Part 1

The next best thing to actually being out there catching fish is tinkering with the tackle you’ll use when you are.

I’ve been doing that longer than I choose to remember, but I continue to enjoy it.  If you like to do the same thing I’ve an idea to share with you.

Are you familiar with the spinner Mack’s Lure markets called the Promise Keeper?  If you aren’t you should be.  I say that because these dandy little spinners have a couple of things going for them similar lures don’t.

The Mack's Lure Promise Keeper has things going for it that you won't find elsewhere.  They include a fish-attracting Wedding Ring and an action producing Smile Blade.

One is the easy turning Smile Blade up front.  A second is that smack in the middle of this interesting lure is the same glittering band you’ll find in the world famous Wedding Ring trout spinner.

If you’ve had experience with lures that use a Smile Blade you’re aware that besides spinning these blades also impart a slight shake to the entire lure.  That’s one Promise Keeper advantage.  It’s probably not necessary to detail how much of a help the famous Mack’s Lure Wedding Band is in attracting fish.  Trout trollers have been proving its effectiveness for years.  And that’s Promise Keeper advantage number two.

But while you could troll a Promise Keeper if you chose to do so, that’s not what the Promise Keeper lure is designed to do.  It was made for casting but also to give the anglers who use it some of the proven advantages of the two thing I’ve already mentioned.

One of the basic keys to fishing success is matching the gear you’re using to the problems you’re up against.  These problems aren’t always going to be the same.  Trolling might work just fine in one place.  Casting into the pockets along the shoreline shallows might be much more effective somewhere else.  You’d darn well better have the gear and the know how to use both approaches to consistently get your share of fish.

Mention a Wedding Ring to most anglers and the first thing they think about is trout.  The Promise Keeper will indeed catch trout.  But there’s another scrapper out there that it works for every bit as good or better.

The “other” species I’m talking about is smallmouth bass.  I don’t know if it was smallmouth the good folks at Mack’s Lure had in mind when they designed the Promise Keeper.  Perhaps they did.  At any rate it has turned out to be a darn good bet when spinners are something smallmouth are grabbing.

Don't overlook a Promise Keeper if you're after smallmouth bass.  You'll find times when smallmouth can't leave these special little spinners alone.

Most of the time I throw my Promise Keepers with a spinning rig.  I carry spools loaded with either 6 or 8-pound line and use whichever the situation I’m facing demands.

The Promise Keeper is listed as 1/8th of an ounce but I think it’s actually a tad heavier than that.  At any rate, you’ll find it easiest to handle with a lightweight spinning outfit.  The Smile Blade on the lure is the 1.1-inch size that’s the most popular size among trout and kokanee anglers. 

The Mack’s Lure catalog pictures these lures in an actual size as well as the eight different color combinations in which they are available.  You can get your own copy of the catalog by calling Mack’s Lure at 1 800 525-8737.  You can also check things out by simply clicking on the catalog listing here at the company’s web site.

As you know, I started this column talking about tinkering with tackle.  Have I forgotten that subject?  No I haven’t and I’ll tell you why in my next column.

I’ve found a way, you see, to alter these baits to sometimes make them even more effective some of the time when it’s bass you’re after.  It could well be something you’ll want to try yourself.  I’ll provide the details in my column starting March 15.

-To Be Continued-