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RAY
SCOTT OUTDOORS, INC. Tournament
Pros Hide Secret: If you've been around the Bassmaster Tournament Trail since the mid-1970s, the mention of the name "Fred Young" will stir a few fond memories in your bassin' brain. If not the designer, the lure - the "Big O" - will shake the cobwebs from your musty files. The handcrafted, balsa lure was the "secret weapon" of many tournament pros. The lucky ones to get their hands on the wide-body crank bait didn't dare share it with anyone and kept its fish-catching action a secret known only to a small select group of Tennessee-based pros. The fact the balsa-made bait was so special and somewhat fragile, the Big-O was carefully cared for - not in a tacklebox - but a Styrofoam egg carton. The balsa-made construction and the handcrafted methods resulted in baits with various, slight changes in the action, the fish-catching wiggle and the buoyancy factor. Once an angler realized he had a "bass approved" bait with that special action, the Big-O field test ended and the lure was used only for casting in tournament competition. Being hand carved, Fred Young did his best, but in no way could keep up with the demand, once the "secret" leaked out among the B.A.S.S. tournament crowd. At one point, the Big-O got such a deadly reputation for "killing bass," that some bassin' entrepreneurs introduced a rent-a-lure program by the day. Frustrated tournament anglers gladly paid $25.00 for a day's use and had to make an additional $25.00 insurance deposit in the event of losing the bait. And, as the American way, the Cordell Lure Company of Hot Springs, Arkansas stepped up to fill the demand, buying Fred Young's Big-O brand and introducing a "fat plug," mass-produced as plastic bodies. The Big-O knock-off flooded the market and filled the top tray in most bass angler's tacklebox. For sure, the factory-made lure did catch bass. But, maybe no more so than any other crank baits of the day. However, with the Big-O's killer reputation, more and more fishermen were gunning for the bass with the plastic look-alike. Thus, the reported results. As hula-hoop fads and lures go, the original Big-O and Fred Young's handy work faded from the Tournament Trail scene. Anglers were lured away by the next "secret bait of the pros." This bit of Big-O nostalgia surfaces, in my mind, for a reason. Reportedly, there is a new, deadly secret lure being used by the more successful tournament pros today. "I know some of the guys are catching their fish on it," says veteran pro Guy Eaker, "but they can't admit it or they'll be in trouble with their lure company sponsor." Eaker of Cherryville, North Carolina is a pro's pro, having made a living in the cast-for-cash game for over 25 years. His strength is catching bass with a spinnerbait. But, with a "secret" lure stalking the tournament shadows the hunt is on to "match the hatch." In the past, crank baits - like the Big-O - have made a big splash along the Tournament Trail. Norman's Little-N, the Bagley Balsa-B, the Big Jim by Jim Rogers and the Rebel-R series chalked up impressive tournament creels. As a fishing tool, a small diving bait still ranks as the prime fish-locator and search system in the pro angler's arsenal. However, with today's highly promoted techniques, like Carolina-rigged soft plastics and the fascination with pitching mega-tubes in sight-fishing for bass, the old-fashioned crank bait seems out-of-date. Well, fast-forward to the Year 2002 and listen to the muffled whispers among the top pro fishermen about a "hand made balsa wood foil finished crank bait" called the D Bait. It's being heralded with much enthusiasm as the new "secret lure of the pros." Built by Gary Dees of Hamilton, Ohio, the D-Baits come in two sizes: the 2 5/8-inch DB Shad with a running depth of 3 to 5 feet; and the DB Tiny Shad, a two-inch size with a 1 to 4 feet depth on retrieve. According to the designer Gary Dees, "This style bait has long been a secret weapon for catching wary, shallow water bass in heavily fished lakes and rivers." For sure, as a lure designer, based in Ohio and learning to compete in the state's highly pressured fishing waters, Gary's lure passed the toughest of field tests. But, as with any lure, fishing it where the fish are is the key. The D Bait reportedly can be fished in and over cover - like a lay down tree - with a minimum of hang-ups despite the two sets of treble hooks. Ticked over the top of a milfoil grass bed, a foot or two under the surface, triggers strikes from so-called inactive fish. On retrieve, the bait is said to reveal a "rod shaking action," indicating a tight body wiggle. If this hush-hush bait is the pro's solution to the bass-catching puzzle, it won't remain a closed-mouth secret for long. The demand is already building with a waiting list for orders, reportedly from two to six weeks. The hand-carved D-Baits list for $12.99 each. For more information or to order, dial (513) 738-8177 or check out Gary's website at: www.dbaits.com. Click on the dbaits.com listing under "new," and read all about the D Bait II, a "Fat Bait" with a "medium wide rolling wobble," that obviously had its design modeled after the old homemade balsa Big-O, which you'll only find now in a lure collector's treasure. Gary Dees believes the D Bait II may have a better action than its famed predecessor. "You don't know why some baits have a special hunting action, and others won't, but the ones that do catch a lot more bass." He explains the so-called "hunting action" as "when a lure changes direction for a split second and then comes back to true." Gary Dees adds, "A good one will move left and right as you reel, always coming back to normal. This change in direction is what triggers the bass to strike." With the popularity of the regular D-Baits, the new D Bait II, for now, will be available in limited quantities and offered as "painted baits only" in a few color combinations, including the pro's go-to color scheme of chartreuse with blue back. The new D-Bait duce is priced at $15.99 each. At this time, there's no known rent-a-plug rates available from would-be bassin' hustlers. -30-
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