites are the line and the dots ... not so much the mackerel ... I think it's a better sand eel than a mack .

I totally agree

not sure how many folks fish the sweetwater here, but they are a killer LMB and pike bait..

Is the savage a Diawa ?? also

No Clammer. I mentioned the Manic Minnow, its made by Savage, not Diawa. Seperate company. They came out with a similar plug to the SP, but made it heavier and through wired. Stock out of the box they are 1.3 oz. They are also making a 2 oz version.
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Tx /......just got confused ..again:smash:

Clammer, they have a new memory pill out. A big spread in todays paper. :uhuh:

Anyone ever put a Si Wash on the back of an SP?

Anyone ever put a Si Wash on the back of an SP?
There's alot of ways to rig these. Alot of guys have said a siwash kills the action. The way MikeP described earlier in the thread is how alot of guys rig them. I did a test one day and found what I liked . Brought down a few rigged differently they all had no tail hook (tail hook treble kills too many fish) they were rigged with 1/0,2/0 and 3/0 trebles on belly only. I found with the 1/0 there were alot of hits and misses...2/0 was better but a 3/0 on belly worked the way I liked it without killing the action. If anything it seemed to swim a bit deeper which had excellent results.

I wasn't going to post until the rigging differently post was thrown into the fray. I love this lure. Did I say that? Its plastic though. I should have an undercover screen name for this one post. No I really like these lures. The mac and the silver were aces for me all season, and especially when I fished the vineyard this last fall. I put 5/0's on one mac to weight it down some, and to more to go deeper/cast just a little farther. Any retrieve works. Looking forward to the Savage beast that Andy is talkin about.

Is that Franks evil twin?? Using a plastic lure??
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RM,

Now what did I do with that newspaper :bounce:

It's in the Q room???

There's alot of ways to rig these. Alot of guys have said a siwash kills the action. The way MikeP described earlier in the thread is how alot of guys rig them. I did a test one day and found what I liked . Brought down a few rigged differently they all had no tail hook (tail hook treble kills too many fish) they were rigged with 1/0,2/0 and 3/0 trebles on belly only. I found with the 1/0 there were alot of hits and misses...2/0 was better but a 3/0 on belly worked the way I liked it without killing the action. If anything it seemed to swim a bit deeper which had excellent results.

Bingo on 3/0 4X. I rigged a couple and in June had a banner night in front of the campground.

Anyone ever put a Si Wash on the back of an SP?

I don't like a hook of any type on the rear, but I have a couple rigged with just a flag on the back. Most others with only a 3/0 belly treble. The flag quiets the wobble down, which sometimes is what they're looking for. Much more pronounced wobble with the single bellyhook.

I've fished the SPs but prefer the x-rap xr-14. Has a weight transfer system and is about and 1.5 oz. my success has come when ripping the plug and a pause after the pause comes a fish ;)
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