Entry 315-2

What’s New From Strike King and How to Use These Products with Denny Brauer

Part 2: The Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster

Question: Denny, what’s a Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster, and why do we need this type of bait?

Brauer: When I first saw the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster, my first reaction was, “Why do we need a bait like this?” Strike King has so-many great baits, like the Rage Craw, the Rage Space Monkey and other soft-plastic lures, that are effective fall baits. But then I fished the lure and filmed what happened on Strike King’s “Pro Team Journal” TV show. When I looked at the bait, it looked like a winged grub. But when I saw it in the water and watched its swimming action, I understood why Strike King decided to introduce this lure.

The Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster falls straight to the bottom and has a lot of action coming from the two appendages on the side. I also learned that it’s deadly on both a Carolina and a Texas rig. I’ve also used the bait to flip and pitch. So, the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster has a wide range of applications and a different look and action from any other bait on the market. I plan to use it in a number of situations, while tournament fishing this upcoming year. It’s most effective, however, when it’s falling into the strike zone of the bass. The Rooster has so much action that it will be hard for a bass to turn it down.

Question: Strike King describes this lure as “an aggressive creature bait, with oversized swimming arms.” What does that mean?

Brauer: The oversized arms help give the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster a lot more action than you normally will see with other creature baits. Most creature baits have small appendages on their sides. But the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster has big winged arms on its sides, so it gives a totally-different look as it moves through the water. This creature bait will really excel in dirty water because it has plenty of action. It has a big profile in the water due to its wide body and big wings. Anglers will find that the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster is a big bass bait.

Question: When you field-tested this bait, how did you fish it?

Brauer: I Texas-rigged the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster and pitched it in the deep trees with a flipping rod and reel. I caught bass using both tactics. I didn’t try the bait Carolina-rigged. However, watching the action of the bait in the water, I knew the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster would be a great bait for Carolina rigging.

Question: You and the other Strike King pros often will take a bait that seems to be designed for one style of fishing and use it in a completely-different way. The Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster appears to be a flipping and pitching creature bait, but you’re Carolina and Texas rigging it. Why?

Brauer: All the Strike King pros try to determine as many-different ways to fish a lure as possible. If we can figure out a technique to use a lure in a way most people don’t fish that lure, then we have an edge or an advantage, whether we’re fishing in a tournament or for fun. For instance, I know bass get tired of seeing the same-sized and colored plastic lizard on a Carolina rig every day. But when you put a new lure like the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster on that Carolina rig and drag it across the same point where someone else already has fished three times, you’re giving the bass a different look.

Too, you’ll generate strikes other fishermen won’t get. Now, I also will rig the Rage Tail Smokin’ Rooster weightless and swim it just under the water and also fish it in and around grass. With the new lures, you have to be willing to use your imagination and fish them in ways most people don’t think about fishing them. I take these new Strike King lures down to my pond where I know there’s plenty of big bass that get a lot of pressure. When I see those bass attacking these new lures, I know Strike King’s got a winner.

Next: Hawging Up the Bass

Contents:

• Part 1: The Rage Thumper Worm
• Part 2: The Rage Tail Smokin' Rooster
• Part 3: Hawging Up the Bass
• Part 4: The Rage Eeliminator
• Part 5: The King Shad's Baby Brother