New Prototype Shrimp Lure Testing [Amazing BIG Trout Bite]
- By: Luke Simonds
- on
- Found In: Product Reviews, Fishing Tips, Lure Reviews, Shrimp Lures, Lure Experiments
The first trial of a new prototype lure is always an exciting because you never really know how it’s going to perform in the eyes of the fish.
The report you’ll see below was the first trial of the Prawn XT prototype which was extra exciting because we got into a crazy good bite with big trout well over 20 inches along with some redfish too.
But here’s what made the analysis of this trip interesting…
Joe and I were fishing side by side the entire time yet had differing results.
Make sure to watch until the end, because the real reason why might not be what you expect.
Featured Gear:
My Setup
- Rod: Slot Machine – 7’6″ Medium
- Reel: Otis 2500
- Lure 1: Prawn XT Junior (Prototype: Coming Soon)
- Rigging: 3/0 Hoss Helix 1/8th oz
- Mainline: 8 lb J-Braid 8 Grand
- Leader: 12 lb Ande mono with 20 lb Ande mono bite tippet
Note: This Prawn XT Jr is the exact same size as the current Prawn USA Jr (the new one is just made from a crazy strong TPE material)
Joe’s Setup
- Rod: Slot Machine – 7’6″ Medium
- Reel: Otis 2500
- Lure 1: The 2.0 – Slam Shady
- Lure 2: Polk County Tweaker – Terd Ferguson
- Rigging: 3/0 Hoss Helix 1/8th oz
- Mainline: 10 lb J-Braid 8 Grand
- Leader: 20 lb Ande mono with 30 lb Ande mono bite tippet
Spot Finding Software:
- Smart Fishing Spots (by far the best mapping system for finding great fishing spots)
Final Thoughts
This trip is a good reminder of something a lot of anglers overlook.
It’s easy to think the lure is the reason you’re catching fish… or not catching them.
But more often than not, it comes down to where you’re fishing and how you’re presenting the bait.
We were using different lures, but once we found the right depth, structure, and pattern… both setups started producing.
If you can focus on finding those zones and dialing in your presentation, you’ll get way more consistent results no matter what lure you’re using.
And if you want help finding those areas faster, that’s exactly what we built Smart Fishing Spots and the Insider Club for.
IMPORTANT REMINDER
The 2 core benefits we promise to Insider Club members is to be able to find and catch fish easier than ever before while saving money on fishing equipment.
So I am including links to the quickest ways to achieve each:
1) Finding Fish System
2) Insider Club’s Group Discounts
Related categories:
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish ever trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
STOP WASTING TIME ON THE WATER!
Do what the “SMART ANGLERS” are doing and join the Insider Club.
Here’s what you’ll receive today when you join:
- Weekly fishing reports and TRENDS revealing exactly where you should fish every trip
- Weekly “spot dissection” videos that walk you through all the best spots in your area
- Exclusive fishing tips from the PROS you can’t find anywhere else
- Everything you need to start catching fish more consistently (regardless if you fish out of a boat, kayak, or land).
When you run 8lb braid and 12lb mono leader, are you still using an FG knot? Is the diameter of 12lb mono enough for the braid to dig in to?
Yes, I use the FG knot for all braid to mono connections. As long as the braid is rated no higher than the mono, it will be able to dig in far enough to lock firmly into place.
Great news! I prefer TPE over Plastisol lures. I would love to have a TPE Tweaker as well.
We’re glad to see that you welcome the addition to TPE options for our lures. The Tweaker is on our list of lures to do this for as well.
Great video. Lots of buzz with the TPE material. I have great catches on the original prawn. Questions, Will the new Prawn XT have a weedless belly slot? How many will come in each pack for the Jr and OG?
Also, I know a jighead manufacturer that could produce ball jigheads with no collar and weedless hooks with a barbed pin.
Thanks Asner! Yes, the lures will have the exact same mold (including belly slot and rattle cavity). The OG size will have 3, and the Jr size will have 4 per pack.
Which manufacturer do you know? We have a couple that we’re working with currently, but always interested to see what other options are out there.
Note: If you prefer to share that via email, here’s my direct email: Luke@saltstrong.com
Great video guys, I have never used a bite tippet except for fly fishing.
This should help me to down size my line, and help me catch more fish.
Thanks Gary. Yes, these bite tippet leaders sure seem to help get more strikes while still having the abrasion strength at the end to prevent a fish from chewing through the line.
What a day!!
Fun day and you have convinced me to switch to lighter braid with the bite tippits.
Thanks!
I hope you enjoy the lighter lines as much as I have… it definitely makes a big difference in high-pressure areas like where I fish most often (Tampa Bay & Charlotte Harbor).
In video, Joe states he is using 10# braid; write-up under “Joe’s Setup” shows 8# J-Braid. One reason often cited for using lighter leader is that larger (older, wiser) fish are more leader shy. Joe caught the largest trout which might somewhat tamp down the speculation that difference in leaders is “What made them bite?” Regardless, still some nice trout in the boat.
A few years later, we do a 360 degree return to where SS was when it choose to get rid of the TPE ‘Brazilian Prawn’ and replacing it with the plastisol version. I’m glad to see a significant change in your views about TPE plastic vs. plastisol if you follow through with the “agenda” to offer the 2.0 in TPE as you indicated below. For roughly the first 7 yrs., your soft baits of choice were Z-Man (made of TPE) before deciding to get into the tackle business. Yes, TPE is slightly harder to rig but so much more durable and cost effective than plastisol, and less plastic waste.
Great catch on the typo Rob! I just fixed it to show 10 lb braid. As for the lines, I am confident in saying that Joe would have done noticeably better had he been using the same lines I was using because he would have been casting farther while causing less disturbance in the water. I actually went back to this zone a week later throwing the Tweaker on the lighter line, and I had my best big trout day in my life.
As for the TPE vs. plastisol material, I believe that they both serve valuable purposes. Plastisol is definitely better for anglers who beginner and intermediate anglers because they are much easier to rig while still being strong enough to catch a lot of fish before getting replaced. The TPE material is great for more advanced soft plastic users who have a lot of experience rigging lures.
Thanks for the reply, Luke! When these TPE lures get introduced, the “how to rig” demo videos you and Tony once did will help out those anglers not use to rigging this type plastic, especially some of the helpful hacks you guys came up with.
We will definitely be making detailed rigging lessons for lures with this new TPE material.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to help people catch more fish !!
Enjoyed the video !!
Our pleasure Roy. Glad to see that you enjoyed this video.
Another fun and informative video. I think part of Luke’s slightly better numbers might have been because of the time Joe lost using the paddletail. He probably wasn’t far behind if you counted from when he switched lures. Not to say that line thinness isn’t a factor, too…
Thanks Paul. Yes, the first section where I was against the paddletail certainly was a big factor in catch differences (I started with a 5 to 1 lead). But, the Polk County Tweaker is the best lure for those conditions (very calm, clear, & shallow water) in my opinion because it can cast farther, so the fact that I increased my lead over Joe while he was using the superior lure is what led me to believe that the lines I was using gave me a big boost.
Note: I went back to these areas a week after this video was filmed so that I could do a lure color contest with the Polk County Tweakers, and I had the best big trout trip I’ve ever had… video coming out soon.
Wow! Fantastic video with a lot of tight lines and action! Those were some very nice fish you guys found! I dream of getting into trout that size! I’ll keep on working my beloved Terd Ferguson Tweakers & order some of those Prawn XT’s just as soon as they’re available!
Thanks for making time to post the nice comment Rhett! The Polk County Tweakers are my most trusted lure of all for big trout up in shallow water.