Entry 248-3

Fishing Strike King’s New Lures with Luke Estel

Part 3: The Iguana

Question: Luke, why do you like to fish the 10-inch Iguana?

Estel: I like it because it has a bigger profile than most lizards, and it moves a lot of water. When most fishermen are fishing 10-inch plastic worms, I have a better chance to get the bass to bite with the Iguana. Because it’s a wider bait, the Iguana moves more water and gives off more vibrations, which makes it easier for the fish to hone-in on the bait.

Bass don’t like lizards because lizards eat their eggs. The lizard is much like a red cape in front of an angry bull in a bullfighting arena. There’s just something about that lure that really irritates the bass, so when a bass strikes the Iguana, the fish attacks it with a vengeance.

Question: What color do you like best, and why?

Estel: Once again, I’m a green-pumpkin kind of guy. As I’ve mentioned earlier, any time I’m fishing soft-plastic lures, more than likely, that lure will be green pumpkin. Another good color is Junebug, especially when you’re fishing in Florida.

Question: On what style hook are you rigging the bait?

Estel: I prefer a No. 6/0 long-shank Mustad hook with 15- to 17-pound-test fluorocarbon line, a 7-foot, 2-inch All Star ASR Series rod and a Shakespeare Pflueger Presidential Reel with 6.3:1 gear ratio.

Question: Where do you fish the Iguana?

Estel: I fish the Iguana on the same type of structure I fish the Football Jig – ledges, drop-offs, points and humps. I’ll usually fish these areas first with a Football Jig, and if the bass start biting my jig after I make the first pass on a particular piece of structure, I’ll fish that same piece of structure with the Iguana. I use the Iguana a lot when I’m fishing open-water structure, but I also like it when I’m fishing for bedding bass. Sometimes the bedding bass want a bigger profile lizard than the 6- or the 7-inch lizard they’re accustomed to seeing.

Question: At what time of year do you usually fish the Iguana?

Estel: I usually fish it from the post-spawn through the summer, but you can fish it year-round.

Next: Sexy Crankbaits

Contents:

• Part 1: The Football Jig
• Part 2: The Rage Toad
• Part 3: The Iguana
• Part 4: Sexy Crankbaits
• Part 5: Drop the Zero and Be a Hero