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Looks Can Be Deceiving: Black Dog Bait Company's Lunker Punker
(continued)
 Durability:
With no moving parts,
the Lunker Punker's only
area of wear is in its
finish. Remember, this
is relatively heavy wood
bait, so casting it up
onto shore or into
pilings will undoubtedly
crack the finish, expose
the wood underneath, and
open up the bait to all
kinds of problems
thereafter. This bait
does not have the
indestructibility of its
resin-based competition.
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Battle scars
after only a
couple of
fish
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Another area of brief
concern is in the
hardware chosen for this
bait - especially the
Jr. version. The split
rings and hooks are not
the most stout we've
seen so we recommend
changing them out -
especially if you're in
the habit of tearing up
the hardware on your
baits. However, I fished
the Lunker Punker stock
for several months now
and have thus far
experienced no issues.
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Not
the
most
stout
split
ring
or
hooks
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Effectiveness:
I've had best success
with this bait on days
that were not flat calm.
It seems any amount of
ripple on the water is
better than none, but
that doesn't stop me
from throwing it just
about anytime or
anywhere. So far, I've
only caught largemouth
bass on this bait, but
you can rest assured, it
will be tied on and
ready to go on the deck
of my boat when we head
out for the fall striper
run on the California
Delta!
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Nope..
still
doesn't
look
like
much,
does it?
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But the sequence of
events that officially
sold myself, Zander, and
Gary Dobyns on this bait
occurred during that day
on Clear Lake. This was
after the big fish, but
before the six pounder.
I had cast the bait out
over a submerged hump.
All three of us, at this
point, were watching the
bait. The water was
choppy from wind and
wake action of boats
passing by. I was
letting the bait sit out
there, bobbing in the
waves as we were
discussing Gary's rods.
Suddenly, we saw a big
green flash as if a fish
took a swipe at the bait
but missed it. At the
same time, we all asked,
"did you see that?" We
wondered if that a fish
or a strange reflection?
Gary felt it was a fish
and moved the boat so we
could get a better view.
I left the bait floating
in the same spot.
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Not
without
its
good
points,
the
Lunker
Punker
actually
does
have
some
nice
detailing
around
the
head
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As we came
around and could get a
better look at the
Punker, what we saw was
directly beneath the
bait were four good
sized bass, just staring
at it. Then, another
moved in, and then
another! There sat the
Lunker Punker bobbing up
and down in the waves
and about half a dozen
bass to at least five
pounds EACH were poised
directly beneath
checking it out.
Nervous, I gave the bait
a couple of twitches
mixed in with some
pauses and nothing. They
just followed it. I
quickly reeled in the
bait, made a cast beyond
this point and put the
bait into a turbo dance
when
WHOOSH-KERPSLASH!
my bait disappeared in a
HUGE explosion. Six
pounder in the boat,
with rod, reel, bait in
the hands of Gary Dobyns
- I never got that bait
back.
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But who
cares
what the
friggin'
bait
looks
like
when it
catches
fish
like
this!
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Availability:
Just about the time
we debuted our
article on fishing
Clear Lake with Gary
Dobyns, the last
shipments of the
Lunker Punker were
leaving Black Dog
Bait's warehouse
thanks to the buzz
they received at
ICAST 2007. Shortly
thereafter, the full
size version became
harder and harder to
locate until now, at
the time of this
writing, we
understand the great
majority are sold
out. Heck, I bought
three more myself
the Monday after our
trip to Clear Lake.
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Don't let this unassuming look fool you, this bait is b@& a$$.
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A new
shipment of
baits is
expected
into the
warehouse
sometime in
September
with the
great
majority of
these baits
already
tagged for
immediate
shipment to
stores who
have been
waiting
impatiently
for their
orders to be
fulfilled.
Judging by
the spike in
sales on
other
products
reported as
the result
of other,
similarly
successful
reviews,
this article
will not
help with
the
availability
of the
Lunker
Punker.
Ratings:
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Black Dog
Bait Company
Lunker
Punker
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
This bait could
do with a bit
more stout
hardware - the
Jr. version
especially |
8.5 |
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Performance |
A perfect score
inspired by a
multi-big fish
day in less than
ideal conditions |
10 |
|
Price |
Not for the
faint of pocket
book |
7.75 |
|
Features |
Pretty much no
nonsense here |
8 |
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Design
(Ergonomics) |
So far, only one
color to choose
from, but we saw
SEVERAL new
colors at ICAST
that hopefully
make it into
production -
regardless, the
one color being
made is well
executed |
9 |
|
Application |
Best in non-flat
calm days |
9 |
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Total Score
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8.71 |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus
|
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J
Casts like a
dream |
L
Stock hardware
is a little
light |
|
J
No joints or
tails to worry
about breaking |
L
Would be great
in more patterns |
|
J
Attractive trout
pattern |
L
Might be a
little hard to
find |
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J
Flat out catches
fish! |
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Conclusion: The only
question left in my mind
is are you going to be
one of those bug-eyed
lurkers hanging out at
your local tackle shop
drooling over the Lunker
Punker sitting on the
counter, or are you
going to be one of the
aggressive ones jumping
at your chance to hold
this unassuming little
wonder before the guy
behind the counter works
it past your grasp and
into someone else's?
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By the way, it works on the Delta too!
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Gary Dobyns repeatedly
told me during our trip
that when I first showed
him the Lunker Punker,
he was thoroughly
unimpressed. After I
tied it on, tossed it
into the water, and
began my retrieve, he
was even less impressed.
Nothing in this bait
demonstrated to him that
it was anything special.
Then, on that day, when
the bite was tough, I go
and land a nearly nine
pound bass followed up
by that crazy series of
events that
concluded with the six
pounder in the boat.
Then Dobyns gave it a
whirl and he must have
caught at least six
other fish in and around
that same area - nothing
big - but all decent
fish. I "lost" that bait
somewhere in Dobyns'
boat, but no matter, I
quickly turned around
and bought several more.
Is it any wonder why I
give the Lunker Punker
TT's Editor's Choice
Award? Nice job Grant
and Jeremy, keep the
hits coming!
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