Mepps Lusox lure "drop-offs"

[Steve Dixey]

Any one else had this problem or is it just me??

Using one with the weighted head, 10 ft rod, baitcaster and braid line. The two fish I got to the surface had the lure (or part of it) in their mouth, but could not see clearly if they had grabbed the spinner blade, the wool, or the lure stem. The fish I saw were jacks around the 2 lb mark.

I use a short, sharp striking action that I assume should be adequate for braid at around 10 metres range.

This happened several times and seeing as the Lusox was the only lure to produce, was frustrating to say the least.

Steve

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I'm not keen on wool around the hooks, deer hair or feather are fine. Are your hooks sharp enough?

Not sure what's going on then.

10 ft rod?

 

[Derek Gibson]

Steve, I'd be inclined to forego the ''short, sharp striking action mate'', and instead use a firm pull, and hold approach, keeping the rod well bent. Also it might be, (I'm guessing here), that you are striking upwards. With lures, it's often more effective to strike/hit at a low angle, with as I say, the rod kept well bent.

And as Woody says, make sure those hooks are needle sharp. Remember, hooking takes place when the fish tries to release its hold on the lure.

One final thing Steve, you say a ten foot rod. Is that a ten foot rod, with plenty of poke. By that I mean not a willow wand affair, one with plenty of power, not floppy. I'm not finding fault mate, I'm just trying to establish where the real problem is.

 

[Steve Dixey]

Well, the wool seemed to do it when all else failed. I'd been through every spinner in the box, including those with feathers \ hairs, like the ABU Morrum.

Hooks are Ouch! sharp - I know. I still have the mark in my thumb to prove it.

10 ft rod is long, I know, but I have weed and reed margins to fish over, (the water is a "mature" canal), and a 10 footer means I can draw the lure along the reed margins where the pike hang out for quite some distance, or even walk the lure along with an outstretched rod. I have tried other lengths and it works the best for the situation we have. Rod is this one:

Berkley Lightning Baitcast | HarrisSportsmail.com

At times I've had to drop down to 12 gram Abu Droppens' to get fish and so the rod gets used for a wide range of weights and water types.

I have a heavier rod that I tend to use at a lake in Sweden close to where I live there and use for heavier lures where 10 to 15 kg fish are not unusual, but it is too OTT for the pike I'm likely to hit in this location, and too heavy for repeated baitcasting work.

I tried both striking methods, because at first I thought it might be weed tangling the lure and just did a steady pull to pull the lure through. Once I realised it might be a take, I tried to do a short horizontal strike, and even a rising strike.

Like I said, I'm not sure the fish had the hook in the mouth to start with, so striking method might be missing the point, to excuse the pun

Steve

 

[keora]

I've used a Mepps Lusox lure for a while and have never had any problems with drop offs. Bear in mind that when smallish pike grab a hard metallic lure, the hook sometimes doesn't take hold. I think the problem you had was just bad luck.

 

[Alan Tyler]

Do you actually want to land two-pound jacks? In my limited experience, they're the fish most likely to damage either you or themselves, bouncing about like demented crackerjacks.
There's a case to be made that as long as the bigger fish stay on, any lure that practices c&r on the tinies is a good thing. You've had a strike, you've proved the lure works as a lure, if not as a catcher; you've had the excitement of the take and been spared the potentially embarrassing faff of the unhooking. All good...

 

[Ben Haigh]

Do you actually want to land two-pound jacks? In my limited experience, they're the fish most likely to damage either you or themselves, bouncing about like demented crackerjacks.
There's a case to be made that as long as the bigger fish stay on, any lure that practices c&r on the tinies is a good thing. You've had a strike, you've proved the lure works as a lure, if not as a catcher; you've had the excitement of the take and been spared the potentially embarrassing faff of the unhooking. All good...

i'm inclined to agree with that! i find its much harder unhooking small jacks than it is bigger fish. boistrous little ***** and its a right pain trying to get your fingers in to open them up!

 

[Steve Dixey]

Do you actually want to land two-pound jacks? In my limited experience, they're the fish most likely to damage either you or themselves, bouncing about like demented crackerjacks.

I can see the plus points of your argument. Like you say, the advantages and the "kick" of a take and none of the hassle.

Steve

 

[Andrew Macfarlane]

If you wish to fish beyond the reed line, it's not a 10 foot rod you want.

It's a pair of wellies or waders and 6-7 foot med-heavy lure rod you want.

Even if you can cast parallel along the reed line with your 10 foot rod, you might not find the pike are so obliging, in which case, you want to be out in the water with the fish, otherwise you might find yourself trying to bank fish through weeds. Complete chaos mate.

Get your feet wet and go to them. Standing on the bank isn't the answer.

 

[Steve Dixey]

If you wish to fish beyond the reed line, it's not a 10 foot rod you want.

Ooooh, I need a 12-footer then

Believe me, it is a 10 ft rod I need. I've watched others at the venue over the summer and seen them come unstuck or unable to reach likely fish holding areas. I appreciate your constructive comments but...

Bank is usually at water level, (but at times you are 1 to 1.5 metres over water level), then an immediate drop into water to about 1.2 metres, then 2 to 2.5 metres within a short distance of that. Banks are luverly slimy mud in places - the type that cause migrating wildebeast to slide back into the water into the clutches of waiting crocodiles :j

Once you are in, it is difficult getting out without help - I know, I've done it this summer. Also, in places, the margins are pock-marked with cow hooves that have sunk in maybe 15 - 20 cm - ankle break territory.

At the moment, there are breaks in the reeds and the general idea is to tire the pike out mid-stream, then steer them in between the breaks as in winter, the water floods in over the reeds and creates some nice little landing pools to beach your pike.

If I had a slave to carry all the gear, I'd use a 7 - footer when I could and a 10 - footer when I needed to, but all I can do is cater for worst case. I know, on paper, all you need for casting is a 7-footer for the width of the canal, but casting is only half the job. One rod, one reel, one box of lures and one box of sarnies - that is lure fishing IMHO

Steve

 

[Morespiders]

Nowt wrong with a bit of red wool round you ooks, good stuff.

 

[keora]

The problem with red wool is that it retains moisture and the hook quickly rusts once the lure is put back in the box.

Instead of red wool wrapped round hooks, I've tried bits of red plastic and even some fly dressing tinsel. Some lure makers fit a triangular piece of red metal, with rounded edges, on a split ring attached to the treble.

None of these look as good as the old fashioned hank of red wool at the end of the treble.

Has anyone got any ideas for modern materials that would be more effective than red wool?

 

[Derek Gibson]

How about some of the synthetic fly tying stuff. ''Flashabou'', ''Lureflash'', or even silicone rubber, the stuff used for Spinnerbait skirts ? Any of which will serve the purpose, and with certain advantages, if not effectiveness.

 

[Alan Tyler]

You know those quick-change fly-clips? I keep meaning to tie some red wool tassels up on those so one can be hooked onto the hook-eye or split ring and detached with the aid of a hooked baiting needle when the lure is stowed.

 

[Steve Dixey]

I've always made a special effort to hang lures out to dry when they are fitted with feathers, wool or other absorbent material. I just give them a rinse along with the reel when I get home and lay them on absorbent paper, or, if the missus is away, put them in the CH boiler cupboard.

Fox do some red plastic feathered edge "blobs". Abu Garcia Atom's have a red plastic bit on the hook link. The advantage is they don't hold water compared to non-absorbent fly-tying materials that tend to hold water in the wrapping \ whipping. Even if I used the latter, I'd still hang 'em out to dry.

Like anything else, a bit of TLC will prolong the life of most things that suffer from the effects of water. Something I'm sure all us anglers do...

Steve

 

[Andrew Macfarlane]

Ooooh, I need a 12-footer then

Believe me, it is a 10 ft rod I need. I've watched others at the venue over the summer and seen them come unstuck or unable to reach likely fish holding areas. I appreciate your constructive comments but...

Bank is usually at water level, (but at times you are 1 to 1.5 metres over water level), then an immediate drop into water to about 1.2 metres, then 2 to 2.5 metres within a short distance of that. Banks are luverly slimy mud in places - the type that cause migrating wildebeast to slide back into the water into the clutches of waiting crocodiles :j

Once you are in, it is difficult getting out without help - I know, I've done it this summer. Also, in places, the margins are pock-marked with cow hooves that have sunk in maybe 15 - 20 cm - ankle break territory.

At the moment, there are breaks in the reeds and the general idea is to tire the pike out mid-stream, then steer them in between the breaks as in winter, the water floods in over the reeds and creates some nice little landing pools to beach your pike.

Steve

Ok, forget the wellies. What you want is a flamethrower. Pesky reeds...

...Andy...

 

[Steve Dixey]

Just to show how quick this venue changes - overnight the level rose 3 feet and it is now a perfect 7-footer venue as all the reeds and hoof imprints have been flooded over.

By middle of the week latest, it will be back to "normal"

Steve

 

[pikeguy]

I just bought the mepps lusox 3 and it is gold-color. Do you think th golden one is better then the silver one? Which produces better results?

 

[Steve Dixey]

Silver has always outperformed the bronze on the waters I fish. As a result, a silver lure (Mepps or otherwise) is always first out the box. Smaller bronze lures have performed better than the bigger ones where fish have shown a preference for bronze.

Steve