Bombers: Jointed vs. Straight-back

[fcap60]

I have a bunch of bombers that really don't get much use. This year, I figured I'll use them a little more.

1. Any suggestions on the effectiveness of Jointed vs. straighback (in both 6" and 7");

2. How about modified bombers - is anyone adding 10cc of water or BBs like a redfin or putting an eel skin over them ?

Thanks

[luds]

I've personally had great success with the A-Salt and Long A(both straight back). I've caught far more fish on A-Salt bombers than any other plug.

I also have some jointed but have seen many post here who have had fish seperate them at the joint which has made me nervous about using them. I'd rather reel in my whole plug attached to a fish than half of a bomber.

[tattoobob]

I used to use jointed all the time and caught many stripers and blues
I was replacing the hooks and noticed that it was joined with a wire bent over to a circle and was opened up I stopped using the jointed plugs unless they were thru wired.

[basswipe]

Bomber ASalts have been the "bomb".

Yellow/white has been an unbelievable fluke producer for me.I've caught my three largest plug bass on the blurple version.

[big jay]

the long A "wonderbread" color is great in the spring when the herring are around.

[Skitterpop]

A Salts cast the best of all the Bombers

its shape , two trebles & concentrated weight are why.... its a tight wiggle though and at times fish don`t want that but when they do yahooooo!

[stripercrazy]

I've noticed the joints getting worse, i think there making them cheaper and charging more I've gone well with both, they say the jointed one don't run as deep but at slow speeds the back half hangs so I use the one peace for slow at nite.personaly I'd have to see that for my self, if your reeling that slow you need some coffee,or more or less high test

[RIROCKHOUND]

Neither.. use redfins...
Although a certain fishing partner of mine has taken some moose on a small brokenback bomber....

[The Dad Fisherman]

Mambo Minnows and Bombers worked extremely well for me last year....especially the Mambos. The Black ones were pissah and so were the Olive Colored...did OK w/ Yellow over White too.

[Joe]

Bombers are good and remain quite popular.
I used to smoke the fish in Gansett dead sticking the B-17 Baby Striper pattern but I have not been able to get that size in a while.


Overall, the Black Purple A-Salt and the Yellow/Pearl A-Salt are very popular in Rhody.



The Schoolbus, All Black & Blue/Silver are quite popular in Jersey and NY. The custom Bombers are also very popular. The Blue/Silver is good around here when there are herring around.

They are the best swimmers in the under-$7 price range but that is not exactly elite company. I've noticed no manufacturing changes as off late. The increased failings are most likley because people are using heavy braid with the drag socked down around 20#-30# - I would not sugest subjecting a stock Bomber to more than 10# of drag.

The stock hooks will bend after even a modest fish of 15 pounds or so. The lips have been known to come off in a current. I've heard of the joints failing but I've only gotten one or two back out of hundreds. If you have any damaged Bombers lying around, Pradco (the parent company) will replace them. Swap out the hooks for VMC and back off the drag and they are capable of handling a pretty good fish.

I sell a lot of patterns - SRI Bomber Page

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by Indanite

A Salts cast the best of all the Bombers

its shape , two trebles & concentrated weight are why.... its a tight wiggle though and at times fish don`t want that but when they do yahooooo!

Hmmmm I notice for ME the Long A Magnums cast the best...

[big jay]

After seeing those pics, i realized i use A-salts, not long A's - too damn confusing with the names - they're just bombers to me. I also switch out the hooks - single vmc siwash on the back and the 4x treble up front. We do pretty well trolling them on braid in the shallows when the fish first show up.

[choggieman]

A straight 7" bomber is my ultimate confidence plug with the jointed 7" used in certain conditions. For the price you cannot go wrong. I own hundreds of bombers and they always have multiple spots in my bag.

[Skitterpop]

What rig and what line you tossing those on?

[Raven]

you own hundreds of bombers....

shakin my head.... i wanna know you!

too funny....

[choggieman]

Yeah I got a little carried away when buying them........
I use a 9' triflex lami with a 704 and 20lb big game most of the time.
Ahab with 65lb whiplash the rest

[Christian]

straightbacks

the a-salt rocks. i like to fish them in heavy current, just like a darter, with sweeps of the rod.

[Jay Dog]

Frank Long A #16 in Blurple or Chickenscratch remove stock hooks replace tail and front treble with 1/0 VMC leave middle treble off. Chickenscratch is a great Weakfish killer too.

[Rockport24]

[QUOTE= I also switch out the hooks - single vmc siwash on the back and the 4x treble up front. We do pretty well trolling them on braid in the shallows when the fish first show up.[/QUOTE]

do you dress the siwash with bucktail/feathers or just leave it plain?
I actually only have one bomber-a jointed that I don't use that much, I love mambos...but the hook bent a little on a freakin' 8 pound schoolie, so I need to change the hooks next year since I am planning on catching a cow...LOL

[bassmaster]

Bomber and Bassmaster =/

[Skitterpop]

Hundreds of pounds per season?

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by bassmaster

Bomber and Bassmaster =/

pb on the outgoing with an A-Salt in b/g
BM&Bombers equal fun! I especially like throwing ceramic tiles at fish.

[Karl F]

tiles were still showing near the wall on last trip out couple weeks ago
kitchen demo....

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Karl F

tiles were still showing near the wall on last trip out couple weeks ago
kitchen demo....

nOPE IT was A Bm BathROOM demo!!!!!

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by Indanite

What rig and what line you tossing those on?

10ft Tsunami, 30Lb braid.

[riverrat2]

I didn't take my black 7" bomber off the clip all fall. It wasn't just my go to plug it was my only plug. I don't know why I carried a whole bag full of custom wood.

[shadow]

I found if you down size the hook one size on the a-salts you get a better swiming plug. yet still not as nice as a redfin.

[tlapinski]

I stopped using jointed 7" bombers when I had one come apart in a fish. Fortunately the front section caught in the bass's mouth and I landed her. The fish was in the high 20's, but all the fish were that night. That plug is now a wall hanger to make me remember. I was using 20 # mono on an abu 6500 and a 9' glass rod so I don't really think it was user error. I think the fish just REALLY liked the plug that night.

[big jay]

Originally Posted by Rockport24

do you dress the siwash with bucktail/feathers or just leave it plain?
I actually only have one bomber-a jointed that I don't use that much, I love mambos...but the hook bent a little on a freakin' 8 pound schoolie, so I need to change the hooks next year since I am planning on catching a cow...LOL

I just leave em plain. I always think about tying up some siwash's with a bit up of bucktail - but that's a winter project that I always seem to run out of winter for.

In order to get the single hook to ride pointing down, you have to either double the split rings, or ditch the splits altogether and use an open eye and crimp it down on the rear eye of the plug.

I also do the same thing with the mambo's.

[capesams]

straight
black
redhead
clown
dead stick or rip it..stop/float...rip it....they never seem to hit when moving,,always on the float/at rest.