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TackleTour Goes Fun-Fishing with TV Host Alan Fong and Gets an Introduction to the Al-e-baby
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Date: |
5/12/08 |
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Tackle type: |
Lures |
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Manufacturer: |
Alan Fong / Al-e-baby |
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Reviewer: |
Cal |
Introduction: Alan Fong is the fishing world's definition of a Renaissance Man. He's an accomplished tournament fisherman, tackle store manager, seminar speaker, and TV fishing show host. For the past ten months, he's been busy involving himself in yet another area of the fishing world, making baits, and his creation is set to hit store shelves at any moment. Presenting Alan Fong's Al-e-baby swimbait!
We took to the water with Alan Fong, host of TV's Fun Fishing...
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Alan Fong's Al-e-baby Specifications
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| Type |
BigBait |
| Depth |
Float (F), Slow Sink (SS), Fast Sink (FS) |
| Length |
7.5 inches |
| Weight (ounces) |
F = 2.0 : SS = 2.2 : FS = 2.4 |
| Colors/Patterns |
4 colors (Rainbow Trout, Dark Rainbow, Hitch, Pearl) |
| MSRP |
$69.99 |
Background: Like many of us, Alan Fong has been fishing since he can remember. He lends his success at pursuing multiple species to spending countless hours studying fish behavior and applying what he's learned to the conditions in and around his favorite fishing destinations. This allows him to figure out when and where the fish are most likely to be and the results are obvious.
... so he could show us his new bait, the Al-e-baby!
His low-key, jovial, yet matter of fact manner is evident while watching his popular "Fun Fishing" program (currently on hiatus), and anyone who's met Alan can tell you, he's just as approachable in person. Those who have met Alan at the tackle shop he manages or through the many seminars he holds, know he has a passion for sharing his knowledge and teaching the techniques that have made him successful. He's now expanded his passion for fishing to another dimension with his take on the bass fishing technique exploding across the nation - big baits.
Right off the bat, Alan nails this nice 6lb largemouth
The Bait: We met up with Alan at one of our local lakes for an on the water introduction to the Al-e-baby, a three sectioned, trout shaped bait
reminiscent of 22nd Century's Triple Trout. Alan makes no bones about his fondness for the Triple Trout but adds the Al-e-baby is a computer engineered product designed to be as streamlined as possible in the water. Even after computer engineering the bait's shape and profile, it's taken him close to a year to perfect the resin compound, joints, and weighting of the baits to get them to swim just the way he wanted. Each bait is hand made and painted by Alan himself.
A new, in the box, Al-e-baby.
Alan's goal with the Al-e-baby was to present a big fish bait that could be fished on standard bass fishing tackle and be thrown all day long without tiring its owner out. In fact, during testing, he fished these baits tight to cover on a stock G.Loomis MBR844C GLX - a 7'-0" heavy powered rod and in open water he switches up to a 2 or 3 power G.Loomis Salmon stick for greater distance when casting. Alan abhors using standard, heavy duty swimbait gear because it is too cumbersome to cast through an entire day.
Three models to choose from with line and retrieve recommendations right on the package.
Floater: The floating version of the Al-e-baby is designed to be fished with thirty to fifty pound braid. It will sit in the water with the eyes, just barely submerged. When retrieved on a slow to medium slow cadence, the head will point down and the tail stays up creating a nice wake behind the bait. On a fast cadence, Alan recommends pausing in the middle of your retrieve and feeding the bait slack by throwing your rod tip forward - the bait will turn around.
The Al-e-baby is a 7.5 inch, three sectioned bait reminiscent of 22nd Century's Triple Trout only with a different tail and a computer engineered, streamlined body.
Made in the USA, the Al-e-baby is a slender bait, and fishable on standard, heavy powered bass tackle.
Slow Sink: The slow sink version is designed to be fished on twenty to twenty five pound fluorocarbon and will sink at a rate of approximately five feet for every ten seconds. When it hits the bottom, the bait is designed to sit upright on its hooks making it a potentially deadly bait for fish on their spawning beds.
The Al-e-baby comes equipped with Owner hooks.
Fast Sink: The fast sink descends at approximately one foot for every second and should be fished on a slow crank with slight jerking motions mixed into your retrieve. Once again, the recommendation is for twenty to twenty five pound fluorocarbon line.
Construction and paint schemes are relatively simple.
Next
Section: Will Alan get the Hawgs?
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