Prepping pork baits

Can anyone tell me what people mean when they say they prep their pork
baits? I think they make slits in the fatty side so that it flexes
easier, but I'm not sure. Would you make the slits crossways or
lengthwise? Any other tips?

--
John

I trim pork chunks in one of three ways:

1. Trimming down the sides to create a narrower trailer when seen from the
top. That sort of turns a frog into a short, split-tail eel. This creates a
smaller, more compact bait.

2. Slicing a layer of fat from the entire belly, creating a flatter
trailer -- more like a ribbon than a chunk. Do this if you want to let the
bait drop faster while keeping a large profile for bass looking down and
your hopping jig or up at your spinnerbait. If you're going to slice away
the surface layer of fat, it will expose a fresh, white fat surface. Didn't
BASSMASTER hints section this month suggest trimming several baits at once
and dropping them in a bottle with some RIT dye? Problem with that is, I
never think of trimming pork chunks in advance -- just as the need arises,
so I end up fishing with the belly flashing white. Who knows if that helps
or hurts... I doubt a reliable study has ever been performed to test it.

3. Cutting transverse slits -- across the fat belly at right angles to the
hook shank -- so the belly ends up looking like slats on a roll-top desk.
That makes it flutter a little more when you hope your jig or swim your
spinnerbait on retrieve.

Joe Haubenreich
www.secretweaponlures.com
First real spinnerbait innovation in decades!


"John Bailey" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me what people mean when they say they prep their pork
baits? I think they make slits in the fatty side so that it flexes
easier, but I'm not sure. Would you make the slits crossways or
lengthwise? Any other tips?

--
John

OK, here are some that I DON"T keep secret. :-)

1. Scrape a knife blade across the legs of a frog to straighten and soften
for more action.
2. Slice the nose of the bait into a point, ^ (2 cuts) to allow the bait to
fall through grass better.
3. Slice across the fat 1,2,or 3 times to increase flex and therefore
motion. Do not slice through the skin or you simply have a smaller bait.
4. Slice off some of the fat for a faster fall. Cut it before dying and the
bait will be one color after dying. Cut after, or don't dye it, and you get
a bait with a big spot of white on it. Can be good for a shad bite.
5. Slice the legs lengthwise for 4 legs instead of 2.
6. Slice a small triangle cut out of the end of each leg to form pinchers on
the frog.
7. Put in a few drops of your favorite scent into the jar the night before
fishing. Note: Real craw will help soften the bait abit. Too much will gunk
up the jig and make it unusable the day after fishing. The stuff turns into
a gum of some sort.
8. Dye your pork to get the color you want. I use RIT dye and some
experimentation. That was how I got my craw green color until Uncle Josh
started making the moss green which I could live with and saved the time to
do other stuff.
9. A old west trick. Get one jar each of #11, Blue, Purple, and frog (with
the green dots.) Pour all three, juice & all into a jar, seal and set in the
sun for a few days. They all will blend in color, (purpleish) but that frog
one will retain its spots as well.
10. Stick a rattle or two in each bait.
If your pork is too stiff: (about every 2nd or 3rd. one in the jar these
days.
11. Put a few drops of glycerin into the jar.
12. Put a jar or two of baits into a rock tumbler with some chunk gravel &
water. Tumble for awhile, (5-6 hrs is a good approximate, keep checking).
All your baits come out soft and full of motion. Even the ones that were in
the running for use as tent stakes.

Think I'll keep the rest to myself.


--
Dan W.

host, Bazz Clazz Videos

www.bazzclazz.com

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"John Bailey" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me what people mean when they say they prep their pork
baits? I think they make slits in the fatty side so that it flexes
easier, but I'm not sure. Would you make the slits crossways or
lengthwise? Any other tips?

--
John