Sling Blade Question

[Sakana]

Got to meet Gary Miralles at the show and was showing me the uv sling blades. The question I have is, what color(s) do you find is the most consistant in our local PDX area waters. After all the money I spent at the show, I really can't afford to buy one of each color. Gary also said that he uses the #4 (6") when trolling hoochies for Kokes. Any replies would be helpful.

Thanks, Sakana

[moknots]

If I was going to carry just one dodger, it would probably be chrome with silver prism tape. I might cheat up on that color by adding a stip of pink UV prism tape! Or green. Or both And it would probably be a Gold Star (Seps), Vance's or Worden's (parallell sides). Been giving more time to the teardrop style (Shasta, RMT) after a few guys enlightened me about bending them though. Love the lighter weight.

Minor hijack -- anyone using painted dodgers? I have quite a few but have never seen them outproduce the metal finishes so it's hard to give them time in the water.... which could in fact be one of those fish and egg deals. Am I missing out?

[dlm]

Color is somewhat lake specific. Last year on sunny days or light overcast days the plain uv blade was my top producer with any type of lure behind it. In early morning at Green Peter, the painted glow blades in pink with glow red hoochies were the ticket. At Wikiup I had good success with the pinkish/red blades with the black diamonds.

I have never fished Merwin but I understand geen is the hot color there.

If you primarily fish one lake it should not be too expensive to gear up for that body of water. Find out what colors work for that lake and go for it.

Like Moknots said, put a slight bend in the blade and it will give more action to your hoochie/tube.

[Sakana]

Thanks for the reply, and that's exactly what Gary said "put a bend in the blade at slower speeds."

[FallRiverGuy]

I had some very good days using UV sling blades. The larger sized one with black diamonds or straight UV both did well.

[Got Fish?]

My hands down favorite is an all silver one with a light blue herring bone pattern I put on one side. Those blades consistently produce for me.

[dinghy]

tape-easy to change and great fix for tarnished blades.

[The Pew]

Moknots- once a year when things are slow my son pulls out a dodger that is painted lime green, attaches a green wedding ring an catches a fish in less than five minutes. After that it stays the goto for an hour then nothing.


My favorite is a half brass half chrome Les David 000.

[Splash]

Tapes are a cheap short/spendy long term alternative to owning a variety of color painted dodgers. As for tarnished metals I would suggest a tube of Simichrome Polish.

Overall a metal finish has consistently produced for me but there have been days the little buggers would only touch a painted surface. This has happened at Wickiup, Crescent and Merwin. One day in particular at Crescent it was a rainbow dodger or nothing.

Again that's just what I have experienced. Others milage may vary.

Edit:

Pew, a lime green 4/0 dodger and green WR was my top producer last year.

[adobe wall]

I had such poor luck with Sling Blades that I swore off them and sold them cheap here, the ones I didn't give away.

Give me a 4/0 dodger of some sort.

Running a sling blade/WR or sling blade/hoochie behind the camera it rarely got so much as a look. 4/0 dodgers got checked out consistently even if the fish weren't biting. That was enough for me. I'm not so vain as to say they won't fish anywhere but I sure don't have time for that kind of low percentage fishing.

aw

[classicriverrunner]

good question - thanks for all the info. 4 / 0 half / half chrome - brass @ east lake has been very good.

[HighSlacker]

We've consistantly had good results from the large size RMT Bahama Mama at Merwin.

[SilverBullets]

Years ago I actually went close to 3 seasons useing nothing but the Sep's watermelon dodger on both sides of the boat...had no reason to change. Since then I've tried to make a point of always useing a different one every time up (needed to justify carrying the other 80.)
As far as the Shasta Sling-blades the uv has been a consistant producer. These blades (tear drop shape) are made for faster speeds. To get more action for a slow troll (around 1.2 mph) I either run 2 in tandem, or bend them nose up/tail down. It doesn't take much to alter their action. If your not into bending them, the straight sided dodger's are probably a better choice for slow speeds.
I use holographic and uv tape on the back side of all my bare metal dodger's.

[moknots]

Originally Posted by Silver Bullets

Years ago I actually went close to 3 seasons useing nothing but the Sep's watermelon dodger on both sides of the boat...had no reason to change. Since then I've tried to make a point of always useing a different one every time up (needed to justify carrying the other 80.)
As far as the Shasta Sling-blades the uv has been a consistant producer. These blades (tear drop shape) are made for faster speeds. To get more action for a slow troll (around 1.2 mph) I either run 2 in tandem, or bend them nose up/tail down. It doesn't take much to alter their action. If your not into bending them, the straight sided dodger's are probably a better choice for slow speeds.
I use holographic and uv tape on the back side of all my bare metal dodger's.

Gary, thanks for clearing the air!!! So I only need Seps in watermelon. THAT is news you can use, and $ to be saved 3/0 or 4/0? I am hoping you will say 4/0 because I hate/love the 3/0 and started carrying some 2/0. Hate em because they have a lot more drag. Love em because many days they outproduce the smaller 4/0. What's a poor fella to do? Wanna trade some Luhr Jensen 3/0 in Flame Orange and Black with Purple Prism Tape for some Seps Watermelon?

[SilverBullets]

Originally Posted by moknots

Gary, thanks for clearing the air!!! So I only need Seps in watermelon. THAT is news you can use, and $ to be saved 3/0 or 4/0? I am hoping you will say 4/0 because I hate/love the 3/0 and started carrying some 2/0. Hate em because they have a lot more drag. Love em because many days they outproduce the smaller 4/0. What's a poor fella to do? Wanna trade some Luhr Jensen 3/0 in Flame Orange and Black with Purple Prism Tape for some Seps Watermelon?

Mike, the one I use is the 3/0...

[Cannon]

Originally Posted by moknots

Minor hijack -- anyone using painted dodgers? I have quite a few but have never seen them outproduce the metal finishes so it's hard to give them time in the water.... which could in fact be one of those fish and egg deals. Am I missing out?

I have gotten to the point that I only run either sling blades or Rocky Mountain's signature blades in the psychedelic colors or with tape on them. The only time I run chrome is when the light is real bad. My Sep's have just been sitting in the tackle box lately although I did pull out one the other day and put some purple tape on it which produced fish. Initially, the Sep's were my go to flashers. I have been matching the blade to the color of the lure or spinner that I am fishing and my catch rate has become more consistent.

[FanOFishin]

Originally Posted by HighSlacker

We've consistantly had good results from the large size RMT Bahama Mama at Merwin.

The only size of the RMT Bahama Mama I can find online are 4.25". Is this the large size you referred to or have you found a larger size?

[Cannon]

It would depend on what you intend to use it for and what time of the season. Early in the season the smaller size should work best. Late in the season the larger size works better.*

[Doc_Rhen]

My best producer last year was a #4 Purple fade with black diamonds sling blade. I mostly ran a pink apex behind it but it caught fish with several different lures (color and style).