The Alvin, or not?

Starr · 03-15-2001, 05:48 PM

It was a cold, rainy spring day, just perfect to go through the tackle box. I've read ALOT about the Alvin being a killer for chinook, and saw I didn't have any. Good excuse to go shopping. I went to the usual tackle stores, and couldn't find any. I've read on this BB that they are THAT GOOD, and may sell out fast, but here in Eugene? Just poking around G.I. Joes I found the exact same thing, but it was called " Brad's Wobbler". Had the stamped A and everything. Are they the same?
They were on sale for $5.88, so I bought a couple anyway.

Coot22 · 03-15-2001, 06:21 PM

the brads have the same shape but they have a different action...this is because they have a different gauge piece of metal. The brads is thicker and is therefore better in faster currents. If you are looking for a springer lure, go with a size three or four manistee. I also live in eugene...I am currently a student here at the University of Oregon. I am from the portland area but am doing the school thing right now...The alvins are very hard to find. You might have to go to a store like Fisherman's Marine supply up in Oregon City or in Portland. You should probably call and ask them if they have any before you make the long trek up there. They might even mail it to you...who knows...good luck fishin' starr

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"10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish"

Mrdorkfish · 03-15-2001, 07:18 PM

Starr.....I only used Brad's last year on the Columbia and did very well

and also if you can get them at that price ....go get more ! That is cheaper than you can find them up here on sale.

Mrdorkfish

Good to the Last Cast · 03-15-2001, 07:45 PM

I think the stock price for"Brads Wobbler" just went way up, I remember how well mydorkfish did last year on the Columbia, anybody remeber all those pictures posted? Anyway I know I'm going out and buying a couple. hey mydorkfish do those wobblers come with a "fish catching guarantee" ......

fish on.......

Starr · 03-15-2001, 08:22 PM

Thanks everybody for the info. I knew I could get the "scoup" from the experts a Ifish.

Jellyhead · 03-16-2001, 07:11 AM

Don't overlook the K-Lure's too. They're a little smaller profile, and were made for faster current. They tend to be a little cheaper than the Alvin's or Brad's. (At least around my area) I don't know what Joe's is charging for em.

Aaron

Also, Steelhead seem to be a little more prone to whack the K-lures than a magnum alvin.

Jeffhead · 03-16-2001, 08:13 AM

OK,
So what's your favorite color combinations???
Good luck and tight lines, Jeff

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"Never be afraid to try something new."

Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

garyk · 03-16-2001, 10:55 AM

We got in on the tail end of the Columbia chinook fishery last year and did, at least in our opinion, very well with the ALvins.

For colors, the popular ones were gold and half-gold & half-silver combo. Then everyone was messing around with prism tape -- one blue dot, two dots, one diamond shaped green eye and so forth.

A guy owning Grizzly Tackle in Cascade Locks is making Alvin-type wobblers out of much heavier brass stock. Im looking forward to trying it out and seeing if it has the slower action that the chinook like so well.

FishinMission · 03-16-2001, 01:08 PM

Just thought I'd mention that if you bend your Alvin where the crease is that goeas accross it about the halfway mark, you can control the action.....faster or slower. Works great for me!!

FishinMission · 03-16-2001, 01:09 PM

Oh..and one more thing...get rid of that siwash hook and replace it with a treble!!

Starr · 03-16-2001, 01:35 PM

The "alvin want-to-bes" at G.I. Joes had both single and trebble hooks. I was going to ask which is better, but thanks FishinMission for already pointing that out.

garyk · 03-16-2001, 03:13 PM

Fishnmission,

Yes, we replaced the siwash hooks with trebles to slow down action. Is that what you meant by your post, or were you more concerned about better hookups with trebles?

We also experimented with wrapping lead on the shank of the treble to slow the action even more.

Mrdorkfish · 03-16-2001, 11:04 PM

My favorite is the chrome with the blue diagonal bottom.....after a bunch of good teeth marks the blue kinda came off but it still worked....but i saw different colors work too.....Location helps alot also

Mrdorkfish

FishinMission · 03-17-2001, 06:21 AM

No...you don't need the lead. First off..the hookups are 100% (OK...maybe a margin of error here...that's fishin' right??) with the treble's. What I was talking about is ...if you look at the Alvin...there's a crease that goes across it widthwise (?). When you buy the Alvin it's basically flat...maybe a little bit of a tweak to give it the motion. If you flatten it completely by bending it one way or the other....it'll adjust the action. Next time you're out....try it...you'll see what I'm talking about. Kinda cool. You can get them to work really nice in any flow, or at any speed. And one more tip...if you're using the chrome or nickel ones...switch to the silver plate. Shhh....don't tell anybody tho!!!

Starr · 03-17-2001, 07:47 AM

So FishinMission, where do you find the silver plated ones?
Now you have me looking for a very specific color, when I can't even find the basic lure!
Am I the only one that is aflicted by this terrible desease? If somebody says a certain lure works, or I see somebody catch a fish on something that I don't have, I've got to have it. Maybe that is why they are making tackle boxes so big these days! For people like me, that have to have at least one of everything.

ryan fish · 03-17-2001, 08:14 AM

Starr
You cant go wrong on a Brad as I can attest to that,I was with Mrdokfish.The only differece between the Alvin and the Brad is the cross bar on the "A" the Alvin has 2 dots the Brad 1 dot.Some Bi-Marts have Brads I'm partial to a green slash.

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Ron Wray

FISHFINDER · 03-17-2001, 09:00 AM

How are you fishing these for for the Columbia river fish? I've used them in the coatal tidewater just casting and retrieving but not in the Columbia. Are you trolling with a dropper setup or backbouncing?

Thanks,
FF

dogfishboy · 03-17-2001, 09:01 AM

Different colors seem to work better at different times during a run... for some reason

, I find myself coming back to the silver/chrome wth chartreuse tip Alvins. I liked the results I've gotten from the Ten Spots and Clancys too.

HOGTIDE · 03-17-2001, 01:55 PM

I may be wrong...but, I believe Ol' Alvin actually created his lures for the purpose of trolling the lower Willamette for springers. A type of magnum version of the Williams Wobbler, Andy reeker, etc.

With the large single hook setup, it is legal to stack 3 of these puppies on your mainline at 4' intervals when fishing the harbor.

Think 'Highwater' has a pal who fishes about 9 Alvins at a time, staggered to cover most of the depth ranges in the harbor. (3 guys, 9 lures)...And , he does quite well. Kinda smacks of fishin' commercial, though.

Finn-icky · 03-17-2001, 02:31 PM

May just be hear say, but Friday at fishermans I over heard one of the tackle salesman stating that Brads bought out Alvins. They both seem to work.

FishinMission · 03-17-2001, 03:33 PM

Starr....I been getting them at Fisherman's Marine supply. But as usual with Fisherman's....don't wait til the demand for them is happening because anytime something's hot..they're always OUT. I hate that place....but sometime's I just gotta bite my tongue and give them my money. Sometimes if you know of another tackle place that orders from "All Sports"...like Bi Mart or G I Joes....you can special order them. Ask your tackle shop where they get their goods. If I can avoid Fisherman's.. I will because they usually charge more, and I can't deal with their mismanagement and out of stocks.

Up-4-Air · 03-17-2001, 07:57 PM

First thing you need to do with an Alvin is get rid of the original hook. I've had them straighten while playing fish and break while I was bending the eye to take them off.

I have also lost fish after replacing the original hook with a treble. It might be because the lure swing wide to one side just as the fish grabs it. If he grabs it above the hook while it is swung away from him maybe he doesn't really get into the hooks. ??? Near the end of last years URB run I started hanging a siwash on the split ring at the end lure where the line attaches. The extra hook doesn't effect the action of the lure and may mean more fish getting to the net. I'll be testing this idea more this year. If you give the extra hook a try, don't forget you are only allowed 3 hooks total. If you had a spread with two Alvin rigged this way you would have 4 hooks in the water which is illegal.